Hated Secret Admirer

by Vanessa Sueroz

  "I can beat all of you all by my lonesome," he said, arrogant.

  "What game?" I asked, interested.

  "I don't know. I just gave the idea," he shrugged.

  "We could–" Fernando started, but got interrupted by a knock on the door.

  "Who could it be at this hour?" Lucas asked, frowning before handing me his beer bottle and getting up.

  "It looks like it's a letter," Andressa said, looking at the floor.

  That's when I saw they'd shoved the letter underneath the door.

  "Who'd send me a letter at this hour?" Vitor said, thoughtful. "Maybe a fan!"

  "If I were you I wouldn't get near that letter," Fernando told Lucas who was reaching for it.

  But, to all of our surprises, the letter was in my name.

  When I grabbed the letter and saw my name I squealed! No one can fault me for that, right? It's not every day that someone like me gets two anonymous letters. Specially when the letters are not really letter but roses.

  Because inside the envelope there was another rose.

  I'm being stalked by the rose maniac. Can I scream now? Oops! I already did.

  Chapter 3:I Have a Date

  You've got to be kidding me. This is a bad joke.

  Another flower? Who would send me flowers? I'm not ugly or anything, but I know the whole school is scared of getting near me. Andressa says it's because of my powerful vocal cords, but I think it's because of the boys.

  I took the rose out of the envelope, feeling uneasy.

  "Does it say who sent it this time?" Fernando asked curiously.

  "Just the rose!" I said dejectedly.

  "He's so romantic... He sent a rose so you'll dream about him," Andressa sighed.

  "Andressa, honey, why do you think that?" Fernando asked.

  "Isn't it obvious? It's past bedtime. Why would he send a flower at this time? To wake up blondie?" She answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

  "Sometimes guys don't have watches," Lucas shrugged.

  "If it is a guy," Vitor said, thoughtful.

  "What do you mean 'if it is a guy'?" I asked troubled.

  What is this nothing-for-brains suggesting? That it's a woman or a ghost? I honestly don't know what kind of movies my friends have been watching, but they have a vivid imagination. Are they getting together to watch movies and no one told me?

  "It could be a woman. Who knows..." he shrugged.

  "Eww!" I said, throwing the flower away.

  "Ignore Vitor, Paula. It's probably a dude. A very cowardly dude, but a dude nonetheless," Lucas answered, coming to seat by my side again.

  "And how can you be sure, genius? It doesn't say who sent it," Vitor said.

  "Simple, if it had been a girl there would have been a dopey letter with it, and obviously the rose wouldn't have thorns," he explained, showing me the rose.

  "I hate it when he's right. I'd never send a thorny rose to someone," Andressa said.

  "But you'd send a rose to a woman?" Vitor asked mockingly.

  "Of course not! Unless it was a gift to a friend, my mom, or something like that," she answered, thoughtful.

  Where do Victor's ideas come from?

  "The guy must be really in love," Andressa said.

  "Two flowers on the same day is weird. Do you think he noticed you didn't like it?" Fernando asked.

  "Or maybe he doesn't want to show himself now," Lucas said, looking for something in the flower.

  "I'm simply going to ignore this person!" I answered, shrugging.

  "Why the interest in Paula's admirer, Lucas?" Vitor asked maliciously.

  "So I can beat him up. Why else?" Lucas asked, shrugging.

  "The poor man, Lucas! He can be a bonehead for sending me roses, but he could be cool," I answered.

  "You really think that?" He asked, arching his eyebrow.

  What's the big deal that I think the admirer could be someone cool?

  "There's no way of knowing!" I answered. shrugging.

  "Why don't we play a game?" Andressa said, trying to lighten the heavy mood.

  "I want to play strip poker," Vitor said excitedly.

  "Doesn't he get tired of always suggesting that?" I asked, bored.

  "Until you guys agree and I win the game, I'll never get tired," he answered, smiling. "And the only reason you don't agree to play it's because you're afraid to lose, Paulie."

  "Thank God he's not conceited," Andressa laughed.

