Love Is A Crime

Sleeping with the enemy

The night struck midnight and the two women had just buried the dead man who had nearly tried to kill them. With a sigh of relief, they sat down side by side next to the mud covered mound. Maca had her elbows rested on her bent knees, her head on her hands. Zulema was sat with her legs straight out in front of her, slouching. There was a clear difference in how the nights events had impacted both of them. Zulema wasn't as bothered as Maca. You could see this simply by how they were sat after burying him. Maca felt guilty even though she shouldn't. And she knew that.

"Estas bien rubia?" Asked Zulema, looking to her right at the blonde.
"Sí," came the simple quick reply.
"Que pasa? I know you."
"Nothing Zulema, now would you drop it!" She snapped, now turning to look at zulema. She turned back to the front.
"Vale vale," Zulema said. There was a silence between them for some time. Zulema could clearly see something had affected Macarena. But she didn't want to keep pushing her.
"It's just...I have to admit that...."
"Go on, Rubia."
"I got a little scared earlier."
"That's alright. I shouldn't really have done that but he lurched forwards at me. I had no choice," Zulema explained.
"No Zulema. Not that. It was something else."
"Then what?" The brunette seemed confused.
"For a moment while I was stood behind you, I for some reason forgot how to use a gun."
"Qué?"
"I don't know! I just suddenly froze and didn't have control over my gun. I wanted to help you but I could barely even hold it! It was most probably just nerves." She explained.
"Don't let it bother you Maca. It happens," Zulema was not the best at support and advice.
"But it does Zulema! It's not like me. I can't even understand why the whole thing frightened me!" She exclaimed.
"Maybe you just need to build your confidence up with using the gun again," she suggested.
"Perhaps," Maca thought. "I just don't know what happened to me. My hands went numb and I just couldn't shoot him. I couldn't!"
"Tranquilo Rubia, tranquilo."
"I'm fine I'm fine," she breathed.
"If you want I could give you some shooting lessons. Start from scratch, see where you are." Zulema offered, turning to look at the blondie next to her.
"Really? You would?"
"Sure."
"Vale. Gracias," she smiled softly at Zulema. They looked at each other for a few moments until Zulema stood up.
"Come on. It's late. You need to sleep Rubia. You look awful," Zulema joked as she walked away. Just as Maca thought she could actually be sympathetic and not something Maca

Zulema, she can never end a formal conversation with a sensible conclusion. She can never be serious until the end.

-

It was one in the morning and the two women had just changed and got into bed. Maca always went closest to the wall and Zulema on the edge because she always, without a doubt, would get up in the night or wake really early.

"So rubia. Your first lesson starts at 7:00 am sharp." Zulema stated as she got herself comfortable under the sheet.
"Ughh Zulema. Thats too early," Maca moaned.
"Hey if you don't like my times you can find yourself another tutor," she joked. Zulema couldn't see but Maca was smiling.
The two lay there silently for a while, Maca lying on her back staring at the ceiling. Zulema was on her side facing away from maca.
"Do you ever get scared Zulema?" She spoke quietly.
"Of course." She replied to Maca's surprise.
"But you're always so tough and never show any fear. How do you do it?" She asked with a slight laugh of disbelief.
"When you've lived a life as shit as mine, you learn to hide your weaknesses because you have a duty to be strong and brave. It's just something you learn to do with time. I'm always scared. Even if just a little. It's just I'm really good at hiding it," she explained. Maca couldn't believe this. Zulema had opened up. It was a very rare occurrence for her and Maca has only ever heard her open up a few times before. She liked it.

"Wow I never knew that about you."
"There's a lot you don't know about me Rubita."
There was more silence between them. It was obvious that something was still on Maca's mind. Zulema couldn't see her but she knew maca was still wide awake. She could feel her staring at the ceiling.
"Que pasa rubia?" She finally asked, hoping to get an answer out of her.
Zulema heard a low whimpering cry coming from the blonde beside her.
"Maca?" She asked more seriously this time with a hint of concern in her voice.
"I was never like this. I feel so anxious. And I don't know what about," she cried.
Zulema rolled over to her other side to face Maca. She was still crying. More so now.
"I know it's hard rubia but you'll get better. You're just tense from earlier. That's why you couldn't shoot your gun," she explained trying to look at her face but it was too dark and she could only make out the shape.
"What's wrong with me," she laughed whilst still crying.
"Nothing. You're human."
Maca began to cry even more as Zulema listened to her loud sobs with sympathy. 'Poor Maca,' Zulema thought.
"Come on Rubia. Go to sleep. You'll feel better if you get some sleep."
Zulema felt Maca roll onto her side to face away from Zulema. But she could still hear her sobbing. It was not getting any better. Zulema thought for a moment. Spontaneously, trying not to think about it too much in case she changed her mind, she placed her arm around Maca and searched for her hand with hers. When she found it, clutched against Maca's chest, Zulema held it. She held her softly in a gentle embrace as Maca's crying worsened.
Maca wasn't sure whether she was crying about her anxieties or the fact that Zulema had just put her arm over her and was - hugging her? Either way, both brought her the same amount of emotion. But, if she was being honest with herself, she was getting more emotional over the fact that Zulema was being nice and caring towards her. So there was a heart in there somewhere.
So, they lay there, Maca wrapped in the arms of her former enemy, feeling a sense of comfort and safety. All of her worries went away for a while as she felt more relaxed. But she couldn't help but feel a bit cautious in a way. And confused. This was Zulema after all; the woman who was right behind her with her arm wrapped around her.
Maca then felt Zulema squeeze her hand as she spoke, "vamos a dormir Rubia. No te preocupes."
For the rest of the cold night, Maca lay close into Zulema's body, her back pressed into her front, as she still couldn't get over this act of true friendship and care coming from this woman who for years had wanted to murder her.

During the night, Maca woke to find her fingers intertwined with Zulema's as they were still holding hands. This was an absent-minded action that had occurred during the night as they slept, unable to control their actions. Maca thought about moving and unlocking herself from Zulema's bodily embrace but the truth was, she liked it. She didn't want to admit it but she could've stayed like this forever. And with that, she kept her hand interlocked with the brunettes and closed her eyes. Only three hours until her shooting lesson. Three precious hours...