"Prima, ¿a cuanto tiempo no hablamos?"
[Cousin, how long has it been since we've spoken?]
My cousin, Lara, was on the phone. Although she spoke fluent English, sometimes she'd talk to me in Spanish. Usually when we spoke over the phone. Whichever one came out first she'd use. She lived upstate and it was a few hours away so I only saw her once a year — if that.
"He estado ocupada trabajando estas últimas semanas."
[I've been busy working these past couple of weeks]
"Eso ya sabia. Entonces, ¿cuando te veo? Ha pasado casi un año desde la última vez qué tuvimos juntas."
[That I knew. So, when do I see you? It's been one year since we've been together]
"No lo se. ¿Cuándo vas venir aquí? Sabes qué la mejor manera es qué tu vengas a mi."
[I don't know. When are you coming here? You know the best way is for you to come to me]
She lived in San Francisco which was a good few hours away. Since she didn't work and only went to college, it would be easier for her to visit me because she was less occupied.
"OK, te visito. Mira... entonces, ¿ya sabes?"
[OK. I'll visit you. Hey, guess what... so, do you already know?]
"Qué?"
[What?]
"Nuestra prima Valeria se va a casar en agosto. La fiesta será en un hotel en Los Angeles."
[Ou cousin Valeria is getting married in August. The party is going to be in a hotel in LA]
I hadn't spoken to her in over a year. Last time I did I was still at college. We got along very well despite the fact she was a few years older but we both stopped talking because of things we had going on in our lives.
"No sabía nada."
[I didn't know anything]
"¿No miras FaceBook?"
[Don't you look at FaceBook?]
"No mucho."
[Not much]
"Deberías. Porqué fue allí donde me mandó la invitación como no sabia mi dirección."
[You should. Because that was where she sent me the invitation as she didn't know my address]
"Después lo miro."
[I'll look at it after]
"Está bien... Ya tienes novio?"
[OK... do you have a boyfriend already?]
I rolled my eyes. "¿Que piensas, Lara?"
[What do you think, Lara?]
"¿Todavía estás soltera?"
[Are you still single?]
"Sí."
[Yes]
She sighed. "Mira, yo también. Estoy harta de hombres."
[Listen, me too. I'm fed up of men]
"También yo." I laughed.
[Me too]
"Pienso que será mejor adoptar un gatito para me hacer compañía. Un gato no me dejará..."
[I think it would be better to adopt a cat to keep me company. A cat wouldn't leave me...]
Lara's been dating since high school but they've either not worked out well at all or they've cheated on her. I didn't know how she kept going after the third guy.
"Pues no. Opino que es una idea maravillosa."
[Well, no. I think it's a wonderful idea]
"Creas? Entonces voy adoptar uno. Agora– ¡ay! ¡Mi madre está llamando! ¿Hablo contigo otro tiempo?"
[You do? So I'm going to adopt one. Now– Ay, my mum's calling me! I'll talk to you another time?]
"Claro que si. Te veo más tarde."
[Of course. See you later]
"Bye, prima."
YOU ARE READING
𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒐
Teen Fiction"What the fuck are you doing?" I spat. "Making sure you live." ... Life was never easy for anyone but after Mia's roommate loses her job, she ends up having to take drastic measures so they're not kicked out of their apartment. She's left with the...
