The Last Gorgon

My father had not heard from me for two weeks and, as much as I pretended not to care, my sullen face and sad look gave me away. He never stayed at home, because his mistresses outside were much more important than his daughter and his wife. It was so wonderful not to have him around, because his presence only made us feel bad,

however, it was also very sad not to have a father figure to love and protect you, since my father was a real asshole.

"I had to forget about it"

My bed was still hot, it became uncomfortable to continue lying there, but I let myself be consumed by that impertinent pain that ravaged my body. Laziness prevented my locomotion.

Being a sixteen-year-old girl, in the prime of her life, but that didn't reflect my reality, because my back hurt as if I were an elderly woman in her eighties.

The silence in my mind left me adrift. I got out of bed with difficulty, my movements were blocked as if I had run a marathon for three days,

totally limited, which made me realize that I was still sleepy from the poorly slept night. I went into the bathroom, took a shower and brushed my teeth that were yellower than gold implants, I wore the school uniform that was ready on top of my bed. I was the type of person who prepared everything a day in advance so there would be no delays,

I hated being late, I thought about putting on makeup too, I needed to look alive, even though I felt the opposite at the moment.

Today will be interesting, new school, new life, and I really need to make a good impression. But I didn't need a super production with so much stuff, it's not a party, it's just my first day of school and being honest,

I don't need makeup, because my appearance already gives the impression that I am, or rather, I feel makeup, because my white skin is almost pink on the cheeks giving an air of blush, my eyes and black hair formed my own natural makeup. I finished getting ready, taking one last look in the mirror and went down to the living room.

- Good Morning,

daughter? Coffee is on the table - My mother said when she saw me coming down the stairs.

- Good Morning! I replied despondently.

I put my backpack behind the chair to sit at the table, and be able to have my coffee normally, I looked at the clock and saw that it was fifteen minutes before the bus passed.

- How are the expectations for the first day of school? - She asked excitedly, it looked like she would be the rookie in my place.

- Then, if I could, I would stay in my bed, but what can I do, right? I moaned, resting my chin under my arm on top of the table.

My mother was a little stagnant with my revelation,

which almost made me laugh at her big wide eyes, she tried to regain her composure to maybe convey her excitement to me.

"It's part of it," she replied dryly, seeming to have given up trying to exude euphoria, which I was grateful for. I can't stand electric people in the morning, where did they get so much energy?

"Has Dad heard from you?" I asked out of mere habit and not because I needed to.

"No, and I'm glad of it," she said, all traces of contentment returning to her face.

Whenever I spoke about Dad, Mom went into a traumatic state. But at that moment she seemed to experience a mixture of feelings such as joy and sadness.

- When he shows up, you call me - I got up from the table and grabbed my backpack from behind the chair to head towards the door, stopping just for a moment - In fact, no. When he appears, I don't want to know - I said coldly going to my mother to kiss her on the forehead - Bye!

"Have a great first day of school, darling," he wished.

I was waiting for the school bus in front of the house. He was always right by 6:40 am, maybe just a minute or two late. The driver stopped for me and I got on quickly, seeing a fair amount of people sitting up front,

I went to the back of the vehicle where there were still a few empty seats. I sat in the third to last chair on the left row, grabbed my headphones and without wasting time, putting them on to listen to my favorite songs,

I lifted the hood of my sweatshirt over my head and leaned against the window, relaxing the entire way.

After half an hour we were arriving at the school, when I went down I went to the entrance courtyard, the people present there looked at me strangely and shamelessly,

which made me wonder if it was the fact that I was new or if there was something really weird about me, I don't know. The more I walked, the more people stared, I think I screwed up my makeup really badly, that was the only explanation for it. They must have thought I was a clown with that awful hair and that rough paint on my face,

but I have a credit, I don't know how to make up and I don't even have the patience to watch tutorials.

Going straight down the hall, I needed to stop by the principal's office to receive the lesson plan and be able to get to my new classroom before the first hour rang.

I stop in front of a brown door with the board sign.

- Good Morning,

director! I can enter? I knocked on the door which was half open.

- You may come in! said the director sitting behind the desk.

- I'm Martina Leoni, the new third year student, I wanted to know about my class.

- Oh yes! - She said, looking for my name on the list that was on top of her desk - her room is 13B. You're out of a closet too, aren't you?

"Yes," I confirmed, if she didn't ask me she wouldn't even remember to ask for a locker.

"We'll arrange that for you," she assured her, handing me my lesson plan.

"Okay, excuse me." I left the room, closing the door.

⁂

After going around practically the entire school looking for my room, I found the class she told me about, 13B, almost on the top floor,

Seriously, I hate stairs. Where's the elevator? Three flights of stairs can only be a joke, panting, I stop at the open door.

"You are welcome, Miss. Leoni. My name is Meriz, I'm a Portuguese teacher. - said the teacher sitting at the table, who got up to introduce herself to me - Come in!

"Good morning, Professor," I replied politely.

