Only By Chance
By Cintlalli Maldonado
“Joseph, I’m going to be leaving for a while and I won’t be back.”
He sits up and and immediately gets a headache. He touches his hand to his head and sighs. He walks across his large grey room and leans on his dresser. He wipes the sweat from his hands off on his grey t-shirt and reaches for the small headache medicine bottle. A maid looking about twenty quietly shuffles into his room.
“Young Master Joseph, your breakfast is ready.” She bows and closes the door as she exits.
He looks down and runs his hands through his hair. He glances at the now closed door and rests his hand on his cheek.
I still remember it like it was yesterday. I still remember her. Even if it’s been four years since I’ve seen her last. My step-mother has arranged for me to marry a wealthy family’s daughter. I can’t see myself with anyone but her.
He grabs his keys and rushes down the marble stairs of his mansion. He waves goodbye to the maids and butler and runs out the door. He hops into his Tesla and begins to drive.
He looks up and he sees a strip of red hair. His heart races and he wipes his eyes. He quickly gets out of the car and starts stumbling towards her. He sees the red strand of hair blowing through the wind. Joseph reaches the girl with bright red hair. He taps her shoulder and the girl turns around in confusion. A flood of happiness and excitement fills Joseph. The girl stares in shock, like someone has told her that someone close to her has died. He envelops her in a hug as she begins to cry.
“Darla.”
“Joseph, how did you find me?” Darla asks through her sobs.
“I don’t know. I guess it’s fate.” Joseph pulls away and holds her shoulders in his hands.
“I guess it is.” Darla wipes her tears with her green sweater.
Joseph slips his hands in his pockets, looking down and smiling to himself.
It is.
He sits up and and immediately gets a headache. He touches his hand to his head and sighs. He walks across his large grey room and leans on his dresser. He wipes the sweat from his hands off on his grey t-shirt and reaches for the small headache medicine bottle. A maid looking about twenty quietly shuffles into his room.
“Young Master Joseph, your breakfast is ready.” She bows and closes the door as she exits.
He looks down and runs his hands through his hair. He glances at the now closed door and rests his hand on his cheek.
I still remember it like it was yesterday. I still remember her. Even if it’s been four years since I’ve seen her last. My step-mother has arranged for me to marry a wealthy family’s daughter. I can’t see myself with anyone but her.
He grabs his keys and rushes down the marble stairs of his mansion. He waves goodbye to the maids and butler and runs out the door. He hops into his Tesla and begins to drive.
He looks up and he sees a strip of red hair. His heart races and he wipes his eyes. He quickly gets out of the car and starts stumbling towards her. He sees the red strand of hair blowing through the wind. Joseph reaches the girl with bright red hair. He taps her shoulder and the girl turns around in confusion. A flood of happiness and excitement fills Joseph. The girl stares in shock, like someone has told her that someone close to her has died. He envelops her in a hug as she begins to cry.
“Darla.”
“Joseph, how did you find me?” Darla asks through her sobs.
“I don’t know. I guess it’s fate.” Joseph pulls away and holds her shoulders in his hands.
“I guess it is.” Darla wipes her tears with her green sweater.
Joseph slips his hands in his pockets, looking down and smiling to himself.
It is.
Miss Marie
By Rebecca Aguilar
Maribelle backed away from him with tears rolling down her face. “How could he not remember me?” Maribelle thought to herself. Julie invited Maribelle into her house, while Adam backed away confused by what had happened.
Maribelle sat down on the leather couch while Julie made some tea. Adam came to sit by Maribelle still confused by the situation.
Maribelle turned to Adam to talk to him but realized it probably wasn’t the best option. Julie came back with tea for everyone.
“Adam, are you okay?” asked Julie.
“Of course. I am fine, I just don’t understand what is happening and why she is here,” said Adam.
“Don’t you remember? We spent a whole summer together!” Maribelle said while raising her voice.
There is a moment of silence before Maribelle started crying again. She got up off the couch and walked to the door. Julie stopped her before she could leave.
Julie began to talk, “He has been going through a rough patch.”
Maribelle stopped her. “I don’t understand how he can just forget a whole summer we spent together!” she shouted. Maribelle leaves the house and Adam behind and walks away.
Maribelle found the closest bus. She is going to stay in Louisiana for a while in hopes of being able to reconnect with Adam.
While Maribelle was on the bus her phone rang. She read the caller ID and it was Adam. She answered with a quiet but confident hello.
Adam spoke, “Hi Maribelle. Meet me at the cafe in twenty minutes. Don’t be late.” Adam hung up the phone.
Maribelle got off at the next bus stop where the cafe is located. She walked slowly inside and hoped that Adam would know who she is. She looked for Adam but did not find him, so she ordered a sandwich.
Someone tapped on her shoulder. It was Adam. They found a booth so they could talk.
Adam began to speak, “I’m sorry Maribelle, but I have never meet you in my life.”
Maribelle doesn’t know what to say or think. She walked outside, to find the closest bus stop, and wondered if her life would ever be the same.
To be continued...
Maribelle sat down on the leather couch while Julie made some tea. Adam came to sit by Maribelle still confused by the situation.
Maribelle turned to Adam to talk to him but realized it probably wasn’t the best option. Julie came back with tea for everyone.
“Adam, are you okay?” asked Julie.
“Of course. I am fine, I just don’t understand what is happening and why she is here,” said Adam.
“Don’t you remember? We spent a whole summer together!” Maribelle said while raising her voice.
There is a moment of silence before Maribelle started crying again. She got up off the couch and walked to the door. Julie stopped her before she could leave.
Julie began to talk, “He has been going through a rough patch.”
Maribelle stopped her. “I don’t understand how he can just forget a whole summer we spent together!” she shouted. Maribelle leaves the house and Adam behind and walks away.
Maribelle found the closest bus. She is going to stay in Louisiana for a while in hopes of being able to reconnect with Adam.
While Maribelle was on the bus her phone rang. She read the caller ID and it was Adam. She answered with a quiet but confident hello.
Adam spoke, “Hi Maribelle. Meet me at the cafe in twenty minutes. Don’t be late.” Adam hung up the phone.
Maribelle got off at the next bus stop where the cafe is located. She walked slowly inside and hoped that Adam would know who she is. She looked for Adam but did not find him, so she ordered a sandwich.
Someone tapped on her shoulder. It was Adam. They found a booth so they could talk.
Adam began to speak, “I’m sorry Maribelle, but I have never meet you in my life.”
Maribelle doesn’t know what to say or think. She walked outside, to find the closest bus stop, and wondered if her life would ever be the same.
To be continued...