After finishing the class, which became the most boring, something very strange for me, since everything that has to do with creating fascinate me, we left the room and headed to the campus patio.

“Hi dear,” Ian's voice reaches my ears and I smile, turning around to my boyfriend.  He is the most romantic, understandable, kind and loving boy I have ever met, his dark skin and long curly black hair enchant me. "How is my skinny?" I looked up at him, he is much taller than me, although his body is thin. Ian is one year older.

“Perfect.”

He sits next to me and places a kiss on my head, “you are beautiful as the views of Ancón.” He winks at me.

"For God's sake ... I hate guys who study English literature. Do they always have to be so assholes and romantic?" Carla asks almost with disgust, I push her for her bad language.

"You are bitter,” my boyfriend replies. "I'd like to stay and fight with you but I have to go,” he kisses my lips this time. "Everything okay with your mother?" His expression of concern makes me tremendously adorable.

"All good, darling.” He nods and once he says goodbye, he leaves with his friends who demand his presence.

"Now will you tell me?"Carla asked.

I sigh heavily and turned to focus on my friend, “Mom has a murmur in her heart and it covers an important vein, they must operate it as soon as possible and the damn operation costs 30 thousand dollars, I have not been able to tell her the truth. If I tell her she will be upset and that could end badly. I have told her that I would take care of the money and my only option is my disgusting boss. But do you know everything he will make me do? I would become his slave! Have you even heard me?” I ask when I see her concentrated on her cell phone.

"I was listening to you and I have the solution." She answered, making me frown suspiciously. "Sell your virginity." 

Hearing that, I choke on my own saliva, “you're bad in the head Carla, sometimes I seriously wonder if you're okay mentally.”

My friend, undeterred and instead of getting angry, smiles at me, "I have seen that a girl sold it for a million, think about it Marilí, you are pretty, attractive and nice." She shudders but I look at her very seriously. What the hell is wrong with her? I think, incredulously.

“I have a boyfriend and that would be crazy, we are in Panama. Do you think someone will pay for something that is given for the love of art?” I snort. “Carla, I have a boyfriend and that looks bad.”

My friend making a balloon with her gum makes it explode and shortly after she chews it for a few seconds without taking her eyes off me, “if your concern is because you have a boyfriend, then think coldly, you give your purity to Ian, you stay together for a few years, you leave each other, you get fucked, without virginity, alone, without money and perhaps with your dead mother. Isn't it better, earn money and save your mother? You give your virginity to a guy you don't know for a large sum of money, you don't see him again and he won't hurt you, you do the operation on your mother and we can go to Italy." She winks at me.

I'm stunned by everything she says, “how can you think of something so significant like that?” 

She rolled her eyes in exasperation, “for God's sake, skinny ... Wake up, we're in a shitty world where you only fuck for love and that doesn't earn you anything but suffering. Do you think that giving your virginity to Ian will help you with anything? Do not be stupid." Her cell phone beeps, “there is already an interested party." She showed it to me.

“You are crazy!” There is a photo of an older man dressed in a jacket and tie on her cell phone, “he doesn't look bad at all, he offers a million, but because of his age this will be a favor, so let's raise half a million more so that is for me.” I saw her typed in her offer, she frowned and the quick way she types tells me this is serious.  More than offended, I get up to get away from that crazy woman.

She growled, “fuck, Marilí.” I heard behind me. “He made it to a million and a half ... I know he's old and even somewhat disgusting, but think about it, how long can that old man last?" He's older, watch out and his flaccid dick doesn't get even half as hard as it should.” She grabbed my hand to stop me. “Think about it Flaca, if I hadn't lost my virginity to that idiot Sedrick, I would certainly have done this without thinking about it, look at me ... I gave up my purity for love. And how have I been? Treated like shit and with a broken heart, come on this is your opportunity to get out of the misery in which you live, you will not have to put up with your boss, your mother can return to Italy and put up her gallery of photos and sculptures that she has always loved, you will have a peaceful life.”

Listening to my friend makes me give in a little, but taking control of my thoughts and my good sense I shake my head and letting go I point at her with my index finger, “you are not serious, I don't want to hear any more of that stupid proposal you have and tell that old asshole to behave like the mature man that he is, delete the photo of my body that by the way you have taken without permission." Leaving my friend with a dark gesture, I move away from her. She's crazy!

Annoyed with my friend and she with me we took the rest of the classes separated from each other, at the end we only cross one look and each one goes to her side. "You have arrived, little girl." Says my boss, “Come on, there are many tables to attend, today we must serve twice as much, so get your precious ass out of here and attract more customers." I snort, I hate that man, but I have to keep quiet this time, he is my only solution to be able to do the operation on my mother. I work in the seafood market, it is not a posh place but where foreigners really like to come, in front of the locals there is a bay. The place is complete, there are amusement parks and it has a long stretch in which you can walk and move through the different places, from the Cinta Costera to the old town and beyond.

