Chap.2 - Louis and Her

2.

November 22nd, Saturday.

- JP, I already said I'm going in my car!

- Brother, we decided to make it a surprise, we will pick you up at your place so be ready at 11pm.

What the fuck are they up to? After a quick shower I quickly got dressed into simple jeans, a black t-shirt and sneakers, checking the mirror, looks great! I’m not out to impress anyone tonight. My phone rings on the bedside table pulling me from my thoughts, must be JP:

JP: We're here. Come down!

JP has the same blue eyes as mine, and Duda's,. To be honest the three of us were very similar physically: blue eyes, dark blond hair, tall. But our personality is very, very different! Duda lightened her hair more, always looking very blonde, but fits her very well with her slender body, she’s always in a good mood. She also is the youngest, at 24 and loves a party. John Pedro, better known as JP is 27 years old and exactly the same height as me: 1.81 also slender like Duda and always very elegant with his fine clothes, well-made beard, trimmed hair and tanned skin. He is always ready for adventure and enjoyment. A womanizer like I said. Always was and always will be! I'm quieter and in my corner, I don't like big parties and I never did, when I was younger, I was just in my room studying music playing on the computer or reading. Today I go to the gym every day to destress myself from everyday problems, physical exercises are great for calming my mind and it's something I can do on my own.

With JP hanging out of the sunroof helping himself to a bottle of champagne yelling in between pulls from the bottle. It’s going to be a long night I thought to myself.

- Come on brother, today is the day to celebrate!

I was still twenty-eight years old, and my last three years weren't very pleasant! I went from hell to purgatory and was now in rehab. He and Richard wanted me to have fun, I can't condemn them, but it wasn't what I wanted. This time of ballads is over, I've done a lot of mistakes, enough!

- Come on Louis, how long has it been since you met another woman?

- What?

- Did you listen to me!

- Damn Richard, I think… maybe two months

- Two months my ass! It does a lot more!

- Okay, since carnival, satisfied?

- Carnival? Have you been going through a dry spell since carnival?– Joe said and I changed the subject.

- And how did you manage to go out today with JP in a limo?

- We went to JP's house and we came with him from there. – Carlos spoke very proudly.

- I didn’t! Duda knows!

- Duda knows everything! – Duda is my younger sister, as I said before, and she’s also Richard's wife  A nosy woman that gets into everything!

- And she agreed??

- She got a tantrum...

- There will be consequences!

- Yup!

- What time are we leaving?

- At four...

- We're not even there and you're already asking about going back?

You know what, let me have fun with my friends! A night to laugh! JP brought about three bottles of champagne into the car and when we arrived at the club a VIP space was reserved with a bucket with more bottles.

We sat on the rounded red leather bench with a small table in front, while downstairs several sweaty bodies danced to the music. A lot of beautiful people!

- Go Louis, get someone!

- I haven't seen anyone interesting yet!

- It's not to find the love of your life in the club! Look at a pair of boobs and go!

- Stimulating Carlos!

- I will! – JP stood up with his glass in his hand snuggling up to a girl who was dancing on the floor, I continued to sit with the guys.

- Aren't you going, Louis?

- No... I'm not in the mood for a skirt today Richard!

- Is there anything I don't know?

I looked at him in alarm, how can the even drunk bastard manage to interpret me like that? I stretched out on the bench, putting a hand to the back of my neck and said:

- No - I lied - Why?

- Well, I want you to tell me exactly what it is!

- Man, I just said it's nothing!

- Scratching your head! You only do this when you're nervous!

- I don't want to talk about it here!

- Tomorrow?

- In my place!

So we continued drinking and talking in our VIP area, without being bothered by the hoochies around.

After a couple of hours I saw. I don't know if it's because of the alcohol already ingested or if she really was there! But I saw them! Ana and Luana! The two were dancing in the middle of the floor to the beat of the music, some guys came over to say something in her ear, I rested my elbows on my knees and bent forward so I could pay attention to the scene, she laughed, but she shook her head with her forefinger up on his nose. The guy still insisted something, so Luana turned to him saying something else and he left. I smiled and took a sip of my drink. This is my flower, full of thorns!

- Did you see anything you liked down there?

- Don't scare me, Richard!

- Who is it? Show me?

- Nobody!

- You were smiling!

- I wasn’t! – I looked at Joe and Carlos who were just confirming, looking at the track trying to see who it could be that attracted my attention. But I leaned back against the seat and drank the rest of the champagne saying:

- You are crazy! I was seeing JP coming to the mine and getting dumped, so I laughed!

- It makes sense! – Joe said!

I want to leave! And I want to go now! It's still two-forty and they won't let me go!

- See that girl over there in the black dress? I'll take it her home! So don't wait for me in the car, kids!

- Oh yes, the Louis that we were waiting all night!

I got up toasting them loudly and got to the girl, talked to her for two minutes and took her to the dance floor. I don't want to meet Ana! I don't want her to see me with a woman, and I also don’t´ want to take the risk of seeing her with another guy.

I went around the club, bought the girl a drink, I don't even know what her name was, and then I lost her too! I left and called a taxi.

