Brazilian Soap-Opera, No Joke: Airi
I got out of the cab, paying the driver who had kindly placed my bags onto the cement pathway. The trail of grey led to the entrance of the Brazilian inn I had chosen to stay at for a few days. When he waved an affable goodbye, I replied with a tight smile, trying to keep the useless tears from spilling. At that moment, I realized that I had underestimated the difficulties I would encounter.
*****
“Sorry, no rooms available. If you haven’t made a reservation, you’re out of luck,” the man behind the computer replied to my request. He was about the age of fifty if not older and had a senile appearance which could be effortlessly noted by his squinting eyes and permanent frown. I retaliated by giving the man an indifferent expression, hoping he would assume I wasn’t desperate. But I was and when the man did not give in, I begged.
“Please. There has to be at least one room that’s not taken for tonight. Help me out here!” My fists tightened, turning my knuckles white. The anger seemed to claw its way up my throat forcing me to take it out on the poor old man who probably had a family he had to support with the money he earned as a front desk director.
“I’m sorry Ma’am. I’ve checked capacity twice and there are no rooms free.” He gave me a look of pity, something I wasn’t in need of. It was about three in the morning and all I did need was a quiet, isolated room where I could peacefully think. Taking a sharp turn, I walked towards the door, biting my lip until I could feel the slight taste of blood. All of a sudden, a tall body in white and blue stripes blocked my way to the exit. I took a glance upward, seeing a familiar face.
“Airi!” Rhys, Liam’s unfavorable cousin came towards me with his arms out wide, gesturing I give him a hug. The lingering scent of beer made it obvious that he had come from a late night party. “Why the hell are you here? Shouldn’t you be making hot, sweaty love to Kiko?” My head stooped down and later did his arms. “Look, Airi if you want to talk—.”
“No, I don’t want to talk about it. Actually, can I ask you a favor?” When he saw the water hovering above the rim of my eyes, he nodded a subtle yes.
******
“Thanks again for getting me this room.” I threw my stuff onto the bed to give Rhys a handshake of gratitude. I was sure as hell lucky that his family owned a branch of the company and that the guy behind the desk was a family friend.
“Yeah no problem. I’ll be in the room next door.”
“Wait, don’t you have a home?” I gave him a puzzled look, genuinely confused.
“I’m living here temporarily. That way I can sneak in girls whenever I want without going through the trouble of coming up with a believable explanation for the parents.” Usually, I would take something like this very lightly and probably give a little laugh, but today, hearing that left me appalled. Keeping in mind that he had gotten me the room, I kept my thoughts to myself and gave him a dull nod.
When Rhys exited my room, I fell into bed, lying stiff as a rock. Here I was, given the opportunity to think and analyze, yet I couldn’t. By couldn’t I mean mentally impossible. Do I love him like that, or I am just in “like” rather than in “love”? Why isn’t sex enough for me? Why do I care so much what his parents think? Am I bored? By this point, I didn’t even know what I was asking myself. I stayed in bed, eventually climbing into the covers to sleep for whatever remained of the night.
11:30 pm had rolled around and had I awaken to the sound of pants, groans, and slams against the wall from Rhys’ room. My stomach began to churn with repugnance and before I could say ew, I ran to the bathroom, tasting bile on my tongue.
When discussing the matter of throwing up, one would associate the phrase with words like “wasted”, “food poisoning” or “excessive eating.” I was far from any of those, cleansing my stomach more for reasons such as “confusion,” “betrayal,” “fear,” et cetera. I attempted to savage any loose hair, successfully doing so while my stomach raged with fire. In a few minutes or so, I was on the tile, the cool surface mollifying my body, and my back against the tub. Then came the tears. And the questions. I hadn’t realized that I was talking aloud till my tongue grazed my teeth.
“What have I done? What the hell do I want?” I stared at the brass knob of the door, waiting for an answer; some kind of sign. But all I heard was the droplets of water leaking from the faucet. I stayed where I was, waiting yet again.
******
I was woken up by a bell on the other side of the door. The night before, I had somehow managed to crawl into bed, not bothering to change my clothes. I got up, stretching my arms as I went for the entrance.
“Senhora bom dia!” I was familiar with the words, accustomed to hearing them from Liam’s mom every morning I was there.
“Good morning to you too,” I said in a not-so-enthusiastic tone. Without another word, the bellboy brought in a tray of breakfast from sugared cornflakes to eggs Benedict. Leaving a card in my hands, he exited the room. It read:
You look like you need a boost. Come to my room after you’ve had some comfort food. I know how to cheer you up. RhysJ
Sorrow and melancholy had been vacuumed from my chest, replacing the two with wrath. I stomped out of my room, and took a two step trip to Rhys’s, ready to break something.
“OPEN THE DOOR, YOU SICK BASTARD!” I banged on the wood some more until I heard the clinking of metal.
