Outlaws Read Free

Where’re you going? They both stopped short. What’s up, chief?, asked the guy, raising his hands as if offering to be searched; he wasn’t smiling, but gave the impression that the situation amused him. He said: We just want to have a game. Can we? Señor Tomàs looked them both up and down with suspicion, and when he finished his examination said something that I didn’t quite catch; then realized what it was: I don’t want any trouble. Anyone who gives me trouble is out. Is that clear? Absolutely, said the guy, gesturing in a conciliatory way and lowering his hands. Don’t worry about us, boss. Señor Tomàs seemed to be half satisfied with the reply, returned to his booth and must have gone back to his crossword puzzle while the pair walked into the arcade.’
    ‘It was them.’
    ‘Yes: the guy was Zarco; the girl was Tere.’
    ‘Tere was Zarco’s girlfriend?’
    ‘Good question: if I’d known the answer in time I would have saved myself a lot of trouble; I’ll come to that later. The thing is that, like Señor Tomàs, as soon as I saw Zarco and Tere walk in I immediately felt wary, felt that from this moment on anything might happen in the arcade, and my first instinct was to abandon Rocky Balboa and split.
    ‘I stayed. I tried to forget the pair, act like they weren’t there, and carry on playing. I didn’t manage it, and a moment later felt a slap on my shoulder that made me stagger. What’s up, Gafitas?, asked Zarco, taking my place at the controls of the machine. He looked me in my bespectacled eyes with his very blue ones, spoke with a husky voice, had a centre parting in his hair and wore a tight denim jacket over a tight beige T-shirt. He repeated, defiantly, What’s up? I was scared. Holding up my hands I said: I just finished. I turned to leave, but at that moment Tere stepped in my way and my face was a handspan from hers. My first impression was surprise; my second, of being completely dazzled. Like Zarco, Tere was very thin, dark, not very tall, with that springy outdoors air quinquis used to have back then. She had straight dark hair and cruel green eyes, and a beauty spot beside her nose. Her whole body radiated the composure of a young woman who was very sure of herself, except for one tic: her left leg moved up and down like a piston. She was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt and her handbag strap crossed her chest. Going already?, she asked, smiling with her full, strawberry-red lips. I couldn’t answer because Zarco grabbed my arm and forced me to turn back around. You stay right there, Gafitas, he ordered, and started playing pinball on the Rocky Balboa machine.
    ‘He wasn’t very good at it, so the game was soon over. Shit, he said, punching the machine. He looked at me furiously, but before he could say anything Tere laughed, pushed him aside and put a coin in the slot. Grumbling, Zarco leaned on the table right next to me watching Tere play. Both of them commented on the game without paying any attention to me, although every once in a while, between one ball and the next, Tere would glance over at me out of the corner of her eye. People kept coming in and out of the arcade; Señor Tomàs came out of his booth more often than usual. Gradually I began to calm down, but was still a bit jittery and didn’t dare leave. Tere didn’t take long to finish her game either. When she did she stepped back from the machine and pointed at it. Your turn, she said. I didn’t open my mouth, didn’t move. What’s the matter, Gafitas?, Zarco asked. You don’t want to play any more? I kept quiet. He added: Cat got your tongue? No, I answered. So?, he insisted. I’ve run out of money, I said. Zarco looked at me curiously. You’re out of cash?, he asked. I nodded. Really?, he asked again. I nodded again. How much did you have? I told him the truth. Fuck, Tere, Zarco laughed. That wouldn’t be enough for me and you to wipe our asses with. Tere didn’t laugh; she stared at me. Zarco shoved me