Patricia's Point of View

At eighteen years old, my world revolved around my mother's fight against an illness and my studies. I've always been the youngest, the one with black hair and blue eyes, and the most responsible compared to my older sister. My scholarship to one of the most prestigious schools in the country, and now for university, wasn't just a personal achievement, but my way of thanking my mother for the sacrifices she made to raise us. Today I would register for university and, by the way, surprise my family and Richard Melendez, my boyfriend, a handsome and athletic guy I met in high school. We've been dating for a year and, so far, everything has been perfect.

My sister Alicia is two years older than me and the same age as Richard. Although their personalities are completely opposite, they can't stand each other and every time we've gone out together it's been a battlefield. Alicia is really beautiful: her hair is brown, her eyes are honey-colored and her skin is fair, although not as much as mine. Honestly, her figure is enviable. The truth is that she doesn't need anything to get what she wants in life.

That day I met my best friend, Daniela. She's from a wealthy family, but unlike the other rich kids I knew, Daniela was kind and compassionate. She liked to help others and had no social prejudices. That's why she was my best friend. Always unconditionally, always willing to support me in my crazy ideas.

"You finally arrive, did you think I would wait for you all my life?" she said with a friendly taunt as she hugged me.

"I'm sorry, Dani. I was helping my mom with breakfast. You know she can't get too agitated."

Daniela frowned. She knew the reason for my delay, but she always reproached me for not being my mother's only daughter.

"And Princess Alicia, since she doesn't do anything productive with her life, why doesn't she help?" she asked sarcastically. Daniela has never been able to stand my sister.

"You know what Alicia is like, she only thinks about staying beautiful to get a millionaire to get her out of poverty," I said laughing at my own comment, as we entered the university grounds.

When we finished the paperwork it was mid-morning. The process had been faster than expected, so I asked Daniela to come with me to the house and then to the mall. I wanted to buy Richard an anniversary gift, one he would use tonight, when it would be our first time together.

Daniela reluctantly accompanied me. She couldn't stand my boyfriend either and told me he was a hypocrite, that he didn't deserve me. According to her, in a whole year of dating Richard had never come to my house or introduced me to his family. But I was so in love that I never paid attention.

She drove her state-of-the-art red Mercedes-Benz, a gift from her parents when she turned eighteen. As we drove to the neighborhood where I lived, we talked about our future plans. For her it was easy: she would study business administration and management to help her brother. I, for my part, would study fashion design to get a good job and help my mom.

"After graduation, my brother says I can manage the Paris branch," she commented with a voice full of doubts.

"That's an excellent idea! Imagine living in Paris, the home of glamor and sophistication," I said daydreaming.

"I don't know if I can take care of a company on my own. I mean, I can't even handle my own life, how can I handle something so big?" Her voice sounded dull; she didn't feel up to her brother's standards.

"I'm sure you can handle that and much more. Just have a little faith. You're very good and smart, just trust," I encouraged her.

We arrived at my house after twenty minutes, my friend was very fast on the road. Whenever I went with her, I thought I would die young. We went inside, but there was no trace of my mom. I remembered that she was going out with a friend. It was a relief that she wasn't there, so she wouldn't notice the money I had saved or ask what it was for.

"Paty, you should be careful where you leave your underwear," Daniela commented. Her comment caught my attention.

The bra I had picked up with a napkin wasn't mine. It looked like Alicia's, which surprised me, since she was very careful with her things. Suddenly, unusual noises came from my sister's room. Daniela and I looked at each other with surprise and concern. A familiar voice was heard from inside.

"Wow! You're great at this," said the man in the room, with a voice full of lust.

"I've had a good teacher. Now, continue as you are," Alicia's voice gasped.

I looked at Daniela, and we both knew that the voice was of someone we knew very well. I wouldn't be left with the doubt. Even though Daniela begged me not to, I opened the door. Horror invaded me. In bed, two bodies enjoyed a moment of pleasure, with no shame in doing their "dirty things" in my mother's house.

I mustered up the courage and stood in the doorway, drawing the attention of my sister and her companion.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked furiously.

The subject on Alicia, whose face I hadn't seen until that moment, looked at me petrified. At that moment, I suffered the greatest disappointment of my life: that man was none other than Richard, my boyfriend.

Patricia's point of view

Richard jumped out of bed, covering his nakedness with a sheet, while Alicia remained motionless, as if what had just happened was the most normal thing in the world.

"Paty, it's not what it looks like. Please, let me explain."

A bitter smile appeared on my lips. The typical phrase of the unfaithful.

"It's not what it looks like?" I scoffed, feeling a lump in my throat. "Did you hear that, Alicia? We're seeing things wrong because 'it's not what it looks like.'"

Rage burned inside me, giving me a strength I didn't even know I had. My voice hardened.

