RIVALS

The Other Souza

"This cannot be happening!" I choke on my words as Ericka tries her best to fan me and keep me from having a panic attack.

"We're almost there! Just try and hold on!"

"After everything we'd been through, he just ignores us. He didn't give two fucks! Who does that?!"

"Only self-centered attention whores such as himself."

We burst through the double doors leading to the second half of the corridor. Shocked faces look our way as we run into and almost knock over several peers.

"Move! Violet coming through!"

I barely register the words she mutters as we bust through yet another set of doors.

"Oh my gosh. Did you see the way he looked at me? How he acted like my words didn't matter? The nerve."

I instinctively start pacing the moment Ericka lets go of my arm.

"Ví."

"I'd like nothing more than to wipe that smug smile off of his stupid face. I've gotta do something."

"Ví!"

"Something that'll make him regret it."

"Oh he will. That is if I have anything to say about it," a voice cuts through both of our voices, the first I had that there was someone else in the room with us. I pause for a moment to assess.

There at the round, wooden table sat that boy. The same one that was in cahoots with Rafael. The same one who stole our Disneyland idea.

I could feel the heat in my cheeks as I frantically pointed to him, trying my best to use words, although none would come out.

My state was made worse by the fact that my most loyal secret- friend was sitting faithfully by his side and calm as could be.

"Sh- sh- shouldn't you be ripping his flesh from his face right about now?! You should be more pissed than me! It was your idea!"

"Our idea."

My head cocks to the side like a damn Beagle as I try to understand to what the hell is happening right now.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait. What the hell are you doing with Rafael's right hand guy?"

He scoffs. "I am more than just his 'right hand guy'."

"Then what the hell are you?!"

At first he gives me a look. Then a smile - a smile which grown into soft laughter, then a bellow, and before I know it he is laughing maniacally, head thrown back in delight as if he had just been told a joke of the century.

"Is this guy for real?" I ask Ericka who doesn't seem quite too sure herself.

Once he stops laughing and wipes the tears from his eyes, his breath finally catches up enough for him to form a sentence.

"Whoa! That was so funny! What am I?"

He looks back to me, the smile fading from his face only to be replaced by a frown.

"Are you serious? You really don't know who I am?"

I throw my arms out to the side in a shrug.

"Okay, then. Tell me." 

The boy walks up getting in my personal space (as much as a 4'11 boy can) and staring me in the eyes.

Is he trying to intimidate me?

Ericka's eyes meet mine. Just as I am about to confess that I have no bloody idea who he is, she gently shakes her head from left to right.

"Uhh...of course I know who you are. You're-"