Back to Classes

 

 

 

It had heard of the ‘final offensive’ that the guerrillas had announced since December to demonstrate to the government that the people got along with them and that they would have the sovereignty of the country.

It was January 10, 1981, the day of the “final offensive,” it had broken many disturbances throughout the country. The rebels crossed streets, any vehicle that captured to burn them, they made violent demonstrations burning tires and buses; they also burned gas stations, and smashed store windows. San Salvador was in chaos. Disturbances of bands of protesters were in Berlin. The people did not leave their homes because of fear. San Miguel had clashed between guerrilla and army, they besieged the city, but the masses did not support them, only a minority convinced that the best way to take power was forcible, came to throw stones everywhere they passed.

Seeing a group of protesters masked with red scarves, was an indescribable horror, although they didn’t do damage to people who might be watching them, the truth was that no one dared to cross on their way, because they were not responsible for anything that happens when confronted the police or the army.

They shouted loudly, “The people united will never be defeated.”

The Molotov bombs were a fad at the time, they alight so quickly, and efficiently to anything that crashed, buses, vehicles, or tires causing confusion and chaos.

The day following, a terrifying calm felt throughout the country. People would not dare to watch outside the windows, they could hear sporadic shooting, air force jets, army helicopters covered the sky, and a general panic gripped the population.

However, despite the news and everything posted in the newspapers, Gabriela was not interested. She worried that her mother still had not spoken to her about her return to school.

After January 10, everything returned to normal: the shops opened, industries worked, buses circulated, there were a few buses because many of them had been burning, and people came out back to work with caution.

Radio Venceremos, a clandestine radio that the subversives handled cleverly, announced a resounding success that the masses sympathized with them, it had overcome their ideology. The suffered people had said “NO” to the oligarchs, the exploiters of the masses. Few people could hear that radio. The newspapers, on the other hand, photographed the truth on the street of what happened that day.

Nanny was in the room of Gabriela, helped her to dress, and changed the headband. The doctor had removed hair to be able to sew the wound.

“Damn it! Watch how I look!” she exclaimed looking in the mirror. “Now it will take a long time to grow my hair.”

“Don’t damn, girl, because curses are returning to one. It could be worse because you would be dumb forever with this blow,” Nanny said sweetly.

“And by the way, do you know what happened to my Aunt Armida?”

“Oh, girl!” Nanny exclaimed crossing herself, “That is a touchy subject. It is prohibited to speak about it in this house.”

“Tell me, Nanny? Do you know if she went crazy?”

“Oh, God, forgive me! Well, she turned as the siguanaba.” (Legend personage)

“How?”

“She became very ugly, because she went crazy when Don Benedicto abandoned her, and her ghost is still running at around the house.”

“And why she did so?”

“Well, people said that Don Benedicto cheated on her with all the women who crossed in front of him, and sometimes neither hid from her, with the intention that she saw him. And one day, in that, she found him in his own room with one of the women, she got angry so much that she went crazy and made him devilish spells. God forgive me!” she said crossing herself again. “But spells turned against her, and made her ugly.”

“Did you see her?”

“Well, yes I saw her,” she answered turning to cross again, “Her face was like a globe and came out with hair grown everywhere, even I got a fever when I saw her.”

Gabriela dropped laughter.

“Don’t make fun, girl! I spent a week with fever and without voice, because of frightening she gave me,” Nanny said with indignation.

“That was the funniest spooky tale I have ever heard in my life.”

“But it is not a tale, by God that’s the truth!” she cried indignantly.

“Okay, okay, do not get angry, but how she died?”

“Nobody knows. Somebody said that she is still alive because that person swears to have seen her in her house walking through the windows. Nevertheless, on the day of the funeral, only her sons Antonio and Mario were present and nobody else. The notary said that was at the will of the deceased. There is only one person who knows the truth…,” Nanny said mysteriously… “The mute, the poor stayed silent because of her, and people say that she left him haunted also.”

“Ah, that is spooky!” Gabriela cried mockingly.

Later she would realize that some of the story was true.

“This family is well rare because Don Benedicto had had his bad things and the child, Antonio has something inherited,” Nanny said with morbid expression.

