Boomerang (English version)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Flor

Upon arriving at the terminal, they helped me unload my suitcases from the boot. Albert carried the larger one, and I carried the smaller one. I received a WhatsApp message from Nicole, who was already at the meeting point to catch our bus to Montevideo, the capital. Of course, we couldn't be lucky enough to have a direct bus; we had to make a stop along the way and then catch another bus to Punta del Este. The thrill of travel, eh?Amidst the crowd, I spotted Nicole waving her arms as if conducting a symphony of tattoos. She wore a slightly short dress adorned with little flowers, revealing her numerous pieces of art on her skin. It had been her latest craze since last year. She had a tattoo that spanned from her shoulder to her heel, like a vine that had decided to colonise her body. It was as if she had declared, "I'm going to become a walking garden."Both of us were sporting tans, but Nicole took home the "Tan of the Year" award. Her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders like a golden waterfall; she was positively radiant. Her sky-blue eyes gleamed with an intensity that seemed to have stolen all the stars from the sky. We were like the touristy version of the movie "Twins," except instead of being identical, we were "the blonde and the brunette." I had hair as dark as the night, brown eyes that made me look like a tired owl, and a curvy figure. Nicole, on the other hand, was a moving Greek statue, graceful and streamlined. Although in height, we were almost the same, which spared us the argument of who would be the "tall" one and who the "short" one.She gestured for me to hurry up; there were still 20 minutes left before the bus departed, but I could already sense her excitement. So, I hastened my pace, and she came to meet me.— Aren't you happy? — Nicole asked, enveloping me in a high-energy hug.— Yes, yes, I am happy — I responded, shrugging my shoulders, trying to match my friend's outgoing tempo.— Just "yes"? Come on, we need enthusiasm! — Nicole exclaimed, bouncing lightly and clapping as if she were at a rock concert.At that moment, my mum and Albert approached us and greeted Nicole. My mum handed over my suitcases with a worried look.— Nicole, look after her well, you know she's never been there before. If you need anything, call me anytime — my mum said, holding her shoulders with a concerned expression.— Don't worry, Sara, everything will be fine. I'm an expert in adventures and taking care of newbie friends on exciting trips — Nicole replied, trying to reassure my mother.My mum was leaving me in Nicole's care, who, according to my logic, was smaller and more irresponsible. Although, in reality, Nicole was responsible for adding a touch of madness and fun to my life, so I think we were doing fine in that relationship.My mum nodded with a half-smile, still somewhat uncertain. Albert offered to carry the suitcases and handed them over to the guy in charge of storing them in the lower compartments of the bus.— Thanks, Albert, you're the muscles-and-suitcases man — I thanked him, trying to ease the tension a bit.My mum turned to Nicole and asked about her parents.— Your parents? — she inquired, curious.— At home, relaxed as always — Nicole responded casually.My mum was taken aback by the answer, but I wasn't surprised at all. Nicole's parents were known for their carefree style in certain matters. They weren't as watchful as my mother, who always carried control and concern like two inseparable friends.— Well, then, before we depart, we should get something to eat on the way, don't you think? — I suggested, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere that had formed.— Of course! We'll stock up on snacks as if we're conquering the world! — Nicole exclaimed enthusiastically.We headed off to find something to eat, leaving my mother with a look of nervousness. I gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder, but she crossed her arms, still worried about our journey. It seemed that Nicole and I were like two explorers in search of excitement and adventure, while my mother remained the operations chief, concerned about every detail.I took Nicole by the arm, and we headed to a shop to gather supplies for our trip. We had a few hours ahead of us, so it was better to be prepared to face any sudden cravings or boredom.— She's a bit nervous — I commented to Nicole, apologising for my mother's behaviour. I knew I had put her in an awkward situation.— Don't worry, I understand your mum. She just wants to make sure we're alright. She's like a protective superhero in mother hen version — Nicole said with a knowing smile.I nodded in agreement with her comment. My mother always had that protective instinct, and that was something I had to value.Inside the store, we dove into a frantic search for crisps, Doritos, sandwiches, water, Coca-Cola, and everything that seemed necessary to survive the journey.— Shall we take a beer with us? — Nicole suggested mischievously, pointing to a bottle of beer on the shelf.— On the bus? — I raised an eyebrow disapprovingly, imagining us trying to open a beer while the bus was jostling.— Well, just asking. We don't want to be the crazy ones on the bus right from the start — Nicole defended herself, raising her hands in surrender.It was clear that anxiety was getting the best of her, and her somewhat wild ideas were starting to sprout.Finally, we reached the checkout and placed all our purchases on the counter. The girl attending to us gave us a stern look and announced the total amount: "£560."I took my wallet out of my back pocket, but Nicole quickly pushed it aside.— I'll pay — she said with a determined smile.Nicole always wanted to pay for my things, which sometimes annoyed me a bit because I felt embarrassed relying on her. But in that moment, I decided not to argue in front of the friendly cashier. We put everything in a bag and left the store.— It wasn't necessary — I finally told her —. I don't want you always paying for me. I've saved a lot this year and received a bit more money.— I know — she said sweetly, linking her arm with mine —. Keep your money, we'll probably need it for something really extravagant later on — she winked at me, and I returned the smile.When we arrived at the bus, it was already in motion, and people were boarding. My mum signaled for us to hurry, so we picked up the pace.— Take care, take care — my mum hugged both of us tightly.— Yes, Mum, everything will be fine — I assured her for the umpteenth time, but I knew she wouldn't be at ease. We waved to Albert and got in line to board the vehicle that would take us to our much-awaited vacation.Finally, we ascended the bus stairs and took our seats. Nic let me have the window as she had decided to sleep most of the journey. My mum leaned out of the window to wave energetically, and both of us waved back. Thus, our adventure began. Nicole had already reclined her seat, and the lady behind her was looking at us with displeasure. Looks like we won the prize for the most disliked people on the bus!I decided to keep my seat upright, grabbed my bag from my feet, and took out my book "The Lucky One" by Nicholas Sparks. I was already halfway through the book, having only started it yesterday. I loved the author and how he told his stories. I'd become a fan since "The Notebook," and the movie had turned me into a complete addict. So, I opened my book, started reading quietly as we gradually left the city and ventured into the landscape of the green meadow. Ah, the perfect combination: a trip, a good book, and an angry lady shooting us murderous glances. What a way to start our vacation!

