I never liked being the center of attention; having all those eyes on me, imagining what they think of me for what I do or say, is something that always caused me anguish and anxiety, that's why I always got along better with writing instead of public speaking since it allows me to express more fluidly and constantly what I want to say.
I was the opposite of my friend Alejandra; she was hyperactive, outgoing, physically very emotional, and expressive. She was very into the arts, especially dance and yoga. A young, beautiful girl, with great charisma and a way of saying things without taboos, but in a nice way.
I, on the contrary, was always withdrawn and reserved. Shy, introverted, afraid to socialize with others. I liked the silence and the tranquility of being under the shadows. My voice was almost imperceptible and I avoided giving my opinion on any subject for fear of reprisals. I was always thinking about what others would think about me, a social phobia that took me a long time to control.
Getting together with Alejandra was never in my plans. We were two opposites; so special and different in our way, and despite our differences, we made an excellent team when it came to university work.
Alejandra always stood out with her clothing outfits that highlighted her radiant personality. “I like the way you look today, Alejandra, you look very cheerful,” I would say to my friend with compliments.
“Thank you, you would look good in these colors too, if you wore less black and gray clothes,” she asserted laughing as she put her arm around my neck. Every week, in the faculty plaza, we talked and smiled about our classes and professors. We would comment on homework assignments and practice jokes based on the things we learned. She was my best friend during those years and we were practically inseparable. But it didn't take long for Alejandra's personality, which was so beautiful and opposite to mine, to attract bad things.
I mentioned earlier that my best friend was very beautiful, coupled with her striking personality. Some men were charmed by her; especially those who are not used to a woman being very nice to them or treating them in a very cordial way, as Alejandra did with everyone.
Unfortunately, one of them was Professor Cubillán; an unbearable man who saw my friend as a piece of appetizing meat and me as an obstacle; for this subhuman man believed that Alejandra and I were sweethearts without even knowing my true sexual orientation.
The problem started in one of his classes, everything was going normal, routine; we didn't expect anything new, since he always started in a certain particular way. Suddenly, he sat down in front of us and started looking at all of us.
“Today we are going to do a new activity, to see if you are studying as you should,” the teacher said as he slowly ran his hand over his chin with a sinister smile. “You will be divided into different groups and I will choose the teams, and for the next class, I want you to give me a paper on the specific topic I am going to give you.” He concluded.
It was my turn with Alejandra, I was happy that I could work with my friend.
“The challenge of this activity,” the teacher continued, “is for you to debate against your partner. The loser will be the one who no longer has arguments to refute. Oh, by the way, don't cheat by ganging up on your partner or I will notice and you will get zero points on the activity.” He concluded.
His plan was very well configured since he knew that Alejandra would succeed in the activity because of her ease in public speaking, while I, on the other hand, got stuck and my nerves prevented me from defending myself fluently.
The day of the activity, as expected, I had many problems, especially because the teacher intervened in my debate against Alejandra, throwing more help to her than to me. It was evident to all present that the sinister Professor Cubillán wanted me to lose, and when he threw arguments that excited Alejandra's competitive spirit, it was more than clear that he wanted her to defeat me in the fight by adding fuel to the fire that was already burning brightly.
Alejandra took most of the points, while I simply savored defeat. She was full of happiness; just as she used to express it, then the teacher kept giving her compliments as if she was the brightest in the class.
After that day, the compliments did not stop and Alejandra quickly became Professor Cubillán's favorite. He would use his sarcasm to refer to us as “furniture” around Alejandra. That kind of attention did not seem to upset my friend and she laughed. She was beginning to tell me that she had been wrong about the professor and that she was going to ask him to be her tutor for her next paper.
Everything that happened recently surprised me a lot, but there was nothing I could do about it. Alejandra felt important and smart; it was the first time she excelled in a subject and that made her very happy.
One morning, she arrived at the faculty square angry and throwing her books on the stone bench.
“Cubillán is a pig!” she exclaimed angrily. “He tried to make a pass at me in his cubicle.”
I gaped, not knowing what to reply.
“It's a good thing the semester is going to end because I don't want to see that idiot's face again. You know what he told me? He confessed to me that he helped me win in the debate activity against you just to get me closer to him.”
“What a jerk!” I replied with the same anger. “What are you going to do?”
