The bed is too tiny for the both of us, but we manage. It's not the sisters who wake us up, it's the headmistress herself. And she sees Raquel and me on the same mattress.

I can foresee the scandal. But she just has to see my face to get the words stuck in her throat. I must look awful.

“You… I don't even want to see your face, not after what you did,” Raquel says calmly, but firmly. The headmistress simply nods and walks away, just like that.

Looking around I can see the picture. The villain of the story is the headmistress, I am the poor thing. Not only in the welcome was her lecture fixed on me, but afterwards she accuses me of something and makes me cry, and calls me out from amongst the girls to do who knows what to me in her office, which causes me to have a nervous breakdown. I don't know how to feel about this version of events. I'm no victim, but at least I'm glad the looks aren't rejection.

It takes a little longer than usual to start the morning prayers. The rest of the rituals continue as normal until we are released. We return to our beds.

“Are you feeling better?” asks Raquel.

“Thanks to you,” I smile at her.

I guess she didn't expect it, even her ears are turning red. But it's the truth.

Now... How the heck can I explain what happened yesterday? I can't think of any excuses, lies.

Why don't you just tell the truth, dumbass?

I never thought the whisper would give me good advice. Although that last bit was unnecessary.

Dumbass.

Uh.

“Raquel,”—I get her attention— “I need to tell you some things.”

Raquel tenses at first, then gets up from her bed and sits next to me.

I tell her about the heat, how it attacks me, but I don't talk about my brother or Ismael.

Raquel listens, doesn't look away from me, but doesn't say anything either. There is no expression on her face, no surprise, no sadness, nothing, just a very serious expression.

I finish my story. Raquel closes her eyes in thought and turns her head forward.

“Heat,”—she ponders— “That's what you call it.”

“So you also...?”

“Yes. Although I don't have such a nice name to call it.”

“What do you call it?”

“The horny.”

I almost have a heart attack. Raquel laughs and gets up from the bed.

“I need some time to think. But if you feel bad, let me know.”

That ends the conversation. I only hope Raquel will speak to me again after this. But her final expression calms me down. She also said the same thing happens to her. And to be honest, it' s nice to get the burden of carrying a secret alone off your shoulders.

But you didn't tell her about me.

I don't know what to think about you. Maybe I have just lost my mind.

The day goes on, I can see Raquel thinking, with her cute little sheep face. I don't want to interrupt her meditation, the other girls seem to sense this too, I hope they don't mistake it for anger. If I didn't know her, I would think there is anger on her face, but no, not every face is what it appears to be, and Raquel knows this art better than anyone.

It's time to sleep. I don't close my eyes and soon they adjust to the darkness. Noiselessly, I watch as Raquel rises from her bed, makes her way to me. When she is standing next to me, I raise my torso and bring my face close to hers.

“Is something the matter?” I say in a very quiet voice close to her ear. I can't see her face, but I can make out her figure. She is not wearing a robe, but her pajamas.

“It's the heat,” she answers.

 

***

 

“Come,” I say softly, making room for her on my bed. Raquel jumps onto it, slips under the sheets with the dexterity of a gazelle.

But I can't treat her like prey. I may be hunted tonight. Before I can make a move, it is she who strikes first. She explores my face with kisses, and so she reaches my lips. Her hands roam my body, desperate.

“Calm down,” I call out to her, but she won't settle down, she can't. She's like a beast. She is like a wild animal. Poor thing, I've been in her place, it's terrible not to be able to be satiated, to be filled.

I feel her breath. I feel not only her feverish hands, her whole body. The heat is unbearable for her, she radiates it so strongly that it covers me entirely.

You too? For so long, my friend, my love? For so long have you endured? I'm going to give you relief, I'm going to give you my love.

I put my hand under her pajamas, under her panties. Yes, I feel her most heated area, I start slowly.

“There... there.”

Such ferocity. If she wasn’t out of breath, all the girls would have heard us. I cover her mouth with my free hand. I feel like I'm taking advantage of her.

“Shh, don't make so much noise, they'll hear us”

“I don't give a damn,” I hear her say through my hand. She licks my palm to make me desist. I feel an overwhelming tingling sensation spread across my wrist.

Oh, but she's the one who's going to take advantage of me. I can't stay calm for a second. The moment I let my guard down, her attack will show no mercy.

I have to teach her a lesson, calm her down at once.

I quiet her mouth with my mouth and barely let her breathe. We battle with our tongues, she wants to win me, to invade me, she's about to succeed.

But with my hand now free I take the opportunity to attack her where it hurts the most. I try where I can weaken her. But I am too careless. Her hands are free too and she takes advantage of them. She attacks my crotch.

My grip weakens, she's going to get on top of me.

“It hurts…” I sob.

“¡...!”

I manage to trick her, that's the good thing she can' t see my face. This is my only chance. I get on top of her, slowing her movements. I begin to caress her body with mine, my hand still quenching her thirst.

But it's a double-edged sword, my body burns against hers, I feel her so much… But I will not lose. She loses strength, she loses vigor.

And she accepts it. She accepts defeat, she lets go.

“When we slept together,” she says softly, sighing, her voice defeated.

I hide under the covers. It's time for my mouth to take over. I begin. Her hands on my head.

“No... before that... When I saw you touching yourself,” she says, going crazy.

How long was she really looking at me? Naughty. I'm going to punish you.

“Damn it all! Even before that, when I lay in your bed and smelled your scent,” she can barely speak.

And she can't take it anymore. I feel her trembling, she seems to arch, as if wanting to get up, but it's to calm a little the ecstasy that invades her. I continue at the same speed, I wish we weren't in this dangerous place, I would love to hear her full voice, without any self-imposed censorship. But her halting sighs are more than enough to send me elsewhere.

I've won.

“Better?” I move closer to her face.

I can barely see as she nods to me. Now the loser is at my mercy, I instruct her. She is still excited now, but under control, as much as one can control the heat, which is very little.

Now it's my turn to feel that pleasure I have given her. It's only fair, what I deserve, retribution. She begins, with her hands, she touches my body. She knows how to do it, she learned from just now, from our fight. Such a smart girl, so pretty... and so scary.

Oh, but fate is so cruel. I can't calm down with this alone. Her caresses are an art, but that's also what condemns me. Hands alone are not enough. My uneasiness grows.

“I know exactly what to do,” says Raquel, not losing heart, on the contrary, accepting the challenge. She maneuvers under the sheets and ends up rolling over, her feet on my pillow. I lift my leg a little. This is what I needed. Raquel's mouth begins its assault.

It doesn't take long, it's not that I'm weak, but this girl's attacks, her caresses, her kisses, feeling her body had weakened me a lot. I have to cover my mouth to keep from making noise.

In the darkness I fly for a few seconds until I slowly return to my bed.

I don't notice when Raquel settles back in, her face against mine.

“I'm free, Sharon. I am free. Thank you,” Raquel says.

More kisses, more caresses. They are goodbyes. I'm leaving soon, at least I want to enjoy this farewell. I caress her head, her body. I hug her, as she has comforted me when I needed it so much.

“I'm free,” I think I hear her cry.

I'm going to leave... But I'm coming back. I'm always coming back, no matter what you do, Sharon. You can't escape me.

I know that very well.