Beneath the Concrete A Tale of Pride and the LXX

I looked at the hideous creature and had to admit from the bottom of my heart. If a beautiful girl blushes and looks shy it certainly looks pleasant but if a zombie-like creature blushes and looks shy, it's hard to admit what feeling is evoked by it, "As I recall Andreas was the first, the street concrete was the second, and I was the third," I said staring at her.

She took the LXX from my grasp, her delicate fingers tracing over the sleek design of the device. "If you can't accept that, then my window stands ready as the fourth contender."

I snatched the device back. "I didn't say I wasn't accepting it."

Her gaze was sharp, challenging. "So, you're now convinced that I bought this especially for you?"

Our eyes locked. The reality of the situation began to dawn on me, my heart pounding within my chest. Could it be that she had purchased this lavish gift with me in mind? It would be a testament to our almost three-year-long friendship. After countless nights spent cleaning her mess of an apartment, forgoing my own comforts, ferrying her safely home while my taxi fare whittled away... Perhaps this was my due recompense.

A surge of gratitude welled up within me. I set the LXX down on the kitchen table and wrapped my arms around her, the warmth of her body seeping into mine. "Michelle, your generosity astounds me. You must've spent a fortune on this," I murmured, the thought of her spending an entire year's salary on this gift boggled my mind.

She hugged me back, her voice barely above a whisper, "That's why you need to be even better towards me... Even though..."

I held my breath. "Even though...?"

Her silence was deafening. It felt like the world had come to a standstill. Then, with a small laugh, she said, "I didn't buy these two LXX smartphones."

I was stunned, my mind racing to comprehend her words.

She continued, her voice light. "My Dad is the chief developer of the LXX. I asked him to send a pair, along with an LX laptop. They were meant for me and... a birthday present for Andreas. But...I meant you. I didn't pay a dime."

The revelation left me breathless. I held her at arm's length, my hands on her shoulders, looking into her mischievous eyes. "And you were ready to destroy it last night," I accused, pinching her cheeks.

She winced, "It hurts, Jaime..."

I released her, and she broke into a fit of giggles. "They were free. If I had bought them, there's no way I'd have destroyed them, you dolt."

I feigned hurt. "So, you intended to give this free LXX to the streets because of your breakup with Andreas, then I stepped in and now, I have to behave myself to keep it, huh?"

Michelle's eyes twinkled, her smile never fading. "You catch on quick."

"Michelle," I began, cradling the LXX in my hands, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. "Despite my rough exterior, I too have pride. I've always seen you as a cherished companion, yet it seems you've viewed me as something lesser, even beneath the cold, unfeeling concrete we walk on. Did my efforts, my sacrifices, mean nothing to you? But let me tell you this, Michelle, arrogance suits no one. My circumstances may be humble, but I have my dignity. If you truly intend to gift this LXX to me," I said, my voice shaking with the intensity of my emotions, hugging the phone close to my chest, "I won't ever give it back. Do you have any other cast-offs I should be aware of?" A bitter chuckle escaped my lips.

(I felt a sense of justice in my heart. Providence was smiling upon me. Tomorrow, I would make a small donation to the less fortunate. I would share my joy with those who truly needed it.)

In an abrupt, wordless motion, Michelle snatched the LXX from my trembling grip. "Your duties are not yet fulfilled, Jaime. There remains one more obligation…" Her slim fingers, pale and cool, darted towards an intercom embedded in the sun-drenched kitchen wall. As she pressed the button, a humming dial tone began to resonate throughout the room, cutting through the tension like a knife.

"Eve Cafe here…" The woman's voice that echoed through the speaker was as soft and familiar as worn leather.

"Susan, patch me through to the Master, please," Michelle commanded, her voice as smooth and cold as a polished marble.

A tinge of annoyance seeped through from the other end. "And who's this making the request?"

"Michelle," she responded curtly, her ice-blue eyes locked onto mine.

"Alright, hold on."

As Susan put her through, Michelle swiveled her gaze back to me. A triumphant grin began to creep across her face like the first light of dawn. My heart pounded with the erratic rhythm of uncertainty. All I yearned for was to retrieve my LXX.

"Michelle?" An unfamiliar voice filled the room, stirring the air with his presence.

"Uncle, I need to borrow Jaime for tonight. Would that be alright?" Michelle asked, her tone filled with honeyed innocence.

(Borrow me?) My mind catapulted into a whirlwind of confusion.

"And what do you need him for, Mich?" The Master's voice rang out, vibrating with curiosity.

"Uncle, there's a BtP special masquerade party tonight. I had planned to attend with Andreas, but now I'm in dire need of a companion. I have already procured an extravagant mask and gown. All I need now is Jaime."

The Master fell silent, and the pause hung in the air like a heavy cloud. "Well, it might be alright. The bar will be deserted tonight because of the party. But are you absolutely certain that you want to drag Jaime, our country boy, into a BtP soirée?"

His words sent a shiver down my spine. Yes, I was a country boy, with my roots sunk deep in the rural soil. The prospect of attending a BtP gala sent waves of trepidation through me. I was a fish out of water in that glittering world.

"But Uncle, it's only a masquerade. No one will see Jaime's face. Please?" Michelle implored, shooting me a playful smirk that did little to soothe my racing pulse.

Heaving a resigned sigh, the Master finally conceded. "Alright, if you believe he'll be useful, take him."