"You better pack your things and get out of my house before my mom gets here."

Richard, with the sheet still in his hand, tried to approach.

"Paty, listen to me. It was just a slip-up. It's nothing to worry about. Please, let's not end like this, hear my explanation."

I felt stupid hearing his meaningless words.

"I said get out. I don't want to see you again and stop making a fool of yourself. Get out of my house right now if you don't want me to call the police."

Tears threatened to well up, but I held them back. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me weak. Richard, seeing my determination, stopped, set aside his pitiful attitude, and dressed indifferently.

"If you think I'm going to keep begging... you're very wrong. I am a Melendez and we don't bow our heads to anyone."

His arrogance was an echo that resonated in my heart, opening a wound that would not be easy to heal. He left the house with firm and elegant steps, befitting his last name, but at that moment he was nothing more than scum. Beside me, Alicia remained in bed, watching the scene with a carelessness that suffocated me. It was as if nothing that had happened mattered to her.

"How could you do this to me?" I asked, my voice trembling with indignation.

Alicia looked at me mockingly and flashed a cynical smile.

"Stop the drama. It's not a big deal. Besides, there are many more men on the planet. Go find another one, and forget about Richard."

Her impudence surpassed anything I had imagined. The woman in front of me was not the same one who grew up with me.

"You're right. There's no reason to make a scene. We just witnessed enough already."

My voice sounded cold, as if I were speaking from an iceberg.

"Let's get out of here, we have better things to do."

Daniela didn't say a word. She knew me well enough to know that I was being strong to avoid collapsing. She gave a look of hatred to who until today was my sister, and followed me in silence.

We got into her car. It was then that I allowed the pain that was breaking my soul to come out. Tears flowed like a waterfall, and sobs choked me.

"This can't be happening to me. Why did those two miserable people do this to me?" I managed to say in a whisper.

Daniela, with a visible rage on her face, put a hand on my shoulder.

"Calm down, friend. Those two don't deserve a single one of your tears. They're less than garbage."

"I can understand it from Richard... he's not my family. But my sister? My own sister whom I love so much."

"I don't know what to tell you. You know that those two were never saints of my devotion, but to reach this point... it's unforgivable. I feel like going back to your house and smashing your sister's face."

"It's not worth it. If we make a scene, and my mom arrives, she could have a heart attack. The last thing I want is for something to happen to her because of me," I said a little calmer. "But I do need to forget, I need to drown the pain."

Daniela looked at me with compassion. Her support was my only lifeline. Without her, I don't think I could overcome what had just happened. She accelerated the car and headed to her mansion, sure that she had a plan to make me forget the scoundrel act of which I was a victim.

The Mercedes-Benz stopped in front of the mansion. From the outside, the place looked like an oasis of calm, with its shrubs and a garden full of red and white flowers. The path that led to the front door was a total contrast to the hurricane of emotions that was tearing me apart.

We went in and met Mrs. Hernandez, the housekeeper.

"Maria, please bring us something to eat to the room. If my mother calls, tell her I went on a trip."

We went up to her room, a place that had always fascinated me for its peace. The white walls and the view of the garden made me feel a tranquility that I didn't have in my own house. Daniela's parents lived traveling, and of her brother, the only member of the family that I didn't know, I only knew that he was a workaholic. And, according to rumors, a Don Juan who surrounded himself with the most beautiful women in the country.

"Look, try on this dress and we'll see how it looks on you." Daniela said, coming out of her closet.

"I'm not in the mood to try on clothes, now I just want to cry and feel sorry for myself." I replied, holding back the tears that threatened to come out.

"I won't let you sink into depression, now get your ass up and come try on the dress and if that one is not to your liking we'll look for another one."

Daniela kept me entertained almost all afternoon looking for clothes for both of us, she forced me to eat according to her to have strength. She was completely crazy and was surely devising some plan to get me out of my depression.

In the end, we found a red dress that fit my curves perfectly. Seeing myself in the mirror, I couldn't believe I had such a beautiful body; the dress enhanced every part of my torso.

"I don't think I can wear something like that," I commented, feeling self-conscious.

"Stop being so cowardly and enjoy what nature gave you," Daniela replied, almost like a scolding. "Tonight we're going on a trip and celebrating our freedom."

I hadn't realized that, as always, her plan had a goal. She had gotten it into her head to go to another city, to a place where debauchery was the law. To a place where the pain I felt, perhaps, could be drowned for one night.

Patricia's POV

We got into Daniela's car, leaving behind the betrayal and pain, and embarked on a journey towards freedom. That's what she said, at least.

