Arrival

#AIRPORT#

#MORNING#

ELENA'S POINT OF VIEW

“Come on, Hailey, please pick up!” I muttered to myself in frustration, my voice dripping with impatience. After giving it another moment, I let out a loud groan, the sound echoing my growing annoyance when, once again, there was no response from her side.

What on earth could be taking her so long? I thought, feeling a surge of irritation. I had made it very clear that I would be arriving today, and she had assured me that she would come to the airport to pick me up.

Yet here I was, stuck in this chaotic terminal for over twenty minutes now, my heart sinking further each time my call went unanswered. With a sigh that seemed to come from the depths of my frustration, I stared at my phone, feeling a wave of frustration wash over me. I hate staying in a place with too many people.

I glanced around, my mind racing with thoughts. If I had just known the way to the house, I wouldn’t be standing here like a lost puppy, waiting fruitlessly for her to arrive. A taxi would have been a better option—I wouldn’t be tethered to this uncertainty if I could just find my way. I tightened my grip on my bag, a futile attempt to soothe my growing impatience.

Just then, a voice broke through my swirling thoughts. “Hey!” I turned slightly and caught sight of a young man standing a few feet away, a friendly smile illuminating his face.

“Hi,” I responded quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. Almost immediately, I redirected my gaze, feeling a familiar wave of discomfort wash over me.

Talking to strangers has never been one of my strong suits—it was a trait I had carried with me since childhood. The thought of engaging with someone I didn't know always made me uneasy, and in that moment, I could feel my old habit surfacing, prompting me to retreat further into my shell.

“Um, hi there. My name is Josh,” he introduced himself with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

“We were on the same flight, and actually, I was sitting right behind you.” As he spoke, I turned to face him and gave a cautious nod in acknowledgment.

“Oh… I see,” I managed to respond, trying to keep the conversation polite but brief.

“Could I please know your beautiful name?” he asked, a hopeful smile spreading across his face. I let out a soft sigh, glancing at him again, reconsidering how to respond.

“My name is Elena,” I stated simply. His smile widened even more, showcasing all thirty-two of his teeth. I couldn’t help but wonder who smiles as broadly as he did.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Elena. So, do you live around here, or are you just visiting? Maybe for work?” he inquired. He seemed genuinely interested, adding,

“You look like it’s your first time in this city.”

“Well, it’s not technically my first time, but I guess I can treat it like it is. The last time I was here, I was just a toddler, so I really don’t remember anything about it. So yes, let’s call this my first time here,” I answered.

“I’ll be staying with my uncle and his family for a while.”

“Welcome back to our little city,” he said warmly, and I responded with a faint smile, feeling a bit shy as I turned my gaze away from him.

"Uh, ummm... I..." he began to say, but just at that moment, we were interrupted by the blaring sound of a car horn. I instinctively turned my head in the direction of the noise, and there she was—the person I had been eagerly anticipating. She was in a truck staring at me with a wide smile on her face.

"Lena!" she shouted as she leaped out of the car. In an instant, she rushed toward me and enveloped me in a warm, tight embrace.

"Oh my goodness! You look even more beautiful in person than I ever imagined! I can hardly believe it’s been fourteen years since we last saw each other!" she exclaimed, breaking the hug and holding my gaze with her radiant smile. However, my enthusiasm was short-lived as I immediately frowned in response to her arrival.

"You promised me you would be waiting for me before I even got here, but just look at the time of your arrival. And what on earth was going on with your phone? You didn’t pick up any of my calls! I swear, I started to worry that you had completely forgotten about me or even abandoned me," I remarked, my frown deepening as a mix of irritation and relief washed over me.

"I'm really sorry, Lena... I promise I didn't intend to leave without picking you up on time. Honestly, I’ve been looking forward to seeing you all day. The traffic is just atrocious today, and to make things worse, I forgot my phone at home! I was in such a rush to come and get you that I left it behind. Please don't be upset with me, cousin. I really didn’t mean for this to happen," she said, and I couldn't help but let out a loud sigh in response.

“It’s okay, sis… I’m just really happy you made it here in the end. Let's head home now; I could really use some rest because my head is starting to throb,” I replied, gently rubbing my forehead in an attempt to ease the discomfort.

“Oh no, please don’t get sick!” she exclaimed, taking hold of my hand in a supportive manner. But just at that moment, Josh cleared his throat, drawing our attention toward him.

