Barcelona
Te Amo
Gap year. Possibly the best year of any ones life? That is if you take one. My mom and Dad told my about theirs, the crazy stupid things they did, usually involving magic mushrooms. Disappointing. I decided to take mine in Spain, after all I am taking a degree in Spanish. I raised enough money and found place to go and learn and convinced my parents and now? Now the greatest year ever is going to begin.
"Attention passengers on flight 8096, you are now boarding, please make your way to gate 17" Some snotty woman called over the intercom. I pulled my suitcase along behind me, my backpack hanging loosely on my back. I'd left Mom and Dad at the front entrance. The good-byes would be too painful. I carried on walking. As usual gate 17 was at the other end of the airport... Great, I regret putting so many things in my suitcase. I finally staggered onto the plane and slept all the way to Barcelona.
6 months later
Barcelona, a magic city. It's like my home. Sure the pick-pockets aren't really the best thing to have around but you get used to it.
I decided to lie on a particularly green looking bit of grass. Some hippies were sleeping next to me, some were talking and some one else was playing a soft tune on their guitar. Bliss. I had my iPod in, ignoring what was happening around me. The way I like it. It was warm today but it felt like it was going to rain and it did. Right then and there. When it rains I find people tend to scatter, dodging rain drops like their acid. I love rain. I stayed on the grass, drenched to my core. The sun was still out but I felt a shadow cover me. I looked out one eye and saw a pair of shoes; blue and white Nike dunk shoes. I smiled and looked up properly. It was a guy. He was quite tall and skinny, brown mop-ish hair, blue eyes and freckles. I love freckles. He put a hand out, I took it and stood up. I saw his face closer, it was a kind face, one that you instantly feel you can trust. I took out my headphones, one hand still in his.
"Me llamo Eric" He had a soft voice too which made me smile even more
"Me llamo Skye"
"Habla Ingles?"
"Si"
"Good, my Spanish is crap" He laughed. We talked about school and family and dreams... Basically I spilled my heart out for him. Everything. The rain had subsided so we headed to an Ice cream shop. I had a double scoop mint choc chip chocolate waffle cone ice cream and he had the same. We walked along the sidewalks, watching street acts perform, Edward Scissor Hands, Silver Men, all of them, all the while he was holding my hand.
We did this for many days, walking around Barcelona without thinking or caring about working. I only woke in the mornings knowing he would be there waiting for me with his usual grin. And unfortunately all good things come to an end.
It was coming to my last few days, Eric was staying for another year with his Aunt and Uncle but I had to return home, back to gloomy England. I was sad for a while but being with him just made me happy. Very happy.
I packed my bags and said good-bye to a few of my other friends. It was my last few hours before my flight. Eric was going to come with me to the airport in Taragona or somewhere to see me off. We got out of the taxi and stood outside the airport. He took my hands like the first time I met him, pulled me into the longest kiss and stroked my hair. Slowly tears began to flow, how else would you react? Leaving someone that you know you'll probably never see again. I felt like someone had given my heart everything it wanted and then ripped it out of my chest and left it lying on the floor. We sat in the airport until my flight was called. The lady this time was snottier over the intercom compared to the British woman. I smiled slightly, the memories of my excitement that day, not knowing this was what was going to happen...
Eric followed me all the way to the bit where you walk down that passage onto the plane.
"I don't want to say good-bye!" Tears reformed and trickled down my cheeks. He brushed them away softly, looking directly into my eyes with his blue, blue eyes.
"It's not good-bye though, one day I will see you again, we'll meet by chance like before" He kissed me again. When I pulled away I saw he had tears in his eyes too. He smiled as I turned away to walk down the passage. My heart began to crumple with every step I took, feeling like my world was going to end.
"SKYE," I heard Eric shout, I turned around to see his soft kind face for what could be the last time, "Te amo..."
"I love you too" Tears dripped off my cheeks as I walked away from him.
2 years later
The memories from Barcelona still linger in my head, ice cream and Nike shoes, but University is taking up most of my attention. Occasionally I wander back to that patch of green grass with Eric. It makes my heart pound fast until I can't breath.