  "We could see who gets drunk faster," Lucas suggested.

  “It's not fair. Vitor has an advantage," I said.

  "And why is that?" Vitor asked curiously.

  "You were born drunk, you can't lose," I answered in my evil voice.

  Have I said before how much I love annoying Vitor? But I only do it as revenge for his mean nicknames. Someone has to stand up for me.

  "I'm not even going to comment, Lady Sith," he complained.

  "Buzz off, bighead," I answered.

  "We could simply catch up," Lucas suggested.

  I thought it best not to bring up the rose since everyone seemed to have forgotten about it.

  "Catch up? We do that all the time!" Andressa complained. "I want some action. How about make me laugh or die?"

  "That game is boring," Vitor said.

  "Just for you, because you always lose," Fernando laughed.

  "I don't always lose. Last time Paula was the one who lost."

  "But I rarely do," I smiled.

  "Of course, we always play in pairs and you're always with Lucas," complained Andressa.

  "I think she just said you're not funny, Nando," I teased.

  "I'm funny. Vitor is the unfunny one," he shot back, shrugging.

  I think he's starting to feel the beer.

  "I'm funny. I'm just better behaved than you," he answered, smiling.

  As if! I'm the best behaved!

  We obviously started laughing. No joke! Who does Vitor think he's fooling with that fake look of innocence.

  "I don't know why you're laughing," he complained after a while.

  "We could play stop," I suggested.

  Not that it would be fun playing stop with the boys, they only talk about things we don't even know.

  "That won't be fun," Andressa complained.

  She probably thinks the same thing I do.

  "We could play what's that song?" Fernando suggested.

  I love it! I really do, I always like playing that, specially against the boys since they don't have an MP3 so they can listen to music all the time like I do. I can promise that makes all the difference, after all, I'm addicted to music.

  Not that I think about music all the time, like some people who connect every moment in their lives to songs. I simply love listening to music, it always distracts me when I need it – and I confess, also when I don't. Besides, there are songs that simply make you dream.

  Of course I'm not a dreamer – as you've probably noticed by now – I just have a vivid imagination, but I don't go around dreaming of Prince Charming on a white horse, at least not on a white horse.

  "I like that idea!" Lucas said, smiling at me.

  "I love it!" Andressa said excitedly.

  "Well, I don't," Vitor frowned.

  "And why not?" I asked, annoyed.

  He never likes cool games, only incredibly boring games, that is, games he wins because we're all bored before he even thinks of ending the games, specially because every time he's winning the game never ends. Besides, Vitor is one of those crazy rock fans, and therefore, only knows rock songs – at least I never saw him singing and listening to anything else, unless he was trying to hook up with a girl, then his lust is louder than his music taste.

  "Because you guys know a bunch of music genres and I only know rock."

  "And I don't know almost any rock songs, so we're even."

  I'm not lying! They really do know a lot of rock songs that I don't, but Lucas loves music, so his knowledge is vast, therefore I'm never at a
disadvantage.

  "Maybe...but I still think that I'm at a disadvantage," Vitor said, thoughtful.

  "Stop complaining and let's play. I'm getting bored already," Andressa said.

  "I'm going to win!" Vitor said, decided.

  "That I want to see...because Lucas and I are going to win," I said, smiling victoriously.

  I don't know why they hope they'll win. I always win at this game. Sure, it's easier to win when I'm playing with Lucas, but still, I win. Poor lost, hopeful souls... I think they never learned that hoping for impossible things only hurts themselves.

  "We'll start," Andressa said excitedly. "I know a good one," she continued.

  "Whatever...but I'm next," Vitor said.

  "I don't want to go last. That's just wrong!" I whined.

  It's not nice to be the last in any game. You're always at a disadvantage, even in a board game, you start losing.

  "I want a song with the word..." Andressa started suspenseful. "Home!"

  Home...think Paula...a song with the word home...hey! I know!

  "Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam, and the deer and the antelope play," I sang cheerfully.

  Paula one, losers zero. I said I love this game. I obviously hate that song, because it gets into your mind and never leaves.