“That is a lie! Get out of my room, leave me alone!” Gabriela ordered outraged when Nanny addressed the theme of Antonio. She loved him very much and refused to believe that stories about his family.

That week, she was very restless. Her father had not moved away from her, any moment, even he had left to go to San Miguel City. She had no news of her mother, and it was the time of school’s registrations. She also had no news of Antonio. She could not go to the village because she had to avoid the bumping jeep by her plastered arm. In the end, she was bored as ever. Yet, only ten days left to open schools in the capital.

It was one of those quiet evenings in January, it blew a soft, and fresh breeze announcing the change to the expected cold weather. She was on the terrace, on the swing, reading magazines, and listening to music with her earphones, when she saw entering Victor with a big envelope, handed it to Esteban who was in his studio doing accounts as he used to. Soon after, he called her.

“I have received a letter from your mother.”

Her face glowed in happiness. Finally, she would go out of that boredom, finally, she would get her freedom, finally would do whatever she wanted. Her mother had surrendered, begged her to return, she had repented of having her sent to the farm. Nevertheless, it was not like that.

“Your mother communicates to me that, due to your references to misconduct, she could not register at any school of the capital,” Esteban said in a very serious tone.

She sat down. That news hurt her more than the fracture in her arm, rather than the headache. She began to sweat in agony.

“But she said that I would be here just for the holidays!” Gabriela said in distraught.

“Sorry, but your behavior has been the cause of your not registration in any school. You’re very intelligent according to your grades, but you do not have discipline. Therefore, she informs me that the decision is mine, if you study here and not lose your year or go back without having to study.

“Do here?” she asked with a grin, without thinking that she was with her father and that despite all he was happy to have her there.

“Yes, and I have taken the decision,” he said joining and leaving his lenses on the desktop. “Tomorrow, I am going to register you at the Institute of Berlin.”

This answer surprised Gabriela and requested repetition, thinking that she had not listened to him very well.

“What? Go to an institute? In your dreams!” she answered.

“I didn’t ask your opinion. You will go to the institute, period. The fact that your mother spoiled so many things that you have done and wanted to, it doesn’t mean that I will do the same. Also, you are not more than anyone else and it has given a very good education.”

“But I’ve been at the best schools…!” she yelled.

“Best schools?” he interrupted, “let me question that because you are not disciplined, miss. What best schools are!” he exclaimed and hired his voice.

“No! This can’t be!” she yelled again. “You have manipulated my life, when I was with my mother, she said to me that you didn’t want to see me, now as I am in her way and send me to you! You don’t care where do I study, right? It doesn’t matter any school. She wants to see me away from her side! You had thought about these consequences before you have me!” she yelled very exaltedly with a broken voice.

“What do you know?” Esteban asked approaching her, surprised at the insolence of his daughter.

“I am the product of your divorce, the daughter which clogs you. Now you don’t know what to do with me!” she trembled from fury to say these words.

“Shut up!” he yelled out giving her a slap. “Don’t yell at your father!”

“My father! Five years have gone and you have never gone to see me!” she yelled reproaching him vigorously and fingered her cheek. “It will be much better if you send me to an orphanage!”

“I will teach you not to judge your parents! Fickle brat!” he said at the same time taking the whip, which he had hung behind the door. When she saw his intention to hit her, Gabriela ran. She immediately left the studio and the house, heading to the coffee plantation.

“Come here!” he yelled without can trap her.

“Victor! Victor!” Esteban called.

Victor and Nanny were listening in the kitchen the dramatic conversation between them. “Bring me, Gabriela!” he ordered. His voice sounded irate and his expression somber.

Victor started running behind her. He followed branches of coffee trees still in movement and came to a clearing spot. He turned to see to all sides and his eyes focused on a slight movement behind an oak. He heard her sobbing.

“It is better to leave where you are. I have orders to force you to come back,” he suggested very politely. There was no response. In the quiet of the farm, Gabriela could hear her own heartbeat. Victor was approaching slowly to not scare her, as if he is going to trap a hen. He managed to grab her good arm.

“Let me go! Let me go! I want to die!” she begged him crying.

