This is the seventeenth story.
This is the story of Lupe and Valentina.
Food delivery was good to me. It was a flexible job, there whenever I wanted it, whenever I needed a few extra bucks. I got to chill in my car, listen to whatever I wanted, blast music or listen to podcasts. And, between who I picked up from and who I dropped off to, I got to meet a lot of girls.
Including Lupe and Valentina.
It was late on a Saturday night, and I was on my way to pick up my last delivery from a fast food joint. I hadn't eaten dinner yet, and a burger and fries and shake sounded heavenly, so I promised myself a reward, that I'd come straight back to this place after dropping off the meal. I parked, walked inside, and got the food.
I turned back toward the door, and in they came. They were both Latinas, twenty years old. One was skinny, tall, and hot, in a white hoodie and cream-colored sweatpants. The other was thick, short, and cute, in a black hoodie and plaid red pajama bottoms. The skinny one had darker skin and a thin, lionesque face, with sharp eyebrows, piercing eyes, and full lips. The thick one was lighter skinned and had a squarer, more cherubic face, with dark crimson lips. She had dark angular eyebrows, one slightly more arched than the other, giving her a wry, bemused expression.
I made eye contact with the skinny one and smiled. She smiled back automatically, then looked slightly questioning, like she didn't know if she was supposed to have recognized me. Then I looked to the thick one and smiled at her too, and she smiled back more freely. They were moving toward me, toward the counter, but I stopped in front of them and said.
"I've never eaten here," I said. "Is it good?"
They stopped and looked at each other, slightly befuddled. They looked back at me.
"Yeah," the thick one said, her eyes traveling to the food in my hand.
"Oh, this isn't for me," I said, lifting the bag. "I think I'll come back after I drop it off."
"Okay," the skinny one said, turning it into a slight question.
"Maybe I'll see you two then," I said. "Here, have a meal on me."
I dug into my pocket, pulled out my wallet, took out a credit card, and handed it to them. The skinny one took it without thinking, then looked at me, confused.
"What?" she said.
"Yeah," I said. "Treat yourselves. I'll be back in a few minutes."
And I walked past them and left.
Now, I have to say, you probably shouldn't do this. I don't know why I did this. It's not good to give strangers your credit card. But I didn't get to where I am by playing it safe, and something about those girls told me they weren't gonna commit fraud and steal my identity. Much more likely, they were gonna get a free meal and then wait there to give me my card back.
And I was right. I dropped off the food, hurried back to the restaurant, and there they were, sitting at a table, enjoying a spread. They looked up as I came in the door, and they both smiled and visibly relaxed. I walked over to them.
"What the hell, dude?" the thick one said, not unkindly.
I smiled. "Jack," I said, extending my hand. "But you probably already know that from the card."
The thick one took my hand, holding it lightly. "Valentina."
I turned to the skinny one, and she took my hand lightly as well. "Lupe."
"How's the food, girls?" I said.
"Good," Lupe said.
"I'm gonna order some and join you," I said. "Can I get my card back?"
Valentina smirked, held it out, and I took it.
"Be right back," I said.
I was aware of them chuckling and whispering behind me as I went to the counter. I ordered and returned to them to wait.
"Okay, we gotta ask," Valentina said, "what are you up to?"
"Up to?" I said, perching on the edge of the table.
Lupe was looking at me calmly. Her expression was serene but her eyes were piercing, boring right through me.
"I just wanted to get you a meal," I said.
"You're not like, in porn, or anything," Valentina said.
I legitimately laughed. "No. Y'all just had good vibes."
"You don't know us," Lupe said.
I looked at her. "Prove me wrong."
Her lips pursed together, trying not to smile. My number was called from the counter.
"Excuse me," I said.
I went to get my food. When I came back, Lupe scooted further into the booth, and I sat down next to her.
"What are you girls up to tonight?" I said, unwrapping my burger.
They shared bemused eye contact.
"Just chillin," Valentina said.
"You do food delivery?" Lupe said.
"Yeah," I said. "But I'm done for the night. Looking for something to do."
"Well we're not doing much," Valentina said. "So we can't help you with that."
I ate a fry, looked between them. "I'm not that ambitious. Would just be happy to chill too."
"Do you have weed?" Lupe said.
Valentina laughed.
I looked between them. "Yeah."
"Lupe," Valentina said, looking at her sharply.
"Provide the house," I said, "I'll smoke you out."
I took a sip of my drink, smiling. Lupe and Valentina shared eye contact. Lupe lifted her eyebrows, Valentina rolled her eyes.
And twenty minutes later I was walking into their apartment. They lived only a couple blocks from the restaurant, on the first floor of a two-story complex designed like a motel, with all the front doors on the outside. It was a one-bedroom unit, and as messy as you'd expect an apartment rented by two college girls to be. Dishes in the sink, stains on the carpet, clothes on the backs of chairs and the arms of the couch.
"Sorry," Lupe said, gesturing vaguely to the state of everything. "We weren't expecting company."
"That's alright," I said, walking over toward their couch. "Someone want to put on music?"
Valentina obliged, found a Bluetooth speaker and started playing some rap. I settled on the couch, started rolling a joint. Lupe sat down next to me, pulled her legs up underneath her, turned her body toward me and put an elbow across the back of the couch. I looked over at her as I licked the rolling paper, holding eye contact. She stared back, trying not to smile.
Valentina walked over and sat on the couch on my other side.
I lit the joint, took a hit, looked at Lupe, she lifted her hand to take it, and then I passed it behind me to Valentina. Lupe gasped softly, put on a look of mock offense. I smiled at her as Valentina took the joint from me.
"Why, thank you," she said.
I winked at Lupe, dropped a hand to her knee and gave it a quick rub. She looked down at it, then back up at me, and her body shifted closer to mine on the couch. Valentina finished her hit, and passed the joint in front of me toward Lupe. Lupe leaned forward, her face coming close to mine, took the joint, leaned back and took a hit. I looked over at Valentina. She was looking at me, her expression softened, starting to relax around me. She sighed, happy. I sighed back at her, slightly mocking her.