Love, Amor, Amour

《Chapter 1》

♡

"I know what you need, one sec.."

Heidi left momentarily, to go next door. When she came back she held up two bottles in her hands. "Red or white?" She knew Mina would, of course, choose red because it was her favorite. Mina had a small obsession with the color.

"I'm not even going to ask why just let me get the wine glasses out. And red; always."

"Love is... That's all I have so far! It's been six days and I still haven't written more than the dictionary definition I have on this notebook. I'm usually at the top of my game when it comes to words on a blank surface. But, how am I supposed to write a heartfelt, gut-wrenching, string-pulling, apprenticeship winning essay; when I've never even been in love or thought about it at all!"

The wine was all that was needed to make Mina spill her guts. Heidi was aware of this as she let Mina keep talking.

"I thought I was done writing essays in my last year of Creative Writing course; apparently not."

Mina felt deflated, like a balloon after a month just there but, losing air softly. Heidi took everything in and then spoke to her, slowly but surely, reassuring her best friend that everything will be okay and that inspiration hasn't hit yet.

"You are a great writer, I've read your stuff since college I would know. You always get better in my opinion and-"

Mina cut her sentence off by stating the fact that she went to college for medical assisting and when finished she only took one full year course in writing. Therefore, she was very doubtful about winning and her capabilities.

"That's besides the point, Rome wasn't built in a day; remember how you constantly told me so when I would be looking for jobs and they wouldn't call back immediately or if I got the job I would hate it then quit a few days after asking you why my life isn't where I wanted it to be yet?"

Heidi always has been good at pep talks, guess she still has the spirit of an encouraging softball team captain.

"..Yes, I remember..It's just so, so annoying. Am I supposed to pull out these words out of my ass to write them? Ugh."

Heidi let a giggle slip from her mouth at her best friend's slur, "Chin up buttercup!"

♠️♥️♠️

"Sí, si me casaré contigo Roméo Santos. Hasta que la muerte nos-" (translation: Yes, yes I will marry you Romeo Santos. Until death do us-)

"No!! No-"

"Stupid alarm clock..two-ninety nine piece of shit.."

Grumpy and still drowsy, Mina dressed and left her chocolate brown waves free to catch the wind. She had to cut her shower down to under ten minutes. Denim shorts and a white blouse will suffice, Mina thought as she glanced herself in the hallway mirror of her apartment. The weather was good this time of year in the city of Bloomington. Well, no that's a lie; the weather is somewhat unpredictable.

She could hear Harvey meowing as she drank her orange juice in three gulps and finished her raisin bran muffin in four bites. Gross! But, she hasn't been grocery shopping in a while and she likes to eat dinner at her parents' house more often than not. It's just too hard to say no to her mom's Caribbean style home cooked meals, even if she had moved out two years ago.

"Okay, Harvey I know you're hungry but I'm late."

She spoke to her feline friend of five years while still zipping up her brown wedge boots. "You should have woken me up."

Mina quickly refilled Harvey's food and water bowl as she stroked his dark grey fur once before putting on her beige trench coat cardigan, picking up her purse and keys.

"Be good, sweety pie," The handsome American curl was the man of the house, or in this case: second-floor apartment.

And with that, she locked her front door, ran down the staircase careful not to trip and was in her trusty ol' Chevy Corvette driving to her dad's bakery: Cookie Crumbs.

The name was her idea as a child, not knowing that name would actually stick. She did have an infatuation for cookies that she never grew out of, 'til this day.

I wonder if dad baked any fresh cookies this morning...

Stomach growling, Mina put the pedal to the metal.