Ana and Him - Hashtag series - prologue and chapter 1

Ana and Him - Hashtag series

Prologue

February, 14 – Saturday

You know when we don’t really know what to do! When you know you have nowhere to run! You look forward and there you are, waiting for action from you.

So…

I'm in this dilemma!

But I think I know what I'm going to do! What a lie, I don’t have a clue!

I have no idea how to do this!

***

I have a friend, my friend, those who, if you talk at 11:49 pm on Thursday, "I'm hungry" she'll answer "bitch Ana what the fuck, is it time?"

Then, after a few sad looks and a sad dog face to her, she says, "That's good! What you want to eat?"

We don’t live together, but it's as if we live. I have a two-bedroom apartment facing the beach, it’s small but, big enough for me. Being on the beachfront also doesn’t mean much since I cannot stay there for long, but the person who’s almost every day at my side have a magnificent skin that with the sun only becomes more beautiful.

Her name is Luana, we met in college 8 years ago, we did technology college, so we didn’t fit into several pre-defined patterns for Brazilian women. She’s so pretty and angry that it's even funny. That with mens, of course, because she's as stupid as I am for many other stuff.

I do more the kind calm and fuck type of woman.

About my dilemma:

I'm standing here in front of the hotel pool, that’s wonderful by the way, there’s a beautiful moon but there are some clouds threatening to cover it. It's seven-fifteen at night and there's a temperature of at least 77ºf (when I left São Paulo last week I was doing a 50ºf) the hotel is also facing the beach, the difference is that I'm in Recife, alone.

Well, not that much.

Luana once told me that I should go out more, have more fun, but she really wanted to say was that I had to have more sex. I know her intentions! But I've been working too hard lately.

Well, we can also discuss this later.

By force of destiny we both work in the same company, in São Paulo, which makes us travel every day to come and go from work, bullshit! Since we can only work with a computer and an internet access and we can do work from almost anywhere in the world, perhaps outside the globe.

She shares the apartment with her older brother, Leo, and it's right next to my apartment so now and then she's sitting on my couch with two glasses of wine in hands waiting for me to get out of the shower. Usually on Sunday, after some booty was gone.

The day I gave her a copy of my keys it was a celebration, kind of the winning of Fifa World Cup, which is a lot when we’re talking about Brazil and it was for clear reasons based on facts of need, after all it's always good to have someone with access to your home in case of need

"In case and need!" I told her. But she’s here almost… always, and for whatever reason.

I'm exaggerating! I love the Lua’s presence at home, I’m a very lonely person and I believe that if it were not for her I wouldn’tt talk to anyone in the real world, except my mom, dad and my two younger brothers who’s living in a small city nearby. And our conversations never last for long, not for my father who every time he calls me, wants to talk even about the little bird that fell from the tree and he had to bandage the poor dude’s wing. My mother is very succinct, she asks if everything is okay, if I am feeding myself, how is Luana and our work; "After all, in today's times you can’t flinch and lose your job!" Phrase from Ms Lucia, my mother.

My siblings never call me, occasionally it's a message over the phone or the internet. They are Bruno and Daniel, they’re twins and very similar to my mother, they have darker skin than mine, but their hair is lighter. Dani has green eyes, just like Mommy's while Bruninho has honey-colored eyes, just like me and Daddy's. They’re 20 years old and are attending college on the same campus, not the same course, but they are a stick! So much so that they look like those fraternety boys. My mom likes it, I don’t think anything as long as they don’t piss me off.

I came to Recife to work, and on Monday I will be back in the São Paulo office again. Yes, I want to see how it will be! This Monday promises!

At the end of the year it may be that I come back here for a longer period, maybe for 6 months, I was aware of this possibility last month. And that's where my problem starts, about a month ago from today.

Problem? Not quite a problem! I mean, yes, it is! It's a huge problem and I'm terrified!

The wind is beating hard on my face, making my hair dance around my head, spinning, as well as my thoughts inside it. I begin to think of everything that has happened so far, if only a little more than thirty days have passed, but enough for my life to turn upside down.

Chapter 1

Sunday, May.

