#3:

We were having lunch together Yunior and I , hospital food was more than just disgusting, it was horrible!

Peas could be used to play marbles, rice was a sticky mixture effective to replace cement in some construction, the main course was often the tray itself or else we suffered the misfortune of battling with" Alicia Alonso ” chickens . Species widely known for its scarce and tough meat.

"Well what, is it finally known who killed Amalia, Ramona?"

I raised my head and looked at Mildred with disdain.

"My name is Rosario.´´ I said, protesting for the fifteenth time.

“Oh, I know. But the deceased used to call you that, keeping the nickname is your way of honoring her.´´

Let's stop here.

Mildred is, or well was, Amalia's best friend. They were thick and thin. I always wondered why, if they got along so well, the blonde preferred to share a room with me and not with her bestie. Mildred was red-haired, green-eyed, pretty and most of all, another plastic.

Yes, the nickname "Ramona" had been given to me by Amalia, she had mocked me with her friend in a covert way since third year, she said that calling me "Rosario la mona" ( Rosario the monkey) was too long, so she shortened it and made the offense practically undetectable.

´´ Mili leaves Rosa alone.´´ Yunior protested.

´´ Yes. Stop with your stupidities, you're boring.´Matt snorted.

WTF? Wait wait wait. Had I just fallen through a black hole and landed in an alternate reality? I felt like all the blood left my face. Matt Montalvo had just defended me? I frowned.

"See you later, Yunito," I whispered, taking my tray, leaving it where the dirty ones were deposited, and getting out of there.

I´m the kind of person who likes to avoid confrontations, it makes me nervous when someone comes directly to me looking for a truable, I swear that if I could go live in a country full of mute people I would be the happiest girl in the world.

---

"Rosario, hey!

I was walking hurriedly through the hospital parking lot. Thank God it was already four in the afternoon, those who had to stay on duty were already at their posts and the rest of us could go. I had a lot of homework, it was my job to summarize the conditions that make up an acute surgical abdomen.

"Hey, I'm talking to you." I was pulled by the elbow. He turned me around and my gaze collided with Matt's.

"What do you want?" I growled in exasperation, yanking my elbow out of his grasp.

I watched him ruffle his gorgeous black hair with one hand, then comb it back through his fingers. Well yes, another small difference between the twins is that Mark always wore his hair back and drowned in gel, poor of the fine strand that dared to get out of place, Matt, on the contrary, wore it wild and disheveled all the time.

“Look, I know my jerk brother offended you the other day. I would like to apologize on his behalf... ´´ he seemed embarrassed enough, clinging to the handle of his backpack.- ´´ ...cos he is one of those people who messes up and then doesn't apologize.´´

Don´t tell me? Ah boy I had nooo idea…I thought to myself sarcastically, giving my back on him and contin ing to go on my way, away from hospital.

"Hey, I'm not done talking to you," Matt protested, following me. He caught up with me, passed me by, and turned towards me, blocking my path.

"You're really rude," he scolded me.

"Tell me what you want and leave me alone." I barked.

He compressed his lips for a moment and searched my gaze.

"Would you like to study with me? The state exam is close and I would like to help you pass. We could do it at my house.´´

Kha?! That week had been particularly strange, Mark accused me of murder on Monday and Matt invited me to his house to study on Wednesday. What would be next? I thought. Should I expect Ramses to speak to me on Friday?

´´ I don't want to.´´ I shot trying to keep going.

He blinked a few times in disbelief and I heard him snort, visibly frustrated, his hand that was holding the backpack handle balled into a fist.

"Look, I don't have to like you , you don't even have to like me, but you'd be very foolish to pass up this opportunity. I'm the best in the course, I'm going to graduate suma cum laude , anyone would pay to study with me.´´

"Well, that's too bad, I don't want to study with you even if you offer it for free, what do you think?" I asked defiantly, crossing my arms over my chest.

He approached me getting into my personal space. His breath brushed my ear causing me to shudder.

´´Reconsider, if you don't, your chances of graduating are practically nil.´´

I took a step back, rolling my eyes. God, he was so stuck up! All the Montalvos were !

´´ Besides…- He smile widely.- …I have copies of the previous state tests. It is no secret to anyone that the questions tend to be repeated and that it is best to familiarize yourself with the format of the exams.

Matt was right, I knew that many of my classmates had been studying that way for months, however the competition between us was fierce, and no one had offered to share the PDFs with me.

Yet there was Matt, grinning from ear to ear as if he had won the lottery.

I swear I hated him right then! He looked like the millionaire boy who had just given a handout to the scruffy, filthy Third World girl. And no, Sir. I was sick of being treated like a mangy dog.

´´ I´m very sorry. Someone´s already offered to study with me, and I said yes.´´ I lied with all the sweetness in the world.

Matt's smile collapsed and his entire face was covered with an expression, I don't know if it was resignation, but it certainly wasn't sadness.

"I understand," he whispered. "Yunior got ahead of me.´´

He settled his backpack on his back and smiled again, this time it seemed more like a grimace than a smile.

´´ Once again, excuse my brother, he doesn't measure the consequences of his bad jokes.´´

I raised my eyebrows and returned the grin.

´´Sometimes it seems that you forget who you're talking to.´´ I grumbled.´´ If someone knows Mark's bad jokes perfectly…´´ I made a gesture with my hand, pointing at me.

´´Yes. You're right. -´´he answered, passing his hand convulsively through his hair again.

´´Hey, Matt, I'm growing roots here!"

We turned around and there was Ramses. At some point during our heated conversation the boy had come looking for his brother. He was mounted on the black and deadly motorcycle the three brothers drove interchangeably. In addition to that, they also had a car (don't ask me the model, I don't know a thing about cars, it was gray, imagine the rest) and they had bickes also .

"Well, see ya." Matt said , heading towards his brother, taking the helmet he offered and sitting behind him on the motorcycle.

I walked in my dorm´s direction , feeling pleased. I was determined to pass the state exam with my own effort and knowledge.

Go to hell, Montalvo brothers!