Chapter 6 Feeling abandoned

I woke up to the excessive brightness of the sun. I was covered on the couch. I looked for the perfect man who slept with me and I couldn't find him. I got up trying to get my head together, remembering exactly what had happened the night before. I covered myself with the blanket and went to the kitchen. Everything was exactly the way we left it before.

"Weird..." I yelled.

I heard nothing. He didn't seem to be there. I went to the glass window and noticed that his car was no longer in the yard. I felt an ache inside me... He was gone and left me alone. I laughed at myself... How stupid I was. What did I expect? Perhaps the least: respect.

I went to the fireplace and grabbed my dry clothes and put them on quickly. I put my backpack on my back and grabbed my cell phone, trying to turn it on without success. I looked around the room to see if he hadn't left at least one note. But not. He had left without a trace.

I got out and slammed the door. I didn't have to mind leaving his house alone, as he didn't mind that himself. If that wasn't enough, the gate was padlocked and I couldn't open it. I was locked in that place. How could that man be so insensitive after everything that had happened the night before? I even thought there might be feelings on his part too... The way he kissed me, touched me... I felt a tear run down my face. It wasn't sadness... It was anger. Anger at myself for being so naive and stupid. And it wasn't because I'd had sex with him, but because I expected him to be there when I woke up. It was the least he could have done after everything that had happened between us.

I looked at the iron barred gate. It was high, but I could jump. So I steadied my leg and climbed up, managing to get outside without too much trouble. I had seen the street the night before, but now, in the light of day, it looked quite different. I walked along the dirt road and soon found a paved and busier street. Once I started noticing houses, I kept going until I found a commercial spot where I could use the phone. That sucker had put me through it all. I was feeling so much hate for him that if I saw him in front of me I could fill him with slaps and punches. I don't know exactly how long I walked until I found a supermarket. I found a landline on the street and called my house. He called until he dropped. Surely Michelle wasn't even thinking about waking up yet.

- Could you tell me what time it is? – I asked the woman who was passing with the shopping bag.

- It's 10 h and 45 min. - she answered.

- Thanks.

I dialed home again. It took a while for Michelle to answer in a sleepy voice.

- Michelle, it's me, Megan. I need a favor.

- A favor? What do you want, Megan?

- I... I don't know exactly where I am... And my phone doesn't work. Could you ask a taxi to pick me up?

- What happened? Where are you? she asked looking worried.

- One minute... I'll see exactly where this place is and I'll give you the address. Stay on the line, please... Don't hang up.

I put my hand on the phone so she couldn't hear it and asked another woman who was passing by, leaving the market:

- Madam... Could you please give me the address here?

She looked at me confused and noticed the phone in my hand. He spoke the street and the number.

- Zone B? I asked to confirm.

She nodded in the affirmative.

- Thanks.

I went back to my conversation with Michelle and gave her the address.

- How did you end up there? asked my sister.

- Michelle, send the cab, please. I'll explain later, I swear.

- Wait there. I'll take a while... It's far as hell.

- I'll be here, don't worry. I have nowhere to go, believe me.

I hung up the phone and sat on a bench near the street. My clothes were still damp and my hair hadn't even been combed. I put a hood over my head, trying to disguise my deplorable state. I knew the taxi would take a while to arrive.

I swung my legs over the bench and lowered my head, resting it on them. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. How stupid I was. I wouldn't tell Michelle what really happened. I've always been so critical of my sister for sleeping with any man, for filling our house with her strange friends and strangers. How could I confess to my sister that I'd slept with a man who nearly ran me over, taking me to his house in Zone B? And that he looked perfect, yet left me alone when dawn broke, not even worrying about how I would get to my house? I laughed bitterly. He had been afraid of me getting pregnant, but he hadn't bothered to abandon me like that. He didn't know anything about me... What if I got pregnant with him? How would I find it? I didn't even know his name. He wasn't even sure that house really belonged to him. Perhaps it was precisely the fear of having a child that made him leave without a trace. That stranger was worthless...

I felt butterflies in my stomach at the thought that there was a possibility that I could get pregnant. That would be awful. But... There was the possibility of taking the baby away, if I didn't want to ruin my life forever. In the end, I would have to rely on luck, as he told me. After all, it would be very unlucky to get pregnant the first and only time we didn't use a condom. I thought I would never be able to have an abortion... That was the truth.

I thought of so many things in the time I was there alone. I heard a car honk and looked for a taxi. However, I saw Michelle and Raul in the car. I shook my head and reluctantly went, getting in and sitting in the back seat. Raul looked at me ironically and left. Michelle asked:

- How did you get here? You didn't leave the house to sleep at Penelope's? And your cell phone?

- It's a long story, Michelle. I'm tired. - I spoke.

- Tired? Make me wake up and come get you in Zone B, in a place you don't even know and now you tell me you're tired?

- Suddenly she's really tired, Michelle. Leave the girl. - Raul said.

- Tired of what?

- Walked... Quite to the market. - I explained.

- Were you kidnapped or something? Did they try to get money from our father before we were even officially rich?