“Nothing, I'll wait for the semester to end and get out of his class. I don't think he'll dare to make a pass at me or try to scratch my subject because I'm capable of making a scandal,” he assured.
Indeed, Alejandra was an expert at humiliating men depending on the situation, and as expected, Professor Cubillán did nothing with respect and praise for Alejandra was over.
My friend and I passed the subject with a good grade. Professor Cubillán, after everything that had happened with Alejandra, avoided greeting her when he met her in the hallways or made a grumpy face. I was glad that things had not escalated and I think Alejandra also learned not to get carried away by her passions, especially her competitive spirit.
THE END
EL PLAN SINIESTRO
Nunca me gustó ser el centro de atención; tener todos esos ojos encima, imaginándome lo que piensan de mí por lo que hago o digo, es algo que siempre me causaba angustia y ansiedad, por eso siempre me llevé mejor con la escritura en vez de la oratoria, ya que me permite expresar de una manera más fluida y constante lo que de verdad quiero decir.
Yo era todo lo contrario a mi amiga Alejandra; ella era hiperactiva, extrovertida, físicamente muy emocional y expresiva. Le gustaban mucho las artes, especialmente la danza y el yoga. Una chica joven, hermosa, con gran carisma y una manera de decir las cosas sin tabúes, pero de una manera agradable.
Yo, por el contrario, siempre fui retraído y reservado. Tímido, introvertido, con miedo a socializar con los demás. Me gustaba más el silencio y la tranquilidad de estar bajo las sombras. Mi voz era casi imperceptible y evitaba opinar sobre cualquier tema por miedo a represalias de cualquier tipo. Siempre pensando en lo que opinaran los demás sobre mí, una fobia social que me costó mucho tiempo controlar.
Juntarme con Alejandra nunca estuvo en mis planes. Éramos dos polos opuestos; tan especiales y distintos a nuestra manera, y a pesar de nuestras diferencias, hacíamos muy buen equipo cuando se trataba de trabajos universitarios.
Alejandra siempre destacó con sus atuendos de ropa que resaltaban su personalidad tan radiante. “Me gusta como te ves hoy, Alejandra, te ves muy alegre,” le decía a mi amiga con halagos.
“Gracias, a ti también te quedarían bien estos colores, si usaras menos ropa negra y gris,” aseveró riendo mientras rodeaba mi cuello con su brazo. Cada semana, en la plaza de la Facultad, hablamos y sonreíamos sobre nuestras clases y los profesores. Hacíamos comentarios sobre las tareas y practicábamos chistes con base en las cosas que aprendíamos. Ella fue mi mejor amiga durante aquellos años y, prácticamente, éramos inseparables. Pero la personalidad de Alejandra, que era tan bella y opuesta a la mía, no tardó mucho en atraer cosas malas.
Mencioné anteriormente que mi mejor amiga era muy hermosa, aunado a su llamativa forma de ser. Algunos hombres quedaban encantados con ella; especialmente aquellos que no están acostumbrados a que una mujer sea muy amable con ellos o los trate de una manera muy cordial, como lo hacía Alejandra con todo el mundo.
Desafortunadamente, uno de ellos era el profesor Cubillán; un hombre insoportable que vio a mi amiga como un trozo de carne apetitoso y a mí como a un obstáculo; pues dicho infrahumano creyó que Alejandra y yo éramos novios sin saber siquiera mi verdadera orientación sexual.
El problema comenzó en una de sus clases, todo iba normal, rutinario; no esperábamos nada nuevo, ya que él siempre empezaba de cierta manera particular. De repente, se sentó frente a nosotros y comenzó a mirarnos a todos.
“Hoy vamos a hacer una actividad nueva, para ver si están estudiando cómo se debe,” dijo el profesor mientras se pasaba lentamente la mano por la barbilla con una sonrisa siniestra. “Se dividirán en diferentes grupos y yo escogeré los equipos, y para la siguiente clase, quiero que me hagan una ponencia del tema en específico que les voy a dar.” Concluyó.
A mí me tocó con Alejandra, estaba feliz de que pudiera trabajar con mi amiga.
“El reto de esta actividad,” prosiguió el profesor, “es que debatan contra su compañero. El perdedor será aquel que ya no tenga argumentos para rebatir. Ah, por cierto, no hagan trampa confabulándose con su compañero o me daré cuenta y tendrán cero puntos en la actividad.” Concluyó.
