Troublemaker

by Heather Beck

  Ava was so engrossed with watching the fish that she hardly felt Javier tugging on her hand. When she looked at him, she saw that he was gesturing for her to follow him. They made their way forward until they neared a small clearing in the grasses. Javier motioned for her to go slowly, and once they were above the clearing, Ava had to suppress the urge to let out an excited squeal. There, less than ten feet away, was a sea turtle. He was a pale yellow-green color with brown markings, and he wasn’t too big, probably still in his infancy. As the turtle continued to swim with long sweeps of his arms, Ava wanted nothing more than to follow him, but she thought better of it, not wanting to frighten him. Instead, she watched him go until he finally disappeared into the distance.

  Ava gestured to Javier that she wanted to talk, so together they broke to the surface and then took out their mouthpieces. “This is incredible,” she said excitedly. “I love sea turtles, and seeing one in their natural habitat is so much better than going to some aquarium.”

  “I couldn’t agree with you more,” Javier said. “I’ve always thought there was something special about sea turtles.”

  Ava smiled. “Me, too.”

  “What do you say we go back to the boat and check out the reef? I bet there’s cool sea life there, too.”

  “Definitely.”

  They swam back to the boat, which was only a hundred feet away, and then climbed aboard, Fernando giving them a helping hand. “So, how was it?” he asked with a smile.

  “Amazing,” Ava answered, wringing her hair out as she sat down with Javier.

  “Just wait until you see the reef,” Fernando said, sounding almost proud as he started the boat, heading out further. “The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is the second largest in the world, and it has the most gorgeous coral. Of course, you have to be careful not to touch the coral – it’s very delicate and takes years to form.”

  Fernando continued to talk, telling them interesting facts about the reef until they reached it a couple of minutes later. Ava was as anxious as ever to get in the water, and when the boat came to a stop, she and Javier went to the diving platform and eagerly jumped in.

  The current was stronger at the reef, just like Fernando had warned, but with a little extra effort and Javier’s hand in hers, steadying her, they were soon going with the sea’s flow. As they swam, Ava couldn’t take her eyes off the coral, mesmerized by how much there was and how different they all looked. She doubted that she’d ever be able to know them all, but she did recognize a few. Below them was staghorn coral, large and stony with antler-like branches. To their right was sea fans, purple and wispy, the veins impossibly delicate. And ahead of them, she spotted fire coral, a spectacular bright yellow-green color, which she intended to admire from afar in fear of getting stung.

  Swimming among the beauty of the coral were hundreds of fish, much bigger than the ones Ava had seen at the seagrasses. She watched as a school of surgeonfish, silver with yellow tails, swam in a tight formation, moving together as they constantly changed direction, like it was some sort of synchronized dance. As entertaining as the surgeonfish were, Ava’s attention was soon drawn to a pastel, multi-colored fish swimming alone near some lace coral. It was a parrotfish, one of her favorites. She urged Javier in the direction that the parrotfish was going, careful not to scare it, but it must have sensed their presence because it suddenly took off.

  Ava didn’t have time to be disappointed because seconds later, a nurse shark appeared beneath them, moving at a leisurely pace, his tail swishing back and forth, kicking up sand. They watched until the nurse shark was out of sight, then they, too, moved on, eager to explore more of the reef. As they swam, a school of butterfly fish joined them, as interested in Ava and Javier as they were in them. Everything was so beautiful and alive in the reef that it was like being in another world, and in that moment, Ava felt at one with the sea.

  Time must have flown by because all too soon, Javier signaled that it was time to go. The last thing she wanted to do was leave, but, after taking one last look at the coral and fish, she followed him, breaking the surface.

  “So, what do you think about this place?” Javier asked after taking out his mouthpiece and propping his mask on the top of his head.

  “It’s breathtaking,” Ava said, taking her mouthpiece and mask off, too, as they bobbed up and down in the water, resting. “I never thought I’d say this, but I wish I was a fish. I could live down there forever without a care in the world.”

