Page 62

I felt a knot forming in my stomach. Martin was free and still in Belinda, which just made me feel like a fool for doing everything I did so he could wait for the trial walking around freely.

I wallowed in hatred.

“How did you know that?”

Derek sighed as his attention went to the car's steering wheel.

“His father went to our aunt and uncle's house, Aunt Isabel called and told me, obviously wanting explanations...”

I shuddered.

So they already knew... My uncles knew that I had acted like a... argh, I refused to come up with a dirty adjective for that. I had taken the photos of my own free will, I should never have sent them, but I was not wrong in taking them, but rather in trusting my boyfriend of years. That thing should have never been seen in other devices.

It wasn't my fault. It was not!

I shrank even more and crossed my arms. I was devastated by the fact that my uncles had found out about my photos like this, maybe I should have called before, I should have told them and talked to them before, but I was so desperate and... The tears took me quickly, running down my face and letting sadness take over me.

At some point, Derek stopped the car and awkwardly hugged me. “Hey..., I know this nightmare is far from over, but you didn't do anything wrong in this story, Roni.”

I snorted.

“I took the photos…”

“So what?! Everyone does it, but… Veronica, the problem was never the photo itself. Try to understand this,hermanita. The problem is that Martin put those photos on the internet, when it was something private just to you two.” My brother seemed much more reasonable than me at that moment. “I'm not going to say it's smart to take a photo like that, but stupidity and teenagers are things that go together.” I laughed a little between tears. “What shouldn’t happen is that these photos end up on the internet for anyone to see.”

I forced myself to agree with him; Even so, there was still a deep feeling of guilt that was silently consuming me.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,chica.”

I didn't look at him, I just stayed there, wrapped in his crooked embrace.

“Have you ever done this? I mean, post nude photos of girls.”

He sighed.

“No…, but I’ve received them.”

“And what did you do about it?”

“I probably kept them on my phone longer than I should have.”

I pulled away from Derek, finally searching my brother's face for sincerity.

“Why, D? Why did he do this?”

“I don’t study philosophy or psychology,hermana…” He replied, trying to soften things, but it was difficult. “I don't know. Honestly, I don't know. I think it must be herd behavior and lack of maturity. Look, I'm not a saint, you know that, Roni, but if it makes you feel better, know that I never forwarded the photosthat were sent to me and the photos sent of my own free will, no one but me saw them.” He held my hands carefully. “I'm sorry,chica. Really. You didn't deserve to go through something like that.”

I nodded, tired.

And out of a glimpse of impulsiveness, I asked: “Have you seen the photos?”

He denied it, shaking his head.

“Ivan saw them, but he didn't let me see it. He just told me what had happened and then I went to Belinda Stone.” My brother scratched his eyes. “Maybe it was better this way, I don't want to embarrass you any more than you've already been embarrassed,hermanita.”

“I was wearing a bra and panties in all of them, but I'm glad you didn't see them.”