More Than Friends

     Maria Alberto Fernandez

"Maria, Maria ",Abuela yelled from the hallway peeking her head through it,I can tell because she sounded so close. I let out a sigh and stopped what I was doing.

"Coming Abuelita",I yelled back. I walked out of my room and head towards my grandma.

"Am here grandma ",I said,kissing her cheek and standing next to her by stove,amazing aroma coming from the pot she's stirring.

"Amor,what are you doing? Dinner is ready you need to come eat",Grandma said,her accent very thick.

"I'm starting to pack my things Tita,you know am leaving on Sunday and today is Friday. I don't want to forget anything ",I answered her.

"Oh amor,you are so eager to leave your Abuelita, yes?",she asked,turning around and cupping my cheeks. I let out a sigh.

"Grandma, please let's not start this again ",I whined.

Well,my life is a bit hard. My papa died few months before my mama gave birth to me,in a car accident. And my mama died five minutes after she gave birth to me. She died due to excessive bleeding,that's what my grandparents told me. So am officially an orphan. My maternal grandparents took me in and raised me. The rest of my familia are estranged and barely contact us.We are of the lower class,my grandparents work in a very rich familia. They used their hard earned money to send me to school to get a very good education. Due to how hard working and diligent I was,I got a scholarship into one of America's prestigious university. To study my dream course which is Business Administration.

She let go of my face and wiped away imaginary tears and I giggled.

"Am just going to miss my little coco",she said going back to her cooking. Grandpa took that opportunity to walked in.

"Abuelo!",I exclaimed and rushed over to him,I took the basket he was holding and crush him in a hug.

"Maria my darling, Tito is getting old and your bear crushing hugs are going to break me one day",he said chuckling.

"Tito!",I drawled teasing him.

"Mi Vida",Grandma said walking over to her husband to welcome him.

After dinner, we all sat in our little living room watching some old movie that grandpa loves so much. I have stopped complaining after watching it almost every night.

We chatted a little before I excused myself and head over to my room. It's not big and expensive, but it's very warm and comfy. I love it so much and am going to miss it terribly.

I sat on my bed and carried my phone. I called my friends, starting from Carlos my best friend, and then Carla. We went to the same high school and we became besties.

We talked about how fast the days to my departure was fast approaching and how badly am going to miss them. They decided to come over tomorrow and help me pack the rest of my things.

I slept off thinking about how my life in a foreign state is going to be. San Andres is the only place I know,and I have never left my home town.

♧♧♧

In the morning when I woke up,I had this feeling like something bad is going to happen. It made my mood sour. I don't want to tell Tita about it because she's a very superstitious person. I don't want to make them worry,so I tried my best in stomping down the feeling and plastered a fake smile on my face,and a cheerful tone to my voice.

I'm expecting my friends, so that will also cheer me up.

Getting inside the kitchen, I saw my grandparents already eating breakfast. That only means that I woke up late than usual.

"Buenos Dias Tito,Tita",I greeted them with a bright smile on my face.

"Buenos Dias Coco",my grandpa answered first and then my grandma.

"Good morning my darling".

"Sorry I woke up late",I said.

"Actually is not the matter of you waking up late,is the fact the you slept like the dead",grandma said laughing.

"Your Abuelita even shook you but you didn't wake up",Tito said also laughing.

"You guys should really stop teasing me. I just had a bad dream that's why ",I said serving myself breakfast.

"What's the dream about?",Tita asked looking concerned and worried at the same time,and this is what I wanted to avoid.

"Is nothing to worry about Tita,let's just eat breakfast, eh?", Tita reluctantly let it go.

After doing the dishes,I was about to jump on the living room couch when I heard a knock on the door. Grandpa had already left for his work,and Tita is getting ready to head out also.

I walk to the door and open it,revealing my two friends ,Carlos and Carla. I gave each of them a hug and a kiss on the cheek,then I led them inside the house.

Tita came out of her room and bid us good bye. I kissed her on the cheek and told her to take care and be safe. She'll be back probably before dinner. So I will be the one to make dinner for us.

"So...only today is left...right?",Carla asked,after making herself comfortable on the couch.

"Don't worry, we'll go with you to the airport ",Carlos chipped in.

I've never been on a plane,thinking about it makes my stomach churn.

"Yes guys. I sometimes feel like not going. Who's going to take care of my grandparents, they are the only familia that I have. I don't want to leave them alone, especially Tita ". I rambled on.

"Relax Maria, Tita and Tito can take care of themselves. You don't need to worry so much,just focus on your studies,that's all we are asking for ",Carla said.

I'm more than grateful for having them here with me.

We went to my room and they helped me to finish packing most of my things. After that we went back to the living room and eat snacks.

Carlos and Carla are already going to a college here in San Andres. Their familias are of the middle class, so going to college to them was not big of a deal. Carlos is studying mechanical engineering, while Carla went for medicine hoping to become a doctor one day. I on the other hand want to become a successful business woman,to be able help the people around me,especially my grandparents.

After spending some time together, they decided to leave,not before promising me to be here as early as possible to go with me to the airport.

I made dinner and waited for my grandparents to come back from their stressful day.

♧♧♧

"Maria this food tastes delicious ",Tito gushed enjoying the food I made. Well it was all thanks to Tita, she taught me well. Her bakings and cooking are amazing and she uses any opportunity that presents itself to teach me,passing down her knowledge and secret recipes to me.

"Thank you Tito, it's least I could do.I will be leaving tomorrow anyway ",I said with a sad smile on my face.

"It's okay my love,is not that you'll be gone forever. You'll be back and am sure you'll visit when you have the chance to,eh", Tita said,extending her hand and placed it on mine giving it a little squeeze. I smiled back in return.

I love them so much, they mean alot to me.

After dinner I washed the dishes then went to my room.

It took me a whole lot of effort before sleep finally made it's way to me.