Clementine had become a wild child. Born in America but raised abroad, she now had little regard for the expectations of high society. But her reckless ways eventually catch up with her when she is kicked out of college in New York City and forced t...
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20
Clementine took a left, going East. She wasn't sure where she was going, not really. But something pulled her towards a need to see something real. What was the point of being in all this nature if it was going to be so controlled and manicured the way it was at the beach club.
All the excitement though, blinded her towards what that reality held, because she noticed herself progressively moving towards a more shady area of town. There were men eyeing her a little too long, and barefoot children running around.
She almost turned back, but forced herself to keep on. You're not afraid, she reminded herself. Don't show them you're afraid.
Like mother said, 'they're just like perros, they can sense fear.'
Eventually, after a respectable amount of time has passed, Clementine was about to turn back when she heard a voice aimed towards her.
"Clementina!?" Somebody was shouting her name across the streets.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she realized that as much as she was hoping to somehow find Zico she was also scared to see him. She turned around to look from behind her shoulder and see who it was.
And though it wasn't Zico this time, it was his friend from last night. The one that was in their cab.
Clementine was shocked to see him, and was surprised he even remembered her name, because she definitely did not know his.
"Hey," Clementine said, taking a few steps towards him as he ran across the street, meeting her halfway.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, in a wife-beater tank top, and a cigarette behind his ear. She saw portions of his chest tattoo, something Portuguese written in cursive.
Clementine was about to lie and make up some excuse how she was doing something with someone, but then she remembered she was done with that.
"Taking a walk," she said simply.
"Taking a walk." The friend repeated as if she said something spectacular. Then he looked her up and down, more in an inquisitive way than anything else. "You know, you really shouldn't be here alone." He lit his cigarette and peered at her sideways, while looking around them.
"Do you live here?" Clementine asked innocently.
"Live here? Nah, we're just doing some business here."
A million questions popped into her head. What business? On a Sunday? Who's we?
The friend must have seen her confused face because soon enough he said, "don't worry, Zico isn't here. He's...busy." Clementine was somehow both relieved and disappointed.
Then looking away, he whistled at somebody and they were joined by somebody else, an unfamiliar face.
"Look, we're basically done here. We can give you a drive wherever you came from." He put out his cigarette.
Clementine looked uncertainly from their faces, and wondered how much risk was appropriate in this situation.
"Okay," she said carefully.
"Perfeito, pega o carro," he motioned to his friend to get the car.
While they waited, Clementine decided to ask for his name, finally.
He laughed and told her it was Adam, telling her not to worry about it. That they all had quite a night.
In the car, when they asked her where to drop her off, she quietly told them the name of the beach club. This prompted both of them to look at each other and laugh.
"Rich girl," Adam teased her. "Okay, let's go."
They dropped her off at the club, and at first the valet had a bad expression on his face when they pulled up, but relaxed when he saw Clementine step out.
Clementine waved to the two guys, and Adam said "catch you later".
Then they drove off like nothing ever happened.
It was amazing the people you meet when you let yourself open up for a chance, Clementine thought.
She went in to find her mother, sipping a gin and tonic and covered in tan oil. Clementine exhaled, said a brief hi, took her summer dress off and went directly into the ocean.
