The year was 1984. I hadn't left my town in England in over a year, it felt so weird to be packing my bags again. A trip away was definitely what I needed. I looked at my calendar. "Spain it is." I uttered to myself. I had been to Spain a while back for some other business with work so I was familiar with the language and their culture.
I placed on a t-shirt and some shorts and fell asleep dreaming of summer spent in a beautiful house by the sea. Soon I was awoken by the birds outside my window, I squinted at my watch and my eyes widened. I was gonna miss the train if I didn't hurry up. As quick as I possibly could I got ready and hurried down to the station. On the way there I stopped to get a quick drink and some breakfast at the local cafe.
"Morning George." The old lady said to me as I entered the shop.
"Good morning, Miss Smith." I replied and gave her a friendly nod. She will be missed when she dies I thought. She seemed to know everyone. The sun shone down hard through the windows giving each object a glint of golden brown. Summer always gave a room a sense of peace that winter just didn't have. I took a bottle of water and payed for it before leaving and rushing to the train station. I saw her disappointment at my departure, but I couldn't stay like usual. She opened her mouth to speak but I was already out the door. She must be so lonely. Where was her husband? I got on the train and sat down breathing out a sigh of relief and flicking my wind swept hair out of my eyes. I stared out the window and sighed, watching my breath form condensation on the window. Poor Miss Smith, cursed to a life of isolation. Left on the shelf to rot till death took her in his arms. I didn't want that to be me.
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I lay in my bed and stared out the window at the birds. They flew in circles around each other. I watched as they perched on a branch and cuddled into one another. Then I picked up my notebook and began to draw them. Nature had always fascinated me, how each little thing, no matter how insignificant they seemed, played its vital part in the ebb and flow of the world. I loved it here in Spain. I lived in a small town named Morella, just on the edge of civilisation yet still quite isolated. The type of place where you knew everyone's name. I heard my dad downstairs talking to my mum, something about the misplacement of keys. I sighed contently and rolled onto my side pulling a pillow closer to my head. I closed my eyes and began to drift off until my dad called me from downstairs.
"Coming papa" I called and buttoned up my red polo shirt. I placed on my shorts that had palm trees on them and rushed down the stairs. Our childhood house was a big country house, three stories tall, with 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. I got to the bottom of the stairs and asked my Father what he wanted.
"You know we have a new student coming over today, have you tidied your room?"
"Not again." That meant I'd have to sleep in the guest room and it was horrible in there.
"Why can't they sleep in the guest room? And who are they anyway?"
"His name is George. He's a college student and he's come here to learn about my scientific research. He wants to become a science teacher you see."
"Oh right I see." I replied, this happens every summer, the one time of the year I actually enjoy apart from this. "But why has he got to sleep in my bed?"
"Because it's respectful. He shall be treated with full respect while he's here. I invited him so I make the rules. Also you should show him around the town later. Do you understand mi hijo?" I nodded my head slowly and walked back up to my room. "Oh and Mateo?"
I stopped and turned around. "Si Padre?" He stared at me indifferently.
"Lucia is here." He smiled begrudgingly and Lucia appeared behind him. He knows, he knows she'll get hurt.
"Hola." She greeted. I grinned from ear to ear. She followed me up the stairs and I beckoned her to sit next to me on the bed. Her eyes were emerald green and sparkled in the sunshine. The light highlighted her hair making it a beautiful chocolate brown. I loved her as any adolescent would his first love. But it felt like more than that. Though, try as I might, I couldn't see my future wife in her as my other friends did with their girls. I wished I saw her that way, because I knew I loved her. But whenever she mentioned the future I went bitter, she probably knew though I never told her why. As a silent agreement between us, the future was taboo.
YOU ARE READING
A never ending train.
AdventureA story about two people who slowly find out they were made for eachother. Yet, it is too late. Inspired by the books "call me by your name" and "find me". Written by Andrė Aciman. References to the film adaptation of "call me by your name".