Raul laughed, not looking at us. I said:

- I'm fine... I wasn't kidnapped. I was... Almost run over.

- My God... Tell me you're fine.

- I'm fine... The man helped me... But he ended up leaving here. I was afraid he would leave me at home. - lied.

- Has this happened now?

- Yes... - I continued the lie. – When I left Pen's house.

She sighed in relief:

- You're very clumsy, Megan. You need to be more careful. And stop your habit of walking everywhere. Car is safer... It always has been. As soon as Dad gets the money, you'll get your driver's license. Will each of us win a car? – she asked looking at Raul.

He laughed:

- If it's enough money, why not?

- I've already chosen my...

She continued talking to Raul and I couldn't pay more attention to them. I went back to being upset about what the stranger had done to me. I leaned my head back on the car seat and closed my eyes and all I could see was him in front of me. Could I ever erase those brown eyes and that beautiful smile from my mind? As much as I hated him, his image was absolutely beautiful and perfect in my memory.

I woke up to Michelle pushing me in an insensitive way.

- Wake up, Megan.

I opened my eyes and got out of the car. I felt enormous relief when I saw my home. I went straight to the bathroom and took a long shower, trying to flush all the sadness I felt inside me down the drain. But I knew how hard it would be to erase what happened, the way I was treated the next day, and get that stranger out of my head.

I put on comfortable clothes and went to bed. Martina still hadn't returned from her friends' house. I wasn't even sure if she'd gone to Dex's or her friends' house anymore. After all, I'd gone out to sleep at Penelope's and ended up in Zone B, in the arms of a stranger I've never seen in my life.

I heard when Raul left and I thought that Michelle might come and ask me for more explanations about what had really happened. But not. My sister didn't have much patience for people other than herself. I didn't used to like her the way she was, but particularly that day I thought it was good.

I went to the kitchen and had a quick snack. I was hungry. The last thing I had eaten was the noodles made by that man. I went back to my room, sitting on the bed to eat. He had said he would improve his cooking and intended to open a restaurant. I think this would be outside Noriah South from what I understand. And that was the only thing I knew about him that probably wasn't a lie. I couldn't deny that he cooked very well. I would be happy in your business. I wasn't exactly sure if I should continue playing the victim... After all, I had enjoyed his company quite a bit.

I was just eating when Martina arrived. She threw her backpack on the bed and lay down, exhausted:

- Meg, I had a wonderful weekend. - She said looking at the ceiling.

- I could say the same. - I confessed.

She got up and looked at me intently:

- You saying that? Something happened?

- If I tell you, I don't think you would believe it, Martina. I can't believe it myself.

- You made me curious, Meg. She sat on my bed. "I'd like to think something good happened, but your face looks awful.

I laughed and she started laughing too.

- Am I that awful? I asked.

- Looks like a tractor ran over you.

I laugh ironically:

- And it passed, Martina.

I started to tell her everything that had happened the night before. Martina listened attentively, without asking any questions. When I finished, she said:

- I... I don't know if I believe this story of yours.

- Are you really doubting me? I asked in disbelief. – Why would I make this up for you?

- So I don't bother you more about your virginity? – he asked.

I sighed and looked into her eyes:

- Do you really think I would have made that up for you?

- Meg, I didn't say that... But I can't imagine her stopping at a stranger's house... And especially giving herself to him like there's no tomorrow.

I laughed:

- But that's exactly what happened. But the moment of madness ended like this... Alone and abandoned. - I said not holding back tears.

- Meg, you're not going to tell me you're in love with this asshole.

- I am not.

She wiped my tears and said:

- Meg, casual sex... That's all. You don't have to charge him for anything and neither does he charge you... It happened. It was pleasant for both of them and that's it.

- He left me alone and locked in his house, Martina. I had to jump the gate to get out of there. Is there a man more idiotic than this one?

She laughed:

- No, it does not exist. But if he was hot, what's wrong with jumping the gate?

- That's what it takes to confess my only madness in my entire life to my 15-year-old sister. - I claimed.

- I'm 15, but I'm much more experienced than you. Remember how you and Michelle scolded me when I left the house yesterday, telling me about getting pregnant at 15?

- I don't want to talk about it, Martina. Don't make me worse, please...

- And if you get pregnant with this stranger?

- I just have to pray... Pray a lot that this doesn't happen.

- I already know. – she said leaving.

It took a while for her to come back.

- What happened? Where did you go? I asked.

- I ordered a tele from the pharmacy.

- A tele? Than?

- Pill of the next day.

- Pill of the next day? – how had I not thought of that before? - You think of everything...

"Yes..." she said proudly.

- Martina, have you ever taken it?

- Not you silly... I always take care of myself.

I took a deep breath and threw my body onto the bed. If I took that pill I might be a little better.

- Meg, you're going to take the pill and soon you'll forget everything that happened... Especially this weird asshole. And always remember that he didn't use you... You used him to lose his virginity.

I laughed. She was right. I had already thought that maybe I wasn't such a victim.

After I took the morning after pill I felt a little more relaxed. The only thing I regretted was that there wasn't a forgetting pill so I could get that man out of my head for good.