Fall to Pieces

Realer than Real

Frankie and Isaac stand beside me, wishing me the best. I hope that this is for the best, because I can finally feel it dawn on me that I will be leaving California for eight months. This is the most sweetest torture in the planet. I get to escape my troubles, yet still I have to leave everything I've ever known behind. Like my twin brother and my best friend.

"Frankie, can you give us a second?"

She nods and walks away to a seat near the information booth. I turn and look at my brother. "I'm sorry for what I said. It was mean. You're family, I should've been nicer."

He stares at me. "That was the worst apology ever, Ana. And its not you to apologize, but me. I'm sorry."

"Keep in touch, okay?" I whisper, giving him a hug. He'll always smell like Irish Springs. "I'll miss you."

He kisses my forehead. "Stay out of trouble. And don't mess up on your Spanish."

I roll my eyes. "Let's be real. That's my second language. Unlike yours, which is nothing."

"I love you. Stay golden, kay?"

I smile back. "I will. I love you even more."

Frankie walks up to me as he goes through security. Tears slide down my cheek, and I hastily wipe them away. This was real. Everything was now very, very real. Frankie squeezes my hand. "Be like Black Widow, Ana. Don't let the emotion slip. People tend to take it for granted."

I sit in my seat, beside a scrawny little kid and his mother, and watch the poor mother try to calm him down. The airplane left the ground about ten minutes ago, and I will hurt this kid if he doesn't stop with his annoying hyperactive self. I turn and glare at him. "Listen, kid. If you keep quiet and not cause your mother any trouble for the rest of the flight I'll give you a crisp fifty dollar bill. Sounds good to you?"

He smiles eagerly and relaxes back into his seat. The mother, astounded, gapes at me but then sighs in relief when he realizes that her son is quiet. Yes, I could've traveled first class, but I changed it so that I wouldn't be. I don't like to be too extravagant, whatever the case. My problem is that I'm an alcoholic, not that I like to spend money. Besides. The extra money can be used for shopping in Nicaragua. Hugging myself, I stare out the window. What I would do to be free. Instead, I'm what someone would call grounded.