Page 61 of Sombra
Twelve
Kim - Peppers
Iwake up with my face plastered to the pages of my open mystery novel, covered in crusty drool.
As usual. And as usual it takes me a minute to orient myself, to determine whether I’m dreaming or having a nightmare.
Neither. It’s reallife. Tavo kissed Sonia in the kitchen last night. The second I saw them I spun around and headed back to my room, not needing a hot mug of Cola Cao anymore. My heart beat in my ears, and I almost hyperventilated.
As I made my way back to bed still thirsty, all those fantasies I’d been harboring evaporated,poof, into the night air.
It’s a relief, right? To let him go to his novia?
I can’t think about Tavo the way I have been—all tall and lean and smelling so good. The way it’s so easy to talk to him. The way I want to know everything about him. The way I can’t stop staring at his beauty.
Whatever I’m feeling about Tavo, it’s been lost in translation. Like that professor said, he’s thinking things areestupendo, when he really meansnot bad. I’ve been misinterpreting.He’s not looking at me and feeling the way I feel about him.
He’s fucking her, not me.
He’s kissing her, not me.
And not only is he attached to another woman, I’m still stewing because Shane hasn’t responded to my email.
I message him on Skype again.
Are you around to talk?
As I wait for him to respond, I flip through my phone looking at the pictures I’vetaken this week. Pictures of school, of beautiful plazas filled with fountains and benches and flowers. Gorgeous views of the Alhambra. I’ve posted so many new things on my Instagram—not just the sights, but the sumptuous food—and a few selfies.
I don’t ever want to go back home. I love Spain, and I want to stay here. Selecting a few photos, I send some to my parents and to Maggie.
Maggie texts back asking how I am and about school, and I call her immediately on Skype.
“Maggie! How is it out there?”
“So pretty. It’s getting cool here in Yosemite, and the leaves are starting to turn. Court and I are chopping wood for winter.” Her voice sounds cheery and warm.
“That sounds … homey.” And I start to cry.
“Kim. What’s wrong?”
“Everything.I broke up with Shane.”
“Honey.”
“Well, I sort of did. I couldn’t get ahold of him, so I sent him an email. It wasn’t the way I wanted to do it, but he didn’t email me back. He hasn’t messaged me.” My voice lowers and gets shaky. “I hope I didn’t hurt him.”
“Breakups are hard, Kim.”
“I know. But we’re supposed to be together. Kim and Shane. It’s like peanut butter andjelly.”
“More like peanut butter and pickles.”
I laugh and snort up my snotty tears. “What?”
“You two didn’t have a lot of chemistry. It felt like you were going through the motions.”
“You thought that?”