“Oh... I didn’t realize you were bringing your boyfriend along,” Hailey said, causing me to choke unexpectedly on my own spit.

“No, no, no! He’s not my boyfriend at all! I literally just met him here, like, just a moment ago!” I said, instinctively shifting away from Josh a little, and Hailey nodded, her eyes wide in surprise.

“Hi, I’m Josh,” he introduced himself with a warm smile, extending his hand toward Hailey for a handshake.

"Oh, hey!" she exclaimed cheerfully, extending her hand for a handshake, though not without stealing a brief glance in my direction, as if gauging my reaction.

“How was the journey?” she inquired, her attention shifting toward him.

“It was great, thanks,” he replied, and his eyes momentarily flicked toward me, as if to include me in the conversation.

"That's good to hear, Josh... but I really need to get going now. I have some important tasks waiting for me at work," she informed him with a sense of urgency, while simultaneously lifting my luggage as if it were light as a feather.

"Come on, let’s head out, Lena," she urged, grasping my hand with her free hand, eager to leave the situation behind.

Just as we were about to stroll away, Josh called out, "Elena!"

I paused and turned back to face him, curious about what he had to say.

"Um... could you please give me your phone number? I would really love to see you again," he asked, a hopeful expression lighting up his face. A small huff escaped my lips, unable to hide my incredulity.

"I'm sorry, Josh, but I don’t give out my number,” I replied firmly, determined not to waver. With that, I turned back toward Hailey, making my way to the car she had parked nearby.

As I settled into the passenger seat, Hailey wasted no time in starting the engine after carefully arranging my luggage in the backseat.

"Whoa... what just happened there, Lena? How could you say that to such a cute guy?" she asked, stealing a glance at me as we pulled away. Her incredulous tone indicated she was astounded by my choice, as if I had just passed up an unmissable opportunity.

"Honestly, Hailey, I'm just not familiar with him, and you know how I tend to act around people I don’t know very well," I admitted, feeling a bit uneasy about the whole situation. She let out a light chuckle at my discomfort.

"Well, how can you possibly get to know him if you don't at least give him a chance?" she pressed on, a teasing smile dancing on her lips.

"Please don't tell me you've been shutting down every single guy that shows interest in you. Have you actually ever gone on a date with anyone? When do you think you might be ready to open up to love? That guy really does seem like a genuinely nice person and pretty good-looking too. It's such a shame that you've already turned him away," she continued, and I couldn't find the words to respond, opting instead to stay silent. Well we've been in touch and I've been telling her a lot of things about me when we talk on phone.

Trying to steer the conversation away from the uncomfortable topic, I asked,

"So, how's aunt doing??"

"She's improving, or at least that's what the doctor informed us. But you wouldn't believe it—my dad had to go and borrow some money from someone he really shouldn’t have considered associating with," she replied, her tone taking on a serious note while I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"And who exactly is that?" I inquired curiosity piqued.

"Let me put it this way: it's someone you genuinely hope to avoid ever meeting, Lena. He's the kind of person people refer to as 'bad news,'" she warned, and I couldn't help but exhale sharply, a sigh of disbelief escaping my lips.

"And who exactly is this bastard?" I inquired, a hint of disbelief in my voice. She gasped dramatically, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and urgency, and quickly brought her free hand up to cover my mouth as she continued to drive.

"Don't say that, Lena! You never know he could be listening to us right now," she warned, her tone serious. I couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction, staring at her incredulously.

"Are you being serious, Hailey? You think he's actually listening to our conversation?" I pressed, still amused by the idea. She nodded vigorously, her expression unwavering.

"Yes, he’s everywhere, Lena... and I mean everywhere. No matter what you do, if you ever come across him—if that ever happens—you need to run with every ounce of strength you have and don’t even think about looking back," she exclaimed, her voice filled with urgency. I scoffed loudly in response, clearly skeptical of her warnings.

"Alright, now you've really piqued my curiosity. I seriously want to meet this person," I said, half-teasing. To my surprise, she shook her head vigorously, a look of disbelief crossing her face.

"You really haven’t changed a bit, Elena. Always looking for trouble, aren’t you?" she remarked, and I let out a soft laugh while glancing out the window, enjoying the view.

"But seriously, how much does he owe?" I asked, still distracted by the scenery outside the car.

"Thirty thousand dollars," she replied almost nonchalantly. My head whipped around, and I gasped in response.

