Love, Novela [Completed]

11-03-17 - 2

11/03/17, close to midnight

The other students were all so excited to go to a Mexico City club. I didn't want to go, and told them that. But after they left, I realized that staying in the hotel room by myself was even dumber than going to the club.

I thought it was only about two minutes after they'd left that I made this decision, and that I only took another minute or so to change my shirt, pull my hair back, throw on some mascara, and then dash out the door.  Besides, I knew exactly where they were headed because they'd spent like half an hour on the map trying to figure out how to get there and I ended up helping them pick a route. I figured they'd be lollygagging and if I jogged I would catch them just outside the hotel. I didn't see them, but I still thought they couldn't be far ahead. It was 9:30 or 10, not that late and there were still people out although it was dark. I went another block and still didn't see them. I slowed down, wondering if they'd made a turn or if I'd somehow passed them.

Then I saw two men coming toward me from the side of the building. I thought I might be imagining that they were coming toward me, but my instincts told me to run. I turned and started walking quickly back toward the hotel, and then started running. I could hear them start to run behind me.

Then I saw Alex. He was walking toward me, toward them. He was scowling.

"¡Allí estás!" he shouted. I slowed down as I neared him. "Mujer necia," he hissed, reaching forward and grabbing my wrist roughly. "¡Te dije que me esperaras!" I opened my mouth, but wasn't sure what to say. He seemed oblivious to the men behind me, he was saying odd things, and the way he was gripping my wrist bordered on abusive. "Vamos a la casa," he continued. He swung around, bending my wrist in a way that made me cry out in pain. He adjusted his grasp and dragged me at a brisk pace back toward the hotel. I couldn't believe he hadn't seen those guys, or was ignoring them, but at the moment he was almost as frightening as they were.

And then I realized that was the point, that he had seen them, and he was putting on a show for their benefit. The familiarity of contact, the roughness - he was letting them know that I was his woman, and if they were going to deal with me they were going to deal with him, and it would not be pleasant.

Alex continued his grip until we were almost inside the hotel doors. I had no idea of the men were still behind us and I suppose Alex didn't either. I figured it wasn't a good idea to look back in case they were, so I restrained myself.

We got inside the hotel and Alex finally relaxed his grip on my arm. It had white marks on it that quickly turned red. He touched it softly. "Sorry," he said.

"It's OK," I replied. I was a bit too absorbed by the whole idea to notice the pain in my arm.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "It will be fine by tomorrow."

"I don't mean your arm," he said. "I mean you. You look very pale."

"I'm always pale," I teased. Then I caught myself. I hadn't teased him since the night in Morelia.

He smiled a very small smile. "No," he said. "You are always light. Not pale. We should get you a Pepsi. It will help."

"I'm fine," I protested, but I didn't really feel fine, and I expected he wouldn't take no for an answer. He didn't.

"Come," he said. "There is a restaurant just around the corner - the opposite direction. We'll get you something."

He touched my back lightly, guiding me in the direction he had indicated. His touch sent thrills down my back, even more than it had in Morelia. This time I had known what I was missing and thought I wouldn't have again. It sounds so melodramatic now as I write it, but I don't know how else to describe it.

When went to the restaurant and he ordered a Pepsi for me. He thought about his order and I expected him to order alcohol, but he hesitated and ordered himself a Pepsi as well. He didn't say anything while we waited, and neither did I. But the Pepsis arrived quickly.

"Drink that. And breathe. Your breathing is shallow." I hadn't noticed until he pointed it out. I started taking deep breaths in between my sips of Pepsi. Alex remained quiet throughout this process.

When he saw that my Pepsi was about three-quarters gone, he asked, "What were you doing?"

"What?" I asked, startled.

"Why were you out there alone at 10:00 at night? I thought you knew better. This time something almost happened to you."

"Well, it might not have. I was running... " I let my voice trail off. It occurred to me that it wasn't the best moment to be defensive.

"Oh, so I should just let you go next time, so you can see if you can get yourself out of it?"

"'Let me go'... were you following me? How did you end up there right then? And you were alone too."

"I am a man, and I am Mexican. And I am also at risk of being robbed, but two on two aren't really great odds and they don't know whether I carry a weapon or can fight. But I took a risk."

"Thank you," I said, sufficiently humbled. But after a minute I realized he'd left a question - a valid one, I thought - unanswered. "So... were you following me?"

"No," he snapped. I was in the hotel lobby and saw you leave by yourself. Since I am a chaperone and partly responsible for your well-being, I decided to follow you to make sure you got to the club safely and reunited with your friends. It's a good thing I did."

"Yes," I admitted. I hated to acknowledge that I had needed his help, but it was inescapable.

A moment passed. Mostly for lack of anything better to say, I clarified, "They're not really my friends."

"I know," he said. He signaled for the bill. Once again I reached for my wallet, and once again he waived it away.

"You saved my life, probably," I protested. "I should at least be able to buy you a pop."

"I made you come here and drink it," he answered. "I pay." It was the end of the discussion.

He stood, and we left. As we exited I stiffened. Alex immediately put his hand on my back. I glanced at him, and he just nodded. I felt like I was torn between two evils, the unknown evil of the street terrors, and the barely-explored passions of Alex. But I figured I could put up with his light touch until we got to the hotel. Being honest I could have put up with it a lot longer, but didn't intend to let myself.

We got into the hotel and walked to the bottom of the stairs. He walked up with me and I felt a thrill of apprehension, but then I realized that his room was on the third floor and it was natural for him to go up to, as it was almost midnight and there wasn't much else to do. I made myself inhale and exhale.

We got to the second floor - my floor - and stopped. My breathing quickened again. We were alone. Now we were back on speaking terms again. We were getting along swimmingly again. Would he try something again? Would I let him this time? I was afraid of what he might do, but even more afraid of what my reaction might be.

But he did not. He didn't put his arms around me, didn't try to kiss me, didn't even shake my hand. He just paused and said, "Good night, Novela."

And this time I felt like the one who got jilted.

I suppose I could say that now I have a good story to tell, if only it didn't begin with my stupidity. Other than my ridiculous feelings, this seems like an event I should write about to Grace, but something holds me back. I don't know why. It's not like either of us did anything we shouldn't have (other than my foolish foray), and there was no indication that we would in the future. Nor do I have that intention. Nothing has changed. I guess I'm just afraid that she'll read into it that we will, and I don't want to have to deal with it. I'll tell her about it later. It's not that long until I'll be home now, anyway. And then I can tell her everything, and nothing will be misconstrued.