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AFTER THE PARTY I SPENT THE WEEKEND ignoring pretty much everyone. Ander had asked about the party, saying he had heard about what had happened, and apologized for disappearing. Guzmán somehow got my number and asked me why I had invited Nano. Nano messaged me telling me I looked cute in his jacket before asking if I could speak to Samu since he's not happy. Samuel asked me why I didn't leave with him, why I had his brother's jacket, and why his brother keeps flirting with me. Christian said something about fucking Carla at the party, which I didn't care for, and even Lú messaged me, although I didn't even bother to open it. Instead of answering anyone, I spent the Saturday studying hard for class, trying to get ahead, and also helping my parents pack, since they were going away for a month to do some work in Italy. After the recent events, I kind of wished I was going to Italy too.
And so, on Sunday, we all went to the airport where we said our goodbyes, my mother leaving me with one of her bank cards. I got a cab back to my house, where I lay on the sofa and began smoking. That was until the doorbell rang, and I stood up, realizing the house smelled of weed and that if it was my family, I would be screwed. Someone then knocked on the door, and I asked who it was through the door, not able to see through the peephole.
"Hola! Soy yo, Christian." I rolled my eyes, and when I opened the door I saw him and Ander. I groaned, opening the door to let them in. They walked past, with Ander standing awkwardly near the kitchen, and Christian making himself comfortable by sitting down on the sofa, taking the joint from my hands.
"Huele aquí. ¿Se han ido tus padres?" Christian sat down, smoking the joint he stole from me, before indicating for Ander to join him. Ander, who still stood awkwardly, slightly shuffled over to the sofa, awkwardly looking around the little apartment in such a weird manner that I almost burst out laughing.
"Sí. Estarán de regreso en un mes." I respond as Ander sits down next to Christian, taking the joint from his mouth, and I stand in front of them, crossing my arms, wondering what is going on, and why they were currently here, in my living room. "Why are you both here?" I ask, and they both shrug, Ander passing the joint back to Christian.
"You didn't reply to our messages, we were smoking, decided we'd come to visit you, see what's up. So... what's up?" Ander asks, and I shrug, not sure what was up, but I knew I needed a break from all the drama and bullshit. Sometimes I just don't feel like talking to people. "Everything's fine, I've just been busy. Las Encinas was driving me insane, guess I just needed a break." Ander nods, as does Christian, although I'm not convinced he knew what I said.
"Well, I bought you a gift, to make up for me leaving you at Marina's." I stare at him quizzically, and he smiles, before opening his bag to reveal a tub of homemade brownies, much to my surprise. "Brownies?" I ask, and Christian laughs, before smiling cheekily and taking the tub, grabbing a brownie and stuffing it all in his mouth. "Son de Omar." He said, winking as he went to grab another one but I slapped his hand away as I realized they weren't just any old brownies. "Oi!" I said, grabbing the box of brownies from his lap. "No los comas a todos. Son míos." I said, taking two and eating them, before handing them back to Ander, who giggled, before eating two as well. "We're gonna have too much fun," Ander said, as we sat eating the edibles, waiting for the effects.
Didn't take long.
Within twenty to thirty minutes, we were a giggling mess watching big mouth on Netflix. We had ordered pizza at some point, so we sat stuffing our faces, giggling at each other as we continued to smoke, despite already almost being too high to function. Ander was already beginning to lose focus, Christian and I figured he'd fall asleep any time soon.
"Cállense. No me estoy quedando dormido." Ander mumbled under his breath, slowly but surely closing his eyes. Christian and I began giggling again, passing another joint back and forth between us as Ander lay asleep on the other sofa, occasionally mumbling something in his sleep.
"Jada. ¿Por qué me ignoraste?" Christian asked as I rested my head on his shoulder. "No quería hablar con nadie. Todo el mundo me estaba enviando mensajes de texto, necesitaba un descanso." He stares at me confused, "¿Quién te estaba enviando mensajes?" He asked, and I shook my head, "No importa." I said, but he shoved me lightly, clearly waiting on a response. "Quién?" I sighed, realizing he wasn't going to give up.
"Fine. Ander se disculpó por irse. Guzmán preguntó por qué invité a nano. Me has enviado un mensaje sobre Carla. Nano-" Christian gasped, before shoving me. "Por qué Nano tiene tu número?" I shake my head, shoving him. "Sólo me preguntó por Samuel. Necesitas relajarte." He squints his eyes at me as if to say he didn't believe me, before stuffing his face with a slice of pizza and shrugging. "Anyway... Estás interesado en encontrar un novio en la escuela?" I spat my coke out as he asked that, staring at him wildly. "Estás bromeando?" He smiles cheekily, giggling slightly, and I shake my head aggressively, "No no no no." He wiggles his eyebrows, still giggling, "No quieres que Guzmán tenga sexo contigo?" I lost it right there and began throwing pillows at him and tickling him, until he was pinned down and I was straddling him, both of us giggling as Ander still slept on the other sofa. "Vete a la mierda," I said, hitting his arm, and then he sat up, our faces an inch apart. "No quieres a Guzmán, no?" I giggled nervously, shaking my head, about to respond when Ander's phone rang, causing me to quickly get off Christian's lap, a smirk on his face.
