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IT HAD BEEN A WHILE since Natalia had visited her country, the land that she had grown up in. She usually saw her parents often, when she flew them out to come to Madrid. But it had been a while since she went back to Colombia.
She had been too busy with her life- which was always work- in Madrid.
Natalia had lived in Madrid for many years, and everything in Madrid felt like home. Madrid had become her 'new' home in the past years, but nothing would ever compare to her beloved Cúcuta. Nothing would ever make her as happy as returning to the city she was born in.
After the last group-stage match, against Senegal, she had spent a short amount of time with James and his family, enough to say goodbye and check up on James and his injury. She was devastated that he had gotten injured especially during such an important tournament. She would've stayed longer, but she couldn't because her flight to Colombia was only a few hours after the match.
The streets of Cúcuta made her feel nostalgic, and many memories came to her as she walked. She remembered walking home before curfew with James, from the park they would spend their time after school. Or the countless times they walked to school or when they would take the bus to the more populated areas of Cúcuta to hang out.
Natalia had not been back in Cúcuta in a few years, but every time she had visited- she missed her home even more after each time. And whenever she returned, she felt herself become more attached to her home. She felt that she hadn't visited her home in way too long, so everything felt more nostalgic for her.
She had walked around for a while, after settling and catching up with many of her family members and old friends who she had not seen in years.
Natalia looked around in awe, over the fact that everything was still the same, and she was a bit surprised that everything was still the same. The small markets- where James and her would buy candy and other small things whenever they would sneak out together- were still there.
On her way back home, she walked passed the old Rodriguez-Rubio home and noticed that everything was the same as she could remember from when she was younger. She smiled to herself as she reminisced many memories she had made in that house- the house that felt like her second home.
Growing up, Natalia didn't have much money but her family could afford what she wanted every here and then. But she was thankful that she had grown up that way, that she had stayed true to her roots, and that she had stayed the same humble girl.
The same sweet and humble girl that everyone loved in the small neighborhood she grew up in. That was what everyone loved about Natalia and James; they both had worked for what they wanted, and they were still humble and sweet as they were when they were younger.
The two were inseparable growing up, from the moment they met, there was not a time where they wouldn't be together.
Natalia didn't really have any siblings growing up. Her only sibling- her younger sister- had passed when Natalia was only eight. After her sister's passing, everything felt dull for her (and her family) despite the fact that she was still very young at the time.
