Chapter 8

• Luana Davis
• Everything was very confusing! Seriously, did he really think I would kill myself? I would never do that. I'm just worried about my cellphone that I just lost, and about all the mess that is in my life, immersed in this sea of uncertainties and disappointments, which I came to find right here in Cruzeiro where I expected to solve my life.
• Igor was already standing, trying to lift me off the ground, but I still wondered about many things...
• "What's wrong?" he asked.
• "I wish all of this was a lie, and not real at all! I wish Hélio would regret it. We were so good together, doesn't he feel even a little guilty?" I commented, looking down.
• "Why are you so stupid? People who do things like that don't feel guilty! They did the wrong things. How can they go out and say those things without remorse?" he spoke, sounding quite irritated, so I suspected it was about his girlfriend, and I asked:
• "Did your girlfriend misunderstand you? I can talk to her and explain things properly, surely she will understand!" I commented, but he finished pulling me off the ground and said:
• "Forget about them! This is our life! They are not everything! Today, we should do something for ourselves, and not for them anymore, don't you think?" he asked, surprising me! I really didn't expect something like this coming from him!
• "You... are right!" I said slowly, as he practically shouted in front of everyone, but I know he is right. "You are right!" I said now more firmly.
• "Then let's go! Let's start at a beauty salon I saw here!" he said, and I widened my eyes, no man besides my father has ever taken me to a beauty salon.
• "Are you sure? You know I'm as broke as a dead person hours after death, don't you?" I joked and he laughed, I think he couldn't help it, but then he composed himself...
• "Don't say that nonsense anymore! It's forbidden! If I'm taking you, it's all on me! It's a gift, and you don't reject gifts, haven't you heard?" Igor said, and he reached his hand to mine, and I held it.
• We walked and arrived at the beauty salon on the ship, and it was pure luxury! I would have to work my whole life to pay for a treatment here, and that was for sure!
• As soon as we entered, several employees approached, and by the VIP treatment, I can tell they know Igor.
• "Good morning, Mr. Smith! How can we help?" one of them asked.
• "I want you to make this woman even more beautiful than she already is, and I warn you it won't be an easy task, because Luana already has a natural beauty!" he said with a smile, and I felt like Julia Roberts in the movie: A Beautiful Woman!
• I was delighted with the treatment, several people approached and took me to a washroom, they did a good treatment on my hair, while two others took care of my toenails and fingernails, and I sat waiting for them to work... after a while my hair was dried, and they started to add some highlights, making me almost blonde, it took hours, and I even ate inside the beauty salon, with Igor.
• My nails were painted red with light golden details, and my feet were a simple nude. After it was done, they still cut and brushed my hair, and a makeup artist took care of my skin, doing my makeup, and I could only see it when it was finished... but what surprised me the most was Igor's expression when he saw me, he was speechless.
• "Wow!" he exclaimed, wide-eyed. "You guys are amazing! You did an excellent job! She looks even more beautiful!" he said, and I turned in the chair, looking at myself up close, then he handed me my broken glasses, and I could see better, and really... it didn't even look like me, it looked like someone else.
• I looked like a wealthy person, but he called me, saying that we hadn't finished yet, and I was curious, "what was he up to?" I thought, but I followed him.
• We entered a clothing store, and now it was my turn to be speechless! It was an exclusive "Dior" store, very expensive brand.
• "Wow! Are we in an exclusive Dior store?" I said, almost jumping up and down, like I used to do with my dad when I got cotton candy at five years old.
• "Good thing we have the same taste!" he said, smiling, but I made him laugh...
• "The same taste, it seems so, but the wallet, and the bank account..." I rolled my eyes. "My account is so ugly today, that the manager might even refuse my money, afraid that the others will disappear!" (Laughter from both).
• Soon more attendants came, I could tell that everyone here really likes him, and it could be one of two things: either he's really cool, or really rich... and I think I'll go with the second option, because he seems nice, but being rich is probably his strong suit.
• I tried on dresses, and he observed and gave his opinion.
• "Does this one look good?" he signaled for me to turn, and so I spun around, and did the same with the other dresses, while he stood there enjoying some drinks.
• When he saw me in a plain red dress, with thin straps, and a fabric that screamed wealth, he said:
• "This is it! I'm taking it!" I looked and now I felt like a famous Hollywood actress, I felt amazing, it was great.
• It was a long dress, with a high slit, making it sensual, and my brushed and styled hair cascaded down my back, covering part of my exposed skin.
• I was about to go back into the fitting room to take off the dress, but he stopped me, holding onto my shoulder and said:
• "Don't take it off! Where we're going, your long dress will be perfect for the occasion!" I looked at him questioningly, and he added: "Try on the shoes!"
• I looked at the girl who was coming right after with some shoe boxes in her hand, and I became ecstatic when I saw that they were from the exclusive line by Alexander McQueen, it was getting more incredible by the second, and I was even too overwhelmed to try on the shoes, but he insisted on putting the first one on my foot himself, it was a delicate nude shade that I had never seen before, probably an exclusive color from the brand.
• He himself took off mine, and no matter how much I complained, he continued putting each shoe on my foot... but both he and I agreed that the nude one looked perfect with the dress, and that was the chosen one.
• When we finished there, he pulled me by the hand and we went back to his room! I was already fully dressed and ready, so he was just holding a piece of clothing in his hand and asked me to wait a little on the bed while he changed in the bathroom.
• He came out looking even more handsome and sophisticated in a dark gray tuxedo, shiny shoes, and neatly styled hair. I was sitting on the bed, and he took a good look at me and the bed... but his gaze was different... I can't explain it, it seemed curious, a more sensual look...
• "What's wrong?" I asked, a little awkwardly! And he bent down to my height.
• "You're beautiful! Don't let that man use and deceive you again! Show him that you've matured! You don't need him, Luana!" he said, looking at me up close, very close... I could see the details of his face, and now I could recognize his scent... It was very different from Hélio's, but since he had been drinking yesterday, I didn't notice, and I don't know if I'm crazy, but I had a crazy desire to kiss him now, without drinks, without any drugs in his drink, without swapping partners... just me... Luana Davis, and Igor... I think it's Smith, from what I heard...
• "Thank you!" I said, and I felt his hand on my face. "Oh my God, is he touching me? Damn, Luana... damn... breathe! Breathe, and don't have a heart attack now! Is he going to kiss me, damn it!" I was in a terrible internal struggle, "would he kiss me?"
• But he just carefully took off my glasses, and I couldn't see anything anymore, it was already dark, so I only heard his voice.
• "I'm adjusting your glasses! They were still crooked! So I fixed them, but anyway, you'll need to get another pair later, the lens is broken too!" he said, and put them back on me, carefully.
• "Come on, shall we?" he stood up, offering his hand for me to get up, and I thought it was better that way... better not to rush things anymore, and if he had kissed me, it would have gone wrong, I heard very well that he has a girlfriend! I breathed better, and got up.
• We walked together to a salon, and I noticed many people looking at us, Igor offered his arm for me to hook onto, and I joined him, and then I realized it was a kind of nightclub, but the level of people there was quite high, you could tell by the way they dressed and behaved, they seemed classy!
• When I saw Hélio there, I had all sorts of fits and tantrums, and apparently Igor noticed, because he put his hand on top of mine like a gentleman, and looked at me, whispering, and smiling mischievously, speaking in my ear:
• "Damn! Your stupid 'ex' just realized what a woman he lost!" he said, and now I could see it better, and really... Hélio looks terrified... at the very least, bothered!
• "Screw him!" I said, smiling.