The Rules of Attraction by Mário Santos

He is amazing, I’m telling you. Gonçalo is the best. Did it ever happen to you? You know, you see that person and you know that he is the one? It happened to me when I saw him for the first time. I’m not sure if I can call it love at first sight. To tell you the truth, I find the term a little bit mushy. I just know there was a spark, that’s for sure. I just know that with a single look he made me feel things I never felt before. Do you know what I mean?

I strongly believe that I found a new dimension to myself. Yeah, I know it sounds silly but that’s how it is. He revealed to me another self that I hadn’t discovered. And you know what’s curious? He has nothing in common with me. He never was my type of man. He’s cute–a good physique, skinny but muscled, a sculptured body. Iggy Pop-style, if you know what I mean? It drives me crazy. But on the other hand, he’s cocky. Yes, he is. Always dressed to kill, always ready for the hunt. But the bastard gives you an enormous sense of security. You know what I mean? When he holds me, OMG! It feels like nothing and no one could ever hurt me. I know, I know, it sounds silly. But it’s such a strong hug, so warm, so sweet, everything at once.

And the sex. OMG! He is everything I ever dreamed of, you know? He is everything any woman ever dreamed of, trust me. He knows how to be gentle and romantic at the right moment. He does a fantastic job with his tongue. Yes, he does. And when he wants you, he’s a real animal. There are times when I feel completely dominated. He does it well. He tears me up and down. I feel myself literally exploding when he enters inside me the way he does. There are no words to describe that, my friend. He is a love and sex machine. That’s what he is.

And then, that scene with the band, you know? I got crazy. He steps onto the stage and it seems he has the devil in his body. He sets the audience on fire from the first to the last row. He has strength and determination. When he appeared on the television, during that mid-afternoon show, I got crazy. He will succeed, I’m sure he will. And I want to be by his side all the time. You know what I mean? Behind a great man, there is always a great woman, and I want to be that woman.

He is the man of my dreams, there is no question about that. No chance of me giving him up. None at all. It’s not easy to find a man like him, nowadays. The downside of it all is the competition. It’s ferocious. But I’m not concerned about that. I’m not dumb. I was already prepared. He is harassed in such a way, you cannot imagine. But he’s not the one to blame for that. No, he isn’t. He doesn’t even need to move. He doesn’t even need to snap his fingers. There are women raining over him all the time. With a man like him, it’s easy to know why. But I know how to deal with that. I’m not dumb. I know he sleeps with others. There are women throwing themselves at him all the time. It’s not worth stressing about. I just have one demand, that a box of condoms is always with him. I check it out myself when he is going to leave without me. That’s the only demand I have. I don’t care about the other bitches. I never did, because I know that I’m the one. Only yesterday he told me so, with his tender voice and that sweet look in his eyes. He sleeps with others, but he is with me. He always comes back to me, that’s the truth.

I know, my friend. You’ve known me for many years. I was convinced that I was so modern, so urban and civilized. The women’s rights, the anti-discrimination, the equality, I know. I remember well all those fights. I used to be that way. I guess I am still the same, but in a different mode. You know? Sometimes I find myself wondering if my mother was, perhaps, right. She didn’t let my father go, despite knowing about all the lovers and the whores. I still remember how much it upset me at the time. I couldn’t understand her submissive way of behaving and facing life. How could I? It’s all down to one day. One day you are with a friend in an amusement park, driving around in a bumper car. Then you go out to buy more chips, and there is a guy like Gonçalo staring at you.

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