Niña Escondida | Yoandri Cabrera

4. Beauty | Belleza

Yoandri

By eleven at night, the plane finally lands in Madrid. Ever since I got accepted to the performing arts school, which was in March, I looked online for a roommate and thankfully I found one.

My roommate offered to pick me up but I insisted that he didn't have to. An Uber picks me up at the airport to take me to the two-story apartment I'll be sharing. I'm amazed by the beautiful city Madrid is, it looks so beautiful at night.

I get off with my luggage once I'm dropped off at my location and walk to the front door of my new home for four months. My roommate already knows I'm on my way. We know each other a little bit because of social media. I knock the front door and the boy who's significantly taller than me opens and I come in.

"Debes de ser Yoandri." He says politely.

"Ese soy yo! Yoandri Cabrera, mucho gusto. Me puedes decir Yoli o Yoyo también. ¿Y usted?" We already know each other's name but we're presenting ourselves properly for the first time.

"Johann Vera." He smiles and shakes my hand. "Recuerda que esta es tu casa también. Debes de venir cansado. Quieres un refresco? Una cerveza? Se te ve la cara de que quieres una cerveza."

"Ya me conoces!" I laugh. "Tira una hacia mi, porfa. Solo voy a tomarme una para dormir a gusto."

"Míralo, míralo." Johann smirks. "So you're not attending university here in Madrid, just going to music school?"

"Yup." I take a drink of my beer. "Although my parents think I'm going to a university here."

"Why would they think that?" He asks me.

"Because my mom doesn't really approve of me wanting to be a musician or anything related so she didn't approve of me going to the music school here. I had to lie and say I was also attending a college here and since I'm 18, they don't have a say in anything." I explain.

"My parents are sort of the same. I'm actually attending the university here in Madrid so there's no lies involved." He chuckles.

Johann is originally from Ecuador but him and his family have lived in many countries. His family is back in Ecuador temporarily but he decided he'd stay in Spain. He's nineteen, a year older than me, he'll turn twenty in November. Since his summer vacation from the university already started he will be taking courses at the music school I'll be going and he's also an intern at a company. We get to know each other then I go to my new room to rest.

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The first thing I do when I open my eyes is check my phone and I see that it's twelve in the afternoon but to my defense I'm jet lagged. My room has a bathroom so I go and shower. After my shower, I wrap a towel around my waist and go find something to wear from one of my suitcases since I still haven't unpacked. I change, apply lotion and cologne, and go back to the bathroom to style my hair.

Johann texted me that he's at his internship telling me he won't be back to later at night. I won't text or call my parents until later because it's still early in Miami. My courses don't start until tomorrow so I have a free day. I go on the google maps app and check for any drug stores near my area since I have to buy a few things. There's a local drug store in this area so I'll just walk, hopefully I don't get lost.

I didn't buy anything at the local drug store since I didn't really need anything yet. I walk to the McDonald's across the street because I haven't ate anything.

As I'm walking down the streets of Madrid the large and beautiful church catches my attention, maybe I'll go next Sunday. I see a group a young boys who look like they're eight playing football or soccer, whatever you may call it, until one of the boys falls down badly. The rest don't know what to do as he's crying.

The young boy reminds me of myself when I was seven or eight for some reason. I feel bad for him falling since it looked like he fell real bad. Normally I wouldn't give a fuck but right now I've had a good day, so I do. I rush to the group of kids and I immediately see that the kid who fell, twisted his ankle.

"Está bien? Te ayudo niño?" I ask the boy who's on the ground.

"S-Si!" The boy cries. I pick him up carefully.

"Donde lo llevo?" I ask the rest of the kids.

"Sígueme." One of the kids says and I follow him along with the rest of them. I end up in the small homes of the church, this is probably a small orphanage as well.

"Danielito, ¿qué te pasó?" A nun rushes to the boy.

"Se lastimo el tobillo." I answer for him.

"Gracias por ayudarlo, dios te bendiga." The nun tells me and takes him from my arms.

"No se preocupe." I say.

As I'm about to turn my heel and walk away, a beautiful girl catches my eye.

"Que le pasó a Daniel?" The beautiful girl says in a worried tone.

"Se lastimo pero esperamos que este bien." The nun tells her. "Este joven lo trajo en sus brazos." After the nun tells her that, she looks at with the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen.

She's so simple yet so captivating. The way she looks at me with warm eyes did something to me. She's full of nothing but beauty and purity.

"Me puedo quedar a ayudarles?" I ask in hopes of getting to know the girl who caught my attention.

"Si gusta." The nun answers and I nod.

I carry the boy who's name is Daniel to his room he shares with some of the kids and a nurse comes so none of us help after that. The beautiful girl walks away by herself outside and I catch up to her.

"Pellízcame." I say to the girl as I'm walking next to her.

"Perdón?" She asks confused.

"Es que parece que estoy soñando." I say confidently. Why am I like this? "Solo que eres muy hermosa."

"Gracias." She says with her Spanish accent and giggles.

"Como se llama?" I ask her.

"María Fernanda pero todos solo me dicen Fernanda." She replies.

"Bueno Fernanda, yo me llamo Yoandri... Yoandri Cabrera." I reach for her hand and kiss it. "Todas las españolas son igual de bonitas como usted?"

"Yo tengo novio." She admits while slowly back away from me.

Before I can say anything to her my phone rings. It's my mom probably wanting to check up on me so I answer.

"Aquí te dejo Yoandri..." Fernanda says quietly. "Gracias por todo."

"Fer... No te vayas." I say but she doesn't listen and I'm left all alone.

The whole walk home, I'm on the phone with my mom and dad.

I really want to see Fernanda again but how? She was probably just going to church since it's Sunday and she happens to know everyone from the church. I think the only way to see her again is if I go next Sunday like I had planned.

I'm not trying to be dramatic or anything but this is the first time a girl has had this kind of effect on me. La dulzura, belleza, y inocencia de Fernanda me hace querer más.

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