Plane Ticket To You

Chapter 25

"Lucia, this is great!" Orion exclaimed, turning over the card in his hands. "Are you sure about this job? Being a travel journalist?"

"I think I am, yes," I said. In fact, last night I had spent hours researching about different prominent travel journalists, and the various career paths I could choose to embark on within travel journalism.

It had been so long since I had felt excitement over writing. Over my future. 

And now, it finally seemed to be a possibility because I knew that I could be my own person, my own writer, to be exact, without my father. It was true that he had once been a significant part of my creative fuel, but now it didn't have to be that way. I would let nothing and noone bar me from my passion.

"When I get home from this trip," I added, "I'm going to contact my counselor and get started on college applications. I think, with my resume, I can maybe get accepted into a good school for journalism, like Northwestern or NYU. I'm also going to apply for an internship at some point."

"If you ever start a journalism blog, I can set up a website for you," my brother offered, ever the computer science nerd. "It's the least I can do."

"That'd be great," I said, smiling hugely. "Thank you."

---

ELIAS

"We should tell my brother today," Lucia said as we stood in the frying pan that was more commonly known as India's outdoors. "About our relationship."

I sighed heavily, knowing all the time that she would bring this up. "Lucia..."

"I can't keep lying straight to his face like this," she said. We watched as he snapped photos of the Vipassana Pagoda, towering massive and golden in front of us.

"Okay," I said, hating the thought of her being uncomfortable. "We'll tell him tonight."

Lucia nodded at me firmly, and I felt a slight brush of her fingers against mine. 

Standing in the direct sunlight, with her long hair flowing freely down her back and so within reach, I wanted so desperately to kiss her. The sun reflected off the top of her head, creating an effect that made it look like a halo sat gently on the crown of her head. She looked so majestic, so beautiful.

I swallowed, looking away. God. I could have a million lifetimes to look at Lucia, and it would never be enough.

We pushed apart abruptly as Orion turned back to us. "Guys! Stop standing there like idiots and come look at this!"

Lucia rolled her eyes as she joined her brother.

---

Back at our hotel, I talked briefly with my sisters on the phone before turning my attention to getting ready for going out for dinner with Orion and Lucia.

Nervous butterflies overtook my stomach as we hailed a cab. The sky was overcast, dark and ominous with the promise of rain. The only thing that settled me was Lucia, the sight of her face, bright with anticipation.

On the cab ride, Orion was uncharacteristically quiet, but I assumed that it was just because he was savoring the Mumbai sights that flew past us as our taxi rattled along. There was no question that this city was overflowing with culture which not only held India, but also hints of the West due to former British rule.

"Here we are," the driver said.

Before we left, he smiled, displaying a single golden tooth. I resisted the urge to shudder at the eeriness of a seemingly mundane thing. 

What was up with me? I felt jittery beyond control, and I hated the feeling of not being in control. I could feel the familiar claw of anxiety in my throat, closing a tight fist.

The restaurant was jam-packed with European and Asian tourists, brimming with life and noise. Waiters whizzed past us, carrying colorful dishes of chutney and curry.

"Table for three?" A dark-skinned woman asked.

I nodded, and she directed us to a table seat in the corner. We ordered our food, then sat in relative silence.

Orion was staring hard at the black tablecloth, a vein in his forehead pulsing. Immediately, I knew something was wrong.

"Well, this is the last night of our trip," Lucia said brightly, also noting the awkward silence. "Let's, um, talk?"

Orion looked up at us from the other side of the table, his fist clenched tightly. 

"When were you going to tell me you were dating?"

No. Every muscle in my body tensed up as I took in his face, red with anger.

"I--Orion, we're not dating," Lucia said unexpectedly. "Not... yet, anyway."

"How did you know" was all I could muster.

Orion clenching the tablecloth in his fist. "Elias, you're my best friend. How could you do this? It was.. so fucking obvious. My suspicions were confirmed, back at the hotel. Lucia, Aaron called me and told me."

Lucia gasped. "Aaron?"

Sweat beaded on my forehead. "Orion, please-"

"No." He rose from the table. "You promised. What else have you two done, huh? All this time, oh God. I've been such a fool. You made me out to be a fucking fool."

A few people seated nearby looked over at us, concerned.

"Orion, please, don't blame Elias. We were going to tell you, at this dinner."

"I'm leaving," Orion said, throwing down his napkin and storming off.

I turned to Lucia, whose eyes were filled with fresh tears. She squeezed past me, running after Orion frantically.

"Lucia!" I called after her, concern and panic and consternation fogging my brain.

I had caused this. I had caused this riff between them. I was to blame. I clenched the tablecloth in my fist, looking at the space where Lucia had sat just a moment before.

I had deceived my best friend, and at the same time I had hurt the girl I cared deeply for, most likely I even loved.

But none of that mattered anymore, and this just proved what I had thought all along.

I didn't deserve Lucia. She was too perfect, and I was too fucked up.

Hadn't this been proved before? I had driven both of my parents away. My father had always said that I was the cause of my mother leaving, what with my rebellious behavior when I was younger. I caused everyone in my life pain, and I swore now on my dying breath that I would never hurt Lucia ever again if I could help it.

I knew what I had to do. I had to break things off with Lucia. This trip with her had been a fantasy, a long-sought after break from reality.

But it was time to get back to real life. It was time to go back to being the Elias Herrera that I was before, even if that meant going on living life without the one person I didn't want to ever even think about living without.

END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE