Josiah Marquez Part 2

"It's makeup remover, a tip that helps avoid leaving marks on your skin," she explained, squeezing my shoulders to keep me still. "All I ask of God is for you to find people who help you be less chaotic, because I see that ember right behind your eyes..."
"Oh, Mom, don’t start with the lecture, okay?"
"I will! I really like Bernardo, he’s a good, kind boy... I love that you’re friends. But this... this girl, Ana, I’m afraid she might be too tempestuous for you. I’ve seen her pass by the gate here, always very distant, looking like she’s wandering around with a storm cloud in her head."
"Wow, Mrs. Marta! Getting philosophical, are we?" I teased.
I got up from the stool, cracking my back as I stepped over the white threshold that lay between the kitchen and the laundry area. My mom wasn’t jealous... She didn’t usually interfere with any girl I was involved with. On the contrary, she said she wanted to see my eyes full of love for someone someday. Marta was so easygoing that I could bring women older than me to my room, sneaking in at night, and my mom would greet them with a cake in the morning, chatting and inviting them to come back anytime.
"Relax, okay? I’m just going out with her, I didn’t say I’m going to propose!" I said, turning my back to the middle-aged woman and walking to my room.
I entered the room with black-painted walls, stopping in front of the mahogany desk. I slumped into the dark leather chair, pulling out my phone and staring at the WhatsApp page with my friend's face.
His photo showed a wide smile, on a calm-featured face, blue eyes, and hair so black it made me envious. Some random freckles dotted his face. He hated those marks...
"I’d call a guy to go to the movies, after all, it’s the most versatile outing. If she’s a naturalist like Lucah, take her to the Botanical Garden, if she’s into nightlife, take her to a club, but she looks like a kid... They’ll probably turn her away at the door."
"I asked for advice, dude... Not a monologue."
"Jow..."
I was smiling at the crying faces he added.
"Okay, I’ll ask her to come to my room to watch something on Netflix, then I’ll buy... I don’t know, some chocolate? A perfume?"
Typing...
"Send a voice message, Bernardo! I’m anxious and you’re taking too long..."
I was incredibly nervous just thinking about what to say to Ana. Fuck that she was broken, fuck that her parents left her. It wasn’t her fault! Whatever happened, Ana was abandoned.
And if my mom thought telling me that would make me want to stay away, Marta was so wrong! It only made me want to stick to her, to make her smile, to get that Sweetie to laugh and deepen those dimples in her rosy cheeks.
"You don’t know if she likes perfume or chocolates... Buy a necklace, I don’t know, with a cool pendant."
"Man, that’s great! I’ve said it a thousand times, but... seriously, she has that virgin vibe where you better not try to hook up with her if you don’t want to marry her!"
"You think?"
"Yes! Super virgin vibes..."
"My mom is being picky about Ana, but I’m still going to ask her to come over."
"Seriously? Aunt Marta never picks on anyone..."
"Oh, some weird stuff, man. Now I’m going to take a shower and wash this damn hair dye off."
"If you ever become a billionaire, I’ll use the fact that your hair is blonde to blackmail you... La la la la."
"Asshole..."



***



The class had barely started, and I couldn't even pay attention to Ber's rambling. I kept staring at that goddess with brown hair while she smiled and chatted a lot with her red-haired friend. I was shaking my leg nonstop, and had an overwhelming urge to smoke a pack of cigarettes. I’d spent the entire night rehearsing how I’d ask her over to my place.
"Want to watch a movie?"
"Want to come over and watch something cool?" "Hey, have you seen The Walking Dead?"
Fuck! I was losing my mind...
"Did you notice?" Bernardo asked, pulling on my shirt sleeve near the shoulder, leaning on the desk next to me. "Isa never sat in the front or talked to anyone unless it was to tell them to fuck off, and now she's in the front row, best friends with your future 'first lady,' and chatting away?"
"Surprising..."
I kept staring at that face. It seemed like her cheeks had the same glow that my mom used to give her face, and her lips were moist... Was she wearing makeup? And her shirt was tighter than the one she wore yesterday. I tried to hide the reaction in my pants when I looked at Ana.
"Hey... Stop staring! Try to act casual!" Bernardo whispered, giving me a light elbow in the ribs. "And why are you leaning like that?"
I tried to hide that I was hard, but the asshole noticed and started laughing, covering his mouth. I felt my cheeks heating up. I really wanted to smack Bernardo for drawing attention. He couldn’t even act discreetly...
As soon as the bell rang for the next class, I stood up and went to her desk. My heart was almost in my mouth, but that wasn’t going to stop me. I was going to have that goddess in my room, feel those moist lips on mine. No matter how long it took.
Ana was laughing, relaxed, but when her intense eyes met mine, with me standing in front of her desk and her friend, the girl froze. Isabela looked me up and down, wrinkling her upper lip, as if I was disgusting.
"What’s up, wannabe heartthrob? Beat it!" she snapped, trying to look angry.
"Hi, Sweetie!" I greeted, ignoring the hysterical redhead.
Damn! Was that “fire hair” going to mess up my plans? I prepared to tell her to get lost, but my friend’s shrill voice got our attention.
"Hey, 'AF,' come here!" Bernardo called, standing above the classroom door threshold, staring at Isa.
The redhead glared at me, shooting daggers with her eyes covered in black stuff dripping from under her voluminous lashes. She looked like a killer doll. She stood up, irritated, stomping her way over to him.
"What’s AF?" Ana asked, blowing a breath of green apple candy in my face. I felt like kissing those thick lips covered in shiny, transparent lipstick... What did my mom call that stuff? Gloss?
"Oh, it means 'fucking delay,'" I explained, enjoying the sight of her chubby cheeks turning red. I raised my finger and pinched her cheek, unable to resist the impulse. "Are you okay?"
Sweetie was surprised by the question, and I immediately regretted asking it. To break the discomfort of seeing her squirm in her seat, I sat next to her. My heart was racing so fast I could almost hear it.
Even though I was nervous, I knew the girl had a shy demeanor, so I’d have to take the lead.
"I’m great!" she replied, scowling.
"Get out, Josiah!" Isabela shouted, standing next to me. Didn't Bernardo manage to get rid of that snob? "Math class is starting. Go annoy your friend..."
"I’ll be having class here, thanks!" I said, resting my arm on Ana's chair back.
The redhead shot me a killing look, making a strong grape scent linger in the air as she huffed above my head, blowing. Isa was pleading with Ana with her dark eyes, seeming to ask her friend to help get rid of me.
"Come on, Isabela!" Bernardo called. "Let them be, stop being such a buzzkill!"
"Go to hell! I’m only sitting here because that jerk Ana likes your buff friend’s arm around her."
"That’s right, but sit here and keep quiet, beautiful!" I heard Bernardo advising from afar.
Ana gave a small giggle, and I noticed her smoothing her jeans at her thighs. She was nervous. That fed the sadistic side that usually resided at the bottom of my body. I started putting my nervousness aside, feeling that I could take control of the situation.