4

Madison -

The week for me passed slowly, my days were meaningless, I spent sighing in my bedroom and I could feel Hilary's gaze focused on my sad and empty self. These days it took me a lot to focus on anything other than my thoughts about everything I went through in my last two years, high school and the first in college, I felt that I made too many mistakes as a normal person; and I think my heart feels empty, life has no meaning and my days are totally gray if I do not have her with me. I don't think I'm over it...

I sigh at the disappointment I feel of myself for ruining one of the best things that ever happened to me. If I had just acted differently, I wouldn't be lamenting my mediocre existence.

- Hi... HEY! - Hilary yells at me as she moved her hand before my eyes to see if I was listening.

- Oh? - I said coming out of my thoughts that had me engrossed in a world of lamentations.

- I was asking if you were going to the event at Johnny's Café in town, because I wanted to know if I could go with you - she repeated.

- Oh! - I exclaimed with surprise - yes I will, just a few days ago I went out with Andy because he called me-I began to tell him.

- Did you go out with Andy? - she asked with surprise interrupting me.

- Hey... yes, I thought I told you - I said confused.

- No, you obviously skipped that little detail - replied Hilary, annoyed that she had omitted information about my life in the last few days.

I'm sorry - I apologized - I've been lost in my thoughts and I forgot - I said pouting.

All right, go on with what you were saying - she replied, patting me on the shoulder.

- Where did I stay? - ask.

You're going to the event with Andy - she replied, making me continue with my story.

- Ah! But I won't go with him to the event, he'll just go to town - I corrected.

- You should invite him - hilary mentioned, making me think about it.

- I'll tell you - I replied calmly.

- Then... - she said making a gesture to continue.

- My parents don't know I'll go, only Abby knows - I kept counting.

- Then it is more than obvious that Charlotte must be aware - she said with suspicion.

- I don't think so, I asked Abby not to say anything, she surely forgot to tell her - I said.

- But you're hopeful that he knows and will see you, isn't she? - asked.

- I won't lie to you - I sigged - I'm dying to see her - I looked at the ground - plus, Abby told me she would go to the event because some guys who organized the event handed them posters - I added.

- Then... you may see it - she said.

- Maybe so - I said sighing.

- Well, then let's finish enlisting our stuff, because it hasn't told me if Andy will come for us or we'll go through him - she mentioned, reminding me that I should go through him.

- We have to go through it, I will send him a text making him remember - I mentioned.

(Text Message)

- Andy, I'll be passing by you at 4 p.m., I don't want to get there when it gets dark.

- Perfect, I'm already finishing packing my stuff - he replied immediately.

Hours passed and I was already picking up Andy from where he was staying; I passed in my Hyundai Santa Fe automatic van that my parents had given me for getting into college, we went through a gas station to fill the tank of my truck and we set out on the nearly four-hour drive. I had to take Route 58, then go into 95, and from there go into Hwy 24, cross Ann St and turn onto Green St, we went around the oval and we left on Person St and finally we had arrived. We were in Fayetteville.

- Girls - said Andy - can I stay here? - asked.

- Are you sure? - I replied - what about your stuff? - I added with curiosity.

- Could you take them home? I'll go through them later - he consulted.

- Sure, I have no problem - I replied kindly.

- Great! See you later - said Andy saying goodbye.

Hilary and I went home, I wanted to surprise my parents. I missed my house, it is one of those typical ones that have a rustic but elegant French style, my mother LOVES the style of those houses and dad decided to grant her his wish and the truth is that I appreciate very much that he did it. When I arrived I opened the gate entrance thanks to the remote control I always carried with me and parked at the entrance. When I went downstagger, I rang the doorbell and there mom opened up surprised to see me.

- Honey! - exclaimed shocked - What are you doing here? - she asked - We didn't expect you for a week - she commented.

- Hi mom - I greeted with laughter and hugs - is that with some fellow faculty we have an event at Jhonny's Cafe and I decided to come by surprise - I commented.

- I understand honey, I will call someone from the service to help you with your bags - she commented with the friendly smile that characterizes him.

- I don't forget my godmother! - exclaimed Hilary.

- Hilary, dear! I hadn't seen you - mom expressed with the same surprise she had upon seeing me - but of course I haven't forgotten about you, please stop by - said mom making an invitation gesture to stop by.

- How about college girls? - asked mom.

- Well, all good, my grades are good, as always - I stressed.

- You won't be skipping classes, right? - asked mom trying to find out if she was lying.

- Of course not godmother, she goes with me to all classes - hilary said backing me.

- You see! I don't laugh - I said with a laugh.

-- Although... - said Hilary, causing my mother and I to turn to see her.

- Though what? - my intrigued mother asked.

- Although when it comes to love relationships, Mads has fared more than fatally - concluded the one who called herself my best friend.

- Thanks for your comment - I said sarcastically.

- At her age, we've all had a terrible time - mom said making sure it wasn't the big deal.

- I know godmother, but you know who your daughter is still sighing for - she added the one who wanted to die at the time from my own hands.

- And the funny thing is that her sister doesn't know that we all know that Mads is in love with one of her best friends - my mother said laughing.

- I don't know if I've come to visit my family and have a good time or to be making fun of me - I said offended.

- Oh honey, you know we love you, but it's about time you beat Charlotte or at last you two try something - mom said hugging me.

- What if you better prepare something to eat and stop talking about it? - I said trying to change the subject.

- Okay, it's okay - mom said with a laugh.