I came out of my campus apartment, the smell of mint choc chip floating around the street. That's when I saw them; those white and blue Nike Dunk shoes, this time more worn out and old, but the same shoes. The I heard someone speak,
"Te amo Skye"
"I love you too Eric"
"Attention passengers on flight 8096, you are now boarding, please make your way to gate 17" Some snotty woman called over the intercom. I pulled my suitcase along behind me, my backpack hanging loosely on my back. I'd left Mom and Dad at the front entrance. The good-byes would be too painful. I carried on walking. As usual gate 17 was at the other end of the airport... Great, I regret putting so many things in my suitcase. I finally staggered onto the plane and slept all the way to Barcelona.
6 months later
Barcelona, a magic city. It's like my home. Sure the pick-pockets aren't really the best thing to have around but you get used to it.
I decided to lie on a particularly green looking bit of grass. Some hippies were sleeping next to me, some were talking and some one else was playing a soft tune on their guitar. Bliss. I had my iPod in, ignoring what was happening around me. The way I like it. It was warm today but it felt like it was going to rain and it did. Right then and there. When it rains I find people tend to scatter, dodging rain drops like their acid. I love rain. I stayed on the grass, drenched to my core. The sun was still out but I felt a shadow cover me. I looked out one eye and saw a pair of shoes; blue and white Nike dunk shoes. I smiled and looked up properly. It was a guy. He was quite tall and skinny, brown mop-ish hair, blue eyes and freckles. I love freckles. He put a hand out, I took it and stood up. I saw his face closer, it was a kind face, one that you instantly feel you can trust. I took out my headphones, one hand still in his.
"Me llamo Eric" He had a soft voice too which made me smile even more
"Me llamo Skye"
"Habla Ingles?"
"Si"
"Good, my Spanish is crap" He laughed. We talked about school and family and dreams... Basically I spilled my heart out for him. Everything. The rain had subsided so we headed to an Ice cream shop. I had a double scoop mint choc chip chocolate waffle cone ice cream and he had the same. We walked along the sidewalks, watching street acts perform, Edward Scissor Hands, Silver Men, all of them, all the while he was holding my hand.
We did this for many days, walking around Barcelona without thinking or caring about working. I only woke in the mornings knowing he would be there waiting for me with his usual grin. And unfortunately all good things come to an end.
It was coming to my last few days, Eric was staying for another year with his Aunt and Uncle but I had to return home, back to gloomy England. I was sad for a while but being with him just made me happy. Very happy.
I packed my bags and said good-bye to a few of my other friends. It was my last few hours before my flight. Eric was going to come with me to the airport in Taragona or somewhere to see me off. We got out of the taxi and stood outside the airport. He took my hands like the first time I met him, pulled me into the longest kiss and stroked my hair. Slowly tears began to flow, how else would you react? Leaving someone that you know you'll probably never see again. I felt like someone had given my heart everything it wanted and then ripped it out of my chest and left it lying on the floor. We sat in the airport until my flight was called. The lady this time was snottier over the intercom compared to the British woman. I smiled slightly, the memories of my excitement that day, not knowing this was what was going to happen...
Eric followed me all the way to the bit where you walk down that passage onto the plane.
"I don't want to say good-bye!" Tears reformed and trickled down my cheeks. He brushed them away softly, looking directly into my eyes with his blue, blue eyes.
"It's not good-bye though, one day I will see you again, we'll meet by chance like before" He kissed me again. When I pulled away I saw he had tears in his eyes too. He smiled as I turned away to walk down the passage. My heart began to crumple with every step I took, feeling like my world was going to end.
"SKYE," I heard Eric shout, I turned around to see his soft kind face for what could be the last time, "Te amo..."
"I love you too" Tears dripped off my cheeks as I walked away from him.
2 years later
The memories from Barcelona still linger in my head, ice cream and Nike shoes, but University is taking up most of my attention. Occasionally I wander back to that patch of green grass with Eric. It makes my heart pound fast until I can't breath.
I came out of my campus apartment, the smell of mint choc chip floating around the street. That's when I saw them; those white and blue Nike Dunk shoes, this time more worn out and old, but the same shoes. The I heard someone speak,
"Te amo Skye"
"I love you too Eric"