"Wait!" My voice echoed through the room, the tone desperate. "Can I turn down this invitation?"

Michelle's fingers dug into my arm, the LXX in her other hand held aloft like a threatening sword. My heart plummeted.

"Jaime, could you really deny a request from my sweet niece?" The Master's voice rebounded off the walls. Sweet niece? Michelle was anything but sweet.

As Michelle thanked her uncle, her giggles ringing in my ears, the realization hit me. I was cornered. The fate of my treasured LXX was hanging by a thread, and it seemed that my only option was to acquiesce. But no, my life was worth more than any device.

"Master, last night Michelle requested me to accompany her to a masquerade party, to which I agreed. But she failed to mention that it was a BtP special masquerade. If they discover a mere mortal like me masquerading as one of their own, I could be imprisoned, or worse, executed. This is a grave matter."

"Jaime, your fears are justified," the Master acknowledged solemnly.

At this, Michelle huffed, her cheeks puffing up like a discontented squirrel. She dropped the LXX in front of me, as though the device was nothing more than a child's plaything. But I refused to be swayed. My life held more value than any material possession. Unfazed, Michelle placed the coveted LX Super Laptop next to the LXX, making a sign with her hand indicating they were both mine if I agreed to her terms.

Still, my answer remained unchanged.

"But Master," I continued pleading with him, "You're right. Michelle is a sweet girl, and I do not wish to hurt her feelings. Even at the cost of my life, I will accompany her to the masquerade party. To see her smile, to make her happy, I am willing to face the risks. However, if something were to happen to me at the party, please know it was my own decision, motivated by my affection for Michelle. And I will have no regrets."

As I finished speaking, Michelle stuck her tongue out at me, a childish gesture.

"Alright, Jaime, you've already taken two days off this month. Enjoy the party," the Master concluded, his chuckle echoing through the room. He was clearly savouring his victory.

"Thank you, Uncle, I love you. Bye," Michelle chimed, her voice as sweet as a lullaby as she ended the conversation.

She then extended the LXX and LX Laptop towards me, her face adorned with a wicked grin. "Now, Jaime, you have truly embarked on a path you should not have. You have sold your soul to me."

"No, I haven't sold my soul for you," I retorted, snatching the LX and LXX from her grasp. "I agreed because I care for you, Michelle. Why can't you understand something as simple as that?"

***

In the heart of the teeming city streets, brimming with the sea of humanity, Michelle linked her arm with mine and laid her head on my shoulder, walking affectionately alongside me. I endeavored to hold my ground. In the softest whisper I could muster, I called, "Michelle, my love."

"What is it, my heart?" Michelle responded, her vibrant visage clearly glowing with mirth at my unease.

"Could you perhaps transform into something simpler, akin to a modest or shy maiden, to accompany this humble country lad?" I suggested, managing to pull a soft smile onto my face, all too aware that she was delightfully basking in my awkwardness.

"Why, my dear?" she asked, her smile guileless, feigning ignorance, "Wasn't it you who wished for me to embody your idol? I even consented to don my most exquisite attire." A wince escaped me. Her attire was dazzling, opulent and avant-garde, her high heels and enticingly sculpted calves augmenting the allure. She mirrored a revered celebrity making her way down a glamorous catwalk.

"Yes, but not this ravishing, and certainly not in the open public," I countered, acutely aware of our conspicuousness. A divine beauty in lavish attire, complemented by a man robed in a faded, likely tattered t-shirt and worn-out shoes.

It was a tableau straight out of Beauty and the Beast or perhaps, a mesmerizing blossom rooted in a mound of dung.

I was forced to concede that I was ill at ease when every passerby was entranced by Michelle's captivating allure, their expressions morphing into grimaces when their gazes fell on me. This feeling was amplified when Michelle, with a deliberate nonchalance, sidled closer and clung tighter to my arm.

"Pay them no mind," Michelle advised with a light-hearted laugh, "My love is reserved for you and you alone." I felt the sting of unshed tears in my eyes.

I silently pleaded, cease this love for me and vanish to the furthest corners of the world. I would be eternally grateful for that.

"Michelle, I live to be my true self. My heart reflects in my demeanor, and my possessions are my visible world," I articulated, attempting to make my position clear, "If I express this, I might appear like a stubborn fool, do you comprehend?"

Michelle's eyes widened in surprise, "What do you mean?"

"I mean," I retaliated, my demeanor assertive and infused with pride, "I am impoverished, both within and without."

Michelle dissolved into peals of laughter, retorting as if the matter was of little consequence, "And so?"

I made a mental note that one day, I might find myself at wits' end with this delightful tormentor.

"Michelle, I am but a humble countryman from the deepest, most secluded village you can envision, and my humble employment is that of a waiter and bartender," I stated, my voice tinged with pride. I knew that if I were to return to my village and recount my tale of city employment, I would be held in high esteem, "Coercing me to pilot your sleek Bugatti through the city, it's a trivial task for a driver."

"You are not a chauffeur," Michelle protested.

"Perhaps I can pretend to be your chauffeur, sparing me from public scrutiny," I continued, "Being in the company of your breathtaking visage and idol-like countenance, my pride rejects this reality. I feel like a hapless monkey besieged by a swarm of ants, irked by the unwavering stares of your newfound admirers."

How fervently I wished I could blind their invasive stares.