“You have two choices: come back forcibly or voluntarily. It is up to you,” he said.

“No, I’ll not come back! He doesn’t want me!” she said crying. “Neither my mother nor my father wants me, I clogged them!”

“Don’t say that, your father is very happy to have you here. We have never seen him so happy and proud. Your mother should have done the impossible to register you in the school, but was your father who suggested the option to register you here.”

She was calming little by little when she was hearing the quiet voice of Victor.

“How do you know?” she asked wiping the tears.

“Because I was with your father when he phoned your mother and then he told me everything. They care for you, so…shall we come back?” he asked extending his hand to help her get up.

“But I don’t want to go to an institute. It is humiliating,” she said.

“Well, education is education in any school, expensive school, or institute, is the same, we will receive instruction. In addition, let me tell you something, is very good teaching that you will have there.”

Gabriela regarded him as to examine whether he was telling the truth, but the expression of Victor was very sincere. She bowed her head reflecting on his words. The tears dried up and she extended her hand to get up. Back to the house, she saw with horror how her father walked on the porch with the whip in his hands waiting for her. She stopped. Victor thought that she would escape again.

“He is going to hit me, isn’t he?” she asked Victor.

“I think so.”

“I won’t come now, maybe later he will calm down.”

“You should better face him.”

At that moment, the cold eyes of Esteban nailed her, and like a magnet, the two went ahead. Victor passed toward the kitchen, in which with Nanny heard two strong lashes, the squeal of Gabriela, and the sentence of Esteban.

“I will not tolerate more caprices or ill-mannered like these! If I have to educate you with beating, I’ll do it!”

Gabriela made a sea of tears and went up running to her room.

Nanny and Victor check it out if they were still there, but Esteban had locked in his studio and she was in her room. They went upstairs to see her, to offer her something. She laid down on her bed sobbing over the pillow. They saw signs of the scourges that Esteban had lavished and marked on her legs.

“What do you want?” she asked when she heard them enter.

“Just asked you if you want anything?” Nanny asked maternally.

“Leave me alone! Get out of here! Disappear!” she yelled very annoyingly. Victor and Nanny went down in silence and humiliated.

The day following, Esteban woke up startled, he had had a nightmare in which Gabriela had slipped his hands. His first thought was that she could have escaped from the house at night. He put on the bathrobe and his slippers and went to her room. There she was, deeply asleep, with the clothing of the day before and hugging a teddy bear he had given her for her birthday, ten years ago. He recalled when he gave it to her, she was jumping on the bed joyfully and he she kissed him, slept with the teddy bear, and asked his father to give him a kiss good night. Where she was going teddy bear went with her. How would he liked that his daughter was a little girl again, she would be very docile. A movement she did Esteban returned to reality. He closed the door softly and went down to have breakfast. He ordered Nanny to awake Gabriela.

“Girl, girl, it’s time to get up.”

“What?”

“Your father wants you to be ready.”

“Oh no! I know why. Nanny tells me that it is a nightmare.”

She was hoping that never happened, she felt morally wrong, did not want or watch her father’s face.

“No, my baby, you have to behave and to obey, Don Esteban,” Nanny said her sweetly.

She dressed with the help of Nanny, who was still talking and advising her maternally while she wore her. She did not answer. She went downstairs. Her father was no longer on the table. Obviously, he was still upset with her. She finished breakfast reluctantly and left the dining room. Her father left the studio at the same time.

“Are you ready?”

“No, is there any way to fix this issue?” she asked with fear, trying to change the mind to her determined father.

“Are you ready?” he asked again, which meant that it would be ahead with the original plan.

Gabriela nodded. She lowered her head; she could not hold at Esteban glance. That bothered her. Along the way, they did not cross a word.

They arrived at the Institute of Berlin. It was a very large, two-story building, and had a new construction where it had placed the high school. The rest of the classrooms were still on one floor in the adobe building. The director’s office and teachers were in the center of the two sides full of classroom, one for elementary school and the other for middle school. It had a basketball court and an area where children played soccer improvising two frameworks for goals and a patio with trees and benches building by concrete. The principal received them quickly.

“As you know, don Esteban, there is no longer time for registrations.”