“ Luana comes here, now! "

It was Sunday night and we were sitting on the living room floor in my house watching a movie when my cell phone whistles to inform that a new email was received, coming from work, as soon as I whistled I opened the email where said:

"From: Luiz.nurs@tch.com

To: Ana.gusmao@tch.com

Subject: important> Ana Gusmão.

Paula, good evening.

You can talk to Ms. Gusmão tomorrow, still in the morning?

Att,

Luiz G. Nurs,

Project Manager"

In sequence came a message of attempted cancellation of message sending, but as I had already read it would be impossible, it was at that very moment that I shouted at Lua:

"Luana comes here now!"

"What do you think it could be?" She asked me. I was already hugged on my knees, holding the cell phone with empty mind. I just shrugged and grimaced.

"Are they going to fire you?"

"Fuck Luana, I should have thought of that, but it was not for you to speak out loud!"

- Sorry girl! I'll get you some water.

- Not water, a beer.

- Okay!

- Not beer, a wine.

- Okay!

"Not wine, something stronger!"

She thought for a moment and said, "Okay!

When he came back she had in his hands a bottle of tequila, which, thank God, was already in the end, two glasses, big water glasses, salt and lemon.

"If you're going to drink, I'll drink too!"

Only with that I started to laugh! She filled the two glasses in half, put the bottle on the floor, which only have enough alcohol for another normal dose of tequila, we put the salt and lemon in the mouth and turned the whole tequila glass. It came down burning mine tongue, throat, esophagus, stomach, and whatever organ had passed the liquid.

As soon as we put the glass on the floor next to the bottle, my cell started playing "welcome to the jungle" by Gun's and Roses, I laughed at the coincidence after all the name on the screen was "Big Boss" my dear boss Luiz Gustavo Nurs, that one who had just sent me the e-mail that could end me. I showed the phone to her and she said, softly as if he were listening "answer! Answer soon! "

- Welcome to the Jungle. Well suited, right!

With my hands up in the air as if in surrender, I said, "Okay, I'll get it, but what does he want? Apologize?"

Just so you all know the Lord, Luiz Gustavo Nurs wasn’tt at all friendly!

Behind the beautiful bad boy face, the sexy dimple that formed from his right cheek when he smiled, his deep blue eyes (not that dull light blue), his half-bearded but perfectly well done beard days if I had paid close attention), his dark blond hair well cut, but never too short (whose fringe he kept falling in the eyes), of his 6’ tall (or more), his broad shoulders, his arms that must hide years of gym and a tattoo on the forearm that I don’t know for sure what it is since he’s always wearing social shirt and only once I visualized a part of it was coming back from lunch, in a huge heat of the summer of São Paulo and was with the folded sleeves ...

So… Behind all that, he was a very bad person! Very, very bad.

Always in a bad mood, rude, kind of asshole to people too, giving orders aloud, and the few times he smiled, he was in a meeting with a client, so I believe he was playing a role, to be able to sell the project or the continuation of it. Fake smile!

Okay, you may have noticed I had a crush on him, but it was a long time ago, when I joined the company, but that didn’t last long! I've been working here for 5 years now and I've been subordinate to him for 2 years. So, in previous years you could say he was a crush, fuck damn, he's handsome! But by from far, many people are!

But just until you get to know the bug, you can be sure of that!

"Hello," I said, very sassy of myself, after all, that tequila shot was starting to take effect.

- Good evening, Miss. Gusmão. I know it's late and I apologize for bothering you now, on Sunday.

What???? Did he really apologize? All my strong facet was lost! I grimaced at Luana, who was watching me closely.

- No problem sir, I believe this link is due to the email you sent wrongly to me, right ?!

What am I doing? I'm completely crazy to talk to Sir. Nurs, I can only be! Oh shit, it's the tequila! I should have had a beer, probably still be in the first or second sip, and it would not have any effect on me.

Luana was wide-eyed, holding the bottle against her chest and if I'm not mistaken holding her breath too. I was all powerful, I pursed my lips something like "it's okay!" And she can breathe again.

"Er ..." he stammered? He let out a sigh and said in his firm, habitual voice, "Yes, Ana, it's about the e-mail.

My world almost collapsed, in seconds I saw my eyes start to blur, I held on to those fucking tears and said,

"You may say, sir, I know you haven’t had time to cancel the email."

