Saccharine and Dangerous «Zabdiel De Jesus»

C U A T R O

"I know that you don't know it, but you're fine, so fine." ~B R U N O M A R S

He swam hastily up the surface, breaking that brief trance I hadn't even noticed I'd been under, while I brought my shivering hand up to my mouth to cover my raging coughs that came louder and harsher than ever as I struggled to gain a breath.

"Were almost there," The boy's voice was smooth and laced with confidence, as he continued swimming upwards.

When he finally set foot on the firm pavement, he took a sharp breath, his features breaking into a brief relaxed complexion.

Careful as ever, he gently put me down on the ground, while my eyes desperately searched the place for any signs of Appleweed but he was nowhere to be found.

"A quien busca señorita?" I turned my head to the right at the sound of the boy's voice.

"Hmm?" I asked him, taking in his sharp jawline, his plump pink lips, and that special way in which his honey irises shone as he studied me. His dark brown hair fell on his forehead, and droplets of water were still present on his thick eyelashes.

"You're looking for someone, aren't you?" He asked again, fixing the collar of his damp baby blue polo shirt, that entirely stuck to his chest and down to his torso, making his six pack stand out.

"No," I cleared my throat, and fixed my gaze upon the the lake, hoping he would take this as a go away sign.

But a few minutes went by, and a couple more, and when I turned to the right, he was still sitting there, awaiting an explanation. Still looking at me with those big interese eyes of his.

"Why are you still here?" I asked.

"Don't you mean, 'Thank you for saving me'?" He replied effortlessly.

"No, I meant what I said." I shot back. "And for the record, I did not need your help."

"Right." He sighed, and rolled his eyes. "Niña malcriada."

"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow at him, given that no one had ever dared to call me that.

"You heard me." He shrugged, "Do you have any idea how many people are out there battling against all these diseases just to stay alive? And here you are, attempting suicide, over some stupid boy. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"Suicide?" I couldn't help but giggle, because my plan of escape had turned out nothing like I'd hoped, but also because the irony of his words and the serious look on his face just didn't go together, at least not to me.

"Sería tan amable de explicarme lo que le causa tanta risa, señorita? " His expression remained serious as he said this. "Acaso hay alguna ardilla haciéndole cosquillas en la barriga?"

"No, I'm fine I just—" I was cut off by another current of coughs.

He hit my back a couple of times,  before reaching for a suitcase I hadn't noticed he'd been leaning on this whole time. Then, casual as ever, he took out a phone.

I expected him to put it against his ear, but he held the extremely thin, white device in his hand, and as he slid his finger across the screen, searching for a certain contact, I supposed, the round face of a man with a curly mustache like Luigi's formed into a blue hologram. I'd heard of hologram calls ten years ago, but I never thought technology would eventually get there in my lifetime.

"Greetings, Joven Zabdiel." The man spoke first.

"Hi Alvarez, listen, I'm still at the Ronniepepper plaza, and I need you to come pick me up now—Yes I know what Carmelita said, but I'm the one who pays for your frijoles son, so unless you want to lose your job, I suggest you get here right now." The boy hung up, but just as he was about to put his phone away, he took it out of the briefcase again, and called Alvarez once more.