The Ocean Prince (Completed)

Chapter Three

I woke up to go to school.  I had my things already placed in my backpack.  It wasn't like I was going to really attend classes anyway.  I heard my father still snoring.  I put on my clothes which didn't change much of style.  Despite the fact that I listened to reggaeton, I did like to wear a bit of black and boots like a rocker, however, I didn't have the cash to actually pull it off and I wasn't into too much gothic either.  I covered my face and didn't wear a ponytail.  I wanted my face to be covered from the rest of the world and my hair served as an appropriate veil.  It looked cool, nice, and natural.  I had long, dark hair and clear tortilla-colored skin.  My jeans were just right, not too tight that cut my circulation, but not enormous that would make me look ridiculous. I had hair gel and a small bottle of perfume in my backpack too because when I walked during the mornings I sweat and so I didn't want to smell like sweat when I got to school.

I didn't eat breakfast.  I didn't have time.  I entered my dad's room and stole a twenty-dollar bill that laid in the nightstand.  If I didn't take it, it would be wasted on booze anyway, so I might as well take it and buy myself some crap or have it for safekeeping.  I walked out of the house wishing I could take the truck with me, but I obviously could not.  

The view out of my house and on the cracked sidewalk were two dirty diapers, scattered trash from ripped plastic bags.  A few feet a stray was chewing onto an old bone.  The bone was probably inside one of those ripped bags and the dog probably was the one who ripped it to shreds as it sniffed that ugly old bone.  I walked to the bus stop where I had to wait for a long time.  I placed my hand in my pocket, fetched for the change I needed to pay the bus, and felt a wrapped gum.  I took it out too.  I unwrapped the gum and chewed.  It tasted like fresh mint.  I supposed that chewing gum would be a good distraction while I waited for the bus.  An old lady came walking and I wasn't in a mood to talk to elders today so I took out my headphones and played the first thing I found on my playlist.  I spent the morning listening to it until the bus came.  I got in, paid with the change I had and sat at the back where I liked to be, because I didn't like to be around people.  Another guy was at the back watching out the window and minding his business.  I liked that, so I went to the other corner which was empty where there was a window at the other side and just looked at the cars and at the people in them.  I rode until I reached my stop.  Then, I got off and walked the rest of the way to school.  Before I reached the building I sprayed myself with perfume and hairspray to take away the scent of sweat.  

My boyfriend Camilo was next to my best friend Maribel and her new fling of the month.  They were not in the building, they were beside it.  Camilo had chocolate-colored eyes and mocha-colored skin.  His hair wool hair was extra short and he dressed like a reggaeton star.  The guy next to him had the same skin tone, but his hair was soft and straight like a Taino Indian.   Maribel had curls everywhere, but she was lighter than I was.  We didn't care about skin tones here though.  In my country, we are all mixed, either mestizos, mulatos or jabaos, so it wasn't of importance.  

As soon as Camilo saw me walking nearby he immediately came walking to me as if trying to save himself from my friend.  I smiled in my mind as he hugged me.

"Mi amor, how are you?"

"Hello Camilo.  I'm okay," I replied.  My best friend saw me and ran to me.  Her friend, whoever he was walked behind her.  

"Finally girl, you're here," Maribel said.  Her friend walked next to her and I was impressed.  He stared at me and I felt I had a brief moment with him.  I found it awkward but tried to ignore it.  I cared for Maribel and although I knew that Camilo fooled around, I wasn't going to do it with someone who was with my friend.  

"What's your friend's name?" I asked Maribel.

"Joel," he replied.

He took a pack of cigarettes out and offered one to me.  I shook my head and refused.

"Not now.  I'm good," I said.

"Have it your way,," Joel replied.  

"Girl, are we going to the mall?" Maribel asked me.

"I don't know.  If you want," I replied.

"I got a better idea.  Let's go to a boat ride," Camilo said.

"A boat ride? What the f**k are you talking about?  Are you high or something?" Maribel asked him laughing.  Joel laughed with her.

"Shut up. I got a boat for Karina's birthday," Camilo said.

"How the f**k did you get a boat?" Maribel asked him and laughed. Camilo was getting angry.