  "That doesn't count. It's not real!" Vitor complained.

  "Just because you didn't have a childhood, that doesn't mean that the song doesn't exist," I complained.

  "It's a children's song, Vitor," Fernando explained.

  "If Fernando knows it, then I guess it counts," Andressa said dejectedly. "Damn it! I thought no one would get that one."

  "Now it's my turn and no one will know a song with this word," Vitor said victoriously. "I want a song with the word ceremony."

  Ceremony? Where the hell did he get a song with the word ceremony?

  "Lucas?" I asked.

  "Sorry, Paula. I can't think of anything," he said with a very cute pout.

  "I don't know," Andressa said after a few minutes, frowning.

  "I got a point!" Vitor singsonged. "Paulie doesn't know?" Vitor asked.

  "We don't know!" Lucas answered dejectedly.

  I can't believe I'm going to lose a point to Victor's annoying song. I bet it's a really tacky one.

  "We give up!" Fernando said at last. "What's the song?"

  "What song?" Vitor asked.

  "Vitor, remember you have to know a song with the word or it doesn't count," Lucas reminded him.

  "I know it, I just don't remember the lyrics," he complained frowning.

  "Then it doesn't count, Vitor!" I said, excited.

  We don't lose a point, Vitor made that up. He wanted to win by cheating!

  "Of course it counts! There has to be a song with that word," he complained.

  "If no one knows it, not even you, then it doesn't count," Andressa said, also excited.

  "And because you tried to cheat with a song that doesn't exist, we get a point," Lucas said.

  "That's not in the rules," Vitor complained.

  "Then show me the rule book," Andressa asked, animated.

  I don't know where Lucas got that rule from, but I like it. 2-0 for me. Fine, Andressa and Fernando also have a point, but I'm still winning and Vitor losing.

  "My turn then," Vitor complained.

  "You've gone already, and you wasted it. Now it's our turn," Lucas said excitedly.

  He looks so excited I know he's thinking of a good one.

  I don't know how long we play for, laughing all the time, but suddenly I realized I was the only one awake, or at least half-awake.

  Vitor was almost falling off the bed, he and Andressa having a very weird conversation with weird words. It seemed like a conversation in an alien language and, of course, they were almost asleep. Fernando was behaving, quietly sleeping clutching a pillow.

  Note to self: remember to mock Fernando for sleeping holding a pillow.

  Lucas still held a beer bottle, mas it was empty and on top of the wretched man. Have I said that my friends are drunks?

  You know what? Since Vitor and Lucas are asleep, it must be pretty late, so it's best if I do the same.

  I took the disgusting bottle out of Lucas's and laid down with my head on his stomach. Except for the fact that his stomach if making a funny noise, it was kind of comfortable. Fine, I take it back, the noise was awful.

  I woke up the next morning with the sun on my face. I think the boys forgot to close the curtains. I have to remember to scold them for it later, and be really mean for waking me up before ten on a Saturday.

  I looked at my side and Lucas was on the edge of the bed, his back turned to me, probably still sleeping.

  Vitor was on top of the blanket with his mouth open. He must drool a lot.

  Andressa slept holding Fernando. She didn't miss the chance! Fernando, to my surprise, was awake looking at Andressa sleeping. I can't believe someone would wake up early on a Saturday to watch someone else sleep. What was Fernando thinking?

  I swear I tried to sleep after that, but unfortunately it didn't work, since the sun had temporarily chased my sleepiness away. I'm certain that I would be falling down in the afternoon.

  I thought it best not to dawdle and rose. Nothing better than a warm bath first thing in the morning. Obviously, after it, I was going to wake everybody up. I wasn't going to be awake by myself, right?

  After my wonderful shower I went back to the boys room and couldn't believe when I saw Fernando in the same position, still watching Andressa sleep.

  What's the fun in that? Specially for so long. Not that I took that long, like half an hour, maybe a little more...yeah...I don't take that long in the shower! Of course when I wash my hair it takes me longer, but nothing compared to Andressa, who takes at least an hour on normal days, without washing her hair or doing anything else. That reminds me, one day I have to ask her what she does for so long under the shower. Not counting cold days, I don't see why stay there watching the water fall.