"What?! That’s... that’s an enormous amount!" I exclaimed, and she simply nodded, sharing the weight of the revelation with me.

"Yes, Lena... Mom's liver was failing," she said, her voice heavy with concern.

"And you know Dad—he can't just sit idle and do nothing. I mean, I was really frustrated when he decided to borrow money from someone like... Wyatt." She paused, lowering her voice as if speaking his name aloud would conjure a bad omen.

"But... Mom was dying," she continued, and I felt a pang in my chest as I bit my lip, trying to hold back my own feelings of anguish.

"Wait, Wyatt?? That's the name of the person he borrowed from?" I asked, surprised. She gave a solemn nod, confirming what I feared.

"Yes, Lena... That's correct," she replied, her expression serious.

"But nobody actually calls him by his real name. If you do, you're essentially signing your own death warrant; the rumor around here is that anyone who utters his name ends up six feet under. People just refer to him as 'jefe,' which translates to 'Boss' in Spanish," she explained, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the grim warning entwined with her words.

"I really wish I could find a way to pay back what he borrowed," I muttered, letting out a deep sigh filled with frustration and helplessness.

"Can you please just take me straight to the hospital?" I pleaded, my voice rising slightly with urgency.

"I need to see Auntie right now. You have no idea how crushed I felt when I learned that she was sick... We can figure out the rest later, but in this moment, all I want is to be there for her," I added, my heart aching with the weight of the situation. She nodded in understanding and promptly increased her speed, focused on getting me to the hospital as quickly as possible.

My name is Elena Flinn, and at the age of 24, I recently celebrated my graduation from college. It’s an exciting time in my life, albeit bittersweet. I was a scholarship student and believe me it wasn't easy for me while I was in college but I'm glad that I've graduated now.

I'm an orphan and my upbringing was largely spent under the loving care of my grandmother, who unfortunately passed away just last month. Her loss has left a significant void in my life, prompting me to move in with my uncle and his family.

The weight of my circumstances brought a deep sigh from my lips as I settled back into my seat, closing my eyes momentarily to let the tranquility wash over me. I longed to see my aunt and could only hope that her condition was improving.

32 MINUTES LATER

I felt a small smile tugging at my lips as I watched Hailey expertly maneuver her way to pack the car. Eagerly, I hopped out as soon as she parked. Surprisingly, the journey hadn’t turned out to be as long as I had anticipated, which was a welcome relief.

As we made our way into the hospital, I took a deep breath, glancing around at the bustling environment filled with people. Although the hospital was not particularly large, it was vibrant with life and activity.

I stayed close on Hailey's heels, trying to keep up as she walked swiftly through the corridors. Eventually, she came to a halt in front of a door, and without hesitation, she opened it and stepped inside. Following her lead, I entered the room as well.

“Uncle Shane!” I exclaimed with sheer joy as I rushed forward and enveloped him in a warm hug.

“Look who has grown up so big!” he said, a bright smile spreading across his face immediately he saw me.

“You’ve transformed into such a wonderful young woman. How are you holding up?” he asked, his eyes shimmering with warmth and care.

“I’m doing well, Uncle. How about you? And how is Aunty feeling?” I inquired, my eyes drifting to Aunty, who was resting so serenely on the bed with her eyes tightly shut.

“She's definitely on the mend. She just took her medication and fell asleep afterwards. The doctor mentioned that she’ll be discharged this evening,” he replied, and my face immediately broke into a broad smile upon hearing the good news.

“Really? That’s fantastic to hear!” I exclaimed, happiness bubbling within me. He returned my enthusiasm with a smile, but I couldn’t help but notice that it seemed somewhat forced, as if the warmth in his eyes was missing.

“How was your journey? You look a bit worn out,” he observed, concern lining his face.

“It was lovely overall, but you’re absolutely right, Uncle. I am feeling rather stressed,” I admitted, my gaze returning to Aunty, who looked so peaceful in her slumber.

“Then I suggest you take some time for yourself, Elena. Why don’t you head home and get some rest? You can come back to see her tomorrow morning,” he advised gently. I nodded thoughtfully, letting out a small sigh as I considered his suggestion.

“Hailey, please drive her home and ensure that she’s comfortable,” he instructed, directing his attention to Hailey, who nodded in agreement.

“Sure thing, Dad! Come on, Lena, let's head home,” she said with a warm smile. I hesitated for a moment, casting one last glance at Aunty before I nodded, feeling both relieved and a bit reluctant to leave.