Page 37 of Capicú Summer

Adriana

It’s midday, and as expected, Yael’s thirst traps have once again gone viral. The sun beams down on Altura, making the streets blur from its heat. Behind me, the fan whirls, pushing the warm summer breeze through the bodega wafting the smell of coffee and food in the air. While I stand here, obsessing over my ex.

The man I shouldn’t want…

I look down at the screen, watching how tense Yael looks despite the confidence he’s trying to sell. His right brow lifts, amusement dancing in his brown irises. A sigh escapes my lips, things between us are more complicated now than they were a couple of years ago. I wish I could say that I’m simply scratching an itch—hooking up with my ex—but it’s more than that.

He knows it… and I know it.

The only issue is the big elephant in the room. The resentment I still harbor in my heart. No matter how much I try to push it away, clarity comes right after the orgasm. Alongside shame and so many doubts. I press the heels of my palm into my forehead, massaging away the tension. How stupid of me… at my age.

Ugh.

Don’t look at me like that. What would you do?

I sound so much like my younger self, so caught up in my heart, unsure who to choose, what to follow—my heart or my brain. A small crash towards the back, snaps me out of my head. My gaze snapping toward the sound. A gray cat with white paws that look like mittens tumbles out the back shelves. Putting the phone on the counter, I walk towards the small feline. It’s skinny, dirty, and by the looks of it—hungry.

Memories of my brother break through. The cat’s fur brushes my wrist, and suddenly I’m twelve again, standing beside Neno.

“I can’t feed them. They have fleas,” I blurt out, staring at Neno who holds up two black cats by the back of their necks. I crinkle my nose, the smell of garbage lingering between us. “And they stink.”

“Duh, they were stuck inside the dumpster,” Neno deadpans, before walking past me and out the backdoor. Of course, I follow.

“Are we keeping them?” I ask, knowing damn well, we can’t.

My brother looks up at me, “No.”

“Good.”

Meow.

I blink—and I’m back in the present.

Back in a world where he no longer exists. And where I’m left wondering what to do. What to feel. With Lenny, things were easy, or so I thought. He was with me while I collected the pieces. Only to realize he was breaking them further—splintering them into millions of tiny fragments impossible to collect. Impossible to stitch back together. My gaze falls to the kitten who purrs, his tiny body weaving through my fingers, demanding attention.

“I bet it is easy,” I murmur. “Being a cat and all that.”

Meow.

The sound catches me off guard, a smile tugs at my lips. “Is that a rebuttal or agreement?” I wait for another meow, but nothing comes. The purr fades into the hum of the fan. The bell at the door chimes, and a shiver runs down my spine when the footsteps stop.

“Buenas Tardes,”⁠* I greet the customer, trying my best to mask my anxiety. Dread coats my tongue, making it impossible to swallow. The feline hisses, and I rise to my feet.

My gaze lands on a masked stranger blocking the door, and another flanking its left. I gulp down—hard. Blood rushes through my ears, drowning out everything but the beat of my heart. The ground shifts from beneath me, making me dizzy and causing my stomach to churn. I fight the urge to pass out, even though my knees wobble. It’s like deja vu, like the night everything went wrong. Like the night I lost my brother.

Tears quickly gather, falling before I even have a chance to blink. I can hear them bark orders, but I don’t understand… My body is here…

My mind is floating.

I open my mouth to speak, only for words to fail me. Yael. I want to scream. My gaze moves to the small stairs that lead to the main house, and as if they could read my mind, one of the strangers tugs at the hoodie, showing the gun. The glint of it catches the light, and suddenly, I see Neno’s face—terrified, shouting words I never heard. Because he died alone, my pulse quickens.

The lights pulse, darkening into a deep red.

The night breeze dances around me, the rooftop has become our sanctuary and the keeper of secrets. Yael’s hands on my hips guide me through my orgasm, feeling him deep inside me. His nails dig into my side with each movement I make. Sirens blare down the street, my heart suddenly drops, and I stop.

My gaze snaps in that direction.

“Ciela?” Yael murmurs, his thumb drawing circles on my bare flesh—anchoring me back to the moment. “It’s Altura. Just sirens,” he adds, and something inside me tugs at his words. A sinking feeling forms in my gut, only to be pushed to the side the moment Yael thrusts up into me, making me moan into the night sky,. My body tingles with need. Heat gathers in the pit of my stomach. Beside us, his phone buzzes, but he ignores it, and the vibration continues.