My realisation eats away at my consciousness, and I've never been so eager to escape my sister. I want to get away from here. I want to run and escape. The second Mapi entered my mind. Everything I thought I knew came crashing down.
I'm Carlota Aguila, ¾ Spanish. ¼ American. I lived in America till I was 4, then me and my family and I left for Spain. When in Spain I met my best friend Mapì Leòn. When I was 18, I left, and I became Peyton Moore, who was just Lottie with a different name. I had a disastrous love life, but then I met Lucas. Lucas is my boyfriend. Because I'm straight.. right?
Wrong! Wrong, wrong.
I'm Carlota Aguila, ¾ Spanish. ¼ American. I lived in America till I was 4, then me and my family and I left for Spain. When in Spain I met the girl who would be my first love whether i knew it or not.. The girl who would break down all the barriers I had built up until she found my heart before stealing it.
I'm Carlota Aguila, ¾ Spanish. ¼ American. I lived in America till I was 4, then me and my family and I left for Spain. And I am hopelessly in love with my best friend.
Along with my mind, my hands are trembling, and my feet and legs and shoulders and head and everything is shaking. I'm getting weird looks from the people next to me, but all I can do is give them an insufficient smile to tell them I'm alright - which I'm not. My sister is giving me the side eye, and my dad thinks I'm having a seizure. Wonderful.
As soon as the reception was over, I jumped to my feet, ignoring the sharp glare from my sister. I give her a weak, apologetic smile and continue my brisk walk forward.
I'm vaguely aware that my phone is buzzing away in my pocket, but I decide for now that ignorance is bliss. Pausing just outside the door, I take a deep breath in, pick up the blue sweater from the floor, and yank it over my head again. The scent provides instant comfort, a sweet blend of vanilla and heather, her chosen perfume. I start walking again, the fresh air hitting me like a brick once out of the stuffy old church.
I find myself heading in a direction I hadn't been to before, my feet going faster than my head could understand. My breathing was heavy and uneven, my knees still trembling under my body's weight. My surroundings were hazy and unclear, and the populated streets were noisy and suffocating. I didn't stop moving. The ache in my muscles was almost welcomed by my confused daze.
By the time my breathing had steadied, I was in the middle of nowhere. I didn't know the area at all. Everything was unfamiliar and different to the Barcelona I knew. It was getting dark, pale pinks and oranges slithering away while darkness took over. It was silent almost, eery and uncomfortable. I start to walk again, trying every corner to find a route that I recognise.
I'm fucking lost.
In the middle of nowhere.
In a city I haven't properly visited in 7 years.
I panic.
I felt my heart race as footsteps got closer and then further once more. My hands were fiddling with the material of the hoodie, its scent no longer comforting but more a reminder of what a shocking situation I found myself in. I hated the silence. It was almost suffocating. My eyes clenched shut as once more footsteps began to creep from behind me. I spin on my heels to face the noise, but it's gone almost immediately. Turning in circles, my head starts to spin and my hands go sweaty, I feel sick and tears prick at my eyes. For fucks sake.
My first response is to call my sister, but how do I explain my situation? Oh yeah sorry sis but I think I like my best friend and I panicked so I started walking and didn't pay attention to where I was going.
Not a chance.
My next idea was to call Mapi, but a similar problem occurred. But what else was I meant to do?
My hands felt clammy and hot as I dug around in my pocket for my phone, its bright screen lighting up the area I was in. Trembling, I unlocked it and tried desperately to find Mapi's contact. I prayed she still had the same number, because despite meeting her again I haven't checked and with my luck, I wouldn't be surprised.
The call went through, however, and I heard heavy breathing on the other line.
"Lottie? Everything okay?" I hear her ask, her voice like honey against the sensitiveness my ears have to any sound.
I swallow harshly, biting down on my tongue. "I-i'm lost." I try, before letting the emotions spill over.
"I don't know where I am and it's dark and empty and silent but every so often there's footsteps and I swear I'm being watched by something. I can't breathe and I don't want to call my sister. I just want to get home again. Mapi, please come help me. I don't wanna be here anymore." I choke, tears streaming down my face.