In the car my cell phone beeps with the arrival of a message:

Richard: I know you left! Tomorrow we talk!

I read the message and didn't reply. I was going to tell him the truth anyway. At least he didn't stop me from going home! I'll have to talk to him, otherwise I'll go crazy!

I went straight home to take a shower to get rid of that smell of various perfumes and drinks that the club has, I looked in the mirror and could only see someone very fucked up!

Three years ago I managed to get rid of a weed that was killing my life, then I found out that my best friend was dating my sister, so I immersed myself in JP's life running around town to every club possible. I think I needed this time to get my head together!

But just as I've solved my internal problems, putting all the witches to run, an external problem appears to me, a problem with a first and last name: Ana Clara Gusmão.

I got into the cold shower to get my thoughts away from her, after all it's almost three o'clock, I've had too much to drink and I'm sleepy, my brain isn't working right! But what the hell was she doing in São Paulo? She shouldn't be here, she lives so far away! How would she get home, should I go back and check on her?

- Stop being a muggle Louis! Surely she knows how she's going home! She´s no child! She's a grown woman and knows how to get by, if she wants to, she'll even find someone to take her home – I said that out loud in the bathroom.

Shit! That thought only pissed me off!

I rubbed my eyes hard to see if it worked., to get her out of my head! I sat on the bed, still drying my head and remembered how she was dancing carelessly at the club, with her friend Luana, who didn't even care for that John Doe who came to her! I threw the towel on the armchair next to the bed and lay down smiling.

- She's not there to go out with anyone, as I am, just to talk and have a laugh with friends – It was me talking to myself again. And I was still smiling like an idiot. After all, that's what I was! A real idiot!

***

November 23, Sunday.

At eleven in the morning my cell phone starts ringing, who's calling me now?

- Hello...

- Louis, get up, I'm coming over!

- Good morning to you too!

- Good Morning! Get ready! No excuses!

- Ok Richard, I really need to talk to you! But how did you wake up so early?

- As soon as you left I also left!

- I understand, are you coming alone?

- Yes, but Duda will be over later.

- How long do I have to rest before she arrives?

- I think she won’t be there till after the game so you have some time,

- Okay! Do you have the key?

- Of course!

- Of course my ass? The house is mine, you know?

- Go fuck yourself Louis! I’ll be over shortly so get your ass up and get ready.

I awoke without the slightest desire to get up. I dreamed of her all night, dancing inside the club with her warm body next to mine, but every time I would touch her someone would come in front stopping me.

Bath! I need another shower!

So that's it, I'm going to tell Richard! Let's see if he gives me a great idea or a spanking. More likely it's a spanking, and since I really need to see if my head snaps back into place, I don't really care!

Richard arrived just as I was making coffee and yelled from the living room door, which gives a wide view to the kitchen with a counter as a partition:

- Fix me a cup would you?

- You didn't have breakfast, did you?

- Yes, but coffee is coffee!

He sat on one of the benches in front of me and waited, not sure if for the coffee or me to start talking. For now I pretended it was just the coffee he wanted, I finished making it, still with my back to him I took two mugs, filled them and placed them on the counter in front of him, I stood on the other side, for now at a safe distance from him.

- Sugar?

- Please!

He sweetened his coffee, took a sip and continued to look at me with those green eyes that looked more like glass. I don't know what my sister sees in this asshole! I thought about it and smiled as he set the mug down on the counter again.

- What's up? Are you going to tell me the reason for that smile, or not?

- What smile?

- Don’t play dumb with me!

- Regarding that smile, I was here thinking about: what did my sister see in you?

- Douchebag! Okay, and what else do you need to talk to me about?

- So.... It's not too early for that?

- Louis! Fuck!

- Calm down, no need to scream!

He kept looking at me. Drank the rest of his coffee, rested his elbow on the counter with his hand on his chin, tilting his head to one side to continue looking at me in that strange way. He changed his hand position once between gripping his chin and supporting it with clenched fists, I took a deep breath to gather my courage and start talking, opened my mouth but closed it again.

He then rubbed his eyes and rested his chin with both hands clasped in front of him with his elbows on the counter, he blinked a few times and I opened my mouth again to speak, but I didn't say anything...

- Damn Louis! Speak up soon!

- I think I'm liking someone...

- Damn bro, this is great! All this to tell me that?

- Err...

- She knows?

- No! - I replied with apprehensive eyes - And she can't even know!

- Someone I know?

- I think so.

- Explain something to me. What do you mean…. you think you liking her?

- Oh I don't know Richard – I turned my back to him and walked around the counter, towards the pool table I had on the right side. I picked up a pool cue involuntarily and started chalking it. Richard got up and came towards me, taking the box with the balls and place it on the table, just watching me and waiting for me to continue talking. I looked at him who was now facing away from me, arranging the balls on the table, and dropped my arms down, trying to relax my body. – I kind of can't get her out of my head!

- Give me a pool cue! - I passed it to him, who positioned himself in front of the white ball and hit it hard, making me take a little fright, taking me out of my thoughts - Your turn!

I thought it was strange that he stopped asking, I went around the table and when I went to hit the ball he kept talking:

- Are you in love?

