(51)

ARES HIDALGO

The imposing Greek's sun burns my skin, and forces me to hide behind sunglasses. The weather, unlike at home, is not cold, but not hot either, staying in a middle ground that I have enjoyed very much since we arrived.

I'm lying on a chair in front of the resort's crystal clear pool; the view is relaxing, you can see the whole coastline and the beach beyond the pool. For me, Greece has always had an air of antiquity, of history, that gives you a strange feeling, but in a good way.

Next to me, my grandpa is sitting, Claudia is standing next to him, picking up his medicines from a table under an umbrella. She is wearing a red bathing dress that matches her hair and a see-through dress that barely covers her.

"I think I've had enough."

Grandpa grunts and starts to get up. I help him and Claudia to stand up.

"Yes, it's time to rest."

Grandpa gently lets go of my grip.

"Ares, son, I can still walk alone."

I raise my hands in the air.

"It's clear to me."

I watch them cross the glass doors, and the sound of a notification catches my attention; like crazy, I pick up my phone, but there is nothing.

Nothing.

I haven't heard from Raquel in over two hours.

And shit, I'm so out of focus.

I called her to wish her happy new year when midnight came here, but after that I heard nothing more from her, not even when midnight came there. I have sent her messages, I have called her and there is no answer, is she still asleep? Even though it is already three o'clock in the afternoon here, it is still early in the morning there.

Another notification sound, but I have my cell phone on my hand so I know it's not mine, but Apolo's, which is on a chair.

Apolo is swimming in the pool, for a change, swimming has always been his hobby since he was little. I stare at his phone screen, amazed at the amount of notifications he has received from Facebook?

Apolo has never been very active on Facebook, has he?

But the notifications don't stop. So I walk to the edge of the pool with a towel and his cell phone in hand, bending down as Apolo emerges from the water, shaking out his hair.

"Your phone is going to explode,"

Apolo gives me a confused look.

"My phone?"

"Since when have you been so active on Facebook?"

"I am not."

Apolo sits on the shore, puts the towel around his shoulders and shakes the water out of his hand to grab his phone. I sit next to him because I have nothing better to do, now that the witch is ignoring me.

Apolo moves his finger over the screen of his phone, and I see his expression of confusion growing.

"Oh, shit."

"What's wrong?"

As if my cell phone wanted to respond, the bombardment of notifications started to get to mine as well. I'm about to check when Artemis appears in my field of vision and doesn't look at all cheerful, he's holding his cell phone in his hand.

"Apolo," Artemis grunts and I see my younger brother lower his head. "Why did you upload that picture without permission?"

I look at both of them.

"Which photo?"

"I didn't think this would happen, I only have acquaintances on my Facebook."

Apolo explains and I still don't understand.

"Can someone explain to me what's going on?"

Artemis puts his phone screen in front of my face, showing me a picture we took this morning of the three of us in shorts, shirtless, wearing sunglasses by the pool. The kinship is obvious, and I'm not ashamed to say we look great.

Artemis sighs.

"Someone stole Apolo's Facebook photo and posted it on a Facebook page called 'Hot Guys'."

Apolo is still surprised.

"The photo went viral and has a lot of "likes" and the comments do not stop."

Artemis gives Apolo a murderous look.

"In the comments they planned to find us, and somehow they did because I have over 2,000 friend requests and counting."

Checking my phone, I realize that I have a lot of friend requests and messages to private from strangers too.

"Relax, Artemis," I try to calm him down. "It's a nuisance, but look on the bright side, free publicity for the Hidalgo Company."

Artemis gives us one last look before leaving, still not looking happy, but, well, happy expressions are not his strong suit either.

"Did you read the comments?" Apolo asks, absorbed by his cellphone.

Filled with curiosity, I open the post and get ready to read some of the comments.

I stop because the comments are getting dirtier and dirtier. Wow, it's amazing what people can say without even knowing us.

I feel myself being watched so I look up to meet a pair of very pretty gray eyes. A black-haired girl and her blonde friend have just stepped into the pool on the other side. It's not the first time I've seen them, since we arrived at the resort two weeks ago, we've always run into them in the common areas.

Apolo follows my gaze.

"The girl who chases you, huh?"

"She doesn't chase me."

"You know it's true, even I've noticed it," Apolo takes a look at her. "She's very exotic, your type."

I run my hand through my hair.

My type? Yes, he's right, that used to be my type, girls with dark hair and light eyes, and I ended up falling in love with a girl who has none of those characteristics, how ironic is life.

"I don't have a type anymore, there is only her."

Apolo gives me a big smile.

"I am proud of you."

"And I'm proud of you, my brother who is no longer a virgin."

"Don't start."

"Ah, come on, it's normal to be curious, my first time was a disaster."

"Liar."

"I swear, it took me like five minutes to put on the condom."

Apolo grimaces in discomfort.

"Too much information, Ares."

"I have to ask. Did you wear a condom, Apolo?"

"Of course. What do you take me for?"

"Good."

When it's time to eat as a family, my mother opens her mouth, checking something on her phone.

"We are trending topic on Twitter."

Artemis throws his head back, grunting.

"Don't tell me this is about the photo."

My mother shows us.

"Look, the hashtag Hidalgo is in the top ten."

Social networks will never cease to amaze me.

Claudia furrows her brows.

"Which photo?"

Apolo sits down, taking a piece of pineapple.

"Remember the picture you took of us this morning?"

Claudia nods, Apolo chews and speaks.

"It went viral."

My mother gives him a grimace of disgust.

"Don't chew and talk, Apolo, how rude."

I sit down, too, and check my phone again; other than the craziness of the photo, I have no message from the witch.

Where are you, Raquel?

Don't you miss me?

Because I'm dying to talk to you.

I open the message conversation with her and I notice she hasn't seen my messages yet. My phone rings in my hands, but my excitement fades a little when I see it's Samantha.

I move away from the table to answer.

"Hello?"

"Oh, happy New Year, Ares."

Her voice sounds strained, something is not right.

"What's wrong?"

She hesitates on the other end of the line.

"Something happened, Ares."