Valentina

I got out of the shower and put on my pajamas to sleep, I dried my hair with the towel while thinking.

After that day at the university when I had my last exam I haven't seen Antonella since, she hasn't written or called; it's weird because she said she was my best friend, I thought she would be by my side all the time, supporting me.

I guess I was wrong.

"If it's late, I should..."

(Some memories arrive)

What was that?

Antonella?

Was Antonella crying and wiping her tears when I approached her?

I remember that that day she didn't want to tell you what she had and was silent all the way to my house, I saw her very depressed, I had never seen her like that; until now she doesn't tell me why she went.

Wait...

Was that a memory?

I guess now the memories will come sporadically, I hope this doesn't change what is happening to me with Eros, because I love him too much to lose him.

I wonder how Antonella is now, I feel that I miss her.

(Cell phone rings)

Hello? - I answered the call.

- Hello beautiful - said Eros from the other end of the call.

How are you looking? - I responded to his flirtation.

- Great because I'm talking to you now, you - he said in a mellow tone.

I just remembered something - I said.

- What did you remember? - he asked worriedly.

To Antonella - I said.

- Ah! and what did you remember? - he asked, relieved.

That she's my best friend and that I love her, but, I haven't heard from her since that day when you went to my university to pick me up, I wonder how she is - I said worried.

- Why don't you give her a call? - he asked.

I did, but she's not answering any of my calls - I said discouraged.

- How about I take you to her house tomorrow to visit her? - he said, reassuring me.

That would be great, I'll see you tomorrow then... - I finished the call.

That night I didn't feel much like talking, I don't know why, but after remembering Antonella I felt that something wasn't right, that there was something I was missing, so I decided to make one last call to her.

(Voice mail again)

"Hi...Anto...it's me, Valen, I want you to know that I remembered you, I reminded you, I would like to talk to you, when you can call me".

That was the message I left him before I went to sleep.

The next day I woke up and the first thing I did was look for my cell phone and see if Antonella had answered me, but to no avail, the message box didn't have any of her messages.

Was Antonella avoiding me?

I remember that she stopped talking to me when... THAT'S IT! SHE MUST BE AT HER GRANDPARENTS'!

As soon as I could find out what to wear, I went downstairs to have breakfast with my parents.

Soon Eros arrived to take me to Antonella.

- Hey! Precious, will you tell me Antonella's address so I can put her on the map? - said Eros attentively.

Sure, but we'll go to her grandparents, I remembered that that's her place when she wants to get away - I answered.

After dictating the address to Eros and having him start writing it down on the map in his car, we realized that it came out as a bookmarked address; we thought it was strange.

How do you have that address? - I asked intrigued by the answer he could give me.

- I don't know - he said genuinely surprised.

Do you know Antonella, her grandparents? - was my next question.

- No, not that I remember, maybe my dad does for business - he said, dismayed by the situation.

Well, let's go - I concluded.

I didn't know what was going on, all the way I was thinking about how it was possible that Eros had Antonella's grandparents' address engraved on the map, it was impossible for them to know each other, I mean, Eros had told me that he studied at The Foznorth School, which was just outside of San Francisco, it was impossible for them to know each other.

I didn't understand what was going on, but one thing I can be sure of is that he didn't know what was going on either.

Throughout the whole journey, silence accompanied us and one or two sighs.

Antonella's grandparents lived in L.A., so the trip was about six hours, my mom knew that I would sleep there and leave the next day on my way back.

We arrived.

I got out of the car and told Eros to wait for me.

I went to the door and rang the bell.

- Hello? Valentina? - said the voice behind the door.

Yes, it's me - I answered.

- What are you doing here? - opened the door Emily, Antonella's sister, as she asked the question.

I came to find Antonella - answering her question.

- You shouldn't be here... - said Emily seriously.

Why should you be here? I want to tell my best friend that I remember her and that I'm worried because she wasn't answering my calls - I said defensively.

Antonella and I came all the way here so she could get a break from everything that was going on over there, it's not fair to her that you came to disturb that quiet, not everything revolves around you Valentina - said Emily closing the door.

I still didn't understand what was happening, but, I decided to leave and give Antonella the space she needed.

I walked to the car.

- What happened? - Eros asked.

Antonella needs space, let's go to the hotel - I answered as I got into the car.

Eros drove to the hotel, we asked for separate rooms and I told him I needed to sleep.

The next day Eros gave me a plane ticket and told me that the flight was leaving in an hour, that he couldn't take me, that I needed to do some things in L.A.

He accompanied me to the airport and I returned to San Francisco.

After a few days I saw Eros, he was strange, I didn't know what was happening to him, he wasn't the same.

What happened in L.A. that made him behave that way?

I didn't understand anything.

Sometimes I wish people would stop hiding things from me, since my accident is the only thing they have known how to do, and instead of helping me, it makes everything worse.