[ 7 ] Los Pinos

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by desmadres

by desmadres

[ 7 ] Los Pinos

When everyone was down at the lobby and ready to go, we were led out to the front of the hotel where there was a two story bus waiting for us. Also there, were photographers waiting to take our pictures. The boys would be representing Mexico at the summer olympics, they were the hottest bit of news in the country. Especially in a country like Mexico that was very passionate about football.

The moment we entered the bus, the majority of the footballers dragged their girlfriends up the stairs to sit on the top floor. Gio tried to do the same with me, but I held him back, tugging on his arm. "But Kam—" He whined.

"Trust me," I said to him, "You will not regret sitting down here."

The only other couples who had stayed behind on the bottom floor were Raul and Paloma, Diego and Paola, and Aquino and Zoe.

Gio sulked at the fact that he couldn't ride on the top floor because it didn't have a roof and they would be able to see everything on the way there, rather than on the bottom floor with the tinted windows. The palace was in the middle of a forest, after all, and they all wanted to see it for themselves. How many times would they get invited to the Presidential palace to dine with the first family? It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and they wanted to see every but of it. With a sigh, I spoke, "This feels like we're going to the prom."

"You went to the prom by bus?" Gio raised an eyebrow at me.

I nodded. "My school rented a bus just like this one."

"I never went to the prom." Gio said a bit sadly. The smile was back on his lips in an instant as he said, "I was too busy in Peru, winning the u17 world cup."

Then he laughed at his own comment.

I rolled my eyes at him. "You are the most self-absorbed person I will ever know." But the memories of being in Peru during that final flooded my mind. Giovani's mother Liliana had invited my family to the final to support the team, which her son was participating in. To travel there, I was going to have to miss about three days of school and my parents refused, saying my studies were more important. But to me...what was more important than watching my country win a world cup title? Nothing. And watching Gio, who I indeed had a crush on, was a bonus. Although I would never admit that to him.

In the end, I had snuck out of my room and gone to Peru with Liliana, Jona, Eder, and her husband Francisco, who I fondly knew as uncle Zizinho. I had lied and told them my parents had granted permission for me to go. When my parents found out what I had done, they were upset and grounded me for a month, but it had all been worth it.

Giovani saw me as more of a younger sister then and even gave me the jersey he wore at the final. To this day, it was still neatly hung in my closet. And that, as well, was another thing he could never know.

The bus arrived at the presidential palace within the hour and we were led off the bus and into a grand dining hall. There were senators, and other important people already waiting for us, as well as the president himself. By his side was his wife, who I had to remind myself not to call her Gaviota. Before she had married the president, she had been an actress, and her nickname in her last novela was that...Gaviota.

Along with my urge to call her Gaviota was the Destilando Amor theme song playing in the background of my thoughts and images of an emotionally destroyed Eduardo Yanes yelling her name in the famous novela were also included. As we walked to our seats side by side, Gio noticed I would get to sit right next to the first lady. Her husband was off somewhere greeting the coaching staff first. With a grin, he leaned in close and whispered into my ear, "Gaviotaaaaa!"He then stifled a chuckle that threatened to escape his lips.

I elbowed him on the sly and said through gritted teeth, also trying hard to contain a laugh. "Shut up, or I swear to God I will rip your curls off." But on my face was a smile despite the threat.

But Giovani continued. "Fueron tus manos las que atraparon nuestra historia en un momento." Your hands were the ones that trapped our story in one moment. He sang the theme song by Pepe Aguilar into my ear, horribly off key. "Y me han dejado persiguiendo tu recuerdo, enloqueciendo por verte de nuevo. No me importaria morir, si no te tengo. Por amarte..." And they have left me chasing after your memory, driving me mad until I see you again.

His singing came to a stop when we reached our seats and his face went completely serious. The first lady got up from her seat and greeted us with a smile. "Welcome to our home." She said. "Its a pleasure to have our seleccion here visiting us."

Her hand went to shake Giovani's first and then mine. "We're so honored to be here." said Giovani.

I only nodded, too nervous to say anything.

"You're girlfriend is so pretty." She said to Giovani when it was obvious I was too nervous to even speak.

To my surprise, Giovani didn't correct her. Maybe because he thought it would have been rude to do so. Instead, he nodded in agreement, his arm snaking around my waist. "Yes. Please forgive her for being so quiet, she really admires you as an actress. She was just telling me how she liked you on—"

"Destilando Amor." The first lady finished for him.

"That was the one." Giovani grinned.

The woman standing before us laughed warm-heartedly. "Most people just see me as Gaviota, but that part of my life is over. Now I am first lady and have different duties."

Gio and the first lady exchanged a few more words and she moved on to greet the rest of the players and their girlfriends. My date pulled my chair out for me and I sat down, he sat next to me moments later. "Why didn't you say anything to her?" He whispered a question. Across from us were more politicians we didn't know, but they tried hard to make conversation with us.

"Its your dinner, not mine." I replied, in between Gio talking to politicians. "And I didn't want to open my mouth because all I could think of to say were Destilando Amor lyrics."

Chuckling, Giovani said, "That would have been so funny." And then playing out a scenario between the first lady and I, he added, "'How are you, Kamila?' 'No me importaria morir si no te tengo.' 'What did you say?' 'Destilando amor.'" And he laughed to himself.

All I wanted was to head back to the hotel.

yay, another chapter. i thought it it would be funny to include that scene where they talk about destilando amor because everytime i see angelica rivera, that is the only thing i can think about. i never think that she's the first lady of mexico. my mind always jumps to the fact that she played 'gaviota' in that novela. and tbh i didnt even like that novela. i thought it was totally stupid. but anyway, i hope you all like the update and give it a nice vote.

thank you!

i love you.

-clary xx