I held my breath as much as I could and slowly opened my eyes to see thousands of tiny silver fishes swimming by. I felt like a mermaid princess under water watching over my subjects. Bad part I could only be in one spot for I couldn't swim at all. I rose my head to the surface of the water and breathed in fresh air into my lungs. Sometimes I wish I could be in the water for the rest of my life just drowning all of my problems away.
"Careful Danni." My aunt spoked. "Your father told me you couldn't swim."
"I can't but I'll be careful." I assured my aunt.
My aunt with icy blue eyes and gray almost white hair, stood by a huge rock washing her clothes in the river where I was taking my bath. My aunt Margaret with wrinkly hands did such a perfect job attending to the clothes with delicacy.
"All right just one more pile before we go attend the cattle." My aunt looked up from her washing.
I nodded and waddled my way out of the river to drench my soaking wet clothes to dry. As I squeezed the water out of my shirt I couldn't help but feel a presence watching my every move. My aunt caught that same presence and her expression turned unreadable.
"Hurry. Men with cattles will be coming by." My aunt started to hurry with the washing.
The little water of the river started to turn white with the soap my aunt was using and the heat started to beat down on us. My aunt quickly finished her doings and carried the bucket full of clothes up on her head.
"All right sweetie watch your step and try not to step on a snake." My aunt chuckled.
Could have been a joke but to be honest my aunt was right. Here in Honduras there was the danger of a snake out to bite you or being sucked in mud holes caused by the extreme drought. Not to mention every once in while you had to watch your back or you might be followed.
"How's long has been this drought?" I asked my aunt worriedly as around me everything was dry and dead.
"It's been a while." My aunt sighed. "The only thing left to do is pray to God for rain."
I felt bad for my aunt. Back in America I felt rich than here. Poorness screamed out from every little shack and streets. I walked slowly behind my aunt fixing my hair in a bun, hearing the distance sound of the cows slurping from the river's water from where I was just minutes before taking a bath.
Poor animals. Sadness was clogged in my heart for these people and animals. Life here was harsh.
"So tell me," My aunt smiled back at me. "How's school over there?" She asked.
"Well...Not bad." I shrugged. "I'm an A student and well I have a friend."
"Is it a girl?" My aunt curiously asked.
"Err...No." I picked up my pace and walked beside her. "He's a guy."
"That's good though careful teens these days are looking for other things. One advice...Love doesn't exist like it use to." I saw my aunt's eyes twinkle as she remembered something.
Years back my aunt Margaret married her husband but he died so soon leaving my aunt to be a widow at age 30 and leaving three children behind. Since then my aunt remained single and loving her husband who died so young.
"Women these days become widows but weeks later they're married to another man. Love is getting weaker and weaker. Point is sometimes guy friends become something more you know?" She huffed as we started to walk up a hill to her house.
"About that...Can I tell you something?" I nervously started to play with my hair.
"Go ahead sweetie."
"He's not my friend no more." I stared down at the dirt path.
My aunt smiled and layed a hand on my shoulder. "Careful with him. Faces we see but hearts we will never know."
I nodded slowly realizing she had a point. I barely knew anything about Joe and can't help but have a feeling he's hiding something from me, yet he's the reason I'm smiling. I'm happy with him. Every second, every minute, every hour, and every day there wasn't a day I didn't think about him. Even out here he's always in my mind.
As we got to my aunt's home she layed the bucket that she was carrying in her head to the ground. He clear blue eyes were warm and loving.
"It doesn't hurt to love." She smiled weakly. "Unless is for real."