  “Well, except for getting eaten by a bigger fish.”

  “Thanks for ruining my fantasy,” she said, splashing him playfully.

  “If that’s really your fantasy, then I’m insulted.”

  “Why? What else would I fantasize about?” she teased, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him in for a kiss, his lips tasting salty from the water. When they parted, she gave him a little smile. “Thank you so much for today. It really was something else.”

  “Who says it’s over? I was thinking we’d hit up some of the stores we passed on the way here, and then I was hoping we’d head back to Mar de Lágrimas for dinner. If it’s cool with you, I want to check out Calor – that new restaurant that opened a few blocks away from your villa.”

  “That sounds…”

  “Perfect?” Javier interrupted, teasing her.

  “Yeah,” she said, going in for another kiss.

  Ava and Javier were so caught up in each other that it took a few moments for them to realize that Fernando was calling to them. Concerned that something was wrong, Ava broke from Javier and turned to the boat, where Fernando was standing at the bow, waving to them. Seeing that he had gotten their attention, Fernando cupped his hands over his mouth and called out to them. “Look past the reef,” he said before pointing out to sea.

  Ava turned her gaze to the horizon, watching, waiting, and then she let out a gasp as a dolphin jumped out of the water, high into the air, before landing with a gentle splash. Two more dolphins jumped after him, almost in perfect sync, and then came another and another. Ava counted five in the pod, but it was hard to be sure, their motions so swift and their jumps never-ending until they finally disappeared into the wide-open Caribbean Sea.

  “That was unbelievable,” Ava said.

  Before Javier could respond, Fernando called out to them again. “I’ve never seen dolphins this close to the reef before. Today must be your lucky day.”

  “It definitely feels that way,” Ava said, smiling wide as she turned to Javier and kissed him.

  Later that day, after coming back to Mar de Lágrimas and waiting in line for over twenty minutes, Ava and Javier finally got a booth at Calor. The restaurant had a modern but cozy feel to it, with sleek interior finishes, a long open-flame grill that ran the length of the restaurant, and what could only be described as the world’s comfiest leather upholstered seating. It was definitely the “it” place to be, every seat taken by people who were excited to be there, their chatter echoing throughout the restaurant.

  “Welcome to Calor,” a waiter dressed in a crisp grey shirt greeted Ava and Javier, handing them both a menu. “Can I get you a drink while you decide what to order?”

  “I’ll take a Michelada,” Javier said.

  “A lime mocktail for me, please,” Ava added.

  “Sure, I’ll be back with your drinks in a few minutes,” the waiter said, quickly jotting down their orders and then hurrying away.

  “This place seems really cool,” Ava said, opening the menu and looking through the list of main dishes. “If the food is as delicious as it sounds, I’ll have to bring Tess here.”

  “I’m sure she’d like that.”

  “Yeah, and I do feel kind of bad about not spending that much time with her lately.”

  “I have been keeping you all to myself, haven’t I?” Javier gave her a half smile, telling that he wasn’t exactly sorry.

  “I’m definitely not complaining about that.”

  “Well, let’s just hope she understands,”
Javier said, turning his attention back to the menu in his hands. “So, do you know what you want to eat? I recommend anything wood-fired. It always tastes better that way.”

  “Hmmm, I think I’ll try the…” Ava’s words were cut short as she caught sight of someone she recognized, someone who was walking straight toward them, his eyes focused on her.

  “Ava, are you alright?” Javier didn’t wait for her to respond as he turned around to see Miguel approaching their booth. “You got to be fricking kidding me,” he muttered through gritted teeth.

  “Well, look who we have here,” Miguel said, his tone condescending as he came to a stop in front of them. “Just the people I was hoping to see.”

  “Ignore him,” Ava told Javier, loud enough for Miguel to hear. Although her first instinct was to stand up and slap Miguel hard across the face – at least that would be some sort of retribution – the last thing she wanted to do was encourage a fight.

