CHAPTER 5

It was Thursday afternoon and I was terribly bored.

I had been at work for over two hours and I had only sold one record. An eight dollars record to a crazy Britney Spears’ fan which had paid with pennies. If the girl hadn’t said that she had saved for more than two months to be able to buy it, never, not in a million years, would I have accepted that absurdity, but the poor girl would surely have even cried when she broke the piglet.

At that time, I was at the counter looking at Mr. Fitcher with a certain grimace of disgust. The guy was combing his hair once more, the only lock of hair that remained in the reflection that the store's glass gave, surely that’s why no one entered the place.

Suddenly, my cell phone, which had cost almost three months of salary and which I was so proud, began to ring.

“Mark!” Livie's scream sounded louder on the other end of the line.

"Livie.” I answered in a whisper so my boss wouldn't hear it "are you crying?"

“Yeah!” She answered through tears “a tragedy has just happened, Marky, the worse!”

“Did something happen to your dad?” I asked with the heart in my throat, "What about Jonny and Jacob? Shit, Livie, answer me, don't stay quiet” I exclaimed, imagining the worst.

"My family is fine.” she finally answered, barely.

“And then?” God, how maddening the woman was sometimes.

“Something’s happening?” Mr. Fitcher asked, coming closer when he saw my worried face.

"Uh... I don't know Mr. Fitcher, I can't understand what they're saying.” I said, not really knowing what to say, "I don't think there's enough sign.” I heard Livie babbling things, but I couldn't understand anything coherent.

"If it's an emergency you can go see what happens, son.” he surprised me.

“Really?” I asked, still gaping.

"Yeah, I mean, there's not much movement around here, so I think the guys can be by themselves for the remainder of the afternoon.” he explained.

"Thank you very much Mr. Fitcher.” I finally said with total gratitude and without wasting any more time, I headed for the exit.

"You'll tell me tomorrow what happened.” I heard my boss say behind my back to which I only managed to raise my hand in response.

Thirty minutes and a half lung less later, I watched my best friend enraged.

"For that shit you made me leave my job, Olivia Martin?” I exclaimed shortly after losing what I had left of patience.

I had barely arrived about five minutes ago and I swore, the only thing that could enter my airways was pure hot air, my heart? I could throw it up any second, for nothing.

I knew it had all been in vain, when Jacob, Livie's older brother, had opened the door with an amused grin on his mouth.

"I must admit.” Jacob began, "that we were scared when we heard the first scream, and then we closed the door when we saw what was all about.” he ended up going to his room and asking me to close Livie's door so as not to continue listening to her scandal.

"You don't understand, do you?” Livie exclaimed at then with a look of full of pain, "this will leave a scar for life, Marky!"

“God, Olivia!” I countered in exasperation “I left my workday because I thought something terrible had happened to you, a catastrophe, a tragedy, something! But what do I find?” I questioned more for myself than for her “I find my ridiculous friend drowned between records of a music band that surely separated because the record company could no longer afford the hair gel of the group’s leader.”

"First of all.” she snapped, "it's not just any group, it’s N'SYNC!” She yelled, "second, you bought me all of their records! Third, don't ever mess with Justin Timberlake's hair, you pretty much let yourself comb like him for me! and fourth and last” she paused to walk until she was in front of me “The Star Wars socks’ you wear to sleep are ridiculous!”

I swear I was stunned; this was the first time I had seen her in this state, but after the shock was over, I couldn't take it anymore and I let out the laugh that was trapped in my throat.

All this was absurd, there were people in the world dying of hunger and Livie could only think of crying because her favorite band was separating.

"Okay, it's okay.” I tried to sound serious to reassure her, "you are very upset darling, and you’re no use to me.” I bit my lip to try not to laugh again and I just watched her walk from one side to the other for the little space the disorder in that room allowed.

“What am I going to do now, Marky?” She asked suffering, if didn’t know her, I'd say she was just acting "I only went to one of their concerts, I didn't tell Justin that I loved him and that I wanted to marry him.”