I hear her drop her phone, yelling out to someone in the distance before picking it up again. She's humming under her breath, a tune I was familiar with but I can hear her pulling on her shoes in the background. "It's okay, Darling. I'm gonna get you home again." Mapi whispers hissing out angrily to the person behind her. "For fucks sake, Ale! You've been putting on shoes long enough to know how to tie laces."
It goes silent for a second, except for my excessive breathing and her short, sharp inhales.
"Alright, Lottie, breathe for me darling. Can you stay on the phone with me?"
I stupidly nod, knowing full well she can't see me before stuttering out a yes.
It's a couple.more minutes of silence before she perks up again, having made it out of her house without strangling the other girl she has with her and slamming the door shut. "Okay, sweetheart. Can you tell me what you did to get there?"
My heart shatters a little and I stumble over myself to find a good explanation. "I- erm. I was at Amalia's wedding rehearsal and I- uhm. I got this thought.. I was just scared and I started walking and all of a sudden I was here."
"Alright, Lottie. What can you see?"
"For fucks sake, Mapi. It's dark and I can't see anything! Buildings. A tree. Not much else with such minimal lighting."
There's bickering on the other side of the line, before another voice starts to speak, cursing in Spanish before switching to English. "Hi, Carlota. I'm Alexia, I'm Mapi's friend. Can you do me a favour?"
"Yeah?" I ask, hesitantly.
"Alright. Open Google maps for me."
More bickering, mostly incoherent but I hear Mapi say "don't you think she's already thought of that?"
Only for Alexia to respond with a: "I have an idea, Marìa."
I do as she says, but I'm staring at nothing, my data not able to work off the minimal signal I have.
"Okay, now what's the street name you see? It won't tell you where you are, but it'll give us your general location."
I scan the screen, locating the little grey writing of a road and reading it out.
The next silence is short and I can practically hear the cogs twisting in Mapi's head. It's followed by a "shit. I know where that is."
Suddenly, her feet are pounding fast against the concrete and she starts to pant down the line. "Lottie, darling, can you stand next to the closest thing that's giving off light?"
I scan my surroundings and find a small light in the pavement, standing next to it so as to not block it. In the distance, I hear footsteps get closer, but leave again.. closer once more before disappearing.
It's then I hear the yelling, the distinctive voice of Mapi crawling through the empty streets.
"MAPI!" I yell back, not sure if she heard me.
The padding of her feet grows closer and I see a figure, head whipping around ferociously.
"LOTTIE!" She finally sees me and somehow begins to run faster, arms spread wide as I meet her in the middle.
Effortlessly, she lifts me off the ground, spinning me around as her arms rest neatly under my bum, holding me up as my legs wrap around my waist and my hands find her shoulder blades. I've never felt her hug be so tight, clinging onto me as if I'd disappear as soon as she let go.
It's warm and safe and comfortable.. and so so tight. An extra pair of arms weasel their way around Mapi's, pressed to my hip as she tries to loosen the others grip.
"Mapi." She struggles. "Mapi, you're suffocating the poor girl!"
Reluctantly, she let's go of me, my legs dropping to the floor not at all gracefully. "You scared me so much." She murmurs in my ear, kissing my cheek thankfully. "I'm just so glad you're safe. Barcelona is a scary place at night."
I give her a soft smile, trying to ignore the burning feel on my cheek that her lips left. I turn to face the other girl, who stands there awkwardly picking at her nails. "Thank you to you too, Alexia." She gives me a smile and gratefully accepts the hug that I offer. Its much shorter than the one with Mapi, but as soon as I step away, the latter grips at my hand, interlacing my fingers in a way an onlooker would assume is romantic.
"Let's get you home. Busy day tomorrow." She says, just as I stifle a yawn against the back of my spare hand.
"Yeah? Oh. OH. MY SISTERS WEDDING." I yell, burying my face into my hand. Mapi laughs, and I can see Alexia try to stifle one, too.
(I went from not being able to finish it, too, writing way more than I needed to, so I hope you enjoy it. Back to you, does1tmatt3r for your chapter. Stay tuned 🫡❤️. Love ya<3)