Grapes Upside Down

47. Picarones

~Madisen~

Noah leaves for a walk randomly in the middle of helping Graciela put away the market produce. His face has that greenish tinge similar to the infamous night of Piscolas. I wonder if he and Clara got super drunk last night. Did they just make out again, or did they go all the way? The thought makes me sick.

I freeze when I glance down at my own hand, which is peeling a tangerine. Noah saw the ring.

I had meant to remove it and hide it in my desk drawer before coming out of my room. Hearing Graciela and Noah put away the groceries, I rushed out to help, because I have been feeling like the worst host daughter in the history of exchange programs.

Checking my watch, I will away the nausea over Noah and Clara, Noah and the ring, and the fact that I wasn't fully honest with my moms earlier, compartmentalizing all my worries into a black box at the back of my brain.

"Voy a ver a Ignacio ahora," I tell Graciela. Her eyebrows slant towards her nose, the frown lines on either side of her mouth creasing deeply.

"No has almorzado." She points out that I haven't yet eaten lunch, emphasizing that she is about to cook.

Assuring her that I'll be home soon, I trample over my own guilt and embarrassment on my way to grab a coat from my bedroom. I've never been the girl obsessed over a boy, skipping class and inconveniencing others in order to prioritize a romantic relationship. Today, however, I can't help it. There's unfinished business to take care of with Ignacio, and I won't be at ease until I talk with him.

*

"¡Caperucita!" Ignacio's face glows when he spots me heading towards him in the park. He scoops me up and spins around, causing me to feel like a movie protagonist. The sky is bright blue, the blaring sun hinting at a promise of spring in the distance.

"Okay. So..." I begin, unable to settle the grin stretching across my face. "You definitely surprised me last night. I'm sorry that my response wasn't... the best."

"I know, Caperucita, I know. I went a little crazy. I should have warned you beforehand. Our whole relationship together has been like a fairy tale. I got carried away and wanted to surprise you. It felt romantic when I was planning it."

He is so adorable, rambling on, dimples growing deep as he beams.

"It was romantic!" I assure him. "This is just all so... new to me. Even being in a serious relationship to begin with. Let alone in another country, speaking only Spanish, with someone who is five years older and has a very different life experience to me. It's a lot. I keep thinking, it's only been two months. But then I remember that we've spent every day together, so it's practically the equivalent of dating for a year."

"My reaction to your reaction was uncalled for. I didn't mean to pressure you like that. I totally understand that you need to think it through. Remember, we're not getting married immediately. I just want to marry you, someday. Hopefully, someday soon!" Ignacio pauses with a pointed, humorous throat clear. "Um, if you still want me with you after 90 days... it'll have to be sooner rather than later."

He makes a cute little grimace with the last sentence, as if acknowledging that his fate is at my mercy. We giggle together over the awkward bureaucratic aspect of our love.

"Okay, so what's our plan, then?" I ask. We have been doing research the past few weeks, attempting to understand VISA requirements for Chileans. "It seems like it will be pretty easy to apply for a travel VISA through the Waiver Program, right?"

"Yeah, but I have to get a passport first."

"You don't have a passport?"

"Nope. Never been out of South America."