Gabriela lit up her face. It had hope, she thought. “But as deference towards you, I will make an exception.”

The hope is gone.

“Thank you very much, Principal.”

“On the contrary, we are grateful for that donation so generously you have given us,” Esteban had sent them, together with the letter of request a donation of five thousand colons.

“I hope that helps something,” Esteban said with a small smile of having caused the expected effect, which was that Gabriela had accepted in the institute.

“Of course,” she exclaimed with a smile. “In your letter, you tell me that Gabriela will go to the first academic high school. It is right?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Well, do you bring me her certificates of completed degrees and qualifications?”

“Unfortunately, her mother has not still sent them to me because she has been out of the country. I will send it to you as soon as possible when she comes back,” Esteban had lied. The reason was to avoid the principal to take a look at her behavior ratings and change her mind. He was afraid that Gabriela did not accept because of that.

“I understand, well, I think that it is okay to skip those annoying requirements, I’ll wait for them until you send them to me. We also make an entrance examination, but we will make an exception with your daughter, because I already did them to the new students, and I believe that there is no need with it, she looks very intelligent as well as beautiful.”

“Thank you. Yes, I assure you she is very intelligent,” he said, watching her daughter very deeper.

“Gabriela, well, I hope that you feel good in this institute, as you know we have our discipline. We excuse you for a few days while you order your uniforms. Classes begin within a week. Go to my Secretary to complete your registration.”

Esteban looked at her, waiting for a bad reaction.

“Thank you, Principal, you have been very kind,” she stood up.

“Excuse me, father,” she said with a small bow to leave the room.

“Your daughter is so educated!” The principal said with a tone of surprise. Esteban was equally surprised. He knew just how terrible she was actually.

They returned to the farmhouse. She still has not spoken a word to her father, neither he. Esteban had more than one week not to go to San Miguel City, by staying to take care of Gabriela after her accident. He felt calm down when he registered her at the institute; he left her at the house and went to San Miguel City again. He left a message with Victor that he will return in the evening.

Gabriela went upstairs thoughtful, if her father had all the file of her grades for registration, why he did not deliver them to the principal? Why did he lie? Maybe was true what Victor had said, that her grade reflected the bad behavior; and if he gave them to the principal, surely she would not accept her at the institute. She saw through the window her father leaving the house, and she thought to seek the file and deliver them to the principal. She contemplated the idea when the principal see it, she would probably reject her, and she would be happy. Then, she thought of the generous donation that her father gave to her, obviously, he bought her ethics.

It was mealtime and she went down to the dining room. Victor ate in the kitchen since Gabriela arrived, he had noticed that his presence at the table bothering her. Gabriela thought that Victor qualifies as a laborer of her father, by that range, they should not eat with the boss. That day, Victor wanted to test if she still bothered his presence in the dining room. He sat down with his dish as usual.

“Why don’t you eat in the kitchen?” she asked him trying to embarrass him.

“Well, I have never eaten in the kitchen. I used to eat here,” he replied at the time that devoured a succulent piece of meat.

She said nothing, she ate quietly and left the dining room. He felt offended by Gabriela's attitude. He did not continue eating. Nanny was upset when saw the food on the plate, and Victor suffered a litany of phrases of reproach, but still went out to the terrace to smoke a cigarette and think.

Gabriela went downstairs with her sweater in her hand looking for him.

“I want to go to the village,” she ordered Victor.

She was determined to call her mother and plead for returning to San Salvador, and weep; she also would ask forgiveness, if it is necessary. She was determined to promise her mother anything.

“I can’t,” he replied calmly.

“It is an order. I need to make a phone call,” she said outraged by his response. “How dare him to disobey,” she thought.

“If he is a servant, he has to obey,” she concluded.

“Your father forbade you to come out. By the way, I have to fix the jeep because it is failing.”

“Never mind me! Do it another day. I want to go to the village.”

“I told you that I will not take you to the village.”

“You are insolent, it is an order!”

“You will not leave this house. They are orders of your father.”

Victor said in an authoritarian voice.

