Manuel

Thermometro

It was my first year at the university of Chicago. The place where i started to feel like myself more. I had a lot of memorable moments throughout the year but one in particular really struck me.

I remember sitting in the bleachers while reading Dune at closely 9 am and i saw this chunky girl who was crying while eating a toast. I could've tell her what was wrong but i felt like it was the wrong thing. Besides, I wasn't that much of a social person either. For God's sake i was reading a book in school. Sure it was my second day but I should've been socializing or something. I'm still mad at that moment and it truly lets out the worst in me every time i try to remember that shitty memory.

But maybe I had one good memory...

October 28, 2007

My room felt extremely cold, it was about 112 F if i had to exactly remember. I know because i had this funny little temperature duck in my room that my mom gave to me before i left the house. I held onto it until it got old and didn't work with any type of batteries. *Manuel stops talking and takes a breath break* There was music banging through the other dorm with flashing lights since people at this college apparently took Halloween Parties way too seriously. I opened the door and a Skeleton crashed into my left elbow. I screamed to them but they ran off laughing like a witch. Should've switched costume... but I couldn't talk about costumes since i had my silly college pajama's that were earned if you entered. They didn't get my size right but it was the only thing i had since at that time i could barely afford for anything. College i could afford thanks to my grandma's inheritance.

As I approach the loud room and those purple LED's i saw what was a gorgeous woman dressed as Chani and she looked identical as it was described in Dune. A skinny face with dark blue eyes with no white in them- a clean still that preserved the body's moisture. She was beautiful and I maybe didn't have the chance to let my thoughts out as expected.

"Hey n-n—nice costume." I butchered that line badly I thought after horrendously stuttering.

She surprisingly chuckled at what i said with a big gorgeous smile. Her smile was literally as big as her pointy nose that i just also loved. Shit... i sound like a hopeless romantic. I kinda am but i just want to tell this fucking story.

After we chatted a little while about our combined knowledge of Dune we finally sat down to have a few drinks and talk about how these few months have been treating us. Unfortunately the music was way too loud to even have a formal conversation:

WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
WHAT????
WHAT IS YOUR NAME!!??
HALLIE!
HALLIE? LIKE BERRY?
YEAH! *She laughs mid phrase*
MINE IS MANUEL
MANUEL? SHIT I COULDN'T THINK OF A CELEBRITY
IT'S FINE, I FEEL ORIGINAL NOW
They both smile
HEY DID I INVITE YOU FOR A DRINK?
NO, I DONT THINK SO
WELL HOW ABOUT I INVITE YOU TO ONE OR TWO AND WE CAN BOTH DANCE IF A GOOD SONG STARTS PLAYING?
I LIKE THE IDEA
I KNEW YOU WOULD
After that drink we started babbling about Politics:

WHY DO YOU THINK JOE BIDDEN PLAGIARIZED THE KENNEDY's SPEECH?

I DONT KNOW?? MAYBE HE WAS LAZY AND JUST WANTED THE PEOPLES ATTENTION

Manuel whistles and points to Hailee

EXACTLY MAYBE HE WAS BRAINWASHING US WITH A BLAST FROM THE PAST

A confused wheeze releases heavily from Hailee's part

Then we started to talk about Celebrities:

DO YOU THINK DANIEL DAY LEWIS IS HIDING THE FACT THAT HE'S GAY?

*Manuel takes a sip while laughing inside the bottle*

WHY THE FUCK WOULD HE DO THAT?

YOU'RE TELLING ME HE DIDNT LOOK SLIGHTLY FRUITY IN GANGS OF NEW YORK?

WHAT? I THOUGHT HE LOOKED MANLY AND RICH

SEE THIS IS WHAT HOLLYWOOD DOES! THEY JUST PUT A MAN IN A AVERAGE MONOPOLY SUIT, GET AN OSCAR AND TELL THEM THEY'RE NOT GAY.

Concerned Manuel takes her hand and tells her

I THINK WE BOTH HAD A LITTLE TOO MUC-

NAH BABY, WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED

Hailee puts a chair and stands up as her feet is wobbling and her legs are completely shaking

HEY YALL, LETS HAVE A- LET'S HAVE TOAT FOR ALL THE KIDS... THAT ARE DYING OF CANCE-

Hailee vomits at Manuel's dorm. As he pulls her hair he taps her back lightly for more puke to come out of her. She passes out a few seconds later and
Manuel grabs her and puts her in his bed while Manuel slept on the couch peacefully.

And that's how i met her, that's how i met the only woman I truly loved. Sounds cheesy but its true, never met someone like her at my time. She was just her. Never wanted to be someone else. That's what I really appreciated about her. That's what i liked about my Hailee.