Onsra(Bittersweet Love)

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The first thing I noticed was that the passenger seat was empty. When I looked up I made direct eye contact with Javier.

My heart stopped, as did the world around me. Each newly familiar emotion I'd experienced at Elena's house before washed over me once again. I hated it. I'd been trying to forget him all this time and just one look at Javier had me back to where I started.

Elena knocked on her window from the back. "Get in the passengers," she said slowly, as if I was a toddler. I blushed before I opened the car door and shut it.

"My mom couldn't drive, so I got Javier to drive for us," Elena said. Wasn't that obvious?

I tried to concentrate on something else, something other than how his arms would flex involuntarily, how Javier's eyes narrowed just slightly every time the car turned. He was paying attention to the road, not to me. It was somehow both intriguing and annoying.

"Flora, did you hear what I said?" I flinched. "No, what did you say?" Elena sighed from the back. "I said we don't have a lot of time but I want to talk to my mom about inviting you for vacation."

"Flora is coming with us for Spain?" Javier blurted out. It was the first thing he'd said the entire car ride. He cleared his throat at the end.

"Well, we're not sure yet but maybe. Can my mom get your mom's phone number?" Elena said, a smile evident in her tone.

"Oh yeah, sure," I said quickly. To be honest, a vacation to Spain was sounding more fun the more I thought about it. As long as I didn't have to pay for anything.

We finally pulled into Elena's long driveway, the size of her house still amazing me. When we got out the car, Elena pulled my hand with her. "Come on, we have to tell my mom." I giggled at Elena's excited, slightly childish voice.

I stole one last glance at Javier. He was leaning against the car with an unreadable expression on his tanned face.

Elena brought me into the house, taking off her shoes as well as waiting for me to remove mine. "Mom!" She called. No reply.

She led me down one elaborate hall until we made it to an office with two glass doors. Elena's mom was typing on her computer at a rapid pace.

I almost told Elena that we should maybe leave her alone, but instead, Elena barged into the room with me.

"Mom can Flora come with us to Spain?" I glanced between Elena's happy expression and her mom's serious, confused one.

I spoke first. "Mrs..." I just then realized I didn't know Elena's last name. "Accardi. Mrs. Accardi," she finished with a small smile. She looked tired. Dark circles were under her brown eyes, and her hair looked to be in need of a wash, even as it was pulled into a tight bun.

"Mrs. Accardi, I completely understand if you say no," I said quickly, and hopefully respectfully.

"No, of course you can come. We always keep an extra ticket if either Javier or Elena want to bring someone with us. Though Javier never really..." she droned on before clearing her throat. "I mean, you can definitely come. May I have you mother's phone number to call to confirm?"