  “I’m afraid he can’t do that, chica,” Miguel said. “I’m here to stay. You heard the good news, right?” When they didn’t answer, he continued. “No? Well, I’m more than happy to share it with you. Turns out the police don’t believe the little story you told them about me.”

  “Little story?” Ava repeated, her blood starting to boil.

  Javier reached out to touch her hand, trying to keep her calm.

  “Aw, isn’t that sweet?” Miguel mocked. “You know, if you had played your cards right, Ava, I could’ve been the one holding your hand, showing you what it’s like to be with a real man.”

  “Are you done, Miguel?” Javier asked, remaining calm even though Ava could tell it was a struggle. “Because in case you haven’t noticed, we don’t want you here.”

  “Almost. There’s just one last thing.” He faced Ava, looking her straight in the eye, his demeanor turning deadly serious so fast that it gave off a psychotic vibe. “Don’t even think about trying to come after me again. A ton of people saw your pathetic little boyfriend punch Carlos that night at La Rosa y Espina. Last time I checked, physical assault was a serious crime, and if I tell Carlos to press charges then…well, let’s just say Javier won’t get away scot-free like I did. Hell, with a record like his, he’ll be going down for sure.”

  “Yeah, a record he got because of you,” Ava spat out. “You’re going to have to pay for your sins one day, Miguel.”

  “Doubt it. I’m not stupid enough to get caught like your ex-con boyfriend.”

  “A record for petty theft doesn’t make him an ex-con, asshole. I thought someone like you would know that.”

  “Petty theft?” A look of realization washed over Miguel’s face and then he laughed so loudly that people stopped eating and stared. “Oh, chica, what lies has he been telling you?”

  “No lies, just the truth. So whatever twisted game you think you’re playing, it won’t work.”

  “And if it’s not a game? Tell me, Ava, what truth has Javier told you?”

  “Don’t listen to him,” Javier said, his voice steady, but Ava didn’t miss the flicker of fear in his eyes.

  “Actually, I think she will want to listen to me,” Miguel said. “Or since I’m such a nice guy, I’ll let you tell her. They do say it’s better that way.”

  “What the hell is going on?” Ava demanded, looking back and forth between the smug expression on Miguel’s face and the beads of sweat that were forming on Javier’s forehead.

  “Ava, I...” Javier began, swallowing hard. “I...”

  “Oh, spit it out already,” Miguel interrupted, enjoying this way too much. “Tell her how you used to be in jail. How you did hard time for stealing a car.” He faced Ava. “How’s that for a truth, babe?”

  Ava felt all the blood drain from her face because one look at Javier’s shamed expression, his eyes unable to meet hers, she knew that Miguel was telling her the truth.

  “Is everything alright here?” the waiter asked, a concerned look on his face as he returned with their drinks.

  The tension in the air was so thick that it felt like it could crush Ava at any second. Everything seemed to blur together as she stood up and then hurried out of the restaurant. The last thing she remembered seeing was Miguel’s satisfied smirk. She went around the back of the building and leaned against the wall, trying to process what had just happened.

  “Ava?” Javier called out to her, his voice echoing in the early evening air.

  She didn’t respond, but he found her, anyway.

  “Ava, I’m sorry,” he said, coming to a stop in front of her. “I never wanted you to find out like this.”

  “Clearly,” she said, her tone curt as she looked away from him.

  “Can you please give me a chance to explain?”

  She was silent for a moment, trying to figure out if she was more hurt or angry, shocked or betrayed. She wasn’t entirely sure, so finally she looked at him and sighed. “I’m listening.”

  Nervously, Javier ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, it happened a while ago, five years to be exact. It was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, and I’ve regretted it ever since. I thought I was doing it to help someone I loved, but all I did was hurt her even more.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It was for my mom. Remember how I told you we used to live in a dangerous part of Mexico? Well, one night she was coming home from work and her car got jacked. They didn’t just take the car but her wallet, too, and in the process, they beat her up pretty bad – bad enough that she needed to stay in the hospital for almost a week.” Javier stopped to take a breath, trying to control the anger that the memory brought up. Ava’s expression softened. He continued. “She couldn’t work for a couple of months, and the money I was making at my job was a joke. The bills were piling up from the doctors and our landlord. We were going to lose everything, so I knew I had to do something.”

  “Then along comes Miguel?”

  Javier nodded. “He was doing it all the time – stealing cars and selling them to a shady garage for parts. He never got caught, and he was making good money, too. He knew what me and my mom were going through, so he cut me in on one of his deals. On the night we stole the car, everything went wrong. Someone must’ve tipped off the police because as soon as we broke in and started hotwiring it, they showed up. We ran, and for a bit, it looked like we were going to get away, but then I fell jumping over a fence and broke my ankle. Miguel got away, but the police caught me.”

  Ava wrinkled her forehead. “Wait. I thought all this happened when you guys robbed that convenience store.”

  Javier looked down, ashamed. “That’s what I told you, but the truth is, it wasn’t beer and cigarettes that we stole. It was a car. And I didn’t just get fined and community service. I got two years. One I spent in jail, the other on parole.”

  Ava opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn’t find the right words.

  “Please, Ava, I know how bad this is, but you have to believe that I’ve learned my lesson. I saw how much it hurt my mom, and all I did was make our situation a million times worse. Trust me, I’m never going back to that person I used to be – stupid, desperate, naive.”

  Ava took a step away from Javier, looking at him like she didn’t know who he was. “You lied to me.”

  “I know, and I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you the truth, and I did try telling you – a couple of times, actually, but I just couldn’t. I was so scared of losing you. I know that sounds cowardly, and I guess that’s what I am, but, Ava, you mean so much to me.”

  “Do I?”

  “Yes. How can you even ask that?”

  “Because I don’t know what to believe anymore. You’re always telling stories, making promises, asking me to trust you, but they’ve all been lies.”

  “They haven’t. You just have to…”

  “What? Trust you? Javier, as much as I want to, I can’t, because the biggest lie of them all is you.” Feeling numb, like she couldn’t believe this was happening, Ava turned on her heel
to leave, but before she could get far, Javier reached for her arm, stopping her.

  “I’ve let you down,” Javier said, “and I have no right to ask this of you, but if there’s a way to make Miguel pay for what he did to you, do it.”

  “So, I just let you go to jail?”

  “Yes.”

  Ava looked at Javier, noting how his eyes had misted over, and for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, she didn’t know what to say.

  “I know you can’t stand the sight of me right now or maybe ever,” he said, letting go of her arm, “but will you at least let me drive you home?”

  “No,” Ava said, and without another word, she left, heading back to her villa. She needed space, time to think, wondering what the hell she was going to do next. Everything was so messed up right now, and the only good thing in her life – besides Tessa, of course – had been Javier. But how could she trust him now? He’d lied to her about his life, about who he really was. Suddenly, a cold realization swept over Ava. Javier had done to her what she had done to him.

  * * *

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Honey, are you ready?” Isabelle asked through Ava’s closed bedroom door. “We need to leave for the lawyer’s soon.”

  “Give me a minute,” Ava said, pulling her hair into a ponytail and then glancing at herself in the mirror, not surprised to see dark bags under her eyes.

  It was Monday morning, and since the incident at Calor, she’d hardly slept a wink. As if finding out that her boyfriend had been in jail wasn’t enough, she had an almost impossible decision to make about the civil lawsuit against Miguel, his threat to take Javier down weighing heavily on her mind. Even though Javier had lied to her and made some bad choices in the past, she couldn’t forget about everything he’d done for her. Still, the thought of letting Miguel get away with assaulting her made her sick to her stomach.