- Come here, I'll introduce you to the class - She accompanied me until she was facing the students - Class, this is Martina Leoni, she will be your new classmate. Welcome!

- Welcome! - everyone said as discouraged as I was.

- Thanks! - I replied shyly, worse than that is when they make us introduce ourselves.

The school likes to traumatize its students.

"Sit down and make yourself comfortable," Professor Meriz said.

I sat at the back of the room in the last vacant chair. I managed to hear a few whispers that I'm sure were about me, after all I was new at that school.

I pretended not to listen and tried to pay attention in class as the teacher explained about the four types of grammar.

The hours went by so fast that I almost didn't realize that I already had three more classes after Portuguese, I was exhausted, I needed to eat and like music in my ears I hear the bell ring indicating the break. I get up excited

the best part has arrived.

On the way to the canteen, students opened their lockers to store their backpacks. I remembered that I don't have a locker, but the principal promised that she would get one for me. Out of nowhere I feel a hand pulling me by the backpack strap, I turn and see a boy still holding my backpack.

"I can keep it for you with my things,

if you want, of course," he suggested, trying to pull my backpack off my shoulder.

"More than kind boy, doesn't even know me and seems to be so helpful."

He had slicked-back hair and those huge round glasses that made him look like a nerd, which he did justice to since he looked like he was super smart.

I think it'll be nice to make friends with a nerd, we never know when we'll need their favors in an activity like math.

"Okay," he said, handing over my bag.

He put my backpack in his locker next to his perfectly organized stuff. I hope the director doesn't take too long to give me a locker,

I don't feel good having to ask someone to store my things every day.

I said goodbye to the boy and went to the cafeteria line waiting for lunch, holding my empty tray. Evaluating the whole place, I saw a boy who kept looking at me, he seemed to stare at me with ulterior motives,

he must be attracted to my hideous makeup. I wasn't wearing anything too much to draw so much attention, I was just wearing my school uniform and a long-sleeved sweatshirt over it, which is from the institution itself. The guy was extraordinarily hot.

"What is he seeing in me?"

I checked around to see that the stares weren't for someone else, but there was no one next to me, so indeed the stares were for me. I took my tray and placed it on the aluminum self-serve table and walked over to sit at the only empty table.

The boy who was looking at me approached me and placed his tray on top of my table. I didn't understand anything.

"What's gotten into this kid?"

"Hi, are you new around here?" "He brought up the subject.

"Yes, it's my first day of school," I say, pulling my hands under the table.

- What is your name?

- Martina and yours?

- Rodrigo,

at your service." He made a chivalrous gesture that automatically gave me a small fit of giggles.

"You're so clueless," I whisper, but he shrugs as if he's heard, which causes us to laugh together like two fools.

- Clueless is a nickname, but tell me what you do in your day to day?

- Well, I like to watch series and...

- Films? ' He cut me off.

"I watch it from time to time." I don't like it very much, I like stories with long durations - I confessed.

"Hmm, interesting." He smiled.

"Have you seen "The Walking Dead" yet?

- Oh no. I say, noting the shock on his face. - I don't like macabre series, actually,

I'm finishing the second season of "Thirteen Reasons Why".

"So you think the series about the girl who slits her own wrists in a bathtub is less macabre than the series about zombies?" He arched an eyebrow questioningly.

- I think the series about the girl who cuts her own wrists in the bathtub has a more interesting context than a bunch of undead eating human flesh - I simplified - don't you think?

"Maybe you're right," she admitted.

"I'm always right," I replied, staring at him.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise at my audacity and realized that it would be difficult to beat me in arguments. My mother used to say that she doesn't know where I got this personality of trying to control everything and everyone.

- Do you like books? - Rodrigo continued to be even more interested in meeting me.

"Is this an interrogation?" Yes it is,

I like Greek mythology - I say, pulling a half smile from her lips.

- Wow, what a phenomenon she is! - he joked - Do you like music?

"Yes, I love Bon Jovi.

- Serious? - She said widening her eyes - Damn how angry! And I will love you baby

always," he whispered excitedly, suddenly starting to sing loudly, not caring how much attention he was bringing, a big madman, obviously, but the Bon Jovi song "Always" suited his voice well. At first I was a little embarrassed and embarrassed, but he was making a chapel just for me.

- Go,

sing! He encouraged me by taking my hand.

- And I'll be there forever anda day - not to resist so we can end with... - Always!

Everyone was looking at us strangely. We try to disguise it and go back to eating our lunch based on laughter, the sandwiches that were hot before, now almost cold and untouchable on the plates.

I spent a long time admiring that boy in front of me. Rodrigo is dark, has an easy smile, a square and handsome face, his hair is black and short making him look a lot like those little daddy's kids who ride skateboards.

"I wonder if he's a skater?"

Like me,

he couldn't take those beautiful pairs of hydrangea blue eyes off me as he ate his almost cold mix. I tried to disguise the atmosphere that was going on, but the interest of both there was undeniable.