What the fuck Ana Clara Gusmão !!!! Shut up!

- Yes, and once again I'm sorry. I see how my words may have been misunderstood. I'll get right to the point.

- I'm listening! At that moment, Luana was already desperate to know.

- You're our best analyst, and you have the best interpersonal results I've ever worked on, I'm so happy to have you around. I know you always give me that help when a colleague is down, which I cannot do.

- What the Hell?

- Ah, Ana, c’mom!" You know you’re my right arm inside the project!

- Am I?

- Did you see how bad I am to people? Not even those I like the most I can show.

- Fuck no, not really!

I put my hand to my mouth and opened my eyes because of that sentence out loud.

- As?

-Sorry, sir.

I put my hand on the phone to mute it and whispered to Lua. "Oh I’m in shame!

At that time, I heard a muffled laugh on the other side of the line. without believing in it, feeling my face burn with shame, surely, I should be reddish as a red pepper.

"Are you laughing at me?"

Fuck damn the tequila! I'll never take that again.

- I'm sorry, Ana, but it was funny. I've never heard you speak a dirty word, and that’s what the guys do often there in the office. You know I don’t care.

- But I do not think it's appropriate.

- Okay, you’re right. It’s not. But let me tell you one secret, I also swear words now and then!

He laughed softly on the phone.

I didn’t resist and I started laughing with him too. Luana wasn’t understanding anything else, took the bottle, put the rest of the liquid in her glass, drank the very last and went out to take a shower, of course making a bad face like "you're going to tell me everything later!" And I just did ‘okay’ with mine thumb raised.

- Ana, I'm really sorry to call at this time on Sunday night, but it's been a great conversation.

- It would be, If it weren’t for the mysterious subject that Ms. Paula should speak to me tomorrow morning ..."

- Yes, this. So. I asked her to talk to you about the possibility of you training some employees in our new branch office, which we will open in Recife in the second half of 2016. You should already know about this, right?

- About the branch, yes. But why do they need me?

- We need someone who knows the whole process, and I know you're not afraid of work. What do you think?

- Mmmm

- You don’t have to give me an answer now, but by the end of the month, in March I need confirmation or not, so we can schedule the first six months here, then another six months there.

- Six months?

- Yes. That's why I want you to think about it. Tomorrow Paula will pass on all the details to you. I wish you were also part of the startup team.

-Thank you, sir.

-You know, you don’t have to call me sir, Luiz is fine.

- Strange, but okay.

- Hahahah you are very funny girl.

- Girl? How old do you think I am?

- I do not think so! According to your profile, which is here on my screen, you are 23 years old, will be 24 now, on June 30, you has a degree in technology and computer science since 2011 she has taken several specialization courses, lives alone, and your family lives nearby. You live in a beach city and come to the São Paulo every day. Anything else?

- Mumm I like rock, comic books and heroes movies ...

- Great observation, I'll write it down here too, which is also very important information!

- Why so?

- Because I also like rock, comic books and heroes’ movies, so in Recife we will have what to talk about, when we’re outside work.

- Okay. You know everything about me and I don’t know anything about you.

What a lie! I know he's single, lives alone near to Ibirapuera Park, he's my big boss but he's only 29, he studied technology at Harvard, which means he lived there for some time, I don’t know for how long. Her father is German, but mother is brazilian. Well, he always had a good life!

- Well, there's not much you to know about me. That I like rock, comic books and heroes’ movies is fine.

- And you’re 28 years old.

- Yes ... How do you know?"

- Er. Everyone knows in the office. When is your birthday?

- November 24 ...

- You’re Sagittarius.

- Do you believe in signs?"

- No, but it's so easy to memorize which one it is.

- Truth. Your logic is good. That's why I like you!

- Sagittarius likes sex ...

- What?

Ahhh fuck no, I did not say it loud. Damn! I did not say that loudly ....

- I'm sorry, sir, I just thought and said it, it jumped out of my mouth."

- No problem Ana. Better to turn off. Tomorrow you talk to Paula and then we'll talk quietly, okay?!

- Yes sir.

- Good night Ana.

- Good night, sir.

- Oh, one more thing .... You're Cancer, right!

- Yes sir!

- Cancer likes romance!

And he hung up. Wtf?