Su plan estaba muy bien configurado, ya que él sabía que Alejandra tendría éxito en la actividad por su facilidad para hablar en público, en cambio, yo, me trababa y los nervios me impedían defenderme con fluidez.
El día de la actividad, como era de esperarse, yo tuve muchos problemas, sobre todo porque el profesor intervenía en mi debate contra Alejandra, tirando más ayuda para ella que a mí. Era evidente para todos los presentes que el siniestro profesor Cubillán quería que yo perdiera, y cuando lanzó argumentos que excitaban el espíritu competitivo de Alejandra, quedó más que claro que quería que ella me derrotara en la pelea al echar esa leña al fuego que ya ardía con intensidad.
Alejandra se llevó la mayoría de los puntos, mientras que yo simplemente saboreé la derrota. Ella estaba llena de felicidad; tal y como ella solía expresarlo, luego el profesor seguía dándole elogios como si ella fuera la más brillante de la clase.
Después de ese día, los halagos no pararon y rápidamente Alejandra se convirtió en la favorita del profesor Cubillán. El muy descarado usaba su sarcasmo para referirse a nosotros como “muebles” que se hallaban alrededor de Alejandra. Ese tipo de atención no parecía disgustar a mi amiga y se reía. Ella comenzaba a decirme que se había equivocado con respecto al profesor y que le iba a pedir que fuese su tutor en su próxima ponencia.
Todo lo que pasaba recientemente me sorprendió mucho, pero no podía hacer nada. Alejandra se sentía importante y lista; era la primera vez que sobresalía en una materia y eso la hacía muy feliz.
Una mañana, llegó a la plaza de la Facultad enojada y tirando los libros en la banca de piedra.
“¡Cubillán es un cerdo!”, exclamó furiosa. “Trató de propasarse conmigo en su cubilo.”
Yo quedé boquiabierto, no sabía qué responder.
“Qué bueno que el semestre ya va a terminar, porque no quiero volver a ver la cara de ese idiota. ¿Sabes lo que me dijo? Me confesó que me ayudó a ganar en la actividad de debates contra a ti solo para acercarme más a él.”
“¡Qué imbécil!” Respondí con la misma rabia. “¿Qué vas a hacer?”
“Nada, esperaré a que termine el semestre y salir de su clase. No creo que se atreva a propasarse conmigo o a tratar de rasparme la materia porque soy capaz de hacer un escándalo,” aseguró.
En efecto, Alejandra era experta en humillar a los hombres dependiendo de la situación, y como era de esperarse, el profesor Cubillán no hizo nada el respeto y los elogios hacia Alejandra habían terminado.
Mi amiga y yo pasamos la materia con buena calificación. El profesor Cubillán, después de todo lo que había pasado con Alejandra, evitaba saludarla cuando se la encontraba en los pasillos o ponía cara de mal genio. Me alegré de que las cosas no habían pasado a mayores y creo que Alejandra aprendió también a no dejarse llevar por sus pasiones, especialmente por su espíritu competitivo.
FIN
Texto traducido con Deepl | Text translated with Deepl
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Argh, you guys went through a lot, I'm glad everything worked out in the end though. You both passed the class and Cubillán got what was coming to him. Alejandra's threat of making a scene was probably the best deterrent. I bet he won't be messing with her or any other student again anytime soon.
Yes, he was a jerk, I would have liked Alejandra to denounce him, but unfortunately it was not so according to the circumstances at the time, but in the end everything turned out well.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
This story is as old as the human race itself. It may happen in a classroom, or in a boardroom. Lust and jealousy are among the basest emotions, but also among the strongest drives. It was fortunate Alejandra was not ensnared in this teacher's trap. She was able to extricate herself before real harm was done.
You explain your emotions well, and come through at the end as a true friend, one who is able to look past Alejandra's lapse. She was, after all, young and impressionable. Friendship, it turned out, was stronger than her transient frailty.
Thank you for sharing this with us, @universoperdido
Alejandra could be a very impulsive person, but she was a very good friend and I always thanked her for that.
Thanks for the support and comment, friends.
The way you've described the struggle with social anxiety and the stark differences between your personality and Alejandra's is so relatable.
Yes, we were like oil and water, but in this case it worked well.
Thanks for reading and commenting!