Graciela Arroyos | family friend

Graciela left the tray of homemade muffins on her friend's kitchen table, while she arranged everything to have a mate with her.

— And the worst part, when I was intubating his throat, the poor man started to move as if he was having an attack, I almost tore his esophagus, luckily they were able to hold him before he hurt himself —. Agustina commented as if it were the most normal thing in the world, while she ate one of the small delicacies prepared by Graciela.

The aforementioned made a gesture of disgust and put the muffin that she was about to put in her mouth aside —, that's disgusting, I don't know how you can eat while talking about, about.

— Endotracheal intubation.

— Tearing someone's throat, it's morbid.

Agustina could only shrug her shoulders. “It’s my job, and in the end the guy is fine, he just had an allergic reaction. Apparently someone forgot he was allergic to nuts on his birthday and brought a cake with them.” She took another bite of the muffin.

Graciela just shook her head, tucking a lock of her dark brown hair behind her ear. Such anecdotes about her friend took away her appetite. For now she would settle for mate, she would get hungry when she forgot about Agustina’s anecdotes. She quickly changed the subject while she poured herself a mate. “And how is Matías doing with his studies? I hardly see him these days, he leaves the house very early.” She wiped a couple of crumbs that were almost on her black t-shirt and brown pants.

Agustina's attitude changed from jovial to anguished gradually, as she looked down at the table —, I don't think he's fine, he tries hard, but I don't think he's happy with the career he chose, he barely sleeps, I notice it when I get home at night, the light in his room is still on and I hear him working. When I ask him how he's doing, he either avoids the question or puts me off —. She put her hands together in a gesture of concern.

Graciela cursed herself for bringing up the subject, she brought her hand closer to put it on top of her friend's in an attempt to comfort her —, oh, calm down, everything will be fine, he's a smart boy, I'm sure he's just having a hard time adapting to the demands of college, it's not the same as high school. I still remember my first time at college, I almost had a nervous breakdown —. She laughed as if that were a pleasant memory.

Agustina also laughed softly —, I had like two, the medical school is much more demanding than the art school. I remember one time when the teacher had an accident and classes were cancelled unexpectedly when we were all already in the classroom, I swear we cried with joy and hugged each other.

Her friend gave her a light push with her palm —, liar, dramatic people are supposed to be in the arts, doctors must be serious and melancholic, or bitter and sarcastic.

— You were watching Dr. House again, things aren't really like that, if a doctor acted like him his license would be revoked.

Graciela made a gesture to reply until she saw the time on her wrist watch —, shit, it's almost late, I have to go back to the bakery —. She stood up and began to gather her things at full speed —, I'll leave you the tray, give it back to me later.

With that last thing said they said goodbye at the door with a kiss on each cheek. When Graciela was about to get into her car, something happened to her. Her eyes went out of focus and her body became languid, as if in a trance. She walked slowly down the street until she reached the entrance to a theater that wasn't there and that no other passersby seemed to see. The doors opened by themselves and Graciela entered.

— Graciela Arroyos! The first contestant of Harem Hotel this season and your future **** —. Applause, cheers and provocative whistles were heard.

Graciela, free of the **** that controlled her, was stunned by what she saw; a theater that had curtains instead of walls, a half-naked woman and was that Matías?

— What? — she pointed behind her with her finger, she turned around only to see a brick wall instead of a door. She turned back to the front and finally the words of that woman registered in her ears —. What do you mean, ****? — she almost shouted with a face red with anger.

— Shhh, calm down, there will be time for screams when you spend the night with your master, for now introduce yourself to the public, tell us your name, what you do, your relationship with your master, and your latest sexual experiences —. I pointed at her with my index finger and, like a puppet moved by strings, Graciela lost control of her body.

She bowed deeply before a camera invisible to her eyes, deep enough to show cleavage. She straightened up while, against her will, she sketched a flirtatious smile —. My name is Graciela Arroyos, I work in a small bakery that I own, my relationship with my master —, she shuddered internally at the sexual tone with which she said that last thing ¬—, is that I am a friend of your mother, I have helped both of them several times with financial problems and I usually chat a lot with Agustina, my last sexual experience was two weeks ago with a man who bought a dozen of my pastries.

Graciela regained control of her body in an instant, the flirtatious smile disappeared, replaced by a disturbed and scared expression, she brought her hand to her mouth without believing what she had just said and done.

She took a step back, only to trip over something, falling on a chair that wasn't there a second ago, and as soon as she blinked, the chair moved from the theater entrance to Matías's right. She tried desperately to get up, but every time she did, her arms and legs lost all strength, forcing her to stay in place.

— Help, someone help me! — she screamed, hoping that someone outside the building would hear her.

— Unless your screams can cross dimensions, that won't do any good — the half-naked woman smiled at her in a creepy way as she approached from behind her and caressed her throat with fingers that tickled Graciela, from one moment to the next she was no longer able to scream, her voice was reduced to a normal volume against her will.

— Wait —, this time it was Matías who spoke —, you can't involve her in this, she's my mother's friend, if she finds out she'll kill me —. It was curious that, this time, she didn't use any moral excuse, something that he didn't even notice.

— Calm down, master, I promised you that there wouldn't be any consequences, and your mother won't be one of them —. Not wanting to continue listening to her complaints, she made a gesture of silence and Matías's voice disappeared ¬¬—. Now as for you —, she addressed Graciela —, you are fortunate to be selected to participate in Harem Hotel, I am Isabella, who is hosting this season, and you are the first of five contestants who will compete to prove who is the most devoted **** of her master —, she pointed to Matías who was struggling to try to separate her lips. Despite her fear, she was finally able to understand what her friend's son was doing in that place —, let him go —, no matter how hard she tried she couldn't raise her voice —, it's ridiculous, he's just a child, you... you can't **** us to do this.

— He's already 21, I'd say he's far surpassed being considered a child, but if you think of him that way, this only makes things more delicious. You'll see how you'll thank me when the show ends, and you're unrecognizable, so transformed that you can't even see who you are in the mirror —. Isabella let herself be carried away by her fantasies again, her face distorted with excitement.

Even more terrified by how disturbed this woman was, and not understanding her words, the only thing Graciela could do was look at Matías, who was already trying to separate her lips with his fingers, and try to comfort him —, Matías calm down, I'm here —, she extended a hand from her seat, unable to reach him, but she didn't care —, everything is going to be okay.

Seeing the deep concern in her eyes, Matías stopped his attempts to speak, and realized the disaster he had gotten himself into. «What the hell did I accept?» As he had predicted, he regretted having nodded at Isabella's words. He tried to reach out his hand to touch hers, but the distance and the shortness of his arm prevented him from doing so.

— Oh, but how tender they are, this is perfect —, for her part, Isabella looked at them as if they were two animals that stopped very tenderly —, they are perfect, I do not regret having chosen them. Speaking of choosing, we have to continue and show the rest of the harem —, I walk shaking my butt to the entrance of the theater —. Our next contestant is known to the master, not as well as dear Graciela, but their relationship is close enough, with a loud applause let us welcome…