I severely apologize for the wait! I've just gone through a big move and some other life changes and had to put this story on hold. Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoy the next chapter!
*****
"Oh God!" Chloe dropped her legs to the ground, hiding her face behind her hands.
Felicia giggled, "Oh, don't mind us. We were doing our own fiesta." She smiled at Phil and turned back to Chloe, eyes scanning. "I see you've had some fun with our Marcus, Chlolita. Maybe you can tell him not to make a mess all over my clothes next time."
"Ah!" Running out of the closet, far from her misdeeds, Chloe squealed at her friend's amusement. She stumbled about the overturned stools and struggled out the exit. She made it a block before the determined clicking of Felicia's stilettos chased her down. "Chlolita, hey! Amiga! Chloe, WAIT!!" Felicia called, stopping on the cool sidewalk.
Chloe paused on the corner of the street, panting. Her skirt caught up in the breeze of the passing cars. "Come on!" She yelled, slapping the material down and spitting out a "Fuck!"
Grace still intact, Felicia sauntered to the curb. "Ai, Chloe. Swearing now? What kinda effect I'm having on you?"
Skirt forgotten, Chloe threw her hands up in the air. "What effect are you having on me?! What do you think? Look what I just did!" She collapsed to the curb, knees squeezed to her chest by folded arms. It was at this time that Marcus decided to join them.
"Hey! Chloe? You just left me there."
Chloe could only cry in response, face buried in her folded arms. Marcus stood silent and uncomfortable, shifting his weight side to side with hands in jean pockets. Felicia looked between the two expectantly. Tension mounting, she waited no longer for the silence to break. "OK, I can't stand this any longer. Chlolita, don't feel bad. You had fun. That's the important part."
Chloe peered up at her friend, still crying. "Do you know what my parents would say?" She said through choking sobs. "I thought I could make up for the first time. Ignore it. Now look at me! I'm sitting here filthy on the street!"
Both Felicia and Marcus moved to sit on either side of Chloe. Felicia put an arm around her and poured out some old Panamanian wisdom. "Chica, it is hard. To know the difference between immorality and denying your human nature. You need to enjoy this time when you can feel so fiercely, before you dry up like an old leather shoe."
Sobs dwindling to a sniffle, Chloe mumbled, "Like you're a good judge on what's moral."
Playfulness gone, Felicia shot up from the curb. "Chloe, I think you need to suck it up. Stop being a fucking niña and own what you did." She turned back towards the bar. "I'm gonna stay with Phil tonight. I'll let you decide if you want to put the big girl pants on or always worry about your padres putting you in time out."
"Licia! Don't walk away. I'm sorry!" Chloe clamored to her feet, bumping Marcus in the process.
"I will forget it by morning." Felicia called over her shoulder. "Go home mi amiga. You've been baptized into womanhood." With that, Felicia disappeared back into the bar.
Chloe stood silent on the sidewalk. Marcus took care in interrupting her reverie, "Hey, Chloe." He approached her from the back but she didn't turn around. "Let me walk you back to your dorm."
"Don't go out of your way."
"Come on, you know my dorm is a block down from yours." He took off his coat, draping it over Chloe's narrow shoulders. She let him lead her by the elbow. The evening smell of a breezy summer accompanied them as they walked, neither saying a word. The campus was quiet, as was expected of a weekday night. Chloe didn't pull away when his fingers crawled down her arm to entangle hers. Marcus followed her up the stairs to her front door, not waiting to be asked.
Chloe fished out her keys, dropping them to the cement in the process. Marcus swiped them up before she could bend down. He stood there, spinning the keyring around his large forefinger. The jiggle of dancing metal seemed to grow louder as her discomfort grew. "I'm sorry," she said, "I didn't mean to freak out. I've just never done anything like that. I was caught up in the moment and had no idea what to do about Licia seeing us."
Marcus didn't reply, the keys still circling his finger.
"I liked it." Chloe cleared her throat. "I did."
He closed his fist around the keys, silencing them and stepped towards her. Chloe stepped back in response, lightly bumping the door behind her. "Can I have my keys, please?"