Buena and the student, who had been badmouthing Paula Rouco behind her back, were a little taken aback and embarrassed at being caught.
The girl got up and said, “Buena, I think I have something to do, I’m leaving now, you can come play in our dorm later.”
“Yes.”
When the students in the dorm next door had left, Buena, instead of apologizing or getting puffed up, got up with a look of circumstance and approached Paula Rouco.
“How come you’re not angry? What do you mean you’re indifferent when I talk about you like that?”
Paula Rouco became very angry and amused, “How am I going to be angry, slandering you behind your back just the same, or making you ask for my forgiveness?”
Buena frowned, always feeling as if she had poured a whole bottle of gasoline on the water and instead of angering the other woman, she had played hard to get and played petty.
When Paula Rouco ignored her and didn’t look at her, Buena became increasingly furious and reached out and tugged on Paula Rouco’s arm.
“Paula Rouco, is it funny for you to pretend like this? You’re actually angry in your heart and you want to scold me, don’t you? Why don’t you? Why do you pretend to be a lady and look so noble and different by not bothering with me?”
“…” It’s this guy in the head.
Paula Rouco: “I don’t want to mess with you because I get lazy dealing with your childish and rude behavior. If a dog bites me, I’m not going to bite the dog back.”
Buena’s face turned blue and red with anger, “Paula Rouco! Are you insulting me? Why would Severo Laris like you if you’re such a bitch?”.
Paula Rouco was calm and unperturbed, “Why don’t I ask my boyfriend tomorrow from you why he likes me?”.
Buena, the initiator, was furious and could not speak for a while, disgusted.
“You don’t think Severo Laris is going to like you, when Severo Laris gets tired of sleeping with you, he’s going to kick your ass, huh?”
Paula Rouco had climbed up on the top bunk and put on her noise-canceling headphones to quiet Buena’s vitriol.
She wasn’t sure how much Severo Laris liked her, but Severo Laris was serious and devoted to her, of that she was sure.
If it was just to trick her into sleeping with him, he had plenty of opportunities to do so, but he didn’t go through with it, he took pity on her.
…
Buena sat on the bottom and looked at the girl on the top bunk, who was flipping through a book with her headphones on.
The more Paula Rouco didn’t seem to care, the more it infuriated her.
Buena glanced at the kettle placed next to her, using the kettle from the school uniform, except that each person’s kettle was placed in the proper place and was not usually picked up by mistake.
It turned out that this morning her kettle of hot water had the bottom bracket a little broken.
Buena clenched her fist, looked at Paula Rouco on the top bunk to make sure she wasn’t paying attention to the commotion below, and matched Paula Rouco’s intact kettle with the one she herself had broken.
Paula Rouco lies in bed for a while reading and listening to music, then gets out of bed and takes the empty teapot to the boiling water room to get water.
After Paula Rouco leaves with the kettle, Buena looks at her back and lets out a deep sigh.
Paula Rouco, don’t blame me, who told you to be so arrogant.
…
Paula Rouco fills a pot of boiling water and heads to the bedroom, taking it with her.
The kettle explodes with a bang as we approach the bedroom entrance.
“Ah-!”
The hot water splashed her calves and slippered feet, burning instantly as if several layers of skin had been peeled off.
It hurt, it hurt!
The hostel manager heard the screams and saw that someone had been scalded by the blown kettle and that the burns were not serious, so he immediately called an ambulance.
Buena came out of the bedroom when she heard the ambulance and leaned out on the balcony looking at Paula Rouco, who had already been taken to the ambulance.
It gave her the thrill of revenge, but with the throbbing fear that she would be held accountable if the story got out.
But the thought of Paula Rouco’s white, straight legs, burned and no longer able to waltz around in short skirts to seduce people, made him quirk a smirk and grumpy smile at the corner of his lips.
…
Severo Laris was the first to go to the hospital when he got the call.
