Mar means Sea

amizade means friendship

Chapter 8

-Marina-

"Yo Mar!" Shouted Gustavo at the top of his lungs waving his arms in the air, a stunning smile on his sunkissed face.

I waved back and began walking towards the boy who I was once very close to and with my departure grew apart. He slung an arm over my shoulders and we started walking together slowly along where the waves met the sand.

"There's a party at the bar tonight"

"Is that an invitation or are you just informing me?" I smirked at him as he lightly smacked the back of my head, my hat falling in the water.

"GUSTAVO!" I slapped his arm and picked up the cap that was now completely saturated in sea water and sand, I rolled the material and then placed it on his head laughing "You can wear it while it dries as a punishment"

"Thank you it's an honor" He bowed words flowing in a posh Portuguese accent it's fluidity ruined by the loud laughs that followed.

The aftermath of the fit of laughter was silence, I looked around searching for a topic to break the silence but awkwardly I didn't know what to say. Far from where we were his friends sat on the towels, we walked towards another beach feeling the waves crash against our ankles.

"I know I should have asked straight away when we saw each other this summer, or maybe I did but didn't get the response I was looking for but-" He paused and I waited for him to finish even though I already knew what he was talking about "Why did you just disappear off the face of the earth?"

"Didn't you all know where I went and I came back all the time in summer-"

"Everyone knows that if you're the one visiting it's your job to make it known and you're the one that has to drop by and visit"

"That's what my family says as well" I began playing with my hands looking down as I interlocked my own fingers, Gustavo noticed this and unlocked my hands separating them from each other and lifted my chin up to look at him.

"Tell me you didn't turn into those people who immigrate and suddenly think they are better than everyone else" My face twisted into disappointment as I heard him speak. I halted to a stop and took in what he had said.

"You have no idea how hard it was for me and you never will because I owe it to my family to not say anything, I am happy now. It's not easy moving to a place where everything is so different from home, where you have no friends, away from family. Having to start everyting from zero hoping soon things will fall into place. Everyone copes in a different way, my way was to shut people out"

"Mar I know your family situation is complicated but-"

"Could be worst" I coldly snapped interrupting him. I really don't understand where this conversation is going, sure I was in the wrong for shutting them out, but they also didn't make an effort to approach me or rekindle our friendship. It's a two way street, we lost contact, it happened.

"It could also be better I mean when was the last time you saw your dad" Pity flooded his face and that only made me angrier. I'm happy, I don't need that man in my life.

"6 years ago." I started to walk away back to where the towels were, Gustavo shouting my name as I walked faster tears of anger threatening to escape.

He caught up to where I was and stood in front of me. I took a deep breath.

"How did this conversation lead to us talking about my father. You of all people know I don't like to talk about that man!"

"Mar I'm sorry I just wanted to know if this time when you leave you I will go back to being part of your past"