Madrid English Version

Chapter 10

Alba had just pressed her best friend's bell and she soon came to open the door. They both entered and Aria sat down on the couch, without a word, while Alba looked around the apartment, disconcerted by the state it was in.

- Aria, you have to explain me what's going on. First you leave me without news for two weeks, then you call me and tell me to come as soon as possible, and...

- I'm pregnant, Aria cut off the still standing blonde who turned around shocked at this announcement.

- What? But how?

- I was raped, as soon as these words came out of her mouth, the tears came up, and the blonde came to sit by her side without taking her in her arms, not wanting to rush her.

- You don't have to talk about its Aria, you can never talk about it if you want to. But know that whatever you do, I'll be here until you die. And even when you're dead I'll still be here for you.

- It was the beginning of the month; I was in Washington for work. Just before my presentation, my dad called to tell me about the dinner the night before where you helped me, and he told me that if I was still alone in December, I wouldn't be a Torani anymore. I went crazy and that night I went to a club, and I had a little bit to drink, then a guy came and started touching me even though I tried to stop him and after a while I was so paralyzed that I couldn't do anything, it was stronger than me. He hadn't had enough of just touching me on a dance floor in the middle of a hundred people, that he took me to an alley right next door where he tore my clothes to finish what he had started, and in a snap of his fingers I was on the ground, raped with probably a cracked rib. Aria told this story for the first time in her life, pausing to choke back the few tears that appeared on her tired face. When I got home, I threw out most of the stuff I took there, then I stopped eating because I couldn't do it and ordered all this sports stuff, to keep me busy.

- Oh, my goodness Aria. Can I give you a hug or would you rather not?

- No, no I'd rather. Her sentence finished; Alba almost threw herself on her friend to hug her.

- You're my idol, I'm not kidding. I understand better now why you did not answer. "Giuro che se mai troverò questo ragazzo lo prenderò da parte e lo picchierò fino a quando non implorerà di non avermi mai incontrato, poi lo castrerò e poi gli taglierò le mani, gli romperò le costole e poi lo ucciderò e quando sarà morto lo porterò a casa dei suoi genitori e mostrerò loro che pezzo di spazzatura è diventato il loro figlio." (I swear that if one day I find this guy I'll take him aside and I'll beat him until he begs never to have crossed me, then I'll castrate him and then I'll cut his hands, break his ribs and finally kill him and once dead I'll take him to his parents' house to show them what a piece of garbage their son has become) Following these revelations, the blonde got carried away until she swore in her mother tongue, Italian.

- Alba, calm down.

- How do you want me to calm down? My best friend, my sister was raped by a figlio di puttana*! I have an idea, we'll go back there and try to recognize him, don't ask me how we'll do it, then we'll throw his drink in his face and I have a great plan to hide his body if we need to! The Italian found herself to make the hundred steps, agitating her hands in all the directions, what amused the Spanish, do not laugh, I know how to hide a corpse I remind you. Affirmed she pointed when she saw her laugh.

- Alba, we will not kill anyone. I do not know what it looks like, even if we recreate the scene of Brooklyn 99, where they sing to find the culprit, I would not succeed. And then it's done, I'd rather move on. All I need is an abortion, that's why I called you.

- When is the appointment? Tell me the day you want; I'll make myself available. Even if I have to get fired because I couldn't attend, I don't know what, it doesn't matter because I'll be there for you. And I'm telling you that if I get fired, for whatever reason, I'll live off you.

- You won't have to live on my hook, because you won't lose your job, I made an appointment on Saturday, the twenty-fifth.

- I have to cancel my date, it's not a big deal, he didn't seem too happy. Well, the abortion is done, finally the appointment, now there's only one thing left to do if you really want to turn the page.

- What's that? Asked the brunette, intrigued by what her best friend was going to say.

- Clean your whole apartment, take a shower, change your clothes because it's way too hot to be so covered, and have your ribs checked, and also have a sleepover with me.

- But my apartment is clean.

- Aria, you're the only person who comes home from a trip and the first thing they do is empty and pack their suitcase. Anyone in their right mind would leave it lying around for at least two weeks before considering putting it away. The only thing that seems remotely normal here is your kitchen. A discreet smile appeared on the brunette's face as she realized that the only part of her apartment that was clean was thanks to the Italian team driver.

- Okay, if you want.

- Don't "okay if you want" with me young lady, go to the shower while I summon spirits to help me tidy up the mess.

- I'm older than you, said the Spanish girl as she headed for the bathroom.

- By eleven days, Aria, eleven days!

- Alba? all the laughter that had settled between the two disappeared when she used a concerned tone.

- Yes.

- I have to wear something else than this? She said, pointing to the clothes she was wearing, which hid the remaining traces.

- Aria, I'm not going to force you to wear something you don't want. But know that I will not judge you and I do not want to make my darling, but it will go away more quickly if it is in the open. Aria didn't need to explain why she wanted to stay in loose clothing, which her best friend understood.

During the following hours, Aria showered and for the first time left all her blue and purple marks in the open air, Alba filled several garbage bags, the fresh air could again run freely in this Madrid apartment.

The two friends did not talk more about the assault of the engineer, she had not had to ask, Alba had understood that it was better to change the subject, which consisted mainly of the mysterious stranger who had filled the kitchen of Aria. The Italian had guessed that it wasn't her friend who had filled it when she saw peppers in her vegetable bowl.

*son of a bitch.