After hours on the road, the dark and silent desert broke with the glimmer of a city that seemed like a mirage. Entering Las Vegas, I felt like we were crossing a portal to another world. The city wasn't just a place, it was a chaotic symphony of lights and sounds. The hotels rose towards the sky like giants made of neon and glass, each one an architectural fantasy. There was a replica of the Eiffel Tower shining with thousands of lights, a giant pyramid projecting a beam of light into the sky, and ships sailing through artificial canals. The atmosphere was filled with a frenetic energy. The multitude of people, the flashes of cameras, and the constant announcements of shows created a spectacle in itself. It was the "unleashing" that Daniela had promised me: a place to drown the pain and lose oneself in the glitter and chaos.

"You're crazy, but thanks for your craziness," I shouted, as my eyes danced from one place to another.

"Just trust your crazy friend. You'll see that tonight you'll forget about everything bad and, who knows, maybe you'll find the love of your life," she said, laughing heartily.

Daniela always had a new idea. Normally, I would escape her crazy ideas, but, given my bad day, she had dragged me to this place. She dragged me inside the nightclub, a place that seemed from another dimension. A roar of electronic music hit me, making the floor vibrate beneath my feet. The air was saturated with the scent of alcohol, sweat, and expensive perfume.

The place was a maze of neon lights, shooting from the ceiling and walls, creating geometric patterns that hypnotized the crowd. A gigantic kinetic chandelier of LED lights rose and descended over the dance floor, changing color and shape to the rhythm of the DJ, who looked like a god on his altar.

Hundreds of bodies danced together, moving like a single tide. People shouted, laughed, and lost themselves in an energy that had no brakes. I watched the crowd: men in elegant suits, women in tight dresses and sky-high heels. Everyone seemed to be looking for the same thing: to lose themselves in the moment.

Daniela took my hand and led me through the sea of people, making her way to a reserved area. In that corner, amidst the opulence and unleashing, Daniela looked into my eyes with a knowing smile.

"See? This is what you need. A place where the past doesn't exist, only the now."

I let myself get carried away by the excitement. We entered the dance floor and unleashed ourselves, releasing the sorrows that plagued us. The music at full volume, the liquor running down my throat, and the adrenaline of the moment made me forget about Richard the bastard and my sister the traitor. Euphoria took over me.

I didn't know when Daniela walked away, but I didn't care. Knowing how she was, she was probably looking for a guy to flirt with. Suddenly, I started to feel dizzy, as if I were in a whirlwind. In a moment of clarity, I decided to go to the bathroom. On the way, I stumbled upon a muscular man. Colliding with him was like colliding with a stone wall. I lost my balance for a moment.

He took me by the waist, pulling me forcefully to his chest. His scent, a mixture of sandalwood and something wild, transported me to an unknown place. My skin, upon contact with his, burned as if flames were consuming me. The heat of his body completely enveloped me. Our eyes met and, for a moment, the whole world stopped. His eyes, a deep honey color, were mesmerizing and seemed capable of erasing my memory.

"You should be more careful," he said with a cold and distant voice.

"I'm sorry," I replied with a smile, feeling unusually daring. "Actually, I'm not sorry, because thanks to my clumsiness I was able to see the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen in my life."

"You are a very naughty girl. Better go back to your friends and watch what you say. Not everyone would resist taking advantage of you," his voice, deep and hoarse, was an invitation to be even more cheeky.

"I think my only friend abandoned me, and if you want, you can take advantage of me as much as you want... You're very handsome, you make me want to eat those sensual and fleshy lips."

I saw a small smile at the corners of his lips. He was the ideal man to get that stupid Richard out of my head. However, he walked away from me, leaving me standing in the middle of the long hallway. My self-esteem plummeted. I was offering myself, and he simply left. In the end, it was time to go back to the hotel. I couldn't find Daniela anywhere and she wasn't answering her phone.

I ordered a taxi hoping that my friend was at the hotel. It wasn't the first time she had done something like that; she was an expert at disappearing and suddenly appearing. Upon arrival, my steps were erratic and it was hard for me to stay steady. As I walked down the long hallway to my room, a man came up to me and, seeing my condition, began to bother me.

"Come on, beautiful, I have a room in this same hotel and we can have a great time," he said, dragging me with him.

"Let go of me, don't touch me! I don't know you and, even if I did, I would never spend the night with such a disgusting being," I shouted, struggling to get him to release me.

"You'll see that after being with me you'll be left wanting more," he whispered in my ear. A feeling of disgust rose through my stomach.

"I said let go of me. This is a five-star hotel and I highly doubt they would give a room to a being as repulsive as you."

Despite the fear, I could still defend myself, although my strength wasn't of much use. The man kept dragging me. Suddenly, a manly voice filled the hallway with a warning that made the depraved man release me.

"Listen to the lady. If you don't let her go right now, I'll end your existence."

I turned and saw the handsome man from the nightclub. Without thinking twice, I ran to his side, sheltering behind his muscular body. I don't know if it was destiny or just luck, but now I was grateful for having run into such a man.