Betty Dalton and Elías Santamarina-James have been dating for seven months of pure bliss.
In Betty's eyes, their relationship is nearly flawless, if you don't count his insistence to sleep with her and his constant need for reassurance.
It's the fir...
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The anticipation bubbled inside me as we stepped into the bustling halls of YVR. The air was alive with the hum of excited chatter and the sound of luggage wheels rolling across the polished floors. I glanced around, taking in the sights and sounds of the busy terminal, my heart pounding with excitement.
Beside me, Juanse bounced on the balls of his feet, his eyes wide with enthusiasm as he took in the hustle and bustle of the airport.
We joined the throngs of people making their way towards the baggage claim area, weaving through the crowd with practiced ease. As we waited for our luggage to arrive, I couldn't help but feel a sense of nervousness knotting in the pit of my stomach.
Elías stood on the sidelines, his face cast downwards, his presence only with us by force rather than by choice. He was shuffling his feet annoyingly which seemed to upset no one but Juanse whose once excited mouth turned into a straight pursed line.
“At least we didn't have to sit with his depressing ass,” my best friend mused, making me look up.
Like most younger siblings, he was taller than his older brother. Elías would stress that the difference in height was simply two meager inches but it made Juanse stand out more. They were still both shorter than their father.
Tall men needed to start dating their female counterpart if they wanted to avoid that.
Once we settled into the house after the car drive, the familiar surroundings brought back a flood of memories. This was the house where Juanse and Elías' mother had grown up, where they had spent countless summers playing in the yard and exploring the nearby beach; but now, it felt strangely empty without their grandfather who had been put into a residence three years ago because of his dementia—his wife had perished not long after their daughter’s passing, grief had drilled a hole into her core.
This wasn't my first time here. That had been two summers ago, and my parents only allowed it if I complied with their request that I bring my cousins Enrique and Beatriz along for protection. They were both eighteen at the time, and jumped at the idea to have a little trip away from our family before going to college.
I remembered how Enrique had teased me mercilessly about my fear of the ocean, while Beatriz had rolled her eyes and declared that she would be my designated lifeguard for the duration of our stay. Despite their teasing, I felt grateful to have them by my side as we explored the beach and soaked up the sun.
But this time was different, I could feel it in my bones.
I could sense Elías's gloominess looming over us like a dark cloud, his brooding silence a stark contrast to the lively atmosphere of the house. He hadn't talked to anyone about his breakup with Betty and I was dying to get a glimpse into what happened.
What would make Elías leave perfect Berry?
"Hey, Elías, are you okay?" I ventured, breaking the silence that had settled over us like a heavy compression blanket.