The sound of the newly switched on TV brought me out of my daydreams,

I see the cafeteria aunt sit in the chair with a control turning up the volume to watch the newspaper. That was the worst thing she could have done that day, at least for me.

The journalist's voice invaded the canteen reporting.

"A body was found in a ravine near a railroad track.

The documents found at the scene identified the possible victim as Saulo Leoni, a promoter of an aviation company..."

I got up from the table abruptly, not believing what my eyes were seeing and my ears heard. Little by little my mind erased the voice of the presenter who reported the newspaper.

"What is happening?",

was all I could think of.

I was stunned, floorless, my eyes kept streaming tears. Soon I felt dizzy and my stomach began to reject the snack I had eaten. I ran to the bathroom closest to the cafeteria and threw up in the first toilet I saw. It was my father who was being reported on TV,

his body was found and it was on that damn TV, it was my goddamn father. I couldn't understand my reactions. I was supposed to be happy and relieved that now finally my mother would have peace, we would have peace, but I don't know what was happening to me.

I was anguished and sick over the death of the man who had tortured my mother and me my entire life.

- Martina! Martina! - I hear Rodrigo's voice behind me - Are you okay? - He asked worried - What happened? -he said bending down to be at my height, I hugged him and hid in his chest crying and unable to stop sobbing

. - What happened? What happened? he said, getting even more worried.

"The body, advertised on TV...was my p...dad's," I answered with difficulty.

- I am really sorry. Shiu, I'm here. I won't leave you alone, okay? he promised as he smoothed my hair.

I nodded, feeling safer in that warm embrace.

He hugged me tightly and without ceasing to caress the back of my neck followed by a kiss on the forehead. I remembered my mother and if this news reached her, she must have been devastated.

- I need to go see my mother, she must be in terrible shape. Surely she already knows - I got up with difficulty from the floor due to the dizziness that had consumed me,

But I needed to get out of the bathroom as soon as possible.

"I can take you home if you prefer," suggested Rodrigo.

"No, you don't. I'll take the bus, you must be full of problems, I don't want to get involved with mine - I waved it off.

- I insist, I will not let you go home alone in this state. Comes,

I'll take you - He insisted taking my hand, leading to the exit.

We left the bathroom, hugging, finding a group of onlookers who were at the door watching us. We went to the board to ask for permission to leave, I explained the whole situation, she understood and signed my release, but not before wishing me condolences.

Rodrigo guided me to his car, which was parked in the school's garage. When he activated the key alarm I could see a luxury red Ferrari flashing its headlights. That's when I found out that the little guy next to me was not a simple boy, but a very rich sugar daddy's boy. Nothing said about it

at that moment what mattered to me was getting home in a hurry. I sped up my steps while Rodrigo opened the passenger door for me, I got into the car that was super spacious, there was no way I could not notice the exaggerated luxury that was inside, Rodrigo got in, then, taking the direction we left the parking lot.

We were very close to each other, but due to the situation he tried to hide his interest in me, seeing that it wasn't the moment. When I arrived at my house with Rodrigo I noticed that the weather was unusual, my mother was sitting on the sofa with her head down. Rafael, a friend of the family,

he was consoling her and being very helpful by serving her a glass of sugared water.

- Martina, my dear! - Rafael hugged me briefly - Aren't you going to introduce me to the boy?

- This is Rodrigo, a new friend I met at school and Rodrigo, this is Rafael, a family friend - I introduced them mutually and they shook hands - Martina,

I think you already know... -Rafael was unable to say.

- From my father? I assumed.

"I'm sorry," he whined, pulling me into a tight hug.

- How is she? I asked about my mother.

- She looks terrible, she doesn't react, she doesn't say anything, she doesn't show any reaction.

"How did she know?" - I asked,

analyzing the best way to approach her.

"The police came here, they asked a lot of questions. Looks like it was a murder - he summed up, distressed, I knew it wasn't easy for him to see my mother in that situation.

I was shocked by what I had just heard, I could hardly react.

At that moment I couldn't feel sorry for my father's death, I would say that it became a relief and not a regret.

Din-don, din-don... the bell rang.

"Let me get it," Rafael said, heading toward the door.

I could hear small murmurs from a man who introduced himself as a policeman talking to Rafael, the conversation was short

. Rafael closed the door and in his hands he held a large white folder, his face was rigid and making me anxious for his explanation.

'Was it the police?' What did they want? What is that? - I filled Rafael with questions, all of which still seemed very confusing to me.

"Yes, they gave me the death scan. It seems,

Saulo was really murdered, they also said that Saulo was with a... whore, the night he died - Rafael said in a shy tone for fear of my mother listening.

Hearing that in the presence of an unknown person was something shameful and depressing, especially for my mother,

but I didn't expect anything less from that piece of shit I call a father, since he never had emotional responsibility for his family.

Suddenly my mother, who despite her lethargic state managed to assimilate Rafael's information, began to scream desperately, whimpering in tears to then pass out on top of a lamp.

- Mom? I yelled.