Chapter 6

Testing. Testing. 1, 2. . .

For the purpose of the study, I would document everything from now on using my voice recorder. Afterwards, it would be transferred to my computer or whatever device I see fit for later review. I rewound the tape and listened. "For the purpose of the study—" Good.

Pushing the fast forward button, I caught up to the latest entry and hit the record button again. "Sad to say, I haven't made much progress with my ongoing search for the cafe," I said. "It has, for some unfathomable reason, eluded me. It is frustrating to say the least, especially since it's not the only thing bothering my thoughts."

For a split-second, the woman in the restaurant crossed my mind. I continued speaking to the recorder, clasping it on my hand. "The audacity of it all. The nerve! She'd come in contact with me for four times, four times, yet I haven't seen her face once. I wasn't much of a conspiracy theory person, but the direction of the wind is slowly shifting. I need to talk to this woman and ask her what she wants from me once and for all. I need to. . . I need to. . ." My hands quivered. "Scotland, are you hearing yourself?" I pushed the stop button.

I've been obsessing over the issue for the last few days since encountering her on the alley. This had to stop. It wasn't healthy to think of one woman all the time. It wasn't healthy to think of her, period.

Instead of focusing on my research, I would often catch myself imagining what I'd do the next time we meet, or bump, or whatever. I needed to make an intervention for myself. My eyes closed as I released my breath slowly. From this day onward, you won't think of her anymore, Scotland. Get it? Answer me. Yes, yes, and yes.

Footsteps descended the stairs. Lulu appeared shortly after, still in her pajamas at three in the afternoon. "There's food on the table," I called after her. She turned around the corner away from sight, grunting.

I hit the record button. "I'm worried about her," I said to the device. "Casper has come and gone, but she's still depressed over him. The ice cream I've given her had been untouched. The songs I've sang outside her door had been ignored. She'd been crying herself to sleep, the poor girl. Her eyes are always red and puffy, and she looked like she lost weight. That's it. I will find this Jessie and end her. That's what every sane, caring best friend will do."

A minute after Lulu went to the kitchen, the smell of burning food reached my nose. Leaving the recorder on the sofa, I hurried to possibly another disaster in the making. Lulu took with her the gunk remains of what could be a container and the corresponding food on the oven tray, combined in an otherworldly sense that made me think of alien babies. In short, it had melted together, and it smelled terrible. She dumped it all in the trash, then placed the oven tray on the sink. "I guess I'm a failure at that too," she said.

"Don't say that," I attempted to cheer her. "You're not a failure. You have things going on for you."

"Like what?" she said.

"You're smart. You wouldn't have passed in an Ivy league university if you weren't. The only reason why you're not enrolled is because you didn't want to." Casper, I thought. "You're gorgeous too. Weren't you always asked in high school for dates like me? It's you who didn't want to be committed, not them." Because of Casper. "And you have your voodoo thing. Strange as it is, it's still a thing." Though it didn't work on Casper. Sigh. Everything went back to Casper with her. She needed an intervention too.

"Can you go with me today?" she said. "I need to run to the market to buy something."

There you go. She didn't require an intervention after all. She was moving on in her own pace, just taking her time. "Sure," I said. "What do you need? We'll restock on groceries along the way."

Her lips pulled into a grim line. "I'm buying a rope. It's time to end this sad existence."

"Lulu!" I protested. "You're going to kill yourself for a boy? Granted, that boy is my brother. He's tall, handsome, filthy rich, an environmentalist, kind, and an all around gentleman." She cringed with each word. I was making this worse, wasn't I? "But that's beside the point," I said. "There are many fish in the sea. Who says that only tuna tastes good when you haven't tried the red snapper? Get dressed. We're going to find Nemo, Dory, or whatever suits your fancy."

It only took an hour of preparation before Lulu and I were able to get out of the house. I glanced at her outfit approvingly. She'd come in tight jeans, a green blouse, and walking shoes. Not too formal. Not too shabby either. We didn't want to intimidate any prospects. Not this early anyway.

"We should have taken the car," she moaned, tagging beside me.

"That's not the right attitude. Smile. Make yourself seem approachable. We don't need the car. Every place we're going to is within walking distance." I nudged my chin northward. "See that building? That's a gym. Our first victim for the day is a buff guy who can carry you like a princess to your new mansion." I tugged at her arm, encouraging her to walk faster.

Lulu's possible future boyfriend started walking to us with a warm smile when we came in the gym. "Doesn't he look like an R&B singer?" I whispered, elbowing her. "The muscled version."