- What? – The ball came out all crooked, not hitting anything that was on the table. He grinned then burst into laughter almost pissing himself in the process.

- You can take another shot. – I glared at him who gave me back the ball asking again – But are you?

- No!

- Are you sure?

- I am!

- Then why make a move and see if it's worth it!

- Like?

- Don't make that silly face! How many women have we done this with?

- I can´t!

- Why not?

- This time I just can't do it!

- Who’s this mysterious woman?

I hit the pool cue dropping a ball and looked at him leaning the stick on the floor with one hand and scratching my hair with the other

- So…

- Aren't you going to tell me it's Paula again? If so I'll kill you, kid!

- NO! Geez. Are you crazy?

We both made the sign of the cross and started to laugh.

- So, who?

I missed the next ball and passed it to him. While he took aim I started:

- Yesterday, at the club.

- Hmm...

- I saw her dancing on the floor!

- At that time you got a silly face smiling?

- I didn't look like silly, I just smiled!

- I know... And then you wanted to leave. You should’ve talked to her!

- Not in front of you!

He lowered the pool cue to the ground pointing at me and said:

- Now we’re making head way, Your turn!

- I didn't say anything about that! – I missed the ball – Your turn!

- Damn Louis! You never make mistakes like that!

- I can't talk to her!

- Who is she'?

- Shall we change the subject a bit?

- Will you tell me today?

- I will! You're worse than a teenager!

- Shall we have lunch at your brothers?

- Is he in the 'Insignia' today?

- I don’t know! I'll call him, calm down, let me just finish this game.

He hit the last two balls and sat on the couch to talk to JP. The ‘Insignia’ is a restaurant, basically Italian, but it has everything and JP owns it. He studied abroad for a while and when he came back he thought he was going to have a restaurant, his words: “Food always sells”.

It's still true! He managed to make the restaurant look like a typical Italian village full of life, plants everywhere and a decor that makes anyone wish travel to Europe, I might even be a little poetic, but it's true! He is a wine specialist, who in addition to being a Sommelier is also a winemaker. And he also runs the restaurant tooth and nail, he's doing a great job! Despite his reputation as a womanizer. He’s also very responsible!

- Come on Louis, let’s go! He will be there until four today!

- Did he mention what’s on the menu for today?

- Does he ever say?

- Fucking brat!

- I'll be quiet for the whole lunch, and let you do the talking

- I really don't want to talk around JP! Not even Duda, are you listening to me?

- Hey, you haven’t  even told me and you're already accusing me?

- She's not supposed to know that we even had a conversation about it! Much less that there is a person!

We had lunch and got back in less than an hour, JP was there, but he hardly paid any attention to us, thank goodness! Still in the car, Richard takes my cell phone to change the music and says:

- Louis?

- Yes...

- How can you like this band?

- RPM? Damn Richard, we played their songs in college!

- Yeah, but I only played because I helped with the girls!

- I like it! But don't worry because it's in shuffle mode and it won't play the full album!

He changed songs anyway and kept my cell phone in his hand, looking at it.

- Do you already have the phone of girl?

- I do!

- Do I know her?

- I don't know if you know, you must know who she is! - I said shrugging my shoulders.

- Is she from the office?

I stopped the car in front of the iron gate that led to my house and waited for it to open. He was looking at me and holding the phone. With both hands gripping the steering wheel, I looked at him, decided to count, so he continued:

- And it's not Paula! For God's sake huh Louis!

- I already told you it's not Paula!

I drove through the streets of the condominium until I arrived at my house, put the car inside and closed the private garage behind us. We made the walk up up the stairs adjacent to the garage in silence, as we reached the top Richards phone rang.

“Hello / What’s up Joe / Who? / Serious..."

Then he looks at me with a strange face, still with his cell phone to his ear and closes the kitchen door behind him, goes to the fridge, gets a beer and keeps talking on the phone:

“Hmm... / I'm at Louis's house, can you talk / The two of you? / And you call to say that? / Okay / See you tomorrow"

- Do you want a beer?

- I do!  I picked up the television remote and started browsing the sports channels to find which one my team was going to play on. He sat next to me, putting a beer in my hand and said:

- It was Joe...

- Did they stay late yesterday?

- Until the agreed time, then they returned in the limo to JP's house to pick up the cars.

- And what did he want?

- Just to let you know that he saw Luana and Ana there yesterday.

- Oh yes? – I kept looking at the television – And?

- Lucas too, he saw them there on the dance floor.

- Serious?

- He called me about the bet...

I turned to him, eyes wide open and my heart in my mouth. It began to beat fast and I didn't even know the rest of the story yet.. Had someone won the fucking bet? I held the bottle tightly between my fingers and took a big swig of beer before asking,

- From the bet?

- Yeah, remember? That they want to take Ana, your employee, to bed and stuff...

- I know what the fuck the bet is! And so? – I said through gritted teeth.

He rested an arm on the back of the sofa and lifted a bent leg over the sofa, turning his whole body towards me, took a sip of his beer and laughed saying:

- Louis, you are a son of a bitch!

- What did I do?

- The mysterious woman is Ana, isn’t she?