Chapter 38 - The Jealous Win
1012 Words
The landline at Pamela’s house rang incessantly. But early on a Saturday morning, no one was willing to answer. Pamela paced the room, fearful and wide-eyed, knowing instinctively it was Fabrício.
Her older sister, annoyed by the ringing while trying to watch television, finally snapped. “Aren’t you going to answer that, sister? It’s probably for you.”
“I’m leaving!” Pamela barked, bolting out of the house.
Fed up with the noise, the sister finally snatched the receiver. “Hello?... This is her sister. She just left... I told her it was for her, but she ran out like she was being chased... Fine, I’ll give her the message. Bye!” She hung up without a second thought, eager to return to her show.
***
Meanwhile, Melissa was checking her reflection. She had chosen a loose pink blouse that didn’t cling to her. She wanted to look nice without giving Josias any reason to misinterpret her intentions. As she reached for her cherry lipstick, a frantic pounding erupted at the front door, echoing through the small house.
Simeon opened the door to find Pamela, her face twisted with unease.
“Pamela? I thought it was the police. My son William hasn’t stolen anything lately.”
“Mr. Campos, is Melissa here?” Pamela asked breathlessly.
“She’s getting ready to go out.”
Pamela pushed past him abruptly, moving as if she were under the influence of something. She burst into Melissa’s room without knocking.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Pamela demanded bluntly.
Melissa jumped, startled. She noticed Pamela was sweating, her pupils dilated with nervous energy.
“I’m meeting Josias. We’re going into the city together.”
“To a motel?” Pamela asked caustically. “Is today the day you finally lose your virginity to him?”
Melissa gasped, covering her mouth in shock. “What are you talking about?”
“Didn’t Josias tell you we met yesterday?” Pamela slammed the bedroom door shut so Simeon wouldn’t overhear.
“What would you two have to talk about?” Melissa’s confusion grew. “I thought you hated each other!”
“‘You,’ plural?” Pamela took a breath, trying to steady herself. She couldn’t afford to look desperate, or Melissa would see right through her. “That explains his reaction.”
“Tell me quickly, Pamela. I’m going to be late.” Melissa turned back to the mirror, applying her lipstick with trembling hands.
“Don’t go, Melissa. He plans to ‘deflower’ you today. He told me as much yesterday when I confronted him. I found him at the construction site, and when I tried to protect you, he got angry and sprayed me with a hose. He let the other masons laugh at me.”
Melissa froze, swayed by the sheer venom in Pamela’s voice. Josias? He never seemed like that. Everything about him suggested he was as inexperienced as she was — so respectful, such a gentleman.
“Pamela, you’re lying. He would never say that.”
“Why would I lie to you?”
That was the trap. Melissa had no idea Pamela was secretly in love with Josias, nor that she was being pressured by Fabrício to act as a go-between.
“I don’t know, but this doesn’t sound like the Josias I know.”
“It’s the Josias he wants you to see,” Pamela countered, crossing her arms. “With me, he was a monster: rude, sexist, vulgar... that laborer job suits his low character.”
“Don’t be a classist; you’re just a girl from the slums too!” Melissa snapped, her words cutting like a harpoon.
“But we know someone who isn’t a laborer, and he’s dying to take you out. Instead of Josias, why don’t you give Fabrício a chance?”
Melissa ignored her, snatched up her bag, and pushed past Pamela into the living room. Pamela followed close on her heels.
“I don’t want anyone else,” Melissa said as she walked. “Who even is Fabrício?”
“For heaven’s sake, Melissa!” Pamela yelled. “The hunk from Saint Gabriel! The tall one with the green eyes... didn’t you like him?”
“I liked him as a person to talk to. That’s it. Now, I have to go.”
Melissa reached for the front door, and Pamela screamed at the top of her lungs, “Don’t let him take your virginity!”
As if by magic, Simeon appeared in the living room, his face dark. “What did you just say, Pamela?”
Pamela flashed a wicked, fleeting smile before turning to Mr. Campos. “Mr. Campos, Josias told me he wants to ‘distort’ your daughter today, and I’m trying to warn her, but she won’t listen!”
“Melissa Campos! Don’t you dare take another step!” Simeon pointed a trembling finger at his daughter, his voice booming like thunder. “Go to your room. Immediately!”
“Dad, Josias didn’t say any of that! We were just going to—”
“I’m telling you, he spoke to me yesterday!” Pamela interjected, doubling down on the lie. “I tried to stop him, and he was aggressive with me!”
“Daddy, please... Josias is waiting for me on the corner of Hope Street,” Melissa pleaded.
“Then he can meet me instead! I’m going to put that boy in his place. You stay here!” Simeon stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
Melissa ran to her room and locked the door, overcome with disgust and heartbreak. In the silence that followed, the landline rang. Pamela answered it with a triumphant smile.
“Fabrício... I had a feeling it was you... Yes, she’s here. She just suffered a major disappointment... I went out of my way to stop her from seeing Josias... if you have any brains, you’ll get over here right now.”
Pamela gave Fabrício the address and hung up, finally calm. The trap was set.
- Writer
