Chapter 7 Flashes

• I have always thought that my actions helping people are good, but I don't know what I did to deserve God punishing me like this.
• I've been in this car for forty"five minutes, which by the way, only talks about the typical things, according to him, and I've also been listening to the same music for the same amount of time. This man will never get tired of listening to that little song from Madagascar.
• What does it remind him of?
• I sigh don't you get tired of listening to the same thing. This is something impressive.
• "No, I like it "And he continues singing with his supposedly angelic voice, but he's more off"key than a rooster trying to sing in the morning.
• "When will we arrive? I'm hungry! "I say, looking out the window, seeing how people look at the car strangely.
• He stops singing to turn and look at me"Are you hungry? Didn't you eat at the cafeteria?” This man either has never had a girlfriend or he needs to live life to the fullest.
• "Yes, I am, and you can't say that I ate a lot because I only had a sandwich that Elizabeth made for me "He looks at me strangely"What? If you know that I ate at the cafeteria, you must have seen what I ate" I turn to the window.
• Why do I have to be here?
• Wasn't I supposed to get on the bus?
• I told you not to fall asleep.
• I know, I'm sorry, I need to pay more attention, it's just that moving and then meeting him, then seeing him in his room practically half"naked.
• Half"naked, nothing else.
• Yes, yes, whatever you say, then the institute, the fights with mom, then running to be on time, and now this.
• It's not the end of the world, Sara.
• It's not, but I'm hungry and now I'm delirious.
• Relax, it's just a heavy day, that's all.
• I come to my senses and I can see a large shopping center.
• No idea how we got here.
• I look at him strangely as he drives up to a booth and presses a red button, it blinks several times and a white card with red numbering on the back comes out, and the white color regulator with red lines at the entrance opens, giving us access to the private parking lots.
• Or at least that's what I think they are.
• That bar looked like a peppermint candy.
• It's a peppermint candy.
• He parks in a corner and turns off the car engine"Alright, you wanted to eat, you're going to eat "He gets out of the car and closes the door.
• "I don't want to end up like last time when you scolded me, but here we go because I'm hungry" I say quietly still inside the car and open the door, stepping outside into the fresh air, I close the door and hear the sound of the car lock along with the voice of the car's computer.
• "Car locked. Take care, Mr. Wade, see you later"
• How much do the rich spend on unnecessary things, I've seen everything from cars to toilets covered in gold and others with diamonds.
• And now a talking car.
• It's just so sad.
• With my thoughts in order, I look at him and we start walking like a troop, except I would be a soldier and he would be the general giving orders, plus his size helps since I look like a damn ant next to him.
• How big can he be, if I'm tall and I reach his chest.
• We walk along the short sidewalk and I can already tell that we are attracting a lot of attention.
• Of course, they must be thinking, "How can someone like me be with someone like him?"
• And it's not like that, I feel like it's the worst punishment of my life and don't judge me, I'm very resentful and I feel hurt by how he treated me that day. I stop looking at people and focus on walking behind him until we reach the intersection of the small streets of the shopping center.
• Wade points and the two cars screech to a halt due to the speed at which they were coming.
• They think this is a highway.
• We crossed the street calmly until we reached the middle sidewalk between the two lanes. He looked at the opposite lane and saw it empty. He took the first step and walked calmly. I turned my head and saw a car coming at full speed.
• "Oh God!"
• It's going to kill him.
• I took two giant leaps and grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him back and falling into a dirty puddle of water.
• I'm always the one saving someone.
• When will someone save me?
• I don't think that day will ever come.
• "What are you talking about? Just this morning, you almost got run over if it wasn't for that blue"eyed boy."
• "Right, I haven't thanked him. I think I'll do it when I go to school."
• "But I thought you didn't want to meet him."
• "I don't want to meet him, but he saved me from being run over."
• "Well, that's true. Now get up, you're looking ugly and everyone is staring."
