Ugly Ronney: mafia romance [English]

Chapter 2-2

I wiped the fog from the bathroom mirror. My distressing reflection made me despair. The hazel eyes that stared back at me looked too big on my face, with dark circles. They fell to the side, always giving me a sad look, like a bulldog's. My eyebrows, never plucked before, were bushy. I couldn't use a razor on them, and tweezers scared me.

Before going to bed, I challenged my bun to free my thick, black hair. At the front of my head, little hairs that looked more like pubic hair than anything else always made me look like I had just been electrocuted. My mother often told me to lay it back with hairspray or gel, but I hadn't listened to her beauty advice for a long time. With my braces in place for over six years and my big bifocal glasses, the desire to take care of myself was no longer the order of the day. Makeup made things worse: I could be mistaken for a clown or the Joker in Batman. Extremely thin, gaining a pound was a struggle. To escape the criticism and mockery of my family, I hid my appearance behind large T-shirts and baggy pants.

I staggered across my room, tired, and collapsed on my bed. Neither Louis nor Melissa had called me back to check on me or find out what had happened. Yet they had seen me stepping onto the driveway of the villa. I decided to let my thoughts wander to Caleb so as not to let the blues get to me. I missed waking up together and talking to him. Was he happy in the arms of my cousin Carolina? Clearly he was. It was with a heavy heart that I closed my eyes.

The ringing of my phone woke me up with a start. My hand fumbled on my bedside table, looking for the phone while my other hand grabbed my glasses. I quickly put them on my nose and glanced at the phone screen: 1:10 a.m.! What kind of joke was this? I hurriedly answered the unfamiliar number with a pasty voice.

"Yes?"

On the other end of the line, the soft, embarrassed voice of a young woman answered.

"Miss Jimenez, I'm Ashley Cooper, your assistant. Mr. Khan is at the club and he demands your presence immediately."

"He demands?" I stammered. "I don't understand. My new job doesn't start until tomorrow, Monday."

Embarrassed, the young woman insisted, "Miss Jimenez, it is Monday, but it is very early, it's true."

I ran a hand over my forehead and let my head fall back on my pillow.

"I'll be there in a minute," I said with a sigh before hanging up.

I got up in a hurry, running around the room looking for a suitable outfit. From my dresser, I grabbed clean yellow baggy pants that I hung with a belt around my waist so it wouldn't slip down my hips. Then I grabbed a gray and purple T-shirt from the dirty clothes hamper as the others weren't dry yet.

In the bathroom, I vigorously brushed my teeth, cursing this Yeraz and this hazing. Indeed, I suspected he was already starting his intimidation techniques on me. Ronney, you'll have to have strong nerves, I encouraged myself internally. He seems to be a real jerk! In my life, I had dealt with a lot of people like him: he wasn't the one who would get to me.

I threw my towel in the sink before hurrying to put on my Converses and storming out of the apartment.