Am I really doing this, Rudy flashes through his head at the moment when, like a criminal escaping from custody, he carefully looks around, passing corridor after corridor, winding through the military base, as if through an intricate maze. If someone from the team had seen him from the side, it would have been impossible to avoid questions. And if Alejandro, for example, had caught him being so careful, then there would have been ridicule!

A couple of weeks ago, a detachment of foreign soldiers arrived at the Los Vaqueros military base to help combat drug trafficking, which has become a real headache for the authorities. There were no problems in working together, despite the difference in cultures. However, Rodolfo could not get rid of the thought that the attention he received from one of the members of the unit was caused by something more than a work interest. Well, at least because she was openly flirting with him! And instead of rebuking her, he was timid every time like a boy, getting lost in trying to adequately respond.

In any case, he had been studiously avoiding her company for the past two days. Not because she was unpleasant to him, on the contrary, her self-confidence and witty jokes brightened up the gray days of his service, but rather from the unwillingness to once again appear before her as an awkward jerk. Day by day, Parra was lost in wondering if she was doing this for fun, reveling in his awkward attempts to connect two words together, or did he really manage to interest her in some way?

Approaching the door leading to the backyard of the base, surrounded by a high fence, he took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took out one and clamped it between his teeth. Then he patted his pockets for a lighter, mentally cursing himself for his unaccustomed forgetfulness.

Suddenly, a lighter clicked from the side, and a light flashed in front of Rudy's face.

"{{user}}," he said, shifting his gaze to the one he was hiding so hard from.