"Shut up, he's coming."

The guy stopped before us. "Welcome to Fitness Rockers gym," he said. With a voice like that, he could really be a singer. I pinched Lulu's butt to show her my appreciation. "Are you here for a tour or a membership?" he went on. "I can show you our equipments. They're the best in the area."

"We're new to this sort of thing," I said, lying through my teeth. "We hope you can teach us the ropes first."

Our family homes were equipped with a full sized gym, a pool, a court, and everything our parents thought we'd need growing up. But what could I say? Boys liked to feel needed. It was better to pretend to be vulnerable sometimes before moving for the kill, as the animal kingdom has taught us.

I pushed Lulu forward. "Fitness Rockers, you said? My friend here wants her world to be rocked, if you know what I mean. Why don't you show her your equipment while I take a look around?" I gave him a meaningful stare.

The guy whose nametag was Harvey was dumbfounded at the suggestion. Good. Now the element of surprise was on our side. "Right this way ma'am," he mumbled to Lulu. She gave me a dirty glare before following him.

When they were gone, I went to the waiting area, seizing a magazine from the stand. I wasn't interested in what the gym had to offer. I'd have a punching bag delivered to our house in the Borough tomorrow and start my rigorous routine of running and smashing things. The streets would be my playground.

In the middle of scanning the smiling faces of the celebrities on the magazine, I got this prickly feeling at the back of my head, as if someone was watching me from afar. I checked the glass wall that overlooked the street. There wasn't anyone there. Hmm. Strange. I could have sworn—

"Scotland," Lulu's voice cut through my thoughts. "We're leaving." She was pushing through the glass doors faster than I could stumble after her. "The guy was a douche," she complained outside. "Thanks to your suggestion, he kept making remarks about the so-called equipment. Disgusting pig. Are you even listening?"

"I think I saw a flash of silver," I said, preoccupied. Lulu scowled, went to my side, and bit my shoulder. Argh! The sting not only made me push her away, it was a wakeup call too.

"That again?" she said. "Casper and I have forgiven you for leaving us in the restaurant in favor of this mysterious person. Don't tell me you're still onto that?" I bitterly massaged the area where she sank her teeth to. Need I remind Lulu that after the famous dinner, I had to pick her from the broken pieces that Casper left? She was making me sound like the odd man out. That was none of my business, obviously. Hmph!

I took a deep breath. Don't be mad at your best friend, dummy. We were supposed to be allies. Sherlock and Watson remember? "Let's drop the subject," I said, ready to make amends. "Do you want me to go back inside and hit Harvey with a barbell for you? I would if it makes you happy."

She rolled her eyes, but I could see that she was trying hard to stifle a laugh, on the verge of forgiving me. We didn't get mad at each other for long. It was a waste of time and effort. "There's no need to hurt him." She cringed. "I have that covered. I kind of dropped a kettlebell on his foot when he tried to make a move. That brings me back. We should get out of here before he calls the security. He'll be hobbling for a month."

I smiled like a shark. "That's the spirit. Mayer would be proud."

"I'm not a Roth," she said.

"You might as well be," I countered. At the back of my head, I was already scheming of ways on how to find the girl that Casper was dating and the punishments she deserved for stealing my brother away from Lulu.

Our next stop for the day was the local trinity church. I've seen the place when we were going to the restaurant with Casper, and though not religious, I wanted to pay a visit. It was impressive on the outside, like a fairytale castle. Inside it was a different story. The ceiling was dome shaped, and though the doors and windows were big enough to let air pass through, it still smelled heavily of candles. The altar was devoid of decorations, and at present, was vacated of a priest.

A slim altar boy I spotted after coming in was walking towards the entrance, his footsteps echoing. I blocked his way at the right moment, pulling Lulu with me. He looked from one girl to the other, surprise dawning on his face. "The mass concluded an hour ago," he excused. "The third batch wouldn't begin until six."

"We didn't come for that," I said.

Lulu jerked her arm away. "You have got to be kidding me," she huffed. "I should have known that this was why we came here. We are so going to hell when we die."

The altar boy didn't know what was going on. "Are you here to make a confession?" he said.

"Yes we are," I said. "So should you. Lulu here is not the only one sinning tonight." I patted his arm. "Don't worry, the priest won't notice if you play hooky with us." People like him were easy to read. On the get-go, he wanted to look like a kind cherub, all angelic and humanitarian, but on the inside his horns were six feet tall.

