Remembering Raimondo (Complete)

Drunk Hot Mess

Warning: this chapter has vulgar language.

After the little scene the other day, Ema and her friends never looked in my direction. Not in class and not in the hall. Austin however, gave me the usual nod. He was always the nice guy, I wonder when he'd find someone on the same level as himself. He worked with his father in his father's auto shop. Dirty and underneath cars all day, him working with his father is probably what made him more disciplined than his friends and not to forget more muscular.

But Raimondo, after that evening at the restaurant and even before, did not give me a nod or a word. He didn't go out of his way to ignore me, but he didn't really notice me either. I was just a person in life. Normally I wouldn't mind, but the man has me going out of my head. Living across the hall from him didn't help either. Dear God help me out because if I'm going to fall head over heals for the first man I met on this road of independence, literally, I don't think I'll make it very far in life.

****

Coming back from work one night as exhausted as ever, I saw two men arguing in the entrance of the apartment building. As I got closer to the two figures, I noticed it was Raimondo and some other freakishly large, but short, guy with tattoos everywhere his wifebeater didn't cover. I can't believe people still wore those undershirts!

“What the fuck do you mean you don't know who I am? I want my fucking money!” The man in the beater screamed in Raimondo's face.

Raimondo looked a mess, like he just came out of bed. His hair was a mess, his jeans looked funny, and his button up shirt was all over the place. In his left hand, he held a glass bottle. Beer? To be honest, he looked hotter than ever. I stepped on the first stair watching for Raimondo's reply.

“I don't know who you are, what part of that can't you get into this big head of yours.” Raimondo spoke calmly slapping the man on the head.

“Do that again,” the man changed his attention to the smack he just received.

“What?” Raimondo asked with a puzzled expression, “this?” He sent another smack to the man's head.

Instantly the man stepped down the remaining steps and grabbed me by my hair. He put me in a headlock and held something against my head. I screamed in panic and tried to get away from his grasp but this made him hold my neck tighter.

“I swear I will kill her.”

Raimondo shrugged and took a gulp from the bear bottle that was in his hand. “Go ahead, I don't know her.” He stumbled down the steps, holding his finger up. “On second thought, you shouldn't waste such a pretty girl. Take her home.”

He was serious! His face held a daring smirk. The jackass!

“You bitch!” I screamed at Raimondo. “And you fat ass, let me the fuck go,” I tried to get free from his grasp but failed miserably.

“See,” Raimondo started, pointing his finger at me. “She's a feisty one. I hear they're better in be-”

I'd be damned if I let him finish his sentence. I quickly flew my leg up between his and kicked him where the sun didn't shine. He fell onto his knees with a cry of pain. “Pay him his money you asshole or I swear to God I will make sure you don't remember who your own father is.”

The man let me go and pointed his gun at Raimondo. “I don't have any money.” Raimondo gasped still holding his midsection.

I stared at them both for a split second.

“How much does he owe you?” I finally asked the man trying to prevent murder.

“Nothing, I don't even know him.” Raimondo argued from the floor.

The man looked at me and thought through his options. “Three hundred dollars.”

Three hundred dollars! He'd kill me for three hundred dollars!!! What a dirt bag. I remembered the four hundred I had in my pocket to pay for the month's rent. I pulled out the money and stretched my hand.

“Here, four hundred. Take it and go.” I wait for the man to comply.

He grabbed the money from my hands and walked backwards counting it.

“See that wasn't so hard now was it?”

I looked at Raimondo one last time who now stared at me in anger, and made my way into the building. Stupid gang-bangers. Killing each other for four fucking hundred dollars. Who the hell does that? I took off my coat and threw it on the sofa. Checking to see if I had any new messages on my phone, I untied my shoelaces and threw my shoes in the closet.

“You have zero messages.” Said the monotone voice of the machine.

“You have one message,” I mimicked making my way towards the washroom while unbuttoning my shirt. “From Raimondo the cabby man: Hey Audrie, this is Raimondo. I just wanted to apologize for being a total asshole tonight. Please forgive me.” I acted as both him and the machine.

I took a quick shower and put on a tank and loose pants. I was brushing my teeth when I heard someone banging on my door. I rinsed my mouth and ran towards the door. Listening for a second, then came another bang, bang, bang. Afraid and irritated I opened the door looking pissed as hell. My face smoothed up when I saw Raimondo leaning to one side with his right hand on the door frame. He threw money in my face.

“Never ever belittle me like that, or I swear...” he started really putting emphasis on the 'I'.

He couldn't finish his sentence. He was drunk. There was a scratch on his face. His knuckles had marks on them and his shirt was stained. He wiped sweat off of his forehead and fell face down into my apartment.

Great.