Cariño

9

Natalia continued to drink her whiskey as she sat on the balcony of her large house. It was about 2am and she didn't feel tired at all.

Not one bit. She found herself drinking and smoking in that same area most days.

Natalia considered herself to be a heavyweight but she would always feel numb after talking a drug or drinking.

"What the hell is going on out here?" Natalia dropped her glass in shock, causing it to shatter into a million pieces.

She looked behind her and saw her mother looking at her with a stern look. "I asked you a question, young lady." Natalia stood up from her deck chair and frowned "Don't you have a client to get to?"

Paulina scoffed "Is this why you're moping around out here like a brat in the middle of the night. Because of my boyfriend." 

Natalia laughed "You're boyfriend. He's only with you because of your money. I bet if you were poor he wouldn't give a shit about you."

Paulina pointed a finger at her daughter "You can't speak to me like this. I'm your mother for goodness' sake."

Natalia scowled "And what a great mother you've been. You never have time for me. Nobody ever has time for me. I may not be the perfect daughter but neither were you. Dad used to tell me all about you sleeping around with every guy in college."

Paulina's eyes widened "And you believe him?"

Natalia shrugged "Well, he tells the truth more than you do. He actually spoke to me at that party at the winery and told me that he doesn't care about me anymore. It was even more obvious when he slapped me."

Paulina sighed "Sweetie, you need to go to bed. You're gonna freeze out here."

Natalia picked up the bottle of whiskey and took a big sip, then laughed "Don't act like you care either. You're the only parent I know that's admitted to having a favourite child."

Paulina shook her head "You shouldn't be out here drinking. You have school tomorrow "

Natalia scoffed and put the "Is that really all you care about. I could die from this shit and the only thing that concerns you is my school attendance. Go to hell and take your fuck buddy with you."

Paulina's eyes widened "Don't think for one minute that you're getting away with this." Natalia walked past her and smirked "I already am." She walked back into the house and ran up to her room.

***

"Marina!" Natalia caught up with Marina before the two reached their class.

"I heard about your dad, are you okay?" Marina kept her head in her book and sighed "I'm doing alright. Cant say the same for my brother. Why do you care anyways?"

Natalia frowned "What's that supposed to mean? I'm your friend, of course I care."

Marina scoffed "It doesn't seem like it. We haven't had a proper conversation in days. You spend all of your time with Lu and your boyfriend."

Natalia smirked "You're jealous." Marina rolled her eyes "Why on earth would I be jealous that you're spending time with bitch of the year and a boy who's only with you because your richer than him."

Natalia crossed her arms "If you have nothing nice to say I don't have to be friends with you." Marina put her arm out "Be my guest. It's best if we're not anyway. You wouldn't understand."

Natalia put her finger on Marina's chest and pushed her slightly "Fuck you!" She walked off and left Marina.

Natalia walked into the classroom and told sat next to her boyfriend. He looked confused at Natalia's tense body language "What's wrong?"

Natalia kept her gaze forward "Nothing I couldn't handle. Have you revised." Tomás nodded "Of course." Natalia then watched as the class stared at Marina when she walked in.

Natalia avoided her gaze and kept her head down. She played with her fingers and then saw Lu and Ander walk in, also giving Marina a death stare.

Martín walked into the classroom and closed the door "Hello, everybody. So, the day is finally hear. Only pens on your desk, please."

Martín handed out the exam to every student and everyone quickly began to do their test.

Natalia could sense that she wasn't going to get a high score as she hadn't had a lot of time to revise because of her repetitive drinking habit.

Although, as Martín roamed the classroom her focus was on Marina when she handed Martín her exam and walked out of the classroom.

Martín looked at the classroom full of working students "Guys, keep working in silence. Nobody move, please!"

He followed Marina into the hallway. Natalia watched from her seat as the two bickered back and forth.

Samuel García then stood up in a hurry and followed the two out of the classroom.

Samuel looked at Martín and then charged at him forcefully, causing the rest of the class to run outside. Marina held Samuel back but he continued to go for Martín. Azucena appeared "Calm down!"

Samuel was pushed back and pointed at Martín "He took advantage of his student and got her pregnant!" Natalia's eyes widened and Martín and Marina looked at Samuel in disgust.

Martín looked at Azucena "Azucena, do you think I'd do that?" Nadia walked forward and glared at Martín "And accepting a bribe, that you would do?"

Natalia could feel Lu tense next to her and she knew that bribing Martín would have consequences. And now she would pay for them.