A Messy (Not Reliable) Guide to Situationships

3. The Night We Met

The events of Summer and Winter 2019 shaped me a lot as a person. The guys I met, the situations I got myself into, the way I reacted to said situations. It's safe to say I lost a lot of things: dignity, self respect, my virginity...

As I mentioned before, Alexa became my bff during the first year of university. Eliza and I still sat next to each other but we weren't that close. I was closer to a short, dark-skinned girl called Maura and a slightly taller brown-skinned girl called Nancy.

Maura was very into her studies and prone to get into arguments with the rest of the class for being high-strung and a perfectionist. Since I was an incredibly chilled person, I was fine with that and we got along great. Nancy, on the other hand, was very smart but she also loved partying, cracking jokes in class and just being overall spontaneous.

The weekend before our first Exam Week, a few of my classmates had gone to a pool party. I was sick so I had to stay home. The next day Alexa told me it had been boring and I hadn't missed out on anything.

On the last Monday before our exams, Nancy and I went to get something to eat during a break between classes. The pool party came up and she casually mentioned that Alexa had been talking shit about me behind my back. She said that I was boring and she only hanged out with me out of pity. I took it with a grain of salt. After all, Nancy was also good friends with Alexa and for all I knew she was jealous of me and how close Alexa and I had become.

Spoiler Alert: I should've listened to Nancy and kept my distance from the start. But that's not the point of this chapter. This is about the night of Nancy's 19th birthday, also the day I met my first oficial situationship.

His name was Alex and he was Alexa's cousin. Not the one who hooked up with Lys on the camping trip; nor the one who hooked-up with Mikaela. This was a different cousin. Alexa had a very large family, as you might've guessed.

That night we met at a popular club in Havana called La Fábrica de Arte (The Art Factory). It's a space that combines galleries with concerts and other areas to just chill and have a drink with friends. I'd never been there so I was very excited. Back then my parents didn't let me out much, since they were and still are crazy overprotective. But my mom liked Nancy and she sort-of liked Alexa, so I was allowed to go.

Alexa, Nancy, Nancy's brother Nolan, and I were waiting in a long line to get into the club. Nolan was nervous since he was 15 at the time and carrying a fake ID. Alexa assured him it was ok since her cousin Alex had friends inside the club and could sneak us all in easily.

When Alex finally arrived, I didn't think much of him. I noticed he was tall and dark-skinned like Alexa. He seemed cool and collected. Confident even. But he wasn't the type of guy I tended to fantasize about. Plus, he was with a girl. Or woman I should say. I assumed they were a couple.

Alexa was right about her cousin having friends inside. Security barely looked at us. When we got inside, Alex and his girl went one direction and we went another. It was a fun night. We danced. We sang 'happy birthday' to Nancy at midnight.

At around 1am we sat on one of the tables in the terrace and started chatting. Alexa wasn't with us at that point. She had run into some friends from high school and was hanging out with them. This is what I remember from my conversation with Nancy and her brother:

Nancy: I really wish Alexa would stop inviting Alex everywhere
Me: Why? You don't like him?
Nancy: I've been hanging out with him like three weekends in a row. Last Saturday we went to the beach and someone dared me to make out with him. I was so uncomfortable
Me: Is he a bad kisser?
Nancy: He's just not my type. Plus I'm seeing someone
Me: Really?!

(Nancy and I never talk about her love life. I only know she has an ex boyfriend whom she dated for two years but not much more)

Nancy: Yes. It's still new, though. Very casual.
Nolan: Don't believe her. She's in love.

(Nancy slaps his arm playfully and I smile at their interaction. It reminds me of me and my sister)

Nancy: Anyway, I shouldn't complain about Alex. He did invite us to a friend's pool party tomorrow.
Me: Oh. I didn't know
Nancy: I assumed Alexa had told you. It's for my birthday. You're totally invited

(I try not to overthink why Alexa didn't invite me. My parents probably won't let me go anyway. I excuse myself to go to the bathroom and as I'm walking towards her, I feel a light tap on my shoulder. When I turn around, it's Alex.)

Alex: Hey have you seen my cousin?
Me: She ran into some friends. We haven't seen her in a while
Alex: But she's leaving with you, right?
Me: I guess
Alex: Okay. Thanks...?
Me: Camila
Alex: Right.

(He stares at me for a beat too long and eyes me up and down. I'm not wearing anything too revealing, just black pants and a top that shows a bit of cleavage. Naturally, my top is where his eyes go. I feel something. Not desire or lust. Not even interest. Just...something. I feel seen. And I like it).

Alex: You're going to the pool party tomorrow?
Me: I might
Alex: What can I do to convince you?
Me: Umm....its not really up to me. My parents are very strict
Alex: Aren't you 18?
Me: 19, actually
Alex: A little old to be told what to do, don't you think?
Me: Maybe. But I live with them and they pay for everything, so there's not much I can do
Alex: I see

(He smirks at me. He's amused by my response. He probably thinks I'm too sheltered and naive. I am, but it sucks to be viewed that way. Alex must see his companion (girlfriend?) in the distance because he hurries away without saying goodbye. I continue my walk to the bathroom).

The next day I begged my parents to let me go to the pool party. They almost didn't give in since the location was so far away, but at the end I got permission, with the condition that I would be home before 6pm.

In hindsight, maybe I should've just stayed home.