Chapter 3

• Actuality:
• Since the day he had touched her for the first time, he had not been able to get her out of his mind, they had met an infinity of times since then, always reminding each other when they finished, that that was just a game where their bodies were involved, they did not have to treat each other as a couple, because they were not, they both had the freedom to do whatever they wanted once they were away from each other, they didn't have to go on dates together, neither did they have to do anything of what was supposed to be required to fall in love with someone, but, to Mateo's misfortune, in those last weeks he had not been able to get her out of his head, he was not able to explain it properly, but he had not been able to get out of his head, not only the touch of Valeria's body, but also her voice, her laugh, her occasional jokes, her way of being... he knew it was a bad thing, he knew she was probably sleeping with another man while he was there, being stupidly faithful to her.
• He had told no one about his occasional encounters with her, because one of the rules of the game was that: no one had to know what they were doing, because in the end, neither of them was committed to the other. So, if he knew that, why the hell did he feel what he felt every time he remembered her? It wasn't just the desire to possess her body, it was the desire for her to look at him as more than just her sexual partner.
• "You're stupid, Mateo," he said to himself, throwing his head back, "A complete fool," he muttered, stroking his temple with regret.
• He finished organizing a few papers that were scattered on his desk and prepared to leave. He felt like many things, but he had the energy for almost nothing, so he chose better to go home to sleep, or maybe go to drink a little, he was not someone who drank too much to tell the truth, but in these last four months, he used to go to the bar where he had met her, especially in the last weeks, because every time he went, he found her talking to a man, that made him crazy with jealousy, but he told himself that he had to calm down, because once again: they were nothing. They were just sharing bodies, he had no claim on her.
• "And why the hell can't I stop thinking about her all the time?" he questioned, overwhelmed, "I think maybe I'm losing the game," he muttered to himself, he knew that if he lost that game and she realized it, not only would it all be over, but she would go with someone else, and he didn't want her to go with someone else, because he....
• Because he loved her... he really loved her.
• Four months had been enough to realize that it wasn't just carnal desire he felt for her. And he knew that sooner or later, having broken the games of the game, he would hurt her.
• ***
• As always, she was there, in a corner of the bar, with a bottle in her hand, her back to him, he wasn't going there to get her attention, he was just going there to relax a little, but he couldn't help feeling a deep jealousy every time a man approached her.
• "Give me a simple glass," he asked, and it was soon handed to him.
• "You look more beautiful today than ever" Mateo's head turned sharply when he heard a guy approach Valeria and say that, in a disguised way, he approached them both, with the intention of listening to her words.
• "I don't even know who you are" Mateo could not deny the deep relaxation he felt when he heard her say that.
• "Neither do I," said the guy, who, from the way he spoke, was obviously drunk, "But, who cares? Do you want to go for a walk with me?"
• She kept silent, seeming to think about it.
• "Maybe," she said, causing Mateo's stomach to twist with jealousy, he took a deep gulp of his drink and continued listening to what she was saying, "What do you have to offer me?"
• "Many things, beautiful" The drunk man came closer to Valeria, who didn't move even a little, he looked like he would kiss her at any moment, and she didn't seem to mind. Mateo stretched his head a little, trying to see who was the guy flirting with Valeria, realizing that he had made a mistake in his first judgment, because he had assumed that it was an old drunkard of those disgusting ones that abounded in the bar, however, it was a young man, even younger than him, attractive, much more attractive than him. Mateo's insecurities were awakened after a long slumber, he couldn't remember the last time he had felt jealous in his life, he had learned to distrust women once he discovered that the one he considered the love of his life was unfaithful with another.
• "Things like what?"
• "You want to see them? Come on, you're too attractive, let's rent a room at the motel five minutes away"
• "No," she refused, reassuring Mateo, "Not until you tell me what you have to offer" A flirtatious smile was sculpted on her face.
• "What can I offer you? Honey, besides the best night of your life, I can offer you money, jewelry, clothes, anything, just come on, I'm losing my patience."
• Mateo snorted heavily, mentally telling himself that he could offer that and much more to Valeria, telling himself that he could offer her love, something that she, apparently, wasn't looking for one bit.
• "Are you wealthy?" she asked, playing with her drink.
• "Yes, my dear, come on, I'll show you."
• She kept silent, finishing her drink.
• "Better not," said Valeria, before standing up and leaving, but not before offering a mocking glance to Mateo, who felt trapped at that moment, "You should learn to spy better," she told him, before withdrawing, wiggling her body.
• He took one more sip from his almost empty glass, then sighed, saddened, it would be difficult to get that woman out of his mind if she chose to leave with someone else.
• And what was worse, was that at any moment something like that could happen.