Chapter 7

• Igor Smith
• After that girl left the room, I remembered that the engagement ring I was going to give Elisa was still on her finger, so I decided to go after her to retrieve it. I heard some screams and strange noises, as if there was a commotion nearby, so I thought it might be there. I found her halfway through the door of another room, about ten numbers away from mine, and I told her that I came to get the engagement ring. But I stopped immediately when I saw how complicated the situation was there.
• I couldn't believe that she had compared me to that scoundrel, idiot, and skinny guy who was standing naked in front of me, looking like a rooster, trying to act tough in something that made no sense!
• The guy was there caught red-handed, betraying the girl, and he still felt entitled to humiliate her. I wouldn't allow it. My patience is already wearing thin, so I took the opportunity to vent some of my anger on him, hoping he would suffer a bit too!
• I decided to get that girl out of there, it was the only way, because from what she told me before, and the conversations I overheard here, I could see that she really had no fault. She was as disillusioned as I was, and humiliated too! So, I helped her grab her suitcase and took her out of that place while those two idiots grumbled behind us. I looked at the number on the door and could confirm even better that she probably had indeed mistaken the room number, as they were very similar. When we arrived at my room, I said:
• "Come in, make yourself comfortable! Take your time to change clothes! And... I've already seen that your things are over there, I don't know if it helped, but..."
• "Thank you! It did help! Before thinking about anything else, I need to get dressed, I look ridiculous like this!" she said, and I thought to myself, "No, no you don't! You're not ugly at all!" But I remained silent.
• "I'll be on the deck! I'll wait for you there to talk!" I said.
• "Alright, thank you!" she replied, and I went to the deck.
• There was a pleasant breeze, although the sun was already getting quite hot. I noticed many people already enjoying the day, so I sat in one of the chairs with a sunshade and reread the message. Something inside me was confused, and I didn't know if I had understood what Elisa had said. Was she warning me or practically choosing her career over me? So I decided to send a message because I want to know once and for all what is happening...
• Message to Elisa: "I didn't understand... Things weren't very clear to me... I would like to know if we are still together..."
• I sent the message and soon spotted Luana arriving on the deck, and she looked so beautiful in a simple dress with discreet patterns... but I could imagine everything just by looking at her, like... her breasts in a modest neckline, but I remember them in my hand and in my mouth very well, a well-defined hip, a waist as small as Elisa's, but Luana has a more lifted butt... I need to get these thoughts out of my head, and soon!
• "Shall we go? Take a walk?" I asked, and she nodded.
• "What's your name again?" she asked, and I smiled.
• "Igor Smith! I'm the CEO of the Smith group, and the sole heir!" I said playfully, and she laughed.
• We walked around, enjoying the good things about the cruise we had paid for, and it was fun, until we reached one of the most luxurious decks. I leaned on a table there, and then Luana said:
• "I'm going to the edge to get some fresh air!" I agreed.
• I remembered my ballerina, and actually, I wanted to put some pressure on her. I wanted her to tell me that it was nothing, that it was just a quick thing, and that we would soon be together again. But I saw that I hadn't sent the other message, so I clicked to make her see it. Seconds passed, and before I could delete the screen, I received her response to my message, and I was even more disappointed.
• Elisa typing...
• "Dear Igor! Unfortunately, things between us have become complicated. I didn't even know, but this premiere that is happening now will take an average of two years, and I can't miss this opportunity! Let me pursue my dream, and we will be together again soon!"
• "But what the hell is this?" I thought out loud.
• I was stunned by what I read. Was I having trouble understanding, or did she ask me to wait two years? That couldn't be true at all. I don't have two years, my grandmother doesn't have two years! Once again, Elisa chose her dreams over me... her career. I always thought that at some point she would choose me and I would be her priority, but from what I can see, that won't happen anytime soon because I'm never a priority for Elisa.
• I was very discouraged and upset. I put my phone aside because it felt like my head was hurting and heating up. She chose someone else again, and that's all I could think about. I lowered my head between my arms resting on the table, and when I lifted my head, I saw Luana with half of her body leaning on the railing, one leg in the air, and the other resting on a bench. I panicked, "Is Luana going to jump?" I thought.
• I couldn't allow that to happen, so without thinking twice, I rushed towards her and held her from behind. We both fell and rolled on the floor in a corner of the deck, where I was practically on top of her.
• I observed her features more closely now, even with teary eyes, I noticed how beautiful she was. She had well-defined lips, big and beautiful shiny eyes that were light brown, a round nose, and a forehead that was neither too short nor too high. She had a delicate face. I couldn't help but ask:
• "What were you doing? Why do you want to kill yourself? Calm down! It was just a fling, let's forget everything, and everything will be fine again!" I said, and she, still lying on the floor beneath me, turned her head to the side, disheartened, not seeming to want to look at me.
• "Who said I was going to kill myself? I have plenty of reasons, but I'm not that foolish, if that's what you think!" she said, and now I didn't understand anything.
• "I wasn't going to? But... I thought..."
• - I just received a notification that my now "ex-boyfriend" maxed out my credit card as soon as we arrived here yesterday, and now I'm even more screwed than before because I have thousands of dollars in debt. I was so pissed off that I dropped my phone through the cracks on the next floor, and that's what I was trying to grab before you did me the favor of throwing me to the ground and making it go even further! (Crying)
• - Wow... I didn't know! I thought...
• - Stop assuming and thinking for me! Can't you see that I've lost everything? I spent over thirty thousand on this cruise, and I still have the whole debt to pay to the loan shark. I lost my well-protected virginity to a complete stranger who judged me and didn't believe me! I caught my boyfriend cheating on me, and he humiliated me. And if that wasn't enough, I lost my phone and now have a huge credit card debt! - She shouted like a madwoman, and I think she just needed to vent. After she finished speaking, she started crying, so I lay down and hugged her...
• I felt sorry for her... the way she spoke, she really is in a worse situation than me, who still has money and hasn't been betrayed. I let her cry in my arms, and we both looked like crazy people lying on the deck.
• There were many people passing by and walking between us, but I didn't care. I was worried about that girl, and in a way, I felt attracted to her. I can't explain it, but that hug made me feel good too, maybe even more than it did for her. We stayed there for a while until I saw her stop crying, and I decided that there was no reason for us to stay there anymore!
• - Come on! Let's get up from here! - I pulled her up by the arms, hoping she would stand up with me, but she slumped her arms, refusing.
• - Where are we going? I don't even have a room anymore. I've been kicked out of two today! - She smiled wryly.
• - Forget about that! Let's start over! You paid for a cruise on this ship, and you wanted it to be special, right? - I asked.
• - Yes, but...
• - But nothing! You're too beautiful to be crying over someone who doesn't deserve you! Come on! I want to take you somewhere!
• And that's when I decided to forget about my sadness for a while and help her with her problems! And don't ask me why, I'm too selfish, and I can say that I just "want" to!