***

After four hours, we were entering Montevideo. What an endless journey! I nudged Nicole, who seemed to have entered a state of hibernation. Even the cattle we saw out the window were more lively than her! We had hardly exchanged conversation, but she mentioned that she wanted to be well-rested for the night, which, according to her, held promise.So, well, while she remained lost in deep slumber, I made use of the time. I read a bit, ate a bit more, used the restroom at the back (which is always quite the adventure on a moving bus), gazed at the landscape full of cattle, and before I knew it, the four hours had passed.My mum messaged me two or three times to know our progress and begged me to let her know as soon as we arrived. So, I snapped a photo, sent it to her, and wrote: "We've arrived!" Instantly, she replied: "Yaaaaay!" I could imagine her doing little joyful jumps! I couldn't help but smile at that mental image. Nic had a distant look towards the window, looking all sluggish.—Adjust your seat, we've arrived — I said, giving her little taps, as if waking a sleeping princess in a fairytale. She yawned, nodded, and stretched her arms. She was ready to conquer the world... or at least to step off the bus.She had a bit more water and grabbed her phone. We arrived at Tres Cruces station, the capital's bus terminal. We took our bags and put all our empty containers in a bag. Of course, we couldn't leave our trail of "snack devourers" all over the bus! We disembarked slowly as the queue progressed down the aisle. We lined up to collect our suitcases, and once we had them, we headed inside, where there were a few shops and places to eat.It was already 2 in the afternoon, and we had to wait another hour to catch the last bus to our final destination. It seems our vacation will be filled with excitement from the very beginning! At least we don't have to worry about boredom, that's for sure!—Let's grab something at McDonald's — Nicole suggested, with an irresistible craving in her eyes.—Absolutely, how can one resist a good burger! — I responded excitedly.We headed towards the burger paradise, eager to tantalize our taste buds with that flavor that only fast food can offer. There was no McDonald's in our city, so this was our chance to fully enjoy it.Upon arrival, we realized there weren't many people, which was a relief. We quickly found a table and left our suitcases and bags by the side, trusting the place's security.—Do you want me to go and you stay here to watch our stuff? — Nicole asked, volunteering to place the order.—Perfect! You go, order the same for me as you're getting, but this time, let me pay — I said, taking out money from my wallet and holding my hand out with a smile.—Okay, okay — she said, giving in and accepting my offer as she took the money.Within 10 minutes, if not less, we were devouring our burgers as if there was no tomorrow. Every bite was a piece of happiness in the form of meat and bun. I swallowed my last bite and finished my Coke with a sense of satisfaction.—It was to die for — Nic commented, licking her lips.—Yeah, really good! — I affirmed, feeling like an expert fast food culinary critic.At that moment, Nicole picked up her phone again, and her expression suddenly changed, becoming somewhat serious. My concerned friend instinct kicked in instantly.—Has something happened? — I asked with unease.—No, it's nothing — she said, downplaying it, but her gaze betrayed something more.—But you've read something and your face changed — I insisted, determined to uncover the mystery behind her sudden mood shift.Finally, Nicole sighed and decided to share the truth.—It's James, he's just arrived in the Bahamas and he sent me a photo at the beach — she confessed, showing me the image of relaxed feet in front of the sea with a cocktail in hand.—Oh — I responded, trying to hide my surprise — well, never mind, we'll have a great time anyway.—I know, it's just that I was looking forward to seeing him again — she shrugged, looking down with a hint of melancholy.I decided it was time to take control of the situation and shook my head, denying what I saw.—Hey, we're here to have fun, and that's what we'll do. James is nothing compared to the incredible company you have right here in front of you! — I exclaimed enthusiastically, taking her hand and making her smile.—Yeah, you're right — she said, changing her attitude, looked at the time — let's go, we have to board in 15 minutes — her eyes lit up.We got up quickly, disposed of our trash, grabbed our suitcases, and headed towards the bus we needed to take. We had about 2 hours of travel ahead. We handed our suitcases over to the attendant once again, boarded the bus, sat down, looked at each other, and laughed. Our vacation was about to officially begin.