Furia

Leaving the church, Diego drives toward a riverfront park. When Camila shares that she’s never driven before, he teaches her in an empty parking lot. He is patient and kind, easing her nervousness with praise and encouragement. As they walk toward the river along Avenida Belgrano, Diego takes Camila’s hand and she pictures how they look to the people they pass—a normal couple. As they walk, a few people recognize him and ask for selfies. When they reach a band playing cumbia, Diego leads Camila onto the dance floor. Camila is under Diego’s spell, and her heart pounds when he calls her his girl and buys her a bouquet of roses. The evening ends too quickly; Diego takes Camila home, and they share a deep kiss before he leaves, promising he will see her tomorrow.

Entering her empty house, Camila is floating. She loves the way she feels with Diego but can’t help but wonder what doors would close to her if she followed him back to Italy. Camila’s family returns home, and her father pounds on her door, breaking the lock as he forces it open. He tells her that gossip about her and Diego is already posted online. He says Diego could be the family’s ticket to a better life and that she better be smart to get the most out of a relationship with him. He implies that once she has sex with Diego, he will likely lose interest, so she shouldn’t “give it out for free” (123). Camila seethes at her father’s blatant greed and callousness but doesn’t stand up to him.

In the morning, Camila shares a vulnerable moment with her mother, who opens up about getting pregnant with Pablo in her last year of high school. She encourages Camila to focus on school, and Camila inwardly resolves to break the family cycle of “toxic love.” On the bus ride to school, Camila recognizes Luciano Durand, a soccer player who was on his way to the professional league alongside Pablo and Diego until he tore his meniscus. He is familiar with Camila’s soccer team and their qualification for the Sudamericano tournament and tells her, “Bring that trophy to el barrio” (134). As he gets off the bus, Camila wonders who else knows her secret.

As Camila arrives at school, Roxana shows her a picture that Diego posted on Instagram of him and Camila at ages 11 and 13 with the caption “Amigos.” Camila worries that reporters will figure out who she is from the photo and that her parents will find out about her playing soccer. Talking to Roxana, Camila acknowledges that although Diego is her first love, fútbol is the path both of them chose. She doesn’t tell Roxana about her date with Diego or the kiss they shared, knowing her friend would disapprove of the distraction. Before she can lose her nerve, Camila calls Diego and says she needs some space. Diego has to return to Italy a few days sooner than expected, and Camila tells him she can’t continue seeing him.

Camila has her first day at El Buen Pastor that afternoon and tries to hide her sadness. She meets the group of students she will be teaching and immediately feels drawn to Karen, the only girl in the group. Camila can see that Karen loves to read and resolves to help Karen in the same way that Coach Alicia helped her. When the class ends, Camila finds out from one of the nuns that Karen has siblings she takes care of. Camila shares her allotment of bread with Karen, who leaves carrying a plastic shopping bag on her shoulders like a backpack.