Love, in Spanish by Karina Halle

Author:Karina Halle [Halle, Karina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Metal Blonde Books
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

The weekend passes by in a blur. Once again, there is a reason why Chloe Ann can’t come see me, and this time I am not afraid to question it. But I am met with resistance from Isabel and excuses. Apparently she had told me a long time ago that she wanted to bring Chloe Ann to a waterpark before the summer was over, and that in this heat it was barbaric to deny her the opportunity to cool down.

I don’t like it. In fact, I hate it with every part of me. I feel like this is the beginning of the very slow process of annihilation. But my protests go unnoticed, and I spend the weekend with Vera, trying to get through it with a whirl of heat, haze, and alcohol.

We are afraid to leave the apartment, so we don’t. It’s prison time again but this time I really do know it’s for the better. I just know that Mr. Cruz will be outside, waiting for me, waiting for another attempt, and I know that other reporters will have joined in as well. It’s a big story, big enough now that it makes the Sunday edition of El País.

There’s my angry face, there’s the accusations. You’d think I would be used to this, but I’m not. I had only made Spain’s main newspaper years ago when I was back on Atlético. To be featured again, as myself and not a player, is a big deal. It pains me to think that everyone across the country—from my parents to my relatives to my sister, to chumps like Bon and old friends of Isabel’s and the people I went to Las Palabras with—they are reading this and shaking their heads, wondering what is happening to me, where I went wrong. I ditch my wife, take on a younger girlfriend, rejoin Atlético, punch a photographer. It’s forever one step forwards, two step backwards. Give and take. The equilibrium of the cosmos.

The worst comes around on Monday morning when I realize I have to leave my apartment to go to work, and once I am at work I will have to face the wrath of the reputation-conscious Pedro.

I get down to the parking garage without incident, but once I pull my car out and onto the street, I can see the crowd of reporters gathering. Some of them start running toward me, flashing their cameras, and it takes a lot to maintain composure, to make sure I’m not hitting anyone as I press down on the gas and drive. You would think there are more important things going on in this crazy, upside down world of ours, but apparently not today. Today it’s all about picking on those who don’t get their chance to share their side of the story.

Easy targets.

When I get to the stadium, I feel the eyes of everyone burning into me. I can’t even smile at them, pretend to be this jovial guy who is just misunderstood. I can’t even pretend to be me.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.