Part 1
The alarm clock rings at full volume but Ria has been awake some hours before. She stares at the ceiling and smiles as she recalls the same dream she dreamt of yesterday and the days before, the only difference is that now she’s happy.
Her room smells of roasted marshmallows, a mixture of vanilla perfume and cigarette smoke, just worse. The walls are painted pink with some black stripes that will remind you of products’ bar codes. Some pop art decos are painted at random so that the whole niche looks less girly but more professional.
She literally jumps off the bed, careless about the fact that the pillows got thrown down and the blankets picture total mess. Rays of sunlight illuminate the room of her apartment, and the day spells nothing but fun.
Ria walks to the table and pulls down the page of a daily calendar so that now it reads May 25, 2020, Monday. “I’m getting closer” she thinks. She’s humming some nursery rhymes and stops to think if Humpty Dumpy did exist. The thought makes her dizzy, “Insomnia,” she thinks. She doesn’t want to relate it to any other reason.
She sips her black coffee and savors the bittersweet taste of her only obsession. “Ria, you can’t forget your other former habit”, she says to herself. Her thought slowly drifts away via the relaxing aroma of the cup of caffeine in her hands when suddenly a loud knock revives her almost unconscious self to life; she almost dropped the chinaware as she throws away a string of four letter words through her mouth.
“Good morning, huh? What’s with the door banging and all?” Ria welcomes the person at the door who immediately grabs her arm and hugs her tightly.
“You made me worry, bitch,” CJ exclaims at a high pitch voice. He quickly frees her off and heads through the bed.
Under a mood of disgust, he starts scrutinizing every single detail of the room, stopping at the technicolored portrait, saying “I told you a Madonna or Marilyn Monroe could have been better,” with a raised eyebrow.
“You can leave now.”
“Of course, I will. I can honestly say that I don’t trust the possible plans you have over my beautiful body in this little space of yours,” CJ says, emphasizing the words beautiful and little.
Ouch.
“Want some?” she asks lifting her cup a bit.
“I wonder what virus and germs taste like but no, thanks.”
Ouch. Strike two. Lalalala, she thinks.
“See, I don’t need your resignation letter. So you better see us in the office later.” CJ asserts.
“Give me a million and a half,” she replies, with an open palm and teasing smile.
“What for? That’s around twice my annual pay,” he says containing his anger.
“I went to the bank the other day and found out I had around 1.5 million,” She says before emptying her cup in a big gulp and continues, “two year's salary in total plus the interest of course.”
“What do you need that amount for?”
“Secret”
“Maria Rosa...”
“Shut up.”
“Fine. Don’t tell me you’re into this illegal and uncertain thing again?” he bursts into serious laughter.
Silence.
“You’re crazy Ria. You’re totally nuts. I don’t believe you. You’re insane. You’re ...” he pauses to think, “You’re indeed my best friend. But hey, it’s been five years,” CJ couldn’t muster whether to offer pity or annoyance to her. “You’re crazy.”
“I am crazy. Thank you very much.”
“Move on.”
“Soon.”
“Now.”
“Later.”
“Maria Rosalia, for God’s sake, stop whatever you’re planning to do.”
“Whatever.”
Quick glances of memory lane invade CJ’s mind and after their ten year friendship all he can think of is how much they have become at strong bond and thus he decides to leave his trust to her friend instead. Ria, on the other hand, is ready to give up just so she can make her plans done. But why pearls of tears run down her cheeks, she doesn’t know.
A deafening silence slowly separates their thoughts and CJ finally speaks.
“I’ll give you one and a half million. Just wait for the check tomorrow. And happy birthday.”
Ria’s silent sobs begin to grow louder as she walks closer to him initiating a hug. Which he does not accept. He’s also crying.
“Thank you,” she utters between soft wails.
“That would be my last birthday present for you. I know you’re at risky gamble but I’m your friend. And friends don’t jump high cliffs with you. They’re at the bottom to catch you.”
“I love you,” she shouts while CJ heads the door.
“I love myself, too,” he looks back and smiles at her before closing the door with a bang.
Meanwhile, Ria think she’s never going to be happier than now while thinking, “Carlos Jimenez III, I wish you had become a real man, but thanks for the friendship.”
...to be continued...