His fingers tightened on the rosary he was holding. He seemed to consider. After a while, he took a step back, his eyes growing large. "The priest warned me about you," he whispered. "You are El Diablo."

"Woah," Lulu and I said in unison, giving one another a look. The altar boy must have had one too many wines from their stash.

"Sorry, but are you high?" I asked.

Rather than denying it, he said more gibberish about me and Lulu being the harbinger of temptation and death, even threatening to ring the bells to banish the church from evil. He wasn't about to let up, and I knew better than to argue with the religious nuts. They always had something to say, turning your words against you.

When we were back on the street, Lulu squatted on the ground and reared her head back. The laugh that went through her lips started quietly at first, progressing into a crescendo. "What's so funny?" I said.

"I remembered someone else from Spain calling you that," she guffawed. "Sometimes I think it's true."

Wow. Did she just refer to me as the devil incarnate? What a best friend. But then again, it had been days since she laughed like that. The kind of laugh that came from deep in the belly, continuing in long bursts once released. I should let her be.

When Lulu was done finding amusement at my expense, she composed herself and stood. "Thank you for making me feel better," she said. "Want to go for a drink later?"

"You sure you're up to that?" I questioned.

"Yeah, I could use some vodka in my system."

The vague feeling that someone was watching me returned when we continued our activities. Every time I glanced over my shoulders, nobody was there. Could it be? No, we've already talked about this, Scotland. Stop thinking about her. Enough already.

After her third glass for the night, Lulu had warmed up and agreed to dance with me. The club we chose was filling up fast, what with the happy hour arriving. Drinks were being poured one glass after another, loud laughter was in the air, a techno beat was on, and I've talked to a couple of strangers, majority of them introducing themselves first. The sense of being watched intensified, though at this point I didn't care. Come what may, I was going to have fun.

"Fancy a dance?" a guy in a fitted t-shirt and a flirtatious look aimed at me asked, edging his way closer on the full dance floor.

"If you can keep up," I dared. Dancing was society's way of expressing itself without the glamorous words, and I happen to be good at it like everything else. We moved to the beat. The five songs we rocked to didn't tire me out.

"You're one energetic bunny," he said when the song came to a close. He was sweating on his shirt, whereas I was cool and poised. "I'm Jack by the way." I didn't tell him my name, only giving him a wink. "Want to have a decent conversation outside?"

I looked for Lulu before saying anything. She was near the exit, on the verge of leaving the club with the guy she's been talking to for the past hour. I should be irritated at her for forgetting about me, but haven't I done the same thing in many occasions? She should enjoy life too. Take her mind off my brother. I followed Jack until we were under the stars, in an empty alley that smelled of dying cigarette butts and beer.

We haven't been alone for a minute when he zipped his pants down and showed me his junk. "I thought it was going to be decent," I said, wrinkling my nose in displeasure. "Put that thing away. It's disgusting." I focused on the distance. What was it with me and pervy men? I've been attracting the wrong people. What's bothersome was it didn't even surprise me anymore. "Look buddy," I warned when Jack took a step towards me. "I don't want to hurt you."

He cracked his knuckles. "You have the guts to speak like that to me," he spit. "You think you're so tough, don't you?"

"Can you please lower you voice?" I said. There was a slight movement at the corner, catching my eye, and for what seemed like the tenth time today, I was back to feeling that someone was watching.

"A woman like you shouldn't feel so important about herself," he yammered on. I wasn't listening to him, concentrated more on the light footsteps of a third party. Someone else was there with us. The footsteps receded, as if whoever owned it was walking away. "Don't think you can turn me on and slip. . . Hey!" My feet pounded on the ground as I ran after the sound, ignoring Jack's outcry.

Who was it? Why was she in the alley? Would I spot her?

A couple of blocks from the club, I decided to abandon the search. What did I expect to find, the mysterious woman? Screw that. I took the recorder nestled in my pocket and pushed a button. "This is the first time in my life that I've come across a dead end," I said, heavily disappointed. "Previously when I wanted something, I could always get it through sheer determination and hard work. Now, even when I did thorough research and looked for clues, I couldn't get the answers. And what did I get? Exhibitionists and stalkers, that's what."

I was about to throw the recorder in frustration when a soft tinkle sounded, followed by the smell of caffeine. Slowly, I brought my hand down and raised my head. In front of me was the cafe; lights on, alive, not a figment of my imagination. My lips curled into a smile. Well, well, looks like I was back in business.