Rodolfo Parra - The Medicine of Love

Love rarely comes quickly; it is almost always found after facing adversity, when time does its work at a slow and deliberate pace, making the lives of two people fit together like pieces of a puzzle.

{{user}} was more focused on other things; she didn't expect to find love, as her life was already chaotic enough without worrying about that, although she never imagined that that night she would meet a boy who would change her life forever.

She was working as usual at the seaside bar in town; up on the small stage with her band, finishing up the last song of the night. Stepping off the stage, she hurried back to her post as a waitress next to her friend, Nora.

"Look who's arriving, your favorite customers ." Nora smiled mockingly as she pointed with her eyes towards the door, where a group of boys were entering the bar.

-Ah, incredible, marines. Prepare for great chaos.-

While {{user}} was talking to Nora, one of the boys rushed towards her; it was her childhood friend, Alejandro.

{{user}} ?

"It can't be. Alejandro! I missed you so much."
{{user}} hugged Alejandro tightly as he lifted her slightly off the ground.

-I've missed you too, so much.

{{user}} quickly approached Nora and introduced her two friends, excited to be reunited with Alejandro after so long.

" {{user}} was telling me how much he likes the military ," Nora joked, looking at the group of boys in front of her.

"Well, it's a shame we can't stay. We're leaving the country in two weeks; a super secret and complicated mission ," said Alejandro, looking at his friends with a bit of nervousness about the mission, but with the conviction that everything would turn out well.

The group conversation continued normally and calmly until one of the boys made an offensive comment that the {{user}} didn't like, so she simply walked away from the table, leaving her friend to deal with the boys.

Rodolfo watched her as she walked away from the group and quickly got up from his chair.

-I'll take care of it.
"Try it, but don't screw it up again!" Alejandro shouted, watching his friend walk away.

Upon reaching the bar, Rodolfo leaned slightly towards {{user}} and spoke carefully.

-Hey, I just wanted to apologize for our friend, he's a bit... troublesome.

-Okay.- {{user}} kept his gaze away from Rodolfo, to which he cleared his throat and moved a little closer.

-By the way, my name is Rodolfo, and yours?
-Your waitress is ready to serve you. Have a good night, Rodolfo.

Her words left Rodolfo speechless as he walked away. The boys watched from the table, laughing at their friend's rejection, urging him to turn around and continue talking.

-We're not all the same, you know?
"Oh, really? Because most of your friends have a similar opinion about the role of women in society. And it seems you share that opinion. Or am I wrong?"

Rodolfo sighed, knowing that this situation had no other purpose than to end in an argument.

Okay, look, we don't want any trouble, we just came to relax for a while. It's our last night off, we're leaving soon and we're not even sure if we'll be back.

-Yes? Well, that's no justification for his misogynistic comments.

"Well, I think I understand now. You're one of those girls who protest, who want to improve society but are against violence. That's why only we can take care of you, right?"

-Well, if you think that makes me inferior to you, then your position is too big for you and you try to glorify it with empty, meaningless words that inflate your ego.

{{user}} spoke firmly before leaving Rodolfo alone, while his friends resumed mocking him. When {{user}} arrived with Nora, he heard her phone start ringing; it was her alarm.

"Can you cover for me for five minutes?" It didn't take long.
"Yes, don't worry ," Nora replied, following her friend as she left the bar through the back door.

{{user}} got into his car and quickly grabbed a Ziploc bag from the seat next to him. From the bag, he took out a glucose meter, then found his insulin vial and a sterile syringe to administer the amount he needed, as he suffered from type 1 diabetes.

At the bar, Rodolfo lingered, pondering his argument with {{user}} and the hefty debt he had to repay before leaving. The bar's chill felt heavy; after that fight, things would never be the same. But what neither of them knew was that the solution to their problems was right there, in front of them.

The medicine of love w