Bizirik Berriro (Alive Again)

Chapter 10

When I woke up, Fernando was nowhere to be found. I felt my heart drop as I remembered the previous night's activities, or lack thereof. I stood up, my muscles groaning from the uncomfortable sleeping position, and went to pick up my slightly wet clothes from the bathroom. I couldn't smell any mildew, and I quickly changed into them, inwardly groaning at the clammy feel of the fabric. Suck it up, princess.

By the time I opened the door, there was still no sign of my rich benefactor, and I had a clear pathway to the door. I grabbed my handbag from the floor, and gently pulled the door behind me as I tried not to let the sound ricochet through the hallway. I leaned against the wall to regain my breath, and hurried to the elevator till I made it outside the building into the chilly morning. I needed to be at work in forty minutes, I confirmed when I checked my phone. Just enough time to run home and change. I ran as fast as I could.

-- "What happened yesterday?" Nagore asked when she'd arrived. I shrugged. "Don't play coy with me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I didn't take my eyes off the counter I was scrubbing down.

"I know you met up with Aritz yesterday."

"Did he tell you?"

"Only that he tried to apologize. Then you disappeared! We couldn't get a hold of you!"

"I turned my phone off."

"I noticed. What happened?"

"Nothing." She huffed.

I deliberately refused to check my phone until I had my lunch break. I lifted my jacket to find that my notification display was on high alert. Two missed calls and ten new messages. I remembered what Nagore said about not being able to get a hold of me, and saw that the missed calls were from one number. Fernando's.

The texts were from Aritz and Nagore, that was true. Aritz's unmistakably bad grammar, spelling and punctuation gave him away, and Nagore just sounded concerned. If they were that worried, they should have called. I sighed.

"I told you we tried to get a hold of you," she said, walking into the room. I looked up.

"You didn't call or leave a message."

"We texted you!"

"Fernando actually called. You and Aritz sent, what, three messages apiece?"

"We figured you'd call us back! Or at least text!" I glared at her. "You said Fernando called, though? What did he want?" I stood up as she sat down. His messages sounded more anxious. He'd tried to call while I was working, and the latest text was sent right before I sat down. Wasn't he supposed to be at practice?

"None of your business." I was more short with her than usual, but something wasn't adding up.

"Don't be like that, Iane."

"It's none of your business," I repeated. I couldn't deal with this right now. I sent a quick text to Fernando, explaining that I was at work and would talk to him later, and stuffed my phone in my bag as I picked at some of the calamari and octopus Iñaki had set aside for us.

"Drop it, Nagore. I don't want to talk about it."

"I can't believe he asked you to move to Madrid with him. I mean. The nerve!" That did it.

"What part of 'I don't want to talk about it' do you not understand, Nagore? My business is not yours. I don't care how long we've been friends. Leave me the fuck alone. Coño." The expletives passed my lips and my eyes welled with tears. Nagore just stared at me.