• I snap back to reality and can see the car that almost hit Mr. Rich stop, and a skinny, tall boy with glasses and clothes that could serve as a parachute if he jumped from a sixth floor gets out. I shift uncomfortably because of the weight on my legs, and Ricky Rich seems to notice because he jumps up and extends his hand to me, which I gladly take without protesting. I don't want to be in dirty water anymore, and I definitely don't want my clothes to get any wetter than they already are.
• The boy approaches us with his head down. "I'm sorry, sir, I swear. I'm just learning to drive, I'm sorry, Alpha."
• Why did he call him Alpha?
• If Alpha corresponds to trigonometry angles in math and is used in chemistry and physics and alphabets and a bunch of other things. People are weird.
• "Just like you."
• I look at the boy, puzzled. However, I'm more surprised by his reaction when he starts laughing. "Don't worry, but you have to be more careful. Besides, you can't practice here, you could kill someone. He gives him a compassionate look.
• "What?"
• The boy goes back to his car and disappears from our sight as fast as he can, and the place becomes somewhat heavy. Now the most uncomfortable thing is the crowd of people staring at us, and I understand why.
• We look horrible, our clothes are all covered in chocolate, especially his shirt. "You should buy some clothes to change into."
• He raises an eyebrow, and the corners of his lips curve into a beautiful smile that non"normal girls like me would call panty"dropper. I really don't understand society. "Are you worried?"
• I look at him intently. "It's not that," I divert my gaze to a group of people coming towards us.
• He turns in the same direction I'm looking and opens his eyes wider than two eggs taken out of their shells. "We have to go, inside, now!" We cross the street running and reach the entrance of the mall, where a doorman quickly opens the door for us. We enter and I follow him into the center of a crowd. I look back and the group of people following us is no longer there. Ricky Rich takes my hand, and we slip away with the crowd, which is not easy when people look at you with disgust and you smell bad.
• It's the worst feeling in the world.
• He walks fast until he stops and turns around, letting go of my hand and sighing. I furrow my brows. "Where are we going and who were those people?"
• "We're going to a store that looks decent and sells suits for men because I can't show up at the company like this and have hundreds of people see me." He stops in front of two stores and analyzes them. I roll my eyes. This man searches and observes, but can't make up his mind. I turn my head and see a warehouse with a large sign that says "Baratillo" (Bargain).
• Can't it be different from Texas?
• I pull him and we enter, squeezing through the crowd to make way, which is easy for him. It won't be that difficult to find clothes for me and him here, unless he's a little girl.
• "He's not, and you know it."
• "Just shut up and let me find a young lady to assist us."
• "Fine, fine, relax."
• I arrive at the center of the store and see several of these employees. I scan them all carefully and go towards the one who appears to be the oldest. "Um, excuse me," I clear my throat. I turn to look at Wade, who is giving me a puzzled look.
• All of them turn and catch my attention, but in a millisecond, their gazes shift upwards, completely ignoring me.
• I hate being ignored.
• I sigh resignedly and turn back to Wade.
• "Are you sure that's the reason?" he asks.
• "Don't start," I reply.
• "Um, hello," I begin, "I wanted to know where the men's department and the women's department are." I scan their eyes, which seem to scan my body.
• "The men's department is straight ahead and to the left, and the women's department is upstairs. Take the escalator and go straight, you'll see a giant sign that says 'dames', and that's it," one of them replies as she passes by me with a huge empty box.
• "Thanks," I say, taking Wade's hand and walking straight ahead. I look to the left and can already see the abundance of men's items, including supposedly branded shirts.
• I walk towards them with determination, and that's when I hear his voice. "What are you trying to do?"
• "I'm trying to buy you a shirt, or well, you'll buy it, but at a low price," I reply, searching through all the striped, colored, shaped, and sized shirts.
• "I won't wear something like that," he says.
• I turn to him. "Oh no?"
• He raises an eyebrow. "No."
• "Yes, you will, and that's final. You'll do it because I say so," I say, giving him the playful look I gave the cafe employee, and he responds with a panty"dropping smile.
• Why does he always have to give me those mischievous looks and smiles?
• "Whatever you say, my lady," he murmurs, and I don't pay attention. I continue searching for clothes for him to change into, as he attracts more attention than me with his muscular build.
• I find a dark blue denim shirt with long sleeves, and in the distance, I see a blazer in almost the same color, just darker.
• "Does everything have to be dark?" I ask.
• "No, you'll see. I'll make it look ridiculous," I reply.
• "Be careful, Sara," he warns.
• I bump into a lady going in the same direction as me. "I'm sorry, excuse me."
• She laughs. "No need to apologize. And you have a handsome boyfriend, you should take care of him because almost every girl is looking at him, and you know there are bold girls out there." I blush and try to deny her words, but a man appears and starts talking to her about something else.
• "Marta, have you chosen the tuxedo?" he asks, and she takes his hand.
• "Look, this is my husband, and he was an adonis in his time. I had to fight hard for him, so my dear, don't let them take yours away from you."
• "Mrs. Marta, I was ju..." I'm interrupted by Marta's husband.
• "My dear, the tuxedo."
• "Yes, yes, I'm coming."
• She looks at me tenderly. "Be a good girl and behave, use protection. Apart from treating me like a dog, she tells me to use protection.
• Can't innocence be seen on my face?
• I smile nervously and turn around to go to the inner part of the store to find the blazer. I lift it up to inspect it and look around for Wade.
• Where is Wade, after all?
• I look up and find him looking around. "He looks like a lost child," I whisper under my breath and raise my hand to signal him. His gaze meets mine, and I immediately look away, just thinking about what the lady said makes my cheeks flush. "Here's the shirt and the blazer, we just need the pants."
• "You don't need to look for the pants," he says, pushing a cart forward, revealing a pair of white jeans. "I already found them." I hope he gets them dirty for buying white clothes.
• "Well, go to the fitting room and try that on. I'll wait outside," he pulls my arm.
• "No way, you'll be there and tell me how it looks. I don't want to look like a clown," I sigh, my plan has fallen apart.
• We arrived in a huge room and at the back of it, it says "dressing room". I start to look at the number of women sitting in the two rows of chairs, who are now looking at me with Mr. Millionaire. Finally, I see Mrs. Marta and walk towards her with him following me. I reach her side and sit down. "Hello, Mrs. Marta," I say, looking at the empty dressing room in front of me and indicating to Wade to try on the clothes. He enters without any problem, but to be honest, I think he is the biggest man in the dressing room because his forehead can be seen behind the small door.
• That, that is height.
• "Hello, daughter," she smiles.
• "What are you doing here?" I say with the same smile.
• She sighs. "Our daughter is getting married tomorrow and the only one who didn't buy a tuxedo was the father," she points to the door in front of her.
• "I heard you, Marta."
• We laugh together and watch her beloved husband come out. "Well, how does it look?"
• She gets up and gives him a loud kiss. "It looks spectacular," he takes her by the waist and kisses her.
• Aw! How sweet.
• Someday it will be my turn to be like that.
• I look ahead because of the squeaking sound the door makes when it opens, and my clumsy eyes can't believe what they see.
• Why does everything fit him so well?
• I sigh and give a thumbs up. His eyes search for mine with a slight sparkle, and that electricity passes through me again, making my skin tingle. He smiles and looks for his glasses to put them on.
• Always ruining the moment with those ugly and ridiculous glasses.
• I stand up and go towards him to take them off. "These don't go with this, don't wear them," I put them on his old pants and approach to fix the slightly wrinkled shirt.
• His breathing becomes stronger than before, and his chest rises and falls slowly, which makes me look at his neck and find a hickey on the right side. But before I move away, I feel thousands and thousands of lights crashing against us, realizing that they are camera flashes.