It was 9:00 when I woke up today. I was feeling a bit sore from all the standing and running I had to do yesterday. But I have had worse days. So, I got out of bed and headed to the dining hall. My parents had already left for work and there was no breakfast. So, I decided to have something outside on my morning run. I ran 5-6km each day; sometimes more if I was feeling good. I mostly only ate fruits for breakfast or skipped them entirely but always had lots of carbs for lunch and dinner along with the other essential components of a healthy diet. I would eat any snack I wanted in the evening and that was it for my fast food quota per day. I also liked boxing or wielding all sorts of weapons like sticks, knives, or nun-chucks in my free time. I practiced my driving in the evening or morning as per Lawrence's convenience and tried to learn how to cook in the meantime. I sometimes went fishing in the backyard of our country house which wasn't very far or just did some photography for a change.
I also sometimes hung out with my schoolmates, I wasn't a complete loner.
I even had this trip planned out with Kye for the next month, just before our birthdays. Yeah, our birthdates were quite near.
In fact, I was booking our plane tickets today. And luckily we had some economy seats left back and forth from Spain! After months of convincing and begging our parents; they had finally allowed us to go to Spain. It was mostly because Lawrence's college was also there and he would accompany us to show some places when he would be free. Also, Kye had a vacation house in the same city as Lawrence's college.
...
︎I was buying my traveling necessities and other essentials when I ran into Aimé in one of the shopping aisles. I didn't see him at first since I was so lost in thought about selecting the right flavor of ramen to buy.
Aimé: Hi, you're Avril right? Long time since I last saw you.
Avril: oh my Aimé, fancy seeing you here. I didn't know you lived nearby.
Aimé: Not really, it's my aunt's place actually. I just come here for every other summer vacation.
Avril: Really? Where are you from then?
Aimé: Oh I'm from Spain. What about you? You live here?
Avril: yeah yeah, my house is just around the corner. Also a funny coincidence but we are actually planning to spend the rest of our vacation in Spain.
Aimé: are you kidding me? That's soo cool. You should definitely stop at my place, once you visit. Wherein Spain exactly are you going though?
Avril: Barcelona. My cousin studies there and my best friend has one of her houses there.
Aimé: Oh, I live in Valencia. It's not that far though a few hours at most from Barcelona. You should visit Valencia too, it has many rare tourist attractions but not many know of them.
Avril: I'm always up for new adventures. Why don't you give me your number or any social ID? we can be in touch that way.
Aimé: oh sure, here it is- XXXX686726 and that's my Insta ID-xxxxxxxx
Avril: Thanks a lot. So are you done shopping here?
Aimé: yeah, why?
Avril: We could grab a coffee if you want. I still have plenty of time before I have to return home and you can tell me more about Spain. You do know Spanish right?
Aimé: of course I do, don't tell me you want to make me your free tourist guide.
Avril: no way I can trouble you like that but maybe, you can help me with my spoken Spanish?;)
Aimé: That, I'd be more than happy to do. Let's go there, they have the best caramel coffees.
Avril: sure and thanks a lot again.
Aimé: No worries, so how much exactly do you know Spanish? ¿Por qué viajas a España?[=Why are you traveling to Spain?]
Avril: I do know a lot of the grammer and vocabulary but I am not that confident in speaking. Porque... ese era...el único lugar?..... al que nuestros padres nos permitían viajar.... solos![=Because...that was...the only place..... our parents allowed us to travel... alone!]
Aimé: ¡Excelente! No tienes que preocuparte demasiado. Lo estás haciendo bien. [=You don't have to worry too much. You're doing it right.]
Avril: ¡Gracias! But we should definitely practice more.
Aimé: yeah of course, so you wanna go somewhere else?
Avril: where?
Aimé: To the beach!
Avril: OK but why there in the middle?
Aimé:" Porque es divertido. Eres el primer amigo que hice este verano y me gustas."
Avril: Hey that was quite fast.... I didn't understand most of it... I'm still a beginner...
Aimé: well, that's how fast the natives speak, so you have to catch up if you want an authentic Spanish experience this vacay:)
Avril: :| okay.... but at least tell me what you said back then...
Aimé: That's a secret. Hey, I can see the beach!
Avril: I bet there are beautiful beaches in Spain as well
Aimé: There are...but French beaches hit differently. Come on let's gooo
Avril: You are like a little kid who was brought out of their home for the first time
Aimé: well, La vie en rose est bien meilleure que notre vie ennuyeuse, tu ne trouves pas? [=Life seen through rose-colored glasses is much better than our boring life, don't you think?]
