Ana Oliveira Part 3

I felt a bit odd in that outfit. Sitting in one of the bars in Lapa, close to the Arcos, I felt a little out of place. I kept pulling down the short black stretch skirt with a slit on the right side of my thigh. We were in the covered area of the bar because the outside tended to get crowded with people smoking, and Luana hated cigarettes.

Luana had prepared for me to drag me out for a night out, bringing clothes for both of us and resurrecting my makeup kit. My hair was loose in waves down my back, my makeup was heavy with a smoky eye in shades of brown and black, my lips glossed in red, and a black choker adorned my neck. I looked like a cat woman, but my self-esteem was at an all-time low. I felt bloated, my face ugly, and I had forgotten to bring breast pads. I was terrified of leaking milk and ruining my outfit.

Looking around, the bar was very nice, with red brick walls, light wooden tables in the middle of the room, and red sofas in the corners. An entire section at the back was reserved, separated by a cord, like those places that distinguish the rich from the rest of us.

"Waiter..." Luana called, as the middle-aged man approached, wearing a black uniform and carrying a notepad. "Two tequilas, please!"

"And a still water for me," I added, looking around.

As it was nearing ten o'clock on a Friday night, the bohemian hangout began to fill up. There were groups of people at every table, and it was hard to secure ours. Ambient music played softly from the speakers, barely audible over the loud, tipsy voices.

"Come on, cheer up!" Luana nudged me, taking a selfie of the two of us.

I didn’t need to look twice to see that I had a forced smile and a scared look. I tried not to check my watch constantly or think about Júlia. That was the hardest part.

"I’m trying..." I grumbled, pulling down the skirt again and fidgeting in the wooden chair.

When the waiter arrived with the drinks, I salivated, staring at the clear liquid next to the salt and lime. Luana looked at me, grinning with one eyebrow raised. I took the cue and downed the shot with her in unison.

"Ah! That’s delicious..." I cheered, shaking my head as I used to.

"I’ve been wanting this for so long!" she said, trying to shout over the noise. "Just going out and getting drunk without a care in the world! Can you believe it?"

"And me, who never thought I’d be doing this before the next decade?"

After four shots, my friend and I were no longer concerned about anything. I found myself flirting indiscriminately with a handsome guy at the table next to us while Luana was dancing under one of the wall-mounted speakers to a Ludmilla song.

"And so, I had my hand like this..." I explained, noticing his look of pity. "But don’t worry! There are still plenty of fun things you can do with this hand."

The tall, dark-skinned man with piercing eyes smiled, his thick lips parting to reveal white teeth. His dark blue shirt was open, giving a slight glimpse of his toned chest. I wriggled in my chair, biting my lips with my best seductive look. God, I was feeling powerful, sexy... Nothing could ruin my night or that good vibe.

"And what do you do?" he asked.

"I’m a writer," I explained. "But I’m experiencing a huge block."

Since the accident, I hadn’t been able to write anything, and, you know, a small baby takes up a lot of my time.

The man shifted in his seat upon hearing the word "baby." I frowned. Could a guy like that be another jerk? Was I really destined to find nothing but assholes? Giving him one last chance, I decided to continue the conversation.

"And you?"

"I’m a geology professor."

"Oh, that’s cool," I said, as my friend sat down next to me, giving me a gentle nudge. I pushed her arm away, crossed my legs, and leaned closer to the guy’s table, who still didn’t know his name. "Wanna come to my place and analyze the soil?"

I watched his shy laugh until Luana gave me another nudge, this time harder. I glared at her, and then I had to steady myself against the table to avoid falling. Those piercingly clear eyes were fixed on me, devouring me, while his jaw clenched so hard I could swear his teeth were about to crack. There was a deadly fury in Josiah’s eyes.