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As Time Flies BY
Author's note:
I wrote this piece because usually a lot of people when come to age leave their parent's house in the movies. And I wonder why? Is it because of time? Why did they separate if they love each other?
“ Katrina, wake up! It’s already TEN,” a voice wakes Katrina from her sleep. She pulls her sheets to cover my face from the sun. Katrina bets it was Isabella who opened the displeasing curtains to force Katrina to finally start her day. Both of them lived together in an apartment that doesn’t deserve a five-star review. Not in Katrina’s opinion anyway, maybe Isabella thinks differently from her.
“Today we don’t have work, calm yourself,” Katrina said while trying to comfort her heavy head on her pillow. Isabella and Katrina met when they both tried for a job as a housekeeper for a really powerful and rich family. Katrina wished she was part of that family. Just waking up with a meal in their bed and being able to afford designer clothes. Unlike them, Katrina could barely afford lunch for tomorrow.
“No, not for work. To go at the swapmeet por favor,” she said, pleading with her hands shut together, trying to make puppy eyes. Persuaded by her eyes, Katrina lifted the bleached sheets from her body and tried to stand up.
“You know esos ojos don’t work on me sweetie,” Katrina said, forcing Isabella away to prevent her from jumping on Katrina with excitement.
Sighing, Katrina puts on her chanclas that we bought at the store next to our beat-up apartment.
“I’ll wait for you in the kitchen,” Isabella walked to the counter to get her car keys, with a face that lit everybody’s day.
“But I don’t want to go--”
“We’re getting conchas,” Isabella interrupted while looking at Katrina, knowing she won her over with that. Moving her legs to start dressing up, Katrina moved their clothes from the floor to the basket. While getting her sweatpants, she thinks about how Isabella has changed because of her.
Flashback 2 years ago
“ Entonces, ¿estás aquí para la entrevista?”, Said a woman who looked older than Katrina by only some years. She had dark skin that looked like it would be comfortable to hug her. Dark black hair in a bun that was low. With the words hitting Katrina, she did understand. Both her parents are Mexican but they didn’t have time to teach me. Her father wasn’t much around and her mother had to work to get her a good education.
“ My Spanish is not good,” Katrina said, hoping she would understand her. From where both were seated there was a line to wait for the interview. Looking over everybody they looked more professional than both the girls.
“ All good I speak ABCs,” She says with an accent that Katrina’s mother had when trying to speak English with her to practice, “ So what’s your name ?”
With a smile, she answered, “ Katrina and yours?”
“ My-” pointing to herself with her folder holding all the papers needed for the interview “ Isabella”
“ Cool-”
“ Isabella De la Cruz please come inside,” said a woman dressed like she’s ready for business. She had a suit that had a square pattern with box braids that were styled like a bun. She reminded Katrina of one of her old friends. Leilani looked like her except for her eyes. Leilani had brown eyes that can mesmerize anybody while hers was hazel. Yet Katrina’s breath was taken by her beauty. Getting back to earth she feels Isabella standing up and starts to walk next to the unknown person. They entered the office where it was held. Now Katrina was all alone without no one to talk to. She hated every second.
“ I don’t need your help,” “ oh sorry sir-” “ Do I look pathetic to you?” She looked at the commotion with questions in her mind. A poor woman was shivering with a man looking at her with anger. Damn who hurt him Katrina thought while looking at the scene. The screams didn’t stop, they kept going louder. It’s was unprofessional of them to scream at a workplace. Seconds became minutes and they didn’t stop. After some time Katrina was barely holding on. She was on the verge of screaming them to shut up, but it’s unprofessional of her. It started to get hot inside the hall. Katrina wore a long-sleeve shirt to cover one of her tattoos yet now she regrets wearing that. After some time a bodyguard picked up the two annoyed people. Away from the line. Katrina was finally waiting for her turn peacefully.
“ Katrina Meza please come inside” she heard someone say my name. It was the same woman from last time. She stood up from her seat and walked to the office where the interview was held.
Present
“ accurate Katrina,” Isabella said, getting impatient.
“ ya, casi Isabella Tu Tambien,” She screamed back to respond. After putting on her shoes they started to walk with Isabella when Katrina felt something bite her.
“ Bella no!” Isabella said while taking Bella away from her.
“ I’m telling you,” Katrina stressed that this wasn’t the first time that this cat has bitten her, “ It isn’t me Isa.”
“ Ok chillona” She responded. Katrina didn’t understand what chillona meant. There were times when she sometimes didn’t understand some Spanish words that Isabella says. Yet she didn’t have the confidence to tell her, Katrina had no idea. She liked taking care of her ego.
Isabella figures out why Bella is crying for attention. She was crying because she ran out of food in her bowl. Both gave her more crackers. She got her keys and sunglasses and we left. Katrina wasn’t excited to go to the swapmeet. While walking down the stairs both were on the first floor. They both lived. The second floor was full of rooms, the first floor was like a plaza with stores.
Chapter 2
They entered an Italian restaurant. When they both walked into the restaurant Katrina got hit with different smells. The owner of the restaurant was Katrina’s and Isabella’s neighbor. His name is Enrique but they both call him Don Ruben. They call him that because his grandchild always called him Runen. Since his only grandchild moved away to some unknown place we want to give him a nice nickname. One that can help him feel less lonely and feel company. Katrina and Isabella have thought about buying a cat or a dog for him. They say dogs keep people company at hard times.
“ So what would you like to order?” A server came up to both of them with a notepad and a flashy pen.
“ Just two coffees,” Isabella said with the same thick accent. Sometimes her accent made Katrina laugh. The waiter left and both of them started talking about the new movie that came out. While that happened, Katrina took this as a moment to tell Isabella about the appointment.
“ I went to the doctors.” Katrina blurted out while Isabella described the end of the movie. She stopped and looked at me with seriousness in her eyes.
“ Was it about…-”
Katrina’s heart started to beat faster than normal,“ Ya, they said I may-.” Before Katrina could say anything the waiter came back with their coffee.
“ The sugar is over there,” He said, pointing to a basket filled with a variety of sugar packets.
“ Um thank you,” Isabella said with a smile on her face showing. Katrina just nodded to the waiter and got two pink bags. They waited until the waiter left to start talking again but whispering this time.
“ So what did they say?” Isabella whispered, moving her hand to cover the right side of her mouth. Anybody including Katrina (who let’s just say has no brain cells) could see the way she stressed over her words.
“ that I may go-” before Katrina can tell the truth someone comes up to them (why is everybody interrupting her) with a smirk.
“ Y’all couldn’t wait for damn,” the mysterious man said with a sarcastic voice. He wore a burgundy jumper with a white-collar sticking out. With ripped jeans and a tattoo on his neck barely noticed both could say he was attractive if they were in their emo phases.
“ Finally, what took you so long?” Katrina said, rolling her eyes out while moving to make space for him.
“ You know this,” he said, twirling with a pose, “ takes time.”
“ Karl you have student debt, don’t lie to yourself,” Katrina said with her hand keeping her chin up. It was Katrina’s turn to smirk at both Isabella and Karl. All of them knew she was right. All of them were indeed broke (same). Except for Katrina, she had a scholarship where they all met.
“ Dang who hurt you,” he said sitting next to Isabella putting his hand on his chest making an offended face.
“ Here” Katrina gave Karl her coffee. This gave him a moment to process what happened.
“ Ohