I wish you were telling this story

I. How do you want to be remembered?

If you were describing this pizza, you would say something about the thick layer of the evergreen mozzarella that makes its first-class entry into the plate. For that extra-fluffiness and those characteristic cheesy strays, pizza is known. Then, talk about a very well distributed zest of parmesan that follows, assuring that you know this dish is Italian, sparked with the slight dew of olive oil. Greasy but exquisite. You would tell me how the crumbs of gorgonzola give an exceptional taste to this mix. And how blue cheese reins into your taste buds. Popping around and giving it that modern touch that makes your mouth impulsively say: "So good." with the first bite.

A ball of delicate soft gorgonzola makes its way into my mouth. My right hand is sustaining a slice of four-cheese pizza, Veronica's choice. The spices garnishing the dough fill my nostrils better than extasis.

You used to explain these dishes as precisely as you wanted them to be: pieces of art. Because, as you told everybody, there are just so many ways to tell a story, and food is one of them.

My left hand has reached the right side of my stomach from underneath my shirt. With my naked short nails, it pinches in guilt one of the rolls forming in my abdomen. I move around in the brown couch I'm sitting in and hear the rustle of the leather that covers it, elbows resting on my knees as I wrap my stomach. Veronica is vaping, lying on the window frame right next to me, and raises a pierced, thin eyebrow as we both smile in accomplice, siding our pizza with the chit-chat of freshly baked gossip.

You would've taken my hand from under my shirt and hugged me. Trying to make me feel loved, as the good brother, you always were Luc.

You would've also enjoyed eavesdropping on the conversation right in front of me. After all, it runs in the family.

"I heard Miss Díaz slept with all the employees in the coffee shop she manages." Said Tasha, red lips savoring the breaking-news with a cheeky smile. "¡Ese cuero! I told you she was flirting with the marketing guy in the last staff meeting, but of course, you didn't believe me". Answered Reina [Rai-nuh], rolling her big green eyes. "But the big question is, does Mr. Díaz knows?". Veronica tips towards me, curly bangs are falling over her eyes. Dominican and big-mouthed as she is, she was trying, and I repeat, trying, to whisper.

I take another big bite of my pizza, and my fingers pinch my stomach one more time. I feel like I shouldn't be doing this. Mami said I had to lose at least 20 pounds over the summer and keeps reminding me every day when I pour sugar on my coffee mug at breakfast. "Ariel, estás muy gorda, mija. You don't look good, you have to stop eating". Her lips pressed on a thin line, exhaling through her nose as she swings her head. Looking at my figure with big disappointment in every blink of her eyes. It bothers me that you didn't care about a thing she said.

Back in the room, Tasha looks at us, waving her blond-dyed ponytail in quick surprise but spits a hearty laugh. "Vieja, why do you think you haven't seen the boss over here lately? He's been heartbroken. Rumour has it that he wanted to surprise his newlywed in the new Kaffa that opened last month in New York. But when he arrived, he found her banging one of the employees on her desk". TEA HAS SPILLED.

I cough, swearing I just choked on mozzarella.

"How Do You Want to Be Remembered" by Magic! is playing in the background, and I instantly know it is your favorite song. The cozy smell of café tostado sneaks by. Leonel, your old friend, and the golden boy over the place slams the employee room door and quickly jumps on the leather couch next to me, a playful wide-tooth grin plastered on his brown face. "Smells like gossip, qué pasó?" He says, rubbing the palms of his big hands. "C'mon, Leo, you know way more than us," I say. He smiles, showing his dimples but keeps quiet.  "What happened, cutie? Are you going to leave us waiting, or what?" says Reina, eating the boy with her eyes, flapping her fake lashes. "Well, babe, the only thing I know was that she was banging Carlos."