The hours passed and it was done at night, by the time I saw the watch I realized that it was 9 p.m., and it was late for me to attend the event, so I went to bathe and enlist the clothes that I was going to wear, it was easy for me since the color that predominates in my wardrobe is black but in different textures , so I chose a black jean, a gray long-sleeved T-shirt, a purse and black ankle boots. Once I was ready, I left with Hilary from my house in the direction of the event, I'm sure I would meet Abby there, and if I was very lucky, I would get to see Charlotte.

We barely arrived at Jhonny's Cafe, I greeted Jhonny because I hadn't seen him since I went to college, then I started to help my classmates with the boxes to set up a little bit of the atmosphere we would be in and we also arranged some books that we would give to those who were interested. Helping others didn't give me much time to see if my sister had already arrived or if there was Charlotte, until I heard someone say something like "Number four, you go on" and for a moment I swore to recognize that voice... will it be that is she?. I couldn't help but get nervous just hearing her voice and thinking it was Charlotte who was talking, so I decided to turn around and see what was going on.

- Don't you see his face? - I heard my younger sister ask - she's getting bored, they don't have interesting topics to talk about, all they mention are movies that to be honest, are boring - she ended with severity.

I looked aside and could see that there she was, Charlotte, with a, embarrassed by the situation. No one makes Charlotte feel that way while I'm present I thought, so I decided to get closer.

- If you don't try hard and don't let the other person talk, it's not a quote - I said in a stern tone looking at the four? no, five guys who were there. What the hell does Charlotte do with five guys?, I can't help but feel jealous, I feel like hitting the face of all of them and getting them out of there, but I can't because she and I are nothing...

- Mads, you came! - abby said, taking small jumps to hug me. How I missed my little sister!

- Hi Mads - greeted me Mara with a smile and I hugged her. I felt like it had been a long time since I saw these beautiful girls.

- Hi girls, I missed you - I said with a huge smile full of happiness.

I could see how Charlotte was surprised to see me there, that makes me think Abby kept her word and said nothing or just didn't give her the time to tell her, but I'm glad she didn't, because this surprise face is the best I've seen in the last year.

- Aren't you going to say hello to me? - I asked her looking at those beautiful eyes. I was dying to talk to her, what better opportunity than now.

- Huh? He... hello... - she said still embarrassed as she stood up from her seat to give me a kiss on the cheek with those sweet lips she has.

- Hello... - I greeted her with a smile full of happiness that I could not hide - are you being bothered? - I asked her looking at the guys who were standing there, but for some strange reason they also had the same surprise face as Charlotte.

- N... no, no, in fact we were already leaving - four of them answered me nervously, but I stared at the one who hadn't responded.

- I'm not leaving, I'm missing my appointment - said the one who had stayed quiet before.

- Well... I think that won't happen, she's with me now - I said staring at him - but if you want, you and your friends can stay to see what a real date is - I said challenging him to dare to stay and he would see them with me.

- I demand my appointment with Charlotte - he said sternly the stupid.

- Didn't you understand that she's with me? - I was enraged because she was challenging me - Well, I'll show you that she is with me - I said with annoyance, since I shouldn't prove anything to anyone, but this incompetent was challenging me.

I had no choice but to pass my hand over Charlotte's back, holding her waist and sticking it to my body. When I turned my face to see her, she did too and I couldn't help but smile because I had her as close as we used to be before. Jesus! I had thrown that perfume that I like so much.

I held Charlotte's chin gently to bring our faces closer together and my heart was already taking a total turn because we had never been this close in public, it was always between us and our world, and even more so because we hadn't spoken in all this past year... they interrupt us and take me out of my thoughts and my desire to kiss her.

- Good! I already understood - said the stupid in defeat tone.

- Then go - I answer in a distant but victorious tone.

Charlotte separated from me and I did not understand why she did it, surely it was because she no longer needed me to scare those guys, I wanted us to continue like this, I missed her so much that my heart gets sad just to think that we were away ...

- Why did you do that Mads? You almost kissed Char! - claimed me Abby, tapping me on the shoulder as a scolding.

- I couldn't let them keep bothering her - she said in defense, unable to help but laugh.

- What... What are you doing here? - asked Charlotte.

I turned to see her grateful that she finally spoke to me.

- I came for the event being organized by those of my faculty - I replied with a friendly smile.

For this the event had already begun, and a colleague was reading a poem by Emily Dickinson, one that I read to Charlotte a long time ago, I remember telling her that I was talking about hope.

I had to separate myself from them because soon I would have to read something to myself, so I went to where my classmates were.

- How much is my turn? - I asked the event organizer.

- Finish reading Hilary and it's your turn - he replied.

- Perfect - nodded.

Hilary finished reading and it was my turn.

- Good evening to everyone, today I want to read you a poem by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Rima XXX.

(Narrates)

A tear was peeking into her eyes

and to my lip a phrase of forgiveness;

he spoke pride and rinsed his tears

and the phrase on my lips expired.

I'm going one way: she' s on the other;

but as we think of our mutual love,

I still say, "Why did I shut up that day?"

And she'll say, "Why didn't I cry?"

- I concluded.

I felt like Charlotte and I crossed eyes, I think she understood the poem she had just read, or so I hope, because I chose it especially for her, because Bécquer in the first stanza shows that the lovers are in a loving conflict, that there is pride on both sides and that they are not able to solve it; and in the second stanza, he tells us that the lovers regret not having been more humble and forgiving themselves, thus resolving the conflict, which is exactly what happened to us.