When The Sun Goes Down

Chapter One

Nina wiped her eyes furiously as she stared down at the streets below. She was sitting on the top of her building's fire escape, where she had spent so many days as a child, dreaming of a brighter future. And now, she was getting a second chance at that future. As she peered down at the people below, Nina spotted her friend Vanessa. Vanessa was running towards her boyfriend Usnavi, who swept her up in a hug and kissed her. Vanessa and Usnavi had started dating just before Vanessa moved downtown. The two used to see each other every morning, when Vanessa went to buy her coffee at Usnavi's bodega, but now they saw each other about once a week. Usnavi had been in love with Vanessa for years, but she hadn't felt the same way until earlier that summer. Ah, summer, Nina thought. The time of year when the neighbourhood piragüero went up and down the streets every day, selling his shaved ice. The time of year for carnavals, like the carnaval del barrio they had had in July. The time of year when Nina had fallen in love with Benny. Nina sighed. Since her father Kevin had sold the family's taxi dispatch, Rosario's Taxi Service, Nina had had enough money to go back to university. She had started her first year at Stanford the previous September, but had had to drop out in March because her grades dropped and she lost her scholarship. Now, Nina was going back. But that meant leaving everything she loved behind, including Benny. Benny had worked for Kevin for five years before Kevin abruptly let him (and all of his other employees) go. Nina and Benny had started dating around the same time as Vanessa and Usnavi, early July. They knew their time together was short, because long distance relationships are extremely difficult. There was no guarantee that the two would feel the same way about each other when Nina returned for Christmas, or March Break, or summer. So they had made the most of their summer together. The past two months were the happiest months of Nina's life. But now she had to go back to California, where she had no friends, no family, and no boyfriend. Nina's parents, her friends Vanessa, Daniela, Carla, and Usnavi, and her love Benny were all staying in Washington Heights.

"Nina! Time to go!" Kevin yelled from below. Nina woke from her trance and slowly climbed down the fire escape. She dragged herself to the taxi and helped her parents pile her luggage into the trunk. Her parents were accompanying her to the airport, but her friends were staying behind.

"Wait!" Vanessa yelled as she ran up to the taxi. "I'm not letting you leave without a hug." Vanessa squeezed Nina, and both girls started crying. Usnavi, Daniela, and Carla came up behind Vanessa and hugged Nina as well.

"We have to leave now." Camila, Nina's mom, said.

Nina looked around frantically. "Where's Benny?"

"He told me he had a job interview today downtown." Usnavi said, "It should have been over by now."

"I can't leave without saying goodbye to him." Nina insisted.

"Nina, we have to leave. You can't miss your flight." Kevin said.

"But-"

"Now." Nina reluctantly climbed into the car, glancing one last time at her friends. She looked out the back window at her friends waving as the taxi started to drive away. Then, she saw a tiny speck in the distance. It was moving quickly towards the group. It was a person. It was Benny.