  After waking everyone up, I watched the boys fight about who would shower first. As I understood, Fernando, besides spending hours watching Andressa sleep, had already taken a shower. When did this boy wake up?

  Once, a neighbor of mine, listening to my stories, asked me how we could do all this without anyone knowing (by anyone she meant teachers and school employees). Let's be honest, students always do a lot of things no one ever knows about, specially when they live in the school and know places that I doubt anyone else knows about.

  "We can go for breakfast. I'm ready," Vitor said, looking at himself in the mirror for the nth time.

  "We have to wait for Andressa. She's not back yet," Fernando said.

  These people take way too long to change clothes! I'm a woman and I don't take this long, at least not on the days that I don't have to wash my hair, then you know how it is...long hair takes a long time to wash and dry enough to it's not dripping and wetting me.

  "I'm hungry," Vitor complained again. "Andressa can meet us there."

  "You wouldn't like it if no one waited for you," Lucas said.

  "You don’t have to say anything else. Fernando will wait for her. Problem solved," Vitor answered.

  "We're waiting, Vitor. Go drink water to fill up," I shrugged.

  About fifteen minutes later Andressa showed up wonderfully dressed. I think she was excited after sleeping next to Fernando, not that she'd admit it, but I know.

  "Woo-hoo! Look who's all dressed up!" I teased.

  "I'm naturally beautiful," Andressa said, flipping her hair, acting conceited.

  "We can go to breakfast now," Lucas said, stopping our silliness.

  "How’s the hangover, Lucas?" I asked when we left the dining hall.

  "Me, hangover? I think you're confusing me with Fernando, Paula?" He asked, laughing.

  "Of course not, Lu, but you don't look very good," I teased him.

  He looked sad and with huge dark circles under his eyes. I hate seeing Lucas
down.

  "Relax, angel. I'm fine, I just didn't sleep very well. You move around too much," he said, hugging me and messing up my hair.

  "No, I don’t! I sleep like an angel!" I said, trying my best to look angelic.

  Obviously I sleep like an angel. At least my mom never complained.

  "And how would you know that if you were sleeping, Red?" Vitor asked, meddling.

  "Because no one ever complained," I said, sticking my tongue out at him.

  "And you sleep with a lot of people?" Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "The girls sleep at my house a lot during holidays, or I go to their house," I shrugged. "I just remembered, Vitor, I've slept with you and you never complained."

  "That's because I'm polite," he answered, a cynical smile on his face.

  "You're impolite, rather," I answered, sticking my tongue out again.

  "Why? Lucas was the one that said you were like a donkey giving birth while you slept."

  "Where do you get those things from?" Lucas asked, laughing.

  "A donkey giving birth? I'm not like that!" I complained.

  One of these days I'm going to figure out how Victor's crazy mind works, and I hope that day comes soon, because on that day I'm going to get rich writing a book, How to Understand Crazy Men Like Vitor in Just a Few Days. It would sell like hot cakes.

  We sat normally for breakfast, enjoying the fact that the hall wasn't to full. But it's because it wasn't too full that we got the attention of everyone.

  But this time it wasn't Victor's or Lucas's fault, or at least I don't think it was their fault. Those damned roses and my hugely annoying admirer were the ones to blame.

  I was happily goading Vitor and joking with Lucas, totally distracted, when all of a sudden, faster even, poof, a red rose appears in my juice glass. I know it didn't come out of nowhere, but I hadn't noticed it was there... How did someone get a flower in my cup and I didn't notice? How did nobody see? The cups here aren't glass, and they’re are pretty dark, so someone looking from the outside wouldn't see the rose, but I didn’t see it when I went to pour juice in the cup.

  Obviously, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened, me, a very distracted person, didn't see the damned flower and simply continued to drink the juice, or better, raising the cup to my mouth. It's not a surprise to say that I ended up swallowing unpleasant petals instead of my juice.