The work day was heavy, today there was more competition than usual, it is a disadvantage that the restaurants are close to each other, you have to fight for the customers practically.

“Boss, can I talk to you?” The fat, bald man with the yellow teeth looks at me. "I know this is unprofessional of me and I've only been working with you for a couple of months, but I'm really desperate and my mother is in the hospital, she needs an urgent operation." I look him straight in the eye, I think sometimes I'm very direct. “The operation costs $ 30,000, I swear I will pay you everything, down to the last penny, but please help me.” I ask him without getting to the begging, I see him approach me, I back away with a certain degree of caution until the table stops me.

“You are very pretty,” he caresses my cheek and moves closer to me, “I really like your body,” he runs his hand down my neck and guides it down my arms. "If only you were mine." He looks at me with desire and that causes me tremendous disgust, when I feel him lower his hand and guide it to my sex, without thinking twice, I take my leg out and with all my strength I hit it in the bottom with my knee.

“You are a disgusting old man, I shouldn't even think about the crap you think, that's why every tough girl working here sucks." Taking off my apron, I threw it at his face and went out of there.

Annoyed and more worried than I was before, I rush to catch the metrobus on my route. “Cool! Now without money and without work, damn!” I curse out loud, drawing the attention of some people, but I'm not interested. I have much bigger problems than thinking about my education. Passing by my best friend's house I stop in front of it, that idea is quite crazy, but if my disgusting boss wanted to fuck me for 30 thousand, why not fuck another old man for a million and a half? Taking my cell phone, which is about to die, I send her a W******p message.

‘Can you come out? I'm sorry and my tail deflowers a little more.’

Not a minute goes by when I see my friend coming out of her house. "Now you can get your tail out between your legs." She lets me down in a serious tone. "Have you come to apologize or to tell me your sorrows?" 

Pouting, I look at her, "that damn man wanted to sleep with me ..." I hiccuped and my friend can't stand seeing me like that, hugged me. Sitting on the sidewalk and watching the cars go by, I whispered, “I will do it.”

My friend looks at me and a smile is drawn on her lips, “that's my friend,” she squeaks excitedly. "You will see that this is the best decision you could make." Taking her cell phone, she shows it to me.

“And I know you so well and how intelligent you are, I made an appointment for tomorrow after school. The old man has his company in Punta Pacifica, it's near the hospital, you will be able to see your mother in the process.”

I nod not very convinced, everything is wrong.  Am I going crazy?  Is this really my only chance? Trying to forget all my fears I smile. "I just hope he doesn't make me suck it off." I chuckled along with my friend.

"The pay is worth everything, darling, I just want you to be well and have a better life and of course you take me to Italy with you." 

Hugging my Zaza, I kiss her head. “You are the craziest girl I have ever known, but something I must admit is that in everything crazy that you always think, there is always something good in it. Now come on, I must go shower, I stink and I must go see my mother.” We get up off the floor.

"We'll talk on campus tomorrow, try to rest sweetie." By kissing her on the cheek, I promised to try.

When I got to the hospital, they already have complaints about my mother, when I enter the room I see her standing and looking out the window.

"What are you doing standing up?" I ask and only get a glare. "Mom, it's not your fault you're here." I reminded her.

"I know, daughter, but couldn't you take me to a less expensive hospital? Only in the stay do our savings go away,” she turns and she looks me straight ahead. "Were you able to get the money?" 

Smiling happily, I shouldn't take anything for granted but I want her to relax, I'll tell her once she is out of danger. “Yes mom, everything is ready, I have already spoken with the doctor and by next week you will be operated.”

My mother comes up to me and hugs me, "I don't know what I would do without you my girl,” she kiss my head. "God has given me an angel as a daughter," she smiled.

"An angel that you have turned into a demon,” I scoffed.

“It's that darling you know that life is very screwed up and I don't want you to suffer for bad people, remember you must always be smart and resourceful.”

Giving her a kiss on her forehead, I guided her to the bed, “good that you have taught me well, you must rest, okay? I'll go get something to eat.” My mother goes to bed without question and I go out to eat, hearing my cell phone beep reminds me that I haven't charged it, when I take it out it's a message from my friend.

‘You must obtain a bank account and once you obtain it, send the account number to this mobile.’ She attached the number, I can't believe that I will truly do something so crazy and unusual, but it will be something easy, right?