She looked at him coldly, she wanted to hit him, take off the keys and leave. Victor understood her fury. He thought that her mother always said yes to her caprices. It is going to be a very difficult task to remove all caprices of the spoiled girl. He endowed with patience and tried that the issue will not affect him.

She went up to her room throwing everything she found in her way, dolls, cushions, and chairs. She dressed again in shorts to be more comfortable because the lashes still burned her legs with the friction of the jeans. Looking through the window, to her surprise, she saw Antonio climbing the outside wall. She did not know if let Victor saw him and make a scandal or went down to meet him. She was so upset by everything that had happened that the last thing she expected was to see Antonio.

She finally decided to go down and met him. She saw Victor was distracted by fixing the jeep, but he saw her and followed her.

Antonio ended up and saw her wanted to kiss her very lovingly as if nothing had happened, but she was determined in rejecting him.

“What happens? I’ve been waiting for the moment that your father gets out of the house for being able to see you, and I get so?”

“You’re a cynic! How dare you come after what you did to me?”

“And what have I done?”

“You left me on the ground after the accident?”

“If I had brought you here, I wouldn’t be here now. I would be dead.”

“You’re a coward!”

“It is better said: here ran or here died. Sweetie, but you’re well now.”

“Well, well! I am bad, thanks to you, idiot!” she said showing the cast arm and patched head.

“Oh! My poor little thing! Come and let me spoil you,” he whispered affectionately grabbing her by the waist.

“Don’t touch me! I don’t want to see you again!”

“But Gaby, my love, you can’t undo all that we have lived together, our love has just begun.”

“Don’t bother me! I already said that we have finished and let me go!” she said more upsets trying to set free from his hands.

Victor, who listened from his hiding place, decided to intervene.

“She said to let her go!” he said in an authoritarian tone appearing behind her.

“Don’t get into, imbecile!” Antonio yelled altered by the intervention of Victor.

“Let her go!” he ordered.

She was surprised. She did not know what to do. She knew that the circumstances were more complicated by the presence of Victor.

“Okay, if you wanted it!” Antonio said at the time of release Gabriela and delivered Victor a punch in his face, but Victor dodged it and took him from the back.

“This house is respected!” Victor said at the time of pulling him to the ground, but Gabriela intervened.

“No Victor! Release him! Antonio, please go, you are committing me!” she begged.

“Okay, okay, just because you ask me for it. As to you, wherever you are, I am going to finish this!” Antonio said to Victor. He remained calm but defiant eyes, and he nodded his head the challenge that Antonio had thrown him.

Her first day at the institute was stormy. Nanny, as always, was responsible for awakening her and helped to dress her up. She dressed in a pleated mini skirt and her Strawberry Club jacket. The day was very cold. She wore her brown boots and made a ponytail with a pink ribbon. She made up a little and went downstairs. Her father was upset because they were late.

“Don’t you have something decent to wear?” he asked, seeing her dressed for a party.

“Do you want me to change?”

“It’s late, we have to go now,” he said shaking his head negatively.

She even took her breakfast. Esteban looked nervous. He wanted to leave her in the institute to be calm down. When they got in the jeep, he glanced at her. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her face.

“You don’t go to a party. You are not aged enough for making up your face.”

Arriving at the entrance of the building, he gave her a notebook and a pen to get some notes. He knew that it would be difficult for her to accept her condition but he should be strict and stand firm with her. He knew that if he has minor symptoms of weakness with her, probably he would befall into the mistake of Estela.

“Would you give me money, please? I can’t get my breakfast,” she asked with eyed supplicants.

“Okay, but get up earlier.”

“Yes, I will.”

When she got out the jeep, Esteban took a glance at her with his mind going back to the past. When he left her to kindergarten, and how she filled him kissing for say good-bye when she left the car, and when he picked her up, she told him what she had done with her classmates in kindergarten. She was very talkative. He gave her a long sigh and closed the door.

When she entered the building, all eyes of the boys and girls had pointed on her, she felt uncomfortable. She was the only new student in high school, also she was highlighted by her blonde hair. Patty approached her.

“Gaby, what a surprise, but what are you doing here?”

“Well, as you can see, fate played me a dirty trick, and now I’m going to study here,” she said disappointed.

