Chapter1
Gabriela
Oh my God, I can't believe he came back from his trip today! My heart leapt with joy when I heard from my best friend that her father had come back from his trip. It was a dream.
OK, OK! I had a serious problem: I was in love with him. Too bad he never looked at me as I am — a woman, and not a child, as he always called me.
— I see you were happy to hear that my father came back from his trip — my best friend joked. She knew that I had a huge crush on her father.
— Mi, you know I'm in love with him! — I remind her. I never hid my feelings from my friend .
— I know that! — she laughs.
Thank God we never fought.
Ever since we met at school, we became best friends. She was crazy and suited me. I was big in every way. Sometimes, I thought Ricardo would never look at me because I was chubby. Besides, how was I a virgin at 22?
— Ah, Mi, you know your father would never look at me! — I comment, upset. I was a bit sensitive and had no idea what was happening to me, maybe it was the so-called PMS coming on, ugh .
— Why not? — She looks at me as I look for what to wear for our girls' night out. Once a week, we would indulge ourselves in going out to catch up. Sometimes, we would go to the mall to watch a good movie.
— Mi, look at my size! — I draw her attention to my body and turn my back to her, I grab a pair of jeans and a blouse and, to match, a pair of boots.
— OK! I'm looking, and I don't see anything wrong! — she tells me, shrugging when I look at her.
— Mi, I'm chubby! — I remind her. I've never had any problems accepting myself that way. Since I was young, I've always had curves, and I accepted myself the way I was.
My family always thought I should go on a diet and everything, and when I was getting fed up , I turned 20 and decided to leave home and live in my apartment.
My parents were rich and lived in luxury. Since I was their only child, they thought I wasn't perfect. When I was 18, my father gave me a car and my mother gave me an apartment. I guess somehow they thought I should be rewarded for the way they treated me.
For them, money was more important than me. And that's how I managed to get out of that hostile and luxurious environment. I was fed up with hearing that I had to lose weight and find a husband.
— I know that! — she says, and looks at me strangely. — I think you need to go out and meet new people.
— So you understand me? — I ask her. — We always go out together, and you know that men don't look at me.
— I don't understand you! — Michelle says, and I look at her. I didn't understand myself.
— What don't you understand?
— My friend, you are beautiful and you deserve a wonderful man, even if he is not my father — I laugh at the qualities she tells me about.
— Wow, what's with all the praise? — I joke, but I'm touched by the way she talks about me. — But you know that the only man I want doesn't see me as I am!
— I want to show you that any man would be interested in you. Even my father would see the woman you are. Now, how about you tidy up those nun clothes you have?! — she says, and pulls me towards the large mirror in my room.
I am shocked by what she says and I respond:
— Mi, friend, can't you see that I've been having problems with this? — I show my body and look at Michelle, who had a body that would make any woman envious. Even I was a little envious sometimes.
— You know , I envy you! — she says, and I am stunned by the revelation.
— What do you mean, you're jealous of me?
— You, my friend, are beautiful just the way you are. You are so perfect in everything and so settled in your life. Ever since you left your parents' house, you have always had goals of what you wanted to do. You are even very brave to tell me that you like my father — she jokes.
— That's true! — I joke. — Ever since I met him, he hasn't left my mind — I confess. — Why are you telling me all this?
— Do you know my father's best friend? — she asks. Of course I do. I nod, and Michelle says: — When I was 15, I fell in love with William. I was so jealous and at the same time my body ached with desire when I saw what he was doing with that slut of a girlfriend of his — she confesses to me, all blushing.
— Mi, I had already noticed that you had a crush on him. But I didn't know that you had been in love with him since you were a teenager.
— Yes! I'm in love with him! Too bad he would never look at me!
— Why not? — I ask, shocked.
— He sees me as a child! But at the same time I notice that his hot gaze devouring me is always on me, and when he sees that I notice, he changes his attitude.
— My friend, these men of ours are only making us suffer — I say, regretfully.
— I'll tell you! Now, let's stop whining. And I just had an idea, do you want to hear it?
— What? — I ask, even more curious.
— How about we call Fábio and we go dancing and drinking a lot, and then we drive back to your house and sleep here? — she says, all excited.
— Why not? We deserve it, and maybe we'll meet other guys?! — I joke, deciding it was time to start forgetting this love I felt for Ricardo and my friend for William.
— Really! Let's have fun! — she says, excited and taking out her cell phone, calling and talking. I look at the clothes I had picked up and put them back where they belong, and go back to looking at the hangers. A white dress immediately catches my eye, not a wedding dress, but a low-cut dress for summer, and since I had attributes, it was better to use them to my advantage.