I didn’t think I’d come to such a beautiful place by force. Damn Den, damn the moment I got into his car, damn the moment I recorded him, and damn the moment I let him take my cell phone.
We’re in a park. The center is adorned with a bronze fountain, surrounded by 20 columns with rose bushes. From this fountain, eight paths radiate like rays, inviting us to explore every part of this place. I love the different types of exotic flowers here, as well as the hundreds of trees that surround us.
I’m lying on the grass, letting the sun’s rays finish drying me. Donovan does the same, leaning against a tree. We haven’t said a word since we arrived.
“So, tell me, mysterious Den, what do you do?” I say the first thing that comes to my mind without looking at him. I didn’t need to do so to know that his eyes went wide.
“You already know, Alicia. I sell drugs.”
“But you told me that if I knew more about you, I’d stay away.”
“Correct.”
“Then why don’t you tell me to check?”
“Like you, I have things I can’t tell you,” his eyes were already looking for a way to escape from me and my questions, as if he were afraid I’d discover something I shouldn’t.
“And why do you sell drugs?” I keep asking like the nosy fool I am. I can’t help it. Curiosity is killing me.
“You know what? Let’s just go back; this was a bad idea…” He picks up his jacket next to me and walks towards where we parked the car.
Before he gets too far, I grab his arm and stop him, feeling guilty for pressuring him; maybe this affects him. “Hey, I’m sorry, it wasn’t my intention to screw things up; it’s just that I can’t understand how you can do what you do.”
“I’m not good, Alicia, I don’t know what stupid idea you have of me, but I assure you I’m not good.”
“You’re not bad either, you love your mom and protect her, you spoil her and care for her. A person who has those feelings can’t be as cruel as you pretend to be.”
“You’re very wrong about your idea of what being good means. I can protect my mother, but that doesn’t outweigh what I am daily.”
“It depends on why you do it; it may not outweigh it, but at least I can understand you… If this outing with you ends now, I don’t care. I don’t care if you don’t talk to me again or get angry. I believe I’m right, and I’m very sure I am. Yes, you’re a complete idiot, jerk, stupid, imbecile, inept, and everything else I call you when we’re together, but you’re all that with me. Although I hate you most of the time for how you behave, I can tell that you’re not a bad person, Donovan.”
He carefully considers his next words: “It’s not easy for a twelve-year-old to get a job that can pay for a girl’s life. Then the bills, toys, food… Everything costs money, Celina.”
“Do you do it for your mother?” Every word he said seemed to hurt him, but it’s weird. I can’t perceive why he’s so affected by what he tells me. It’s not shame or sadness; it’s something else.
“And can’t you tell me you’re bad after that, Den? You’re not doing it for yourself but for someone else.”
“Whatever, I don’t care anymore who I am or how you see me. You can’t say I’m on the right path when I’m wrong.”
He’s so blind to the possibilities in front of him. “But you can finish high school, keep studying, and get another job that can cover all the expenses… Maybe Alice won’t live with the same comforts, but you’ll stop doing something that will surely harm you in the future.”
“It’s too late,” he simply replies.
“It’s never too late.”
He seems to ponder my words for a few seconds and then completely denies them, continuing on his way to his car.
“Let’s go.”
“Oh no, sir. You made me miss my classes, so now you have to entertain me,” I say in the best way possible to lighten the tense mood.
“I’m not in the mood…”
“The last one to get there won’t drive.”
“What do you mean?”
“If I get there before you, you’ll teach me to drive your Chevy.” I walk ahead of him and wink at him with a competitive look in his eyes.
“I’m not letting you touch my Chevy in a million years,” he mutters as he speeds up to reach me.
“We’ll see,” I say and start running.
Alright, two blocks, I ran non-stop, and yet the damn guy won.
“You’re slow,” he boasts in a mocking laugh and opens the car.
“Well, someday I’ll beat you and you’ll teach me to drive.”
“Good luck with that.”
In the distance, I see a Ferris wheel, and my eyes light up when I realize it must be an amusement park. Alright, let’s start again.
“Can we go there?” I point at the lights and the beautiful place just a few kilometers away.
“No,” he says, already serious as if he’s terrified of my suggestion.
“Come on…”
“I said no, period.”
Twenty minutes later, we’re inside the place, and I’ve already won my first teddy bear.
“Here,” I say, throwing it at his chest, and he pretends to be moved.
“Oh God, you’re so chivalrous. Please kiss me.” As he moves his face towards mine, I move away and roll my eyes. It’s so weird; sometimes he’s cold, other times he’s funny, sometimes he’s mean, sometimes he’s tender. He has so many facets that it makes me dizzy.
“The teddy bear would be happier doing that than me. It’s for your mother, idiot.” Now he genuinely looks surprised.
“How do you have such good aim?” he asks, referring to the game I just won. It consisted of knocking down three bottles with three balls, not very difficult considering I threw them with force and the bottles were poorly placed on the table.
“I used to play baseball, or at least tried to. I used to put my dad’s empty beer bottles on a weird table that was completely rusted, and to get rid of the bottles, I made it into a game.”
“What game?” he asks, genuinely interested.
Alright, he answered everything I asked, now it’s my turn to say something truly.