“What grade are you going to go?”

“The first year of high school.”

“Excellent! We will be together!” Patty told her excitedly.

“It is a relief because I feel like chicken purchased.”

They had formed by degrees to go to their classes and teachers topped the row. This caused Gabriela hilarious because she never gets in line in her schools in San Salvador where she studied. She had to take classes in the new building. It was constructed five years ago but they still call it “new.” Her first class was mathematics with Professor Vigil, a man of about thirty-five years, thin complexion, brunette, and wore bifocal lenses with black frames. The director responsible for the high school came with him to welcome and introduced the professor. When she left the classroom, Professor Vigil nailed his look at Gabriela.

“What do we have here?” he asked in a mocking way. “I see a new face. Please stand up and come here. Look what nice she comes, as she is going to a party, with her bow on the head… Oh no, she has a broken arm. Introduce yourself, Miss.”

All the students made fun of it. She was very upset by this reception. “Are you American, gringa? Let’s see…What’s your name?”

The students laughed aloud of the occurrence of the professor.

“My name is Gabriela María Bustamante Alwood and I am so Salvadoran like you,” she replied with a smile of satisfaction. The class was stunned because no one dared to respond to teachers. The Professor took a serious tone.

“Ah! Her response is very impolite,” he said annoyingly.

“You are going to take the class at a standstill in the corner,” he ordered.

“Fine!” she replied very firmly, and took her notebook and went to the corner.

As she was the only new in the class, Patty was responsible for introducing her to their classmates. She was surprised to see that the boys were very kind and gentle with her. The girls also were very nice except for one.

“She is Yolanda,” Patty presented to Gabriela.

“Hi, Yolanda,” Gabriela saluted with a smile.

“I was president of the grade last year, and this year I will return it to be, so, take it into account,” she said looking at her from head to toe and she left.

“I have my mouth big for asking her,” Gabriela said mocking. “What is she?”

“Well, the daughter of the mayor,” Patty informed her.

“And?”

“And…you have to be careful with her because she is bad. She has dominated the class and professors. You have to do favors for her, if you don’t, she will accuse you with teachers by anything.

“And?”

“And…it would be much better if you do not mess it up with her.”

“I am not afraid!” Gabriela exclaimed who was not afraid to get into trouble.

When the classes finished, a shy boy approached Gabriela. He considered her far above his aspirations. He wanted to tell her about the school package they were going to need. He was a tallboy, brown skin, smooth hair, short nose, round face, thick lips, split chin, and two dimples in his cheek, emphasizing that his laughs. He had the tender look and was friendlier than the others were. His father had a bookshop in the village. She told him that she would be there tomorrow afternoon to pick them up. Tony was very happy to make contact with her, but Yolanda who watched them was not entirely happy, she loved Tony since they were little. He never showed interest in her, just for copy notes or group of study. The truth is that he disliked her because she was stuck-up.

At the exit, Yolanda approached behind Gabriela, and in the midst of the tumult pushed her deliberately.

“Oh, sorry,” she said and added, “apparently you are not welcome here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Professor Vigil virtually told you that you are non-welcome. Tony dislikes you and the others the same.”

“Well, I don’t think so. Tony was very kind to me and he is going to give me the school package. I think that you are the only one, but I don’t care!”

“Be careful with what you say.”

“Listen!” Gabriela said uploaded tone, “You are who has to take care! And don’t ever push me again, because now I’m good, but when I get angry, I don’t answer, I act!” she ended up saying seriously.

She let her stood with the mouth open. Her father came to pick her up. She was the only one who was being picked up in a vehicle, all were watching with curiosity. She felt uncomfortable; she had not intended to demonstrate that she had her comforts.

In the school of San Salvador, it was different because everybody went to school by vehicle and some with a chauffeur. If somebody took the bus, the classmates discriminated. When she passed in front of Yolanda, her attitude changed, she was looking her with proudly bourgeois just to spite her.

“Well, how was your first day?” her father asked waiting to break the ice between them.

“Good,” It was the laconic response.

She still felt resentfully for what happened and already said no more.

