stuck between two // Pedri and Gavi

7 - Oh Men

Victoria's Perspective

School starts soon again, and my apartment feels like a sweatshop. Miserable. I feel awful as I work hard to clean it up, only because I hate it when it's dirty, and not because I particularly enjoy cleaning in my tiny apartment when it must be like 37 degrees in here, because of the small area. I think outside it's about 32, but in here, since the heat is so pent up without air conditioning, it has raised way too high. It feels so stuffy, and hard to breathe. At least there isn't much to clean here.

I would at least open the one window, if I could, but it's jammed, and despite telling my landlord about it twice, he still hasn't done anything about it, so that's great. I think the handle might possibly be broken. I'll probably ask one more time, but I need that freaking window to let some air in, so I might just have to call a repair man myself and use money I don't have.

Ugh, why am I cleaning in this temperature? I sigh, flopping down on my couch. I tie my hair up, off of my sweaty neck, and then walk out of my apartment, walking across the hall to the main lobby room.

There is a new hire, apparently, because I've never seen this brown-haired man working around here. He has a thick head of hair and a decent sized beard, with light eyebrows, eye bags, and brown pupils.

I lean over the counter, looking at him with a sigh. Great. A new hire. Always hard to deal with. "Hey," I say. "Landlord around?"

"You have residence here?"

"Yeah, in room five."

"Señor Rodríguez isn't here. Can I give him a message?"

"If you're really gonna give it to him and you're not just saying that," I say, crossing my arms across my chest.

"I will. What's up?" he asks, grabbing the sticky note pad. Wow, so professional, newbie.

"Can you tell him that Señorita Hernández in room five has a jammed window and she would really like some f***ing air in this weather in the thirties?"

The guy stops writing, looking up with raised eyebrows, "Mind if I tell it to him more respectfully?"

"Tell it to him respectfully if you want, but make sure to explain to him that I wasn't respectful about it at all when I told you. Make sure he knows how annoyed I am about it. Make sure to remind him that I've asked him two times before, and he's done nothing."

This poor man sighs, muttering, "Great."

"I'm sorry your boss and my landlord is so difficult, señor. Not much I can do about it."

"You could move out of this place."

"Don't got enough money, buddy. Sorry that poverty is just a big problem in the world. Been trying for a while to get out of it, so don't just tell me to 'stop being poor'." I roll my eyes, not in the mood. Heat puts me in a sour mood.

Suddenly, I get an idea.

Why don't I go to the public pool?

Who cares if I have no one to go with? I go to the club alone, too! Why not? Maybe it will help me cool down! Maybe it will help me chill out, and calm down.

I go back to my room and quickly change into my only swimsuit- a plain black two-piece with one sleeve. That's about it, but oh well. Not like I'm going looking for guys. I mean, I can't start doing that until after tonight. Until after I break up with Luis.

Yeah, right.

I put on my weaved white sweater that goes down to my knees on top of it and my sun hat on top of my head. I slip on my beige sandles and walk out the door. The public pool is only about three blocks away, and it's a pretty nice one. And, of course, it's free. I wouldn't go there if it weren't free, naturally. The only thing I waste money on is going to the club. Duh.