"Hola. Sí. Sí. Ok. Ciao." He hung up the phone and stood up. "Mother wants me home. Tengo que irme." He walks over, and I stand up. "I'll walk you out if you want." Christian then stands too, "Don't worry J, stay here. I will go now. I need to sleep." I giggle slightly at his attempt at English, which was improving to be fair. "Ok. Adios chicos." I say, hugging them both as they leave, before going to sleep, making sure I set an alarm to wake up on time.
As I'm about to go to sleep, the phone rings, and it says no caller ID. I answer, regrettably, as when the voice speaks, I realize that it's Lú. "Hola dear. Listen. The only reason the students at Las Encinas are talking to you is to get dirt on the others. Don't ever think you'll be one of us, cause you won't. You're already causing trouble and I honestly wish you'd never come to our school because-" I hang up the phone, not even giving a shit about what she had to say. There was a very very high chance that everything she said is bullshit, so instead of dealing with her I turn my phone on silent and roll over, going to sleep, hearing my phone vibrating over and over.
The next day, I arrive at school on time. I sit in the study hall since I have a free period for the first part of the day, followed by a double class with Mr Martin. Nodding my head to the music in my earphones, I noticed that someone had joined me at the table.
"You've been ignoring my messages," Samuel said, pulling my earphones out. I sighed, turning to him as he continued. "First, why didn't you leave with us? Why did you have my brother's jacket? And why did my brother flirt with you?" I shake my head at him, before responding annoyed. "Samu. Relax. I didn't leave cause I didn't think I should. I don't know. The jacket was from your brother when we went drinking and Christian threw up on my one. I don't have mine back yet so I wore his. And as for your brother flirting, I don't think he is, I think he's just messing around. Ask him." I said, hoping he'll just leave it alone now. He nods and then points at me.
"J. Just remember what I said about Nano." He said, before noticing someone and rushing off to go speak to them. Following his eyes, I noticed he was going to Marina, and I smiled to myself, seeing how cute and happy they looked together. I put my earphones back in, humming to myself as I type away on my laptop.
A few hours later, I headed into Mr Martin's classroom, which was noticeably almost empty, and I began scribbling in my notebook. "Hello." I see Carla sit down beside me, and I stare in confusion. "Hey. Carla right?" And she nods. "What's up?" I ask, and she smiles. "Can I ask you a question about your parents?" I nod, not sure what she wanted to know. "Your mother is Giorgia Rossi Mandolini, right?" She asks, and I realize where this might be going.
My mother, whose family name is De Luca, is very wealthy. The De Luca family is very well-off in Spain, but the family would argue a lot, mostly over money. Eventually, my mother moved to Italy, where she met my dad, and married him, taking on his last name, Rossi Mandolini. She then came back here to Spain to live a normal life without all the luxury, as she says money is the root of all problems in her family, and she doesn't want that anymore. Instead, she has her money in different savings accounts and such, so that if we need something we can have it, but we don't spend excessively. The money instead pays the bills and pays for holidays, but both my parents still work for their money, only occasionally dipping into these accounts. All of this was a secret, and only Samuel and Christian knew.
"Jada." I hear Carla's voice snap me out of my thoughts, and I snap back into reality. "Yeah sorry. That's my mother. Why?" She smiles, just as everyone else walks into the classroom, and she returns to her normal seat next to Polo. I stare at her confused as the teacher begins talking, and the class quietens down. "Social networks are the way we have nowadays of introducing ourselves to others, no? What we show, or what we hide, says a lot about who we are. This is what the pair work I want you to do is about. I want you to create your partner's profile for a social network." The teacher stops as Samuel asks a question, which I didn't quite hear. "We can demonize social networks as other schools do, but we can also use them to learn. Please, make the most of this opportunity to investigate, to research your partner. Most of all, adapt it to your goal. Yes, Christian?"
All eyes went to Christian, who had his hand up for a while now, and was having everything translated to him by Nadia. "Tengo una pregunta. ¿Qué puedo mejorar en mi perfil? Nada. Nada. It's perfect!" Lú turns around to look at him, "It can be better. When Martín said privilege and intelligence, he didn't mean you." "Pimba! Y te la comes." Polo shouted, and I giggled just a little, causing Polo to turn around and smile.
"Class! Come on." Martín said, and everyone slowly returned to being quiet again. "Right. Remember, be creative. Use photos, videos, interviews, whatever you want. You have all the school's resources at your disposal. Okay?" The bell rings, signifying it's time to go, but Martín shouts over it. "Hey, hey, hey. Nobody leaves without a partner. Choose one and come by my desk." I don't even bother to move, instead, I sit at the desk, realizing I will not have a partner. Samuel is with Marina. Christian is with Ander. Nadia is with Guzmán, which is surprising. Carla is obviously with Polo. That just leaves... Lú. "Carajo," I mumble as she heads for my desk. "I guess it's you and me then dear." She smiles at me, and I almost want to headbutt her, but I stand, fake smiling just as she does. "Fantástico," I say as we walk out of the classroom. I groan, and as I walk out, Ander and Guzmán wrap their arms over my shoulder.
"We're going for food. You coming?" I nod slowly, as Lú stares daggers into the back of my head as if wishing my head would explode or something.