HIS LITTLE toes curled under the impact of the fall, and tears sprung to his eyes the moment his knees connected with the rocky terrace of the sea cliff. He wailed in pain as little droplets of blood stained the gray stone, and not a single soul stopped to help him.
Little Raphael's eyes watered even more as he watched camper after camper waddle passed him, no one even acknowledging his presence.He knew he wasn't the most likable kid at camp, and he was merely forced to go by his dad. Still, he wished someone would show him a little compassion...a little attention, at least once in his life.Giving up, he tried to wobble to his feet with his knees still burning, but he was surprised to feel little cold hands holding onto his left arm.His eyes widened in shock and gratitude as he turned to meet the eyes of the human who acknowledged that he indeed existed. When he did, the immense beauty was more than his little nine-year-old mind could process. The life and light that they held completely contrasted to how he felt.She smiled warmly at him, encouraging him to stand straight. He blinked a few times, never once breaking his gaze from her admirable brown pools. Her eyes flickered to his knee for a quick second, as her smile immediately transformed into a frown. Raphael's heart sank at the absence of her beautiful smile. But it was short lived when he heard her voice instead."Are you okay? How did you fall?" She asked, her voice soft and sweet like any eight-year-old, but it did something to him. It took a while before he answered after recovering from the shock of hearing her speak."I'm-I'm okay" His voice sounded small, but she heard him clearly. She quickly perked up at his accent, realizing that he wasn't a local at all."Where are you from?" She questioned as she bent before him, slightly pushing up his shorts so that she could get a better look at his knee."I'm from Puerto Rico," he replied, slightly wincing when she ran her index finger over the base of the wound.She paused abruptly, taking him by surprise and scaring him half to death when he thought he had just scared her off. However, his doubts were soothed when she smiled at him even wider."Say that again" She instructed."What?""Say that again," she repeated, this time with her eyes glistening even more. For the first time in forever, Raphael felt his lips pulling up in a smile."Puerto Rico." He obliged, loving the way she squealed at it. He didn't understand her excitement, but he wanted to keep it alive.He didn't even realize when she grabbed her water bottle from her bag pack to wash the dirt from his knee, he was just too invested in her."I know we're not allowed to say things like this..." She subconsciously looked around her as if checking to see if anyone was around, as her voice fell into as loud whisper, "But that was kinda sexy"They both burnt red at her statement, before they erupted into childish giggles. She knew her mama would've given her a proper scolding if she heard what she had just said, but Tami had waited so long to use the word after somewhat learning what it really meant, and this stranger's accent really described the word in her head. "There you go" She beamed proudly as she rose from her stooping position, and his eyes flickered to his knee, where he saw that she had wrapped her large ribbon that was holding up one of her curly pigtails around the wound as a substitute bandage.His smile grew larger, feeling much better. He didn't believe it had to do with the wound being managed, but the wonderful feeling of being cared for."That should control the bleeding until we get back to camp to a proper caregiver. Can you walk?"He nodded frantically with a bright smile on his face. "I can manage. Th-thank you ...uh?""Tami" She finished for him, introducing herself in the process. "Tami Knowles" She outstretched her hand while he took it, immediately loving how small and soft they felt against his."Raphael De León.""Say that again," she teased, causing them both to laugh. He fell in line with her strides after their laughter died down, and he suddenly felt anxious now that he had finally made a friend-- and a beautiful, kind one at that."So Raphael," she started, and he loved the way she said his name. "What brings you to The Bahamas? And at camp too?"He suddenly forgot everything about his life when he realized that this was her way of starting conversation. She wasn't running off to be with her friends, nor was she simply being kind. She wanted to be his friend. He got excited at the thought."My dad has lived here for as long as I can remember. My mom sends me here in the summers. He sent me to camp because he had to leave for a meeting. But it's not like he cares if I starve at home alone or not. He just wanted me gone for the whole summer, even after he gets back from his meeting."Tami felt slightly uncomfortable at his now gloomy state after mentioning his dad, and she felt guilty for asking in the first place, so she tried to get rid of the dull aura."So I won't see you around after summer then?" She asked, but the attempts to make him feel better went downwards when his face fell even more, as if he was just realizing the fact too.His frown grew deeper as he looked up to look at her, already missing her when he should go back to his huge, empty, lonely house back home. "I guess so. Will you be here every camp? Maybe we can see each other at camps?" A little hope sparked in him as he thought of the possibility, but her frown told him that she had no good answer to that."Actually, my family and I are moving to Nassau in two months. My dad suffered a great accident and my mom wants him to get special care there. So, I won’t be back at camp next year or after that" She sighed as she thought about how she'll miss camp.She has been going since she was five, and she always enjoyed being there with the wonderful kids and great hospitality and fun."So this will be goodbye?" Raphael's lower lip quivered at the thought of losing the only friend he has ever gained. But before he could fall deeper in his grief, Tami laced her thin fingers through his, shooting him an encouraging smile which totally did its best on his mood."Come on" She beamed. “Let’s not focus on what will happen after camp. Let's just enjoy the few weeks we have together."Raphael loved this idea, so he frantically nodded as she spun to walk backwards with an excited look on her face."We can make a list and have the best time at camp ever! Oh, and you can teach me Spanish! Wait, you speak Spanish, right? Oh my gosh is it rude of me to just assume to speak Spanish because you're Puerto Rican? I'm sorry if I offended you." She rambled nervously.Raphael suddenly felt on cloud nine as he thought about spending everyday with the nicest and most beautiful girl at camp. His smile told her all the answers to her questions without even having to say a word. He quickly stabled her when she almost fell over from walking backwards, sending them both in another fit of laughter."I think we will be the bestest of friends Raphael De León" She laughed at how weird she sounded trying to say his name like how he said it, but he thought she said it perfectly."I agree, Tami Knowles."Sixteen Years Later THE SMILE never left Tami's face as she climbed the stairs that led to the stage. Cheers from her peers and her family were almost deafening, as she collected her graduating certificate. She felt so proud of the journey she had made thus far, and she was more than eager for the others to come. "Tamika Knowles. Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences" The reader announced as she smiled for the picture. Despite the heat that encamped her body due to the large black gown, it all felt worth it as she walked from the stage with her degree in hand. She had finished her first stage of becoming a doctor, and she was more so excited to start medical school this fall. Over the years, Tami
Is that the last bag?" Raphael asked his driver, as he handed it to one of the flight attendants."Yes sir. You're all set for your flight" David smiled at the man he's called his boss for the past six years. They weren't exactly 'friends' per se, but they got along quite well.Raphael was even a bit bummed that he wasn't coming with him. But David had his wife and kids here in Puerto Rico. He wouldn't take up his life and leave his home, no matter how well Raphael paid.Raphael understood completely. When his parents separated when he was just seven years old, he had to move from country to country to be with either his mom or his dad, despite the fact that they didn't give a flyi
EXHAUSTED YET exhilarated.That's what Raphael felt when he hit his hotel room's soft bed. He had arrived in Nassau not even six hours ago, yet he had already had the best time in his life in years.He had seen her. He saw the woman he had dreamt of all his life, and seeing her actually went good.His cheek bones hurt from the smiling he had done all the way back to the hotel. Maybe his cheekbones were complaining about such a new position, not being in the least bit used to it. Yet he didn't care.He rolled onto his side with his phone in his hand, gazing at the number he had gotten from her. And she agreed to see him tomorrow again! He just wanted to go to sleep so that the day would come quicker, but he was still so anxious, that he couldn't even close his eyes.
THE NEXT day, Raphael was out of bed from the minute the sun made a peek of its presence over the horizon. Even though they didn't agree to meet at the pub again until 7, he was still very eager to meet her. For the first time in a long while, he was excited about a day. Instead of his usual blazer and slacks, he shrugged on a black T-shirt and dark jeans, swinging his golden watch over his wrist, but eventually took it off when he thought it was too much. His assistant, Maddie, was in the lobby at 7 a.m. already waiting for him when he arrived, but she looked tired. After her talk with Raphael last night about purchasing the women's clothes and appliances, she stayed up an hour later talking to Nick about it, before Nick's wife scolded him and brought him to bed. Nonetheless, Maddie didn'
“I damaged myself badly, but I didn't realize it at the moment. All my life experiences should have taught me a lot of things, but all I got out of it was a single, definitive truth. That I am, in the end, a being capable of evil. I never set out to intentionally hurt someone, but when the situation called for it, I could become totally self-centered, even cruel. I was the type of person who could impose a never-healing wound on someone I cared for by creating a convincing excuse.” Raphael repeated the quote that he tried to remember over and over, as he sat at the edge of her bed and waited for her to wake up. The fact that Tami only stirred and mumbled in 12 hours worried Raphael. She should've been awake by now. And the silence in his huge house, thousands of miles away from Tami's home was gnawing away at his consci
IT HAS been twenty-four hours since Tami woke, and over thirty six hours since she has eaten anything. She refused to eat, and it frustrated Raphael completely. She had refused lunch and dinner over and over yesterday, and when Raphael returned to her room this morning, the dinner he left was still sitting there. Now, it was the same thing with breakfast, and he didn’t appreciate it. "Tami, just have the food please?" He asked again, trying to get her to eat the breakfast he had prepared himself. She glanced at him from the side of her eyes, before directing her gaze in front of her, not answering him. He sighed, placing the plate of pancakes on her nightstand before sitting beside her. She scooted over with a look of contempt, not wanting his skin to touch hers at a
BREAKFAST WITH Mrs. Garcia was indeed lovely, and Raphael was sure Tami had enough time to freshen up. He decided that it was time he checked in on her, so he excused himself and made for her room again.He knocked before entering, but he didn't hear anything on the other side of the door as he pushed it open. He didn't think much of it, simply because she was a woman, and maybe she took a long time in the bathroom. He remembered how his mother would spend endless time in the bathroom.He considered leaving her and coming back, but the silence kinda had him uneasy. The worst case scenarios playing in his mind was what led him into that room, and luckily he did."Tami?" He called, but there was no answer. Panic rose in him as he knocked on her bathroom door again. "Tami are you okay?" Still no answe
Day 5 It has been a whole five days being in this wretched room. I have not spoken to Raphael since yesterday. We had another fight. He brought up breakfast, and I refused to have it. I miss my family. I want to go home and he wont let me. This is very unfair. I can't even get through to him personally. He's so selfish, possessive and arrogant. I couldn’t understand him either. Sometimes he would be all over me, and other times he was so closed off. Like he wouldn’t speak or come to my room for hours. Sometimes I believe he went through something growing up to become like this. I remember at camp when he told me that his parents didn’t care about him. Was that why he's like this now?