#13:

Mark had something to do with Amalia's murder. I'd found irrefutable evidence of that..
I remained sitting on the floor with my eyes fixed and my mind blank for God knows how many minutes, but I reacted, closed the drawer and left that room and that house like a soul chaced by the devil.
All night I tossed and turned in bed thinking about what I had discovered and trying to remember the conversation I had overheard between the twins.
*And what about our little secret, brother?* Mark whispered in a downright sinister tone.
*She doesn't have to find out. * Matt replied, in a firm tone.
*You really believe so? You think she won't find out what we did?*
*If you don't say anything, I won't either. You already said it, it's our secret. If we're careful, Rosario won't know.*
Mark grunted, not sharing his brother's ideas.
*I'm sure she suspects Matt. Shemade it very clear to me. She knows about Amalia and me.*
*That doesn't prove anything.*
* Send her back.*
*No!*
*Take her away!*
*No. * Replied Matt firmly. * I know what you did last night, brother.I know what you did last night, I understand that you only wanted to scare her and force her to leave. You're afraid she'll find out what we did, but it was too much. You got out of hand. She's not well, what happened with Amalia… anyway. I want her to stay a few days, she needs to rest. This is also my house, and therefore it stays.
* If she discovers us, it will be your fault, little brother... don't forget. *
Actually, the fact that I knew about the semi-hidden relationship between Mark and Amalia was not evidence that he was involved in what happened with her, but the broken locks confirmed my suspicions.
Mark had smashed my old door and turned my room upside down. Why? According to what I remembered from the argument between them, he did it to scare me and force me to drop out of the rest of the course, but then…had he been the one who chased me around the hospital? Was he the one who almost suffocated me on the pillow or was I dealing with two different psychopaths?
And besides, the “little secret” thing made my soul spin because the Montalvo twins had done something…something they didn't want to be discovered.
*****
"Hey, you disappeared."
The next day Ramses found me when I was leaving the hospital.
"Yes, well…I didn't want to bother Mark, you know how he gets upset every time he sees me at your house."
"Oh, yeah." Ramses scratched his head for a moment. " Can I ask you something?"
" Sure."
"Why don't you like Matt?"
That made me stop and look Ramses in the face for a few seconds.
"You're kidding, right?" I grumbled.
"No, I'm just curious. Look, I know my brothers are a couple of jerks sometimes, but I'm used to seeing girls jump on them like flies on honey. That's why this situation is so strange to me. Matt has liked you since you were in the third year and…" he covered her mouth with her hand and made a face.
"Shit! I shouldn't have said that!"
Since third year, huh? However, I don't recall anything special happening during that term, anything to justify Matt's supposed feelings for me.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone, besides, I don't like Matt because I've been in love with someone else for a long time.
"Who?" he asked confused.
"Ramses, leave her alone and let's go."
I turned around and… sure. Why not? There was Mark on the bike, waiting for his brother.
"Matt is on duty today," Ramses whispered, and I nodded. The boy walked towards the motorcycle, putting on the helmet that was offered to him and I headed in the direction of the uni.
"Stay away from her, you hear me little brother?" That girl has only brought us trouble.- Mark mumbled, loud enough for me to hear.
******
On Tuesday, the specialist asked me to stay after the seminar, I had not the slightest doubt what the professor would tell me, so I prepared my delicate ears for a reprimand.
"Rosario you have been very brave, another girl in your place would have resigned completely or would have accepted the license to rejoin next year, but…"
I swallowed dry.
"Your performance in recent weeks has not been the best, I know that you have been under too much stress and that an unpleasant event even happened a few days ago, believe me, I understand your situation. However, you have passed the last three seminars with the minimum grade and that indicates that you aren't learning the content as you should.
I remained silent and head down.
“Matt, come here."
Matt, what the hell was he to do in this?
He entered the classroom and stood right next to me.
"Look, I generally don't care if a student doesn't pass my specialty, but your case is special. You have suffered too much this course for everything to fall apart because of your stubbornness. That's why I asked Matt for help, he's the best in your class. I spoke with him and he is willing to study with you. He even told me that he had already offered it to you but that you rejected that possibility."
I frowned at Matt.
"Look, I don't know what's going on between you two." The professor continued, looking at each one of us indistinctly. "But sometimes we can't allow ourselves the luxury of being proud. Study with him, Rosario, that is the advice I give you, because otherwise I'm convinced you won't pass the Surgery rotation."
I hugged myself and clenched my chin to keep from shaking.
"Do I have a commitment from both of you that you will give your best effort? This is important."
" Yes.- I whispered.
"Yes, Sir." replied Matt.
"Well, I hope to see positive results in the next seminars. You are free to go."
I left the room walking slowly. Matt was at my side as steady as a soldier on parade.
"I'm very sorry that the specialist is forcing you to do this. I tried to convince him that it wasn't necessary but I couldn't."
"I imagine so." I grunted.
"Why don't you let yourself be helped, Rosario? What have I done to make you hate me so much?"
"Shall I list it for you? You and your twin made my life miserable in high school,you wrre constantly yelling at me, pushing me and once throwing a bucket of water on me!"
“That was a long time ago, Rosy. We have matured, it isn't fair that you hold a grudge against us for that nonsense."
I raised my eyebrows. Nonsense, right? I crossed my arms over my chest and faced him grumpily.
"What about the fact that your brother killed Amalia, chased me with a knife through half the hospital, broke the door to my room, and tried to suffocate me with a pillow last week!"
Matt lunged at me, cupping a hand over my mouth and pulling me into another classroom that was empty at the time.
"What are you talking about? Are you crazy?! - he protested letting me go.- my brother is not the murderer and he had nothing to do with that incident on your watch."
He stuck to me, getting into my personal space and looking at me with an expression of pure horror as he cupped my face in his hands.
"Who tried to smother you with the pillow?" he asked terrified. "Did you see him?" Did you see his face?"
"No."
"Then why are you suspicious of Mark?" he whispered, releasing me from my grasp.
"Because I found the locks on my door in his room."