“What the f*ck? You just interrupted a blowjob. My blowjob.” A blonde was perched on the edge of the hotel bed, wearing a skimpy bikini, her chest exposed.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Do you expect me to sleep with you just because you got me a continental breakfast in bed? Just because I’m vulnerable and confused does not mean I’ve lost my morals, jackass.”
“Jeeze, I was just trying to get you to feel a little better. You’re not my type, I swear. I like my girls strictly Brazilian, with the nice assets. You’re too…small for me.” His voice sounded a bit too sincere to be lying, so I didn’t doubt his words.
“Okay fine. So, why did you want to see me?”
“Well, some of my lady friends and guy friends are going out to party at a club and I thought that’s exactly what you needed because of your…condition.” I gave him a skeptical look.
“That is way far from what I need. I’m going back to my room.” I left, not looking for a reply. I didn’t get one either, assuming he got the point.
*****
A week had dissolved since I checked into the hotel. I had been trading dollars with Rhys to get some Brazilian money and I was at my last hundred. The thinking I was supposed to do was completely useless and I was nothing better than a lost case.
There were numerous scenarios when I clicked the speed dial on my phone, but disconnected. He didn’t call back. I did have forty miss calls from everyone else, though; thirty of those from Eliyza. I couldn’t bring myself to talk to her about it, so I just let myself forget. Tomorrow I would be on a plane back to New York and god knows if Liam would be there with me. The simple idea made my chest heavy.
“Airi c’mon!” Rhys barged into my room, startling me just a bit.
“How many times do I have to tell you to knock? And no, for the last time.” This entire week he had tried to get me out of the hotel room and go clubbing with him and his friends. But I was a lost case; there was no point in trying to convince me.
“If you don’t get out with me tonight, I promise that you won’t get a ride from me tomorrow to the airport. And you’ll most likely waste those few dollars of yours in cab money.” The Alencars’ seriously know how to push a person’s buttons.
“Drinks on me if you go. Last offer.”
“Alright.” I finally gave in. How bad could this be?
Super-bad.
There we were, at the club. Slipping into a very modest purple dress, my makeup was kept plain and simple. I was so out of it that I hadn’t apprehended the black Vans on my feet till I sat on the high-chair with my head down. I remained stationary, watching Rhys pick up betties like flowers in a garden and sipping my Adios Motherf*cker while random men came to me, commenting on my excellent choice of cocktail. In return, I gave them minimum words answers, hoping they would “shoo-off” as I drank in despair. I truly am pathetic.
An hour into the dreary event, I took the action of heading to the restroom. Of course, to reach the restroom, I would have to cut through the dance floor. When Rhys noticed me making my way through the lights and crowd, he took it as an opening to pull me into an intimate embrace, my back facing his chest.
“You know, I always liked you more than those other women.” His heavy breath on my neck unsettled me.
“Get off of me, Rhys. You’re drunk and you know I’m not in the mood for this crap.” When his lock on my hands didn’t loosen, I attempted to maneuver my way out with some elbow thrusting. “I’m serious Rhys! Let go of me.” He still failed to budge, instead, turning me so his face could be uncomfortably close to mine.
All of a sudden, I felt Rhys being torn off me, our bodies now ten feet apart.
“Do realize how much shit you’re in, Rhys?” Liam. My Liam, standing there like a cold, marble statue; his once amber eyes now shaded with darkness, reeking of intimidation, his jaw lined tightly with strain, and his knuckles red from the recent blow at Rhys.
“Hold up lil’ cousin. She left you, so that means she’s back on the rack. Calm you’re tits, will ya?” Rhys staggered off the ground, returning to his drunken stupor while wiping off the running blood from his busted lip. His smart-alec retort extracted a sharp exhale from Liam, only seconds later following up with the brawl.
It wasn’t until the black suited men interfered had the fight broken up. The strobe lights which were before, fueling the punches, now calmed to a steady beat, harmonizing to my own heart beat. I caught only a glimpse of Liam with three boys including Ashton, keeping him behind the security guard. In the midst of the mess, our eyes interlocked, his eyes crying betrayal and revulsion.
I turned the other way, not ready to face anything.
“You mother*cking sl*t!” My soul dropped. No; more like your spirit has plundered to the depths of hell, into the confinements of the ninth circle in Dante’s Inferno, I told myself with “assurance.” It only took a second for my self-defense to trigger. Knowing it was Liam’s once dangerously sugary voice that had announced my false standing in present society, I gave my brain no say in revenge. And it could only be described with two words; absolutely elementary.
“You really think I would go through the trouble of proving to you that I don’t need you when I really do? And with Rhys? Liam, this all you. You just called the shots; and here is your mother*cking reward.” I found Rhys behind me, and swallowed a gallon of air prior to touching my lips to his. My tongue was forced out, tears spilling from my closed eyes. I felt better knowing he now had a legitimate reason to hate me. When I pulled away, choking on low sobs, Liam was out of sight; and later was I. By taxi, I had reached the hotel and began to stuff my carry-on with all my stray possessions.