When a poor man turned forty-four, he decided to sell everything and go on a big adventure to find peace and a sunny place.
But no matter how well a man plans, a girl has the power to turn everything upside down.
The day Tiberiu met Eva, a mysteri...
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Eva lightly moves her fingers through the sand. She seems preoccupied.
"What's the matter?" I ask, looking at her amused.
"Clear something up for me," she says, gathering her courage. "You told me you kissed Mia and that was your first kiss?"
"Yeah. The first."
"And you were twenty-one? That doesn't seem too... normal, so to speak."
She rests her chin in her hand and looks at me as if she wants to apologize.
"Maybe I was too busy with other things until then," I say a bit irritated.
"Too busy to kiss a girl? That's absurd."
I grit my teeth. Her question doesn't sit well with me. Twenty-one...
"Aren't you lying to me?" she asks candidly.
"Maybe."
My voice is no longer my own.
"Alright, you got me!" I add. "I lied. The first time I was kissed I was eight. Or maybe nine. And it wasn't a peck; it was a full-on kiss, like in the books, with tongue down the throat and all. Want to hear the story?"
Eva raises her hand abruptly, horrified.
"Nine years old? Oh no, please, I don't want to know! Keep it to yourself. Sorry I asked."
"That's what I thought," I say, grinning. "That's why I told you my first kiss was in that confectionery. It's sweeter that way, more syrupy. And even if it was only at twenty-one, it doesn't bother me."
Anyway, the day after I got that slap from Mia, Alfredo showed up at my place.
"Tiberiu, if you keep this up, you're going to fail the year!" he told me, worried. "What are you going to do when exams come? It's going to be a disaster. Wake up, man! Do you want to fail the year?"
He was right. I hadn't been to classes in a while.
"Alfredo, life is beautiful!" I informed him cheerfully. "Life is simple, my friend! I've fallen in love with two women! Tell me I'm not a true champion, go on, say it!"
I was proud. Not long ago, I had been a toilet mouse, and now I had both a future wife and a future lover. Things were moving fast. I told my friend everything, and he shook his head, disappointed.
"If you want to start a family, you need to be more responsible! You need to pass all your exams, and maybe it wouldn't hurt to find a part-time job. Where do you think I get my pocket money from, Tiberiu?"
"Your parents send it from Canada, right?"
"They send nothing. My parents haven't sent me a penny in at least eight months," he replied irritated. "I work hard for every cent!"
"You wash dishes at a restaurant?" I asked, surprised.
"No, not quite. I work at a telemarketing center. I call people on behalf of a company, explain the features and benefits of the products, and at the end, propose they buy the company's products."