Esteban yearned that outgoing girl, who had always told him everything she made when she was getting into the vehicle. One thing was clear, Gabriela was completely different now as she was before or when he saw her for the last time, and whose memories had been present until the age of nine years old, thereafter something did change to her daughter. He should have been present during those five years to understand her now.

The doctor removed the plaster of her arm and it was such a relief. She would not feel so impotent, because she felt that in the institute she is going to need her two arms to defend herself.

She asked her father to take her to Tony’s bookstore to buy the school package that he kept for her, and then Patty’s pharmacy who would borrow other books that Gabriela need.

“Gaby, I have a message for you,” Patty told her in a whisper to take care of her father so that he could not hear them.

“A message by whom?”

“Antonio. He left you this envelope, and said that he still loves you and he will insist.”

“Antonio was here?”

“Yes, a half-hour ago. He told me that he would come to see you at the institute during the break behind the classrooms of elementary.”

“Well, he has to wait sitting down, because I don’t want to see him,” Gabriela replied, however, she kept the letter.

Finally, she got the uniforms. It was a brown skirt with a vest of the same color, white blouse with long sleeves and a round neckline, buttoned up to the neck, white socks that she had to use up to the knee with brown shoes. She felt ridiculous with it.

Esteban entrusted that Gabriela would not behave again, ask Victor to drop her up and pick her up while he was going to San Miguel City to see his affairs. He had a very long time not to go there because he was caring for her. Victor nodded without much enthusiasm, he dislikes the vagaries she made.

Yolanda was waiting for the moment to let Gabriela know “who’s the boss.” In other words, she is who controls everything. However, Gabriela had already many friends who pursued her or simply surrounded her to hear her talk about her adventures in San Salvador, in private schools, with their friends, etc. This Gabriela popularity angered Yolanda. For years, she had been the center of attention just for being the daughter of the mayor, the most important job in the village, and he was in the Christian Democratic Party, with a very good future in the country. She enjoyed the opportunities that Professor Vigil humiliated her in front of the class telling her “Gringa” or “rich girl,” as it was a fashionable TV drama with that title, at that time. At the end of the class, Yolanda was heading to call her “gringa” too.

“Hey, gringa, give me your notebook!” Yolanda said mocking and almost snatching her notebook.

“Of course, miss piggy!” This last word she said with great emphasis. Everyone laughed when she told her. Yolanda was so furious that she rushed against her, but the entrance of the teacher stopped her.

At the exit of the institute, Yolanda was waiting for her. She intercepted her when she came out very happy talking with Patty. She pushed her against the wall.

“Don’t you ever call me miss piggy again!” she yelled furiously.

“I gave you back the joke, stupid!” Gabriela defended when push her to get rid of. Yolanda embarked upon Gabriela with everything and they began to fight. The boys made them round and supported Gabriela rather than Yolanda.

Victor, who came at that moment, saw the commotion and decided to approach and see. Something told him that she was stuck on that. When he saw that was Gabriela immediately separated them, taking her by the waist and took her to the jeep, Patty followed them with her backpack.

“Did you see? Gaby, Yolanda is a horrible person. It is much better to have her as a friend and hold her all.”

Gabriela was bleeding from the nose; her new uniform was dusty and torn. Yolanda had very sharp nails. Her constitution was very strong by obese, also she was taller than Gabriela, which gave her an advantage.

“Let’s go to my pharmacy. We can cure there,” Patty said in a hurry.

Victor realized that it was a good idea because she was very injured.

“Is my father at home?” she asked Victor.

“Yes, as always, he is waiting for you to take lunch.”

“If he sees me like this, for sure he is going to kick me. I’m dead!” she cried heartbrokenly. She cared more for what her father would say rather than the consequences of the fight.

“Calm down!” Patty told her, “I borrow you my uniform. He will not suspect anything.”

She changed the uniform and makeup a little, nose blood had already stopped. She covered the scratches in her neck and face with her hair and cleaned her up as she could.

When they arrived, immediately Don Esteban asked.

“Where have you been doing?” he asked watching the clock, “It is a little late.”

“We went to Patty’s pharmacy to get a few books that I needed,” she lied.

“Mm, it would be better if you buy them all instead of borrowing them.”

“Yes, father.”