Could you be jealous of an artist with a perm? Definitely yes.

"The first thing you have to do is stop walking around the little space you still have in this junkyard.” I said, amused, "my dad would be surprised and not in a good way, if you fell on him.”

She stopped and shot me a sarcastic look, but the next moment she started laughing, realizing how stupid the situation was.

"Yeah, I'm being ridiculous, right?” She finally said.

"The word ridiculous is not enough for you.” I answered honestly, "but the truth is that we are both being ridiculous.”

"I know what was your thought when you realized what was happening.” she said trying to stay serious.

"And according to you, what did I think?” I looked at her narrowing my eyes.

“You surely thought I was being totally childish when there are people in other countries in war.”

"Oh, it was close.” I said amused "I was actually thinking about the children of Africa.”

"Hunger.” she replied sarcastically, "of course, how didn't I think of it first.”

"Sarcasm hits you when you're angry.” I replied sarcastically at the same time.

"Well, I don't care about your opinion right now, Sanders.” she said haughtily.

"Perfect.” I replied, heading for the door.

“Where do you think you are going?” She asked, going after me.

"I'm going back to work.” I explained without turning around.

“You can’t go!” She screamed behind my back, "I need comfort...”

"You said you didn't care about my opinion.” I said turning suddenly making Livie collide with my chest.

"You know I say a lot of stupid things, Mark.” she said, pursing her lips.

 She was so beautiful...

"I don't dispute that.” I agreed, clearing my throat, "Livie, don't do it again unless it's really an emergency.” I said seriously, grabbing her shoulders to look into her eyes, "I thought I was going to die of a heart attack When I heard you so bad”

"Forgive me, Marky.” She asked, accentuating her pout even more, "Did I scare you that much?” She asked curiously.

“I think it was my terrified face that made Mr. Fitcher feel sorry for me, that he told me to come over” She opened her eyes exaggeratedly “he let me come without asking an explanation or signing my permission.”

“Wow!” Livie exclaimed, "Poor Mr. Fitcher.”

I think she was really sorry.

"Well.” I said, changing the subject, "it's okay, how about I help you clean up your mess a bit?” I offered after seeing the time and knowing it was stupid to return to the store.

My offer was greeted with a big smile, the kind that lit up her face and made her eyes shine even more if possible.

"Marky.” She murmured when I sat on her bed to stack the records of different bands "What went through your mind when I called you?” She asked curiously.

"Well... first I thought something had happened to your dad, then to your brothers, or that maybe a fire had started, or that you had fallen, had been robbed or possibly a traffic accident.” I shrugged as if nothing “As you can see, I created a novel with an epilogue in just thirty minutes.”

Livie giggled made me smile.

"A tragic novel, you mean.” She corrected me "Romeo and Juliet fell short for so much drama.”

"As for you Livie, if something happens to you, always.” I said looking at her with honest eyes.

"It won't happen again, I promise you.” she said raising a hand in the form of an oath.

"Good.” I nodded, "now I have to think about what excuse I make to my boss, because I doubt he will be very benevolent if I tell him the truth.”

"Hey, you look different you know?” She said, changing the subject radically, I could feel my face heating up. "Have you been doing the exercises and the diet?"

"Yes.” I answered barely breathing, the truth was that I had been getting up every morning as we agreed from the beginning and Mom was making the meals Livie had suggested, but how I missed the MacDonald's fries.

"Well, it shows a lot, Marky.” she said sitting next to me on the bed before hugging me tightly "I'm very proud of you.” and after giving me a kiss on the cheek, she got up to continue picking up some of the mess.

Which prevented her from seeing the happiness her words produced in me.

I started to help her a little more with the mess she had made in her room, but seeing that it was nine P.M and everything was practically the same, we gave up and I said goodbye to her since we had class the next day.

Now in the comfort of my bed, I was smiling like a fool, the truth is that Livie could well be the cause of my premature death or the cause of some heart disease, she could really test even the patience of a saint.

But I’d do anything for her, I thought without losing my smile.