OFF THE RECORD (First Person)

2. The Beach

Tomas

I couldn't quite explain my feelings. I didn't want to overstate them. After all, I didn't have the time, nor energy to do anything about them.

Yet, I could not stop thinking about Emma. It was stupid. I had not known anything about her in the last four years, and before that, while seeing her on the daily basis in school, it was as to see any of my friends. Of course, I loved her, but as in a protecting affectionate way. Just that. She had Omar to give her the other deeper type of love, and I had gotten over my feelings towards her, years before.

I could not remember the last time she had slipped through my thoughts, without explanation. I knew that she had rolled unconsciously, one time or other, but I would always disregard it for respect towards my friends.

Besides, I wasn't easily enamored. Not just anyone could pierce the shell where I would shield my feelings. I would not lower my guard with whomever stimulated my testosterone. Only Emma and Perla had known me to that extent, but that had been a long time ago.

But now, something captivated me. My mind would bring back the curve of her lips, how her eyes would smile at my sight. I had always been attracted to her being, not for nothing had we been a couple when we were preteens.

Likewise, I was sure my feelings were reciprocated. I had felt her nervousness while I touched her, the cuts in her breathing when I was close to her. I couldn't say I didn't feel the same way.

The tickling that I felt when I had her gaze on me had inebriated me more than the glasses of wine I had consumed.

It was not smart to follow my heart, but I could try to see how far I could go. It was the least I could do.

Emma
I was aware of the interview Tomas had early in the morning with the publishing heads of AT&T, to negotiate a price for him to be the face of the company for the upcoming season.

That was why I was surprised when he called me at eleven in the morning. I didn't imagine I would hear from him again in a long time. Not that I minded. I shook off the giddiness I had felt when he had wrapped his arms around me, dismissing it as friendly excitement from seeing him again.

"So, how was it?" I asked him through my cellphone speaker, lowering the volume of the music I had in the background.

It was cleaning Sunday. I had been scrubbing my bathroom and kitchen while Cuca ignored me completely, resting in the window frame, entertained with the movement of the cars that passed thru the highway.

He assured me how easy it was to convince the staff to hire him, and how he even negotiated a raise in their last offer.

I knew he was stretching the real reason why he had called me, but I enjoyed making him work for it. He had told us yesterday that he might have some free time today after his interview, so here he was, looking for his window to ask us to join his short-found freedom.

"Who knew you could be a businessman?" I joked, snorting right after.

"Yeah, yeah. Now, tell me what is something that you have been wanting to do, but you haven't done because you have no time?" He asked, cutting me off. I guessed he didn't appreciate my avoidance.

I gave out a big sigh. It didn't take me long to find my answer. "I want to go to the beach."

"So, let's go!" He exclaimed.

"Dude, I have homework, and I work tomorrow, and...and—

"And you are always going to have other stuff to do. But you are not always going to have a friend visiting over. C'mon, just for today." He tried to convince me, firmly.