Avril: it sure is. Hey! Don't splash the water on me garçon
Aimé: well I am no boy and you should loosen up a bit
Avril: oh yes I have seen many man-child like you. Here you go[ I tried shoving him in the water knowing full well that since his taller and probably stronger than me I'd be the one to tumble and fall instead .....in the end, we were both drenched in sea water]
Aimé: quite feisty ain't we?
Avril: Oh shut up!
Aimé: make me ;)
Avril:(so I leaned in flirtatiously, closer to his lips; he closed his eyes and leaned forward and that's when I shoved him into the sea while casually drowning him) How was that? Were you expecting a kiss? Haha
(He pushed me back and ran towards my bike)
M*rde, was that too much? I was just fooling around though
(So I ran back to apologize but he had started my bike's engine after taking my keys and made me sit behind him.
He didn't say anything even after I apologized to him several times and just drove as fast as possible towards the market. I did tell him that I was late and had to go back home but he just wouldn't listen.
When we reached the market though he got off the bike and started sniffling.)
Avril: Hey, hey, don't tell me you are crying? I told you I was just kidding... you don't need to take it to your heart
And in fact, you're so handsome and pretty you will get any other girl you like. Please cheer up
Aimé: so you do find me attractive then... well that's a start
Avril: are you serious?
Aimé: well I had to get back to you somehow
Avril: well it's true. Anyone who has eyes can see it.. a matter of fact you're even prettier than me
Aimé: I don't think so... you have longer eyelashes and thicker eyebrows and your lips are always so flushed and your skin is so fair even after roaming all day in the sun.
Avril: well it certainly seems that you enjoy looking at me homeboy .... so why is it that you have dragged me all the way here? I have to return home on time or I am gonna get my a* s whopped
Aimé: chill, it's just 18:00. And just wait here, I'll be back in a jiffy
Avril: It's already late for me though! Come back fast or I'll leave!
Aimé: yeah, yeah
{After a few minutes}
Here you go. It is a token of my love
Avril: you mean platonic love right? The bracelet is pretty but I can't accept it. It looks expensive.
Aimé: It's not and we are friends right? Also, you took me to the beach and let me ride your bike as well. By the way, weren't you in a hurry? Go back before your parents start ringing your phone.
Avril: Thanks again and I'll be sure to buy you something pretty next time we meet up. Bye then!
{Speeds away}
Aimé: That's not what I meant...platonic love when we were just about to kiss huh...
I reached home and thankfully my dad wasn't back from work yet but Mom was waiting for me in the doorway
Mom: well, well, well look who decided to show up. You didn't leave a note in the house nor did you contact us before leaving the house. How are we supposed to know if you're safe or been kidnapped by someone huh?
Avril: Mom! I did leave both of y'all a text that I'll be going for my morning run and then go shopping for my upcoming vacation.
Mom: So what? We need to know where you are at, at all given times so that we know you're safe. And? you were all by yourself until this late, only shopping? or roaming around with someone?
Avril: You know very well that I'm not that social and don't have that many friends either. I did decide to stop by the beach for a while though; to see the sunset and I clicked some beautiful pictures. Look how nice they turned out.
Mom: hmmm they're okay. Now go and study something. The first year in medical school is not going to be a cakewalk. You should always be prepared for it in advance.
Avril: OK...
I headed upstairs and decided I needed a bath after rolling on the sand and getting completely drenched in the seawater. I filled the bathtub with water and drowned myself in it. This way my mind would go numb and completely blank. I wouldn't feel anything, see anything, or hear anything. All the chaos in the world would subside for me, even if that lasted only a few minutes, I cherished those moments. I remember a time when neither did I have a personal bathroom nor a bathtub, and sometimes even the water would run out for days on end and I would be stuck with that filthy cubicle where one couldn't even spread out their hands. Yes, bathing in a bathtub in your bathroom with plenty of water was a luxury many couldn't afford until the last day of their lives. That's why I prayed each day for everything I NOW had so that it wouldn't be taken away once again.
After I was done showering and the rest. I studied whatever my aunt and uncle had told me, would be taught in our first year of med school. I did think though- What if I don't get accepted, what if I do and can't cope with it, what if I disappoint my parents even further, and so on...
Somehow I fell asleep with all that overthinking and then my mom woke me up for dinner. I obviously slept again thereafter.