End Flashback

Oh, well.
That’s a way like another to meet someone, right folks?
What Shane didn’t know, was that Carmen would be her blessing… and her curse.
And what Carmen didn’t know yet, was that Shane is not a person to mess up with.
Anyway, Shane wasn’t ready to give up.
She rarely is.
What is unclear, is that she wasn’t ready to give up the item… or the girl.
So she followed Carmen.
Imagine these two people walking on an immense lawn, under a light rain. Reddened cheeks, wet hair and the swift pace Shane was running at to catch up with Carmen…

Flashback – Carmen

The girl is following me.
I chuckle to myself, because I had it already figured out.
There was something into her eyes, during our little, silly challenge.
There was determination, self-confidence and, probably, even an innate stubbornness.
But nobody can be more stubborn than me and that’s a fucking truth.
Period.
So I start walking on the lawn, hurrying up not to miss the boat, and the girl does her best to follow me.
But she’s not as athletic as I am, and after a few quick steps, she is already out of breath.
“Hey, hey! Wait a minute!”, she shouts, puffing.
I don’t turn around.
“Hey you, girl! Do you know how much it’s worth?”.
I clutch the statuette in my hands.
“Doesn’t matter. I’m not selling”, I reply, amused.
“350!”, she yells.
Finally, I stop and turn around, meeting her eyes.
And I must admit it, she is stunning.
A bit taller than me, very slender, with a nervous, darting body that screams pure sexuality.
She must be thirty, maybe a bit less, and her pale complexion contrasts with her dark, messy hair and those piercing green eyes.
She is beautiful, she really is.
I glance at the statuette in my hands and raise my eyebrow, looking back at the stranger.
“Well, I guess I have a good eye”, I state, feeling very satisfied about my little victory.
“380!”, she pants, resting her hands on her knees and bowing a little.
“Fuck, you run a lot…”, she whispers, trying hard to catch her breath.
I chuckle.
“I am not selling. Stop wasting your breath… and your time”.
She looks at me, standing up straight and exhaling slowly.
“So your definitive answer is no…”.
I nod my head.
“Precisely. And now excuse me, but I gotta catch the last ferry”, I say, starting to walk away.
The beautiful stranger calls me out.
“Wait a second!”.
She approaches me, lending her hand towards the heavy bag I’m carrying.
“Let me carry that for you”, she says, gently.
Then she looks at the sky and winces.
The rain is getting heavy and my hair are now soaking wet.
“Here, put this on”, she murmurs, pulling away her raincoat and gently laying it on my shoulders.
She is definitely hitting on me.
I can’t help but laugh.
“I love the rain”, I state, sincerely.
She grins, widely.
“God, I love it, too”.
Her voice is one of the most interesting things in her. It’s husky, and smoky, and low. And sexy.
I give her the once-over.
Then I clear my throat, as we start walking together towards the dock.
“I know what you’re thinking…”, I say, looking at my shoes, “…If I can afford this statuette I must be rich and all. Harvard Law, woo, woo, woo! But I am not rich or anything…”. I glance at her. “…I am just brilliant”.
She just smiles, looking down.
“What about you?”, I ask her, crossing my arms and enjoying the warm sensation of her raincoat on me.
The stranger chuckles.
“I am not that rich and I am not that brilliant”.
She shoves her hands deep into her pockets.
“What do you do for a living?”, she asks.
“Uhm… I am a gymnast…”, I reply, sighing. “I don’t know, though. My body is getting kinda big”.
She laughs, looking at me squarely.
“I don’t think so… I think you’re perfect”.
I purposefully avoid her provocation.
“I don’t know…”, I repeat, “…It’s like a pendulum. The longer it is, the slower you move”.
I shrug.
“My vaults and tumbling aren’t what they were. My strength moves are good”.
She raises her eyebrows, looking perplexed.
“Your strength moves?”.
I stop in the middle of the lawn.
“Here. Let me show you”.
I lay the statuette on the ground and I raise my entire body on my hands, suspended and turned upside town, and doing my perfect splits.
My knee-length skirt goes down, showing my thighs.
The stranger ducks her head, raising her eyebrows and for a second I see her upside-down eyes glimmering with lust.
I get up, smoothing down my sweater and smiling at her.
“I’m gonna miss the ferry”, I say, grabbing my bag from her hands.
“Thanks for walking me. Bye”, I add, starting to run away.
Her voice comes from behind.
“Wait! What’s your name?”, she is shouting.
I laugh, not turning back.
“Carmen!”.
Her rapid steps are patting on the wet lawn.
“Wait a second!”, she yells, “I’ve got a great idea!”.