Arranged Love: Cristina's Story

Arranged Love: Cristina's Story - Chp 2

Arranged Love: Cristina’s Story

Chapter Two - Tristán

The year of waiting had finally come to an end. A year ago I couldn’t believe what I was seeing that night. I’ve know Cristina since I met her brother all those years ago in grade school. She’d always fascinated me with how different she was from other girls. She hardly ever wears make-up, she knows a lot about not only cars but motorcycles as well, she likes and plays many different sports but she also likes to be out in the sun, working in a garden or off in a quiet place reading. To say she was intriguing was the understatement of a lifetime.

I knew she would be furious with me for keeping quiet for an entire year. With how late I was in getting over to her parents house she was probably hoping that I was lost in a snow storm or it was all just a bad dream. I couldn’t blame her one bit for any of that. It was several months later before I could accept the news I’d received something Cris didn’t have the luxury of doing. After talking to my parents--which lasted longer then I had planned--and wishing them a Merry Christmas I got ready to head over to spend Christmas with the Masters family. By the time I left my place it was late and I was going to be rather late getting to their house.

After the longest drive of my life I sat there in my parked car trying to get every nerve, thought, and emotion under control. Realizing in that moment as I stared into the dark grey clouds over head that I was in love with Cristina Masters and that I had been for a while now. Snow had started fall as I stepped out of the car to finally head towards the house and Cristina. Not knowing what to expect I rang door bell and waiting for whatever was awaiting me on the other side of that door. Soon the door opened revealing a not so happy Cristina. However unhappy she was she stilled looked like a Christmas angel with her dark curls falling loose over her shoulders and down her back with the light just right that I could see a tiny tint of red giving the appearance of rubies threaded with great care in each curl. Her eyes looked like topaz gemstones shining in the way they caught the light. Her full rosebud lips barely creating a smile as she stared at me.

“Tina who is at the door?” I heard Duarnte yell from somewhere inside the house. Slight aggravation flashed in Cris’s eyes before quickly disappearing as she turned her head over her should to yell back her answer.

“It’s Tristán! We’ll be there in a minute!” She yelled back at her younger brother. I was slightly disappointed when she turned away from me but it only lasted a mere second for she soon turned to face me again. “Merry Christmas Tristán. Come in out of the cold.” She opened the door wider and stood off to the side allowing me entrance into the house.

“Thank you. Merry Christmas Cris.” I said smiling at her. As she looked at me for a few minutes I saw curiosity and wonder play in her eyes making them shine even more. I knew that I probably looked different. More calm, sure of myself and knew now that I was in love with one Cristina Masters.

Soon she took my coat and we where soon heading towards the living room. All was quiet between us as we walked down the hall. The only noise was the quiet rustling of her long black skirt--the only one she owns--against her long dark red waterfall cardigan the was placed over a light cream shirt. The only night everyone got dressed up. Cris once told me it was because Christmas Eve was the only time everyone got together. Before entering completely into the living room where everyone was I felt Cristina tense up and watched a blank mask cover her face. She was pulling back into herself, behind the walls all to hide from reality. She was ever the actress, pretending that nothing was out of place, each minute a certain scene in the drama and not once did she miss a line or a step the entire night.

The night passed in normal fashion which meant that my little actress hasn’t told anyone outside of her parents about the arranged marriage. They treated me much the same and her ever cleaver abuela (grandma) tried every chance she got to force Cris’s hand into telling everyone but Cris was just as cleaver and never fell into her abuela’s traps. At some point before the end of the night everyone scattered about the house. Cris and I some how ended up in the same room alone together where her carefully created blank mask finally broke as she turned flashing topaz eyes at me.