Are mermaids real? This is the question that 16 year old Mila keeps asking herself. It's something she never thought about... that is until she visits the tiny island of Jalukka and her life turns upside down.
Mila is a girl who has based her whole...
The rest of the afternoon is spent outside in the warm summer sun. We learn everything there is to know about sugar cane thanks to the knowledgeable Celia. The Hernandez family doesn't stray far. My parents and grandparents really seem to enjoy their company, and it appears that the feeling is mutual. The Hernandez's are really nice, but Adam-Miguel continues to bother me. It isn't so much that he is mean (he isn't), or weird (he's not), or that he is paying me way too much attention (which he is), or that he stares at me a lot (which he clearly is. I constantly feel his eyes on me). No, what bothers me the most about Adam-Miguel is that he isn't Josh. If I hadn't met Josh, I would've been tickled that Adam-Miguel is that into me. But I did meet Josh. And despite my better judgement, I had a big crush on him.
Why did he have to have a beautiful girlfriend? Why was I stuck here with Adam-Miguel?
I steal a glance at my admirer. He is decent looking. A little on the short side. I'm 5'6 and he only stands an inch or so taller than me. He has tan skin and jet black hair that he wears short. His eyes are light and a beautiful shade of mint green. He has the build of a football player, except for the height part, which I don't understand because his dad and mom are both tall. He looks to be incredibly muscular. His bulging muscles are apparent through his too tight red polo that he is wearing on faded jeans with bright white sneakers.
He asks me a lot of questions about life in the Northeast, school, boyfriends, friends, pets... the usual small talk people experience when getting to know someone. I get sick of having to pay attention to the constant drone of his inquisitiveness so I start to ask him questions. This was actually a smart thing to do because, Adam was a talker and liked to talk about himself and could easily ramble on at lengths on any given topic with no need for me to contribute to the conversation except for the occasional head nod or quick question I'd ask to make sure that the conversation stayed on him and didn't flow back to me. I pay attention to what he was saying, for the most part, but I am thankful that Cameron and Justin are with us because they help keep the topics more male driven.
"I'm thirsty, does anyone want to come with me to the gift shop to get a drink?" Cameron asks. "You know what all of this talk of sugar cane has made me crave?" Adam-Miguel asks us all. "What?" Justin replies. "Coke?" I ask.
"No. guarapa," Adam-Miguel states. "Sugar cane juice, yummy," I say. "I can't remember the last time that I had some," I proclaim. "Yeah, me neither," Cameron says. "I could go for some of that right now. Do you think they have any?" Justin inquires.
"I doubt it, they don't grow sugar cane here anymore," I state. "Well, we'll make sure to keep our eyes open for it. We'll be right back," Cameron says as he and Justin walk off in search of something to drink, leaving me alone with Adam-Miguel. I can't believe that they left me alone with him. I wonder where our families were and how I ended up alone with him. I look around the garden and can't find them anywhere.
"So, you like guarapa?" Adam-Miguel asks, as he sits on a bench near the fountain. Why did he have to sit down? Why can't we go look for our parents? He begins to motion for me to join him on the bench. I wish I could roll my eyes, because if I could, I would totally do so.
"I adore it!" I say as I sit on the bench next to him, allowing several inches between us. "But you can't exactly find it all over in Boston. Sugarcane doesn't grow that much up there. Something about the cold weather," I say, trying to laugh and relax. Something about Adam-Miguel and his intense nature just makes me so on edge.
"We have the exact opposite problem down in South Florida. You can find it everywhere!" he says. "Oh, I'd love that. I'd never get sick of drinking pure sugar!" I state.
"So your grandpa is Cuban? Where is your grandma from? I'm guessing somewhere in the south from her accent," he inquires.
"Yep, she hails from Savannah, Georgia. That's why my mom is named Georgia," I explain. "How did they meet?" he asks.
"Gram went to New York City to become a professional dancer. Instead of becoming a dancer she became a wife. Gramp was in New York fresh from Cuba, working at a restaurant. Gram happened to walk in one day and thought he was cute. They both say that they knew instantly that they were meant for each other. She fell for him and she fell hard. He barely spoke English, and Gram couldn't speak a word of Spanish, but as they like to say, they had a deep cosmic connection... so much so, that the language didn't matter. He studied English, in order to impress Gram and Gram began to study Spanish. The two got married and then after gram got pregnant and she had to give up her dream of becoming a professional dancer," I explain.
"Maybe she didn't give up her dream, maybe she just realized that what she thought she once wanted wasn't what she wanted after all," Adam-Miguel says. I never looked at it that way before. I always thought that Gram had let love come between her and her dream. I never thought that because of love, she was able to realize a new dream.
"Look what we have," Cameron says, as he and Justin head back to where me and Adam are sitting by the fountain.
"Here you go" Justin says, as he hands me a plastic cup with a straw.
"And for you," Cameron says, as he hands a cup to Adam-Miguel.
"I can't believe they had it," Adam-Miguel says.
"Apparently someone realized that you can't have a sugarcane plantation without serving sugar cane juice!" Cameron laughs.
We sit, drinking and chatting, until our families are ready to leave. I know this won't be the last time that I'll see the Hernandez's. I heard our mom's discussing a yoga session, and Osmany inviting us out to dinner. Adam-Miguel turns to me.
"So, what are you doing tomorrow?" he asks, loud enough so that everyone hears.
"Uh..." I try to think of what to say, without saying the truth, which is that I am free. "I don't know yet." The words fumble from my mouth.
"Do you want to do something?" he asks.
"Uh, I'll have to see what my family has planned first, but if nothing, okay, maybe," I state.
"We were just going to hit a beach and stay by the pool," Mom chimes in.
"Your mom needs a relaxing day," Dad adds.
"So, I guess we're going to a beach. Maybe another day we can do something," I state, hoping this ends the conversation. "What beach?" he asks. I can't believe how insistent he is.
"I have no idea." I turn to look at my family, hoping someone will see my plea for help and rescue me from having to hang out with Adam-Miguel, which I have a feeling is going to end up happening.
"Mr. Grayson, why don't you all just spend the day at the resort. It's the closest beach to you guys," Adam-Miguel suggests. I am floored that he would be so forward and actually suggest this to my father.
"You know, I think that sounds perfect. We won't have to pack lunch or load the SUV up. We can all just go and come as we please," Mom states.
"Yeah, I think that's a great idea Adam," dad adds.
"So, I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow," I say to Adam-Miguel as I jump into the back of my grandparents' SUV.
"I can't wait," he says with a wink. I bury my head in my hands as we drive away. The thought that Adam-Miguel is so excited to see me, seriously makes me cringe.
اوووه! هذه الصورة لا تتبع إرشادات المحتوى الخاصة بنا. لمتابعة النشر، يرجى إزالتها أو تحميل صورة أخرى.
