The Virgin Hunt Story
971 Words
“Because he’s not; he’s English,” replied Sofia.
Sofia, who was usually eager to gossip, remained silent on their way downtown.
“Wanna go and eat some pastry? I’m craving,” suggested Leila. “Yes, why not?” said Sofia.
They went to “café Elisir,” which had become Leila’s favorite place. “What’s wrong?” asked Leila when they were comfortably seated. “Nothing,” answered Sofia, who seemed quite absent-minded.
“You haven’t been yourself ever since we went to the harbor,” commented Leila.
“Luca is here,” murmured Sofia.
There was a pause, then Leila asked, “And do you like him?” “Who? Luca! No! Gosh, No!” answered Sofia impulsively. “So, what’s the deal?” asked Leila.
“It’s a family matter,” said Sofia.
“Well, I thought I’m family!” said Leila sarcastically.
“Oh I’m sorry I forgot, I’m just …,” replied Sofia stumbling on the word
Leila smiled shrugging her shoulders and looking at her cousin’s face that was turning red.
“There are a lot of tourists today,” she said to herself, shifting her eyes towards the group of tourists passing by and not fully listening to what her cousin was saying.
“Then there is the fighting tournament, you know…” said Sofia. Leila’s eyes widened and her face turned pale, as if she saw a ghost.
“I know what you’re thinking, but they’re not dangerous; family legacy…” Sofia kept talking.
Leila wasn’t really listening to a word her cousin uttered; it was like a background music to her ears. What struck her were the couple who were walking side by side, holding hands and laughing. A blond guy and his blond girlfriend seemed strangely, rather familiar. She needed a second to grasp what she saw before she sprang up from her chair and urged her cousin to leave.
“What’s wrong?” asked Sofia, utterly mystified. “Let’s go, please. I’ll explain later,” insisted Leila. “Let’s at least pay,” said Sofia.
“We can pay him tomorrow; he knows us!” exclaimed Leila.
Leila seemed as if she was having a hard time convincing her cousin to leave while the couple began to turn towards the café. She had no time to waste, so she grabbed Sofia’s hand and disappeared from view before the couple could notice her presence.
“What was that about?” asked Sofia, grumblingly.
“We’re out of sight, right?” asked Leila when they were a few houses away. “Yes, we ran,” said Sofia.
“Oh good,” replied Leila with a sigh of relief.
Sofia then looked at her cousin, searching for an explanation of what had just happened.
“What?” exclaimed Leila.
“I don’t know; you tell me,” said Sofia sarcastically. “Why did you run from a bunch of tourists?” she added.
“You saw the couple?” inquired Leila.
“Which couple? I was busy telling you about our family’s legacy!” said Sofia irately.
“Yes, I know, I know! I just had to run; I knew who they were, and I didn’t want them to see me,” explained Leila.
“I still don’t get it,” said Sofia, who started to calm down. She hated being forced to do something without knowing the reason.
“Let’s go to the cottage,” suggested Leila. “We can order food; I like the backyard. How about we sit there and chat?” she added.
“Ok, but you gotta be honest with me,” insisted Sofia. “Deal.” Replied Leila.
When at the cottage, Leila told Sofia the whole story that she called "The Virgin Hunt." She was right, though; her father’s backyard was the best
place to relax in the evening. They laid a rug on the bare soil, scattered some pillows, and leaned on the trees facing each other. The LED lights made the place more magical than it was during the day, and both girls seemed to be enjoying each other’s company.
“When I was in college,” Leila said, relating the previous details that led to the last incident, “I had a roommate who was the opposite character of me. She liked partying, having fun, and had her own group of people that I never liked. I was quiet, more focused, and more alone. She tried to drag me slowly into her world; I resisted in the beginning, but over time, I gave in to whatever temptations she presented.
I went out with her and her group to some parties; I abstained from drinking alcohol, but I hung out with them in some bars and discos. One day she told me that a guy from the group was interested in me. I was excited; I had never had someone who was interested in me before. My grandpa was very protective, and I never had the chance to date anyone or experience love. I started going out with him; we seemed to get along very well. He was nice to me; at least that’s what I thought. Then, he started demanding things.”
“Things like what?” interrupted Leila while chewing on a slice of pizza that she picked up from the box.
“You know what lovers do—kiss, hug, and stuff like that. Prior to him, I’ve never been kissed; I grew up in a pretty conservative household and was religious. I couldn’t let him have his way with me, but I allowed certain things to happen. Little did I know that it was a game and that... that group of spoiled rich kids had a bet on me,” Leila responded.
“A bet!” exclaimed Sofia in surprise.
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