La conversación incómoda
The awkward conversation
1 · Spanish Story
La historia
Camila cerró el computador y vio que Diego la esperaba junto a la puerta. Ella pensó que él quería hablar de un error en un informe. Durante la mañana, él había respondido muy seco por chat, y eso la había dejado inquieta. También había notado que Diego no la miró en la reunión.
Diego dijo: "¿Tienes un minuto?" Camila asintió, aunque sintió un nudo en el estómago. Caminaron hasta la sala de reuniones vacía. Ella se sentó, cruzó las manos y miró la mesa. Todo parecía más serio de lo normal.
"Quería aclarar algo", dijo Diego. "En el chat soné enojado, pero no era contigo. Mi celular se quedó sin batería en la mañana. Después mi jefe me llamó por otro tema, y yo estaba apurado. No alcancé a explicarlo bien."
Camila respiró hondo. "Yo pensé que habías visto un problema en el informe", dijo. "Me quedé pensando todo el día. Incluso le pregunté a Sofía si tú estabas molesto conmigo." Diego negó con la cabeza. "No, el informe está bien. Solo quería pedirte que mañana llegues un poco antes."
"Tenemos una reunión con el cliente y necesito que revises una última versión", agregó. Camila sintió alivio y también vergüenza. "Perdón por imaginarme lo peor", dijo. Diego sonrió. "No pasa nada. A veces un mensaje corto confunde a cualquiera."
Antes de salir, ella recordó que su reloj estaba atrasado y lo ajustó en el computador. En la puerta, Diego agregó: "Gracias por hablarlo al tiro." Camila rió un poco. "Sí, mejor así." Los dos bajaron por el ascensor más tranquilos que antes, y la oficina quedó en silencio.
2 · Key Phrases
Language to keep
la esperaba
was waiting for herThis phrase shows that one person is waiting for another specific person.
Mi hermana la esperaba en la entrada con una bolsa.
My sister was waiting for her at the entrance with a bag.
un nudo en el estómago
a knot in the stomachThis phrase describes nervousness or anxiety felt in the body.
Antes de llamar, sentí un nudo en el estómago.
Before calling, I felt a knot in my stomach.
se quedó sin batería
ran out of batteryThis phrase is common for phones and other devices that stop working because the battery is empty.
Mi celular se quedó sin batería en la tarde.
My cellphone ran out of battery in the afternoon.
me quedé pensando
I kept thinkingThis phrase shows that a thought stayed in your mind for some time.
Me quedé pensando en tu pregunta toda la noche.
I kept thinking about your question all night.
imaginarme lo peor
to imagine the worstThis phrase means to expect the worst possible result without enough evidence.
No sirve imaginarme lo peor antes de hablar.
It does not help to imagine the worst before speaking.
al tiro
right awayThis phrase means immediately or without delay. It is commonly used in Chile.
Usage: Conversational; common in relaxed speech. This phrase is common in Chile and means the same as “de inmediato” or “right away”.
Te respondo al tiro cuando termine.
I will reply right away when I finish.
3 · English Translation
The full story in English
Camila closed the computer and saw that Diego was waiting for her by the door. She thought that he wanted to talk about a mistake in a report. During the morning, he had replied very curtly by chat, and that had left her uneasy. She had also noticed that Diego did not look at her in the meeting.
Diego said, "Do you have a minute?" Camila nodded, although she felt a knot in her stomach. They walked to the empty meeting room. She sat down, folded her hands, and looked at the table. Everything seemed more serious than normal.
"I wanted to clear something up," Diego said. "In the chat, I sounded angry, but it was not about you. My cellphone ran out of battery in the morning. Then my boss called me about another issue, and I was in a hurry. I did not have time to explain it well."
Camila took a deep breath. "I thought that you had seen a problem in the report," she said. "I kept thinking about it all day. I even asked Sofía if you were upset with me." Diego shook his head. "No, the report is fine. I only wanted to ask you to arrive a little earlier tomorrow."
"We have a meeting with the client and I need you to review a final version," he added. Camila felt relief and also embarrassment. "Sorry for imagining the worst," she said. Diego smiled. "It is okay. Sometimes a short message confuses anyone."
Before leaving, she remembered that her watch was slow and adjusted it on the computer. At the door, Diego added: "Thanks for talking about it right away." Camila laughed a little. "Yes, better that way." The two of them went down by elevator calmer than before, and the office fell silent.