College started next week, and Maria had to leave now. When she woke up she stared at her suitcase, purple, shiny and beautiful, as it lay on the floor. The dim blue morning light creeped through her blinds. She moaned and slumped out of bed. She tried to think about getting on a real actual plane, all alone, all the way to Monterrey, but she cringed. The thought made her stomach hurt.
She heard the wood floors creak. Her sister, Abril, was awake. As if she summoned her up Abril stood in her doorway with her hands on her hips and a tapping foot.
Maria and her younger sister stood across from each other, one stick straight and one hunched.
Abril was the first to speak. “Today you leave.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Maria smiled, but her shiny eyes blinked rapidly.
“How dare you leave? I thought we were friends,” her sister helped herself in and picked up a picture frame on Maria’s desk.
“Oh, but we still are, Abril. I just have a dream to pursue.”
Eventually Maria put on her outfit. A purple shirt and jeans, with a jacket tied around her waist. She was told that Monterrey could get cold, and thus a jacket was necessary.
Eventually she heard Mamà wake up, and breakfast was started, and then Abuela woke up, and Abuelo, and the house was filled with chatting and sports games and searing and happiness. For most, that is.
Maria slugged her stuff downstairs to find Mamà was making omelets.
“Your Papà is going to drive you to the airport, Mari,” Her mother flipped an omelet.
“Oh, we’re all not going?” Maria’s stomach was doing somersaults by now.
“No. You’re Abuela doesn’t like airports, and we’d be way too much of a hassle anyway.” Mamà plopped the steaming omlet onto a plate and said, “Give this to your sister, Abril.”
“Why does she get to eat first!? She’s leaving!” Abril pouted and clanked Maria’s plate onto the table.
Soon Papà woke up, and both he and Maria were giving hugs and kisses before their journey.
“I’m not hugging you,” Abril scrunched up her face at Maria who was still kneeled down, with her arms open.
“Stop.”
Eventually Abril ran over and crashed into Maria, earning a voice of concern from Mamà, but the two girls laughed, and stayed hugging for a long while.
“I’ll miss you, Mari. A lot.”
“I’ll miss you too, Abril.” Maria laughed until she cried.
Papà waited for Maria to wipe her tears for as long as he could. “The plane’s going to leave soon!”
Heart racing, Maria rushed downstairs. Now was her big moment.
Her purple suitcase in the trunk, they got into the car, and started down the road.
Papà kept glancing at her. “Why the long face, Maria?”
Maria lifted her head, surprised her gloominess could be seen on her face. “Because I don’t want to leave home, Papi. I don’t want to wake up and no one I know is there, or have no one familiar to talk to, or wonder what my family is doing while I’m away at school.”
Papà smiled, and flexed his fingers on the wheel. “I knew this would happen. You spend so much time with your family, and we're all a tough link. It’s going to be hard to break this chain and let one link be free.”
Maria huffed, and stared into the brightening sky as Papi turned out of the neighborhood.
“You’ll be fine, princess. Your dream is music, and this is where the music lead you. We will always be one call away, and you will get used to being on your own. Just trust that your dream-and your family- will take care of you.”
Maria turned to Papà and smiled. “I already do trust you Papi.”
“Good.” Papà turned into traffic.
The airport was busy, the intercom blaring and schools of people walking this way and that. Maria tried hard to focus on where her gate was and imagined what it would be like once she got to her musical arts school. Finally, she’d meet other people who loved music as much as she did!
Maria sat in a plush blue chair, waiting for the plane to arrive, and Papà sat right beside her. She watched a plane outside roar to life and soar towards the heavens. She squeezed Papà’s hand. Her solo journey was beginning.
She saw a girl across from her, with black guitar case slung around her shoulder.
Surley, she’s going to the school too, Maria thought.
Maria wanted to go and talk to her, but she seemed so… distant. The girl adjusted her glasses and stared into her phone, scrolling away.
Finally the plane was boarding. Papà gave Maria’s shoulder a pat. “It’s time to leave.”
Maria’s stomach and heart were at odds. She kissed Papà’s head and squeezed him tight before she rushed to economy class. She was right behind the girl with the guitar sling.
That’s when her ringtone started. It was one of Maria’s favorite songs!
Maria gasped. “I love that song!” Maria sang in melody with the song.
The girl turned to her with the wrinkled face of a disgusted old woman.
This was enough to hush Maria and make her swinging arms fall back into place.
“Please stop singing! You’ll remind me too much of how me and my brother used to take turns with my guitar and play this tune, and I’m already homesick!” the girl shook her head.
Maria smiled and nodded. “I know the feeling.”
Suddenly, Maria's stomach felt more at ease.
Finally, the girl in glasses smiled. “Your singing voice is amazing, though. What’s your name?”
“Maria.”
Hey there! I’m Shila! I’ve loved books since I could read, and decided I would write books I wanted to see written for others! Check my children’s book Imagination on Amazon!
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