Paula Rouco’s scalded right calf and right foot, both treated and bandaged, lay on a hospital bed, dripping with medication.
Severo Laris approaches him with a quick step and a hint of anxiety in his voice: “How is he? Is he badly hurt?”
Paula Rouco’s eyes moistened with pain and she wanted to cry, “I’m in pain.”
Severo Laris sat on the edge of the bed and took her in his arms, his large hands caressing her back, his eyes lowered and asking warmly, “What happened, why are you burned?”
“I went to turn on the water and who knew the kettle would suddenly explode.”
Severus Laris looked at her with reddened eyes, like a pitiful bunny, his fingertips gently wiped the traces of tears from the corners of her eyes, and he lowered his head to kiss her forehead and the bridge of her nose, his voice low and soft in reproach, “Why are you so careless.”
“My legs seem to be burning and blistering.”
She let out a deep sigh and frowned.
A nurse came in and said, “Paula Rouco in bed three, is her family here?”
Severo Laris stood up, “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, Paula Rouco’s medical bill hasn’t been paid yet, so could you please go to the registration desk and pay it?”
Severo Laris nodded, “Okay.”
When the nurse left, Severo Laris reached out and touched the girl’s head on the bed and said, “Stay a while by yourself, I’m going to pay a medical bill, watch your drops and ring the bell for the nurse if you don’t have any.”
“Hmm.”
Severo Laris went to pay the medical bill and then returned to the room.
Seeing that he had a bill in his hand, Paula Rouco approached him and asked, “How much is it, I’ll give it back to you.”
Severo Laris’ face sank instantly, “What nonsense.”
But his money didn’t come from the wind, it was hard-earned, his wisdom and his time, and his savings had just bought a house, so he should have little cash now.
“My father gives me so much pocket money that I still can’t use it all…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Severo Laris frowned and said coldly, “You’re my girlfriend, it’s only fair that you spend my money, not to mention that you’re injured and in the hospital.”
“I’m afraid you just bought a house and don’t have enough money on hand…”
The little girl looked at him with tears in her eyes and puffed out her little mouth.
As soon as she looked at him like that, Severo Laris lost his temper, softened his tone, stroked her little head and said, “Don’t worry about my money, it’s gone, you can earn it back.”
Paula Rouco wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned on his arms, looking with some concern at his right calf and right foot, which were swollen with one white gauze after another. “Severo, is my leg going to be disfigured?”
Severo Laris said amused, “There is such a thing as a disfigured leg.”
“If it leaves a black scar, it won’t be disfiguring and it will be ugly.”
Severo Laris lowered his head and rested it gently against his forehead, saying reassuringly, “With all the medical technology available now, it won’t leave a scar.”
“So, if you get a scar, will you resent me?”
“No.”
He didn’t care what he had become.
Paula Rouco smiled a little, her eyes red from crying in pain, and finally smiled, “Severo, I’m hungry.”
“Let me order whatever you want.”
“But I want to eat your fried rice with minced pork and pickled beans.”
Severo Laris sighed softly and pinched her little face, “But how can I leave you alone to go home and cook now that you’re like this?”
Paula Rouco caressed his lips, “Then we’ll eat tomorrow, okay?”.
“Okay, tomorrow I’ll go to the school to get a change of clothes for you, and I’ll go home to prepare a meal to bring you.”
Paula Rouco sighs, “How long will I be in the hospital?”
“I just finished paying my bill and stopped by to ask the doctor, who said it will be at least a week as well.”
“What about the school part?” asked Paula Rouco.
Severo Laris said, “I happen to know your counselor, I’ll call him later and ask for a leave of absence for you.”
Paula Rouco froze, her eyes watering in surprise, “Do you even know who my counselor is?” Severo, you’re too good for that.”
Severo Laris curled his fingers and ran them across his forehead.
He had never spoken of his love for her. Getting to know her, getting into her life, getting to know the people and things around her, those are the things he should be doing as a boyfriend.