"I have an uncle who got me a boat at the marina, okay?  We can go now and get it," Camilo said.  Maribel was going to say something, but Joel grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her after he exhaled the cigarette's smoke.  I found that disgusting, but Maribel didn't seem to mind at all.  

"What do you say Karina?"

"It's not my birthday yet," I replied.

"Oh, come on," Camilo begged.  I laughed. 

"Do you think this uncle of yours will let us in today in a school day?" I asked him unconvinced.  

"I'll tell him it's your birthday.  He's cool," Camilo said.  I looked at my friend, but she was too busy laughing and kissing her new boyfriend.  I shrugged my shoulders.

"Okay," I said.  

"Come on young lovers, let us go get the car.  We'll be in the ocean today!" Camilo said.  

"Seriously?" Maribel asked.

"Yes, so move your ass," Camilo said annoyed.  I laughed. 

"You're going to let him talk to me like that?" Maribel asked me.

"You've been provoking him so... besides this is between you and him," I said and laughed.  Maribel didn't like Camilo much and it wasn't because of his popularity, it was because she knew that he fooled around.  She had told me herself.  I didn't care.  I knew I was wrong and I was supposed to care, but I just didn't.  I was only concerned with keeping the girlfriend status title.  Camilo was a pargo, a womanizer anyway.  We understood each other.  I didn't believe in love like that anyway so I was fine. When Maribel found out about my attitude she was shocked but continued to be my friend.  Why?  Because she loved me truly.  That or because she too cared for her status and didn't want to admit it to me.  Whatever her excuse was to continue to hang around with me was fine.  We walked to Camilo's house which wasn't so far away.  Camilo lived only a few blocks near the school, so it didn't take long to reach it.  His house was old, made of wood and half of his family lived in there, his mom, his grandmother, his two uncles and a cousin.  

He went inside and we waited for him.  His mother came out to greet us.  She had a bottle of beer on her hand and she was drunk as usual.  It was why Camilo loathed alcohol.  

"Hey, what's up?" She said laughing.

"Hey," I replied.

"You guys are going to hang out today?  Didn't know it was Sunday," she said.

"It's Tuesday actually," Joel corrected her.  Maribel and I glared at him with a clear message in our eyes.  Our message was, shut the f**k up.

"What?" She asked and then hiccuped.

"Nothing," Joel said shaking his head.  Mrs. Santiago saw Joel smoking and she asked him for a smoke.

"Give it to her already," Maribel whispered at him.  He took the box out and Mrs. Santiago snatched it.

"Hey!" Joel protested.

"Shut the f**k up," Maribel whispered at him.  Camilo came out of the house with car keys in his hand.

"Hey!  Don't crash that car mijo.  You hear me?" She said.

"Yeah, ma.  Come on guys," Camilo said and we followed him.

"Shouldn't you be at school today if it's Tuesday?" Mrs. Santiago asked.

"It's Karina's birthday," he replied.  

"Oh, okay.  Bye, then," said Mrs. Santiago.  We all left walking until we reached an old Hyundai Chevrolet that needed a paint job because it was decaying with mold.  Camilo opened the door and then he opened all the doors.  We all got in.  It didn't matter if the car needed a paint job, for us it was gold. We had to roll down the windows because we had no air conditioner.  Camilo drove off.  The wind hit our hair and I was nervous about it because I didn't want it messed up.  It was a good thing I had my hair gel in my backpack.  I was still chewing gum.  Maribel and Joel were at the back laughing and kissing.  I looked at them from the rearview mirror.  They seemed to be having a lot of fun.  I wondered if Joel knew that Maribel would use him as she pleased and then ditch him a month later.  I kind of felt sorry for him, but then when I remembered that we had a moment, the feeling went away.  Camilo placed his hand on my knee and I didn't complain.  I knew he wanted me to have s*x with him.  He wanted to be the first, but I refused.  I wasn't ready and I wasn't going to do it with him.  Maybe that's why he liked chasing other skirts, looking for what he didn't get from me.  Oh well.  It was a sunny day.   The rays of the sun were magnificent, painting the skies with rosy pink and as my boyfriend rode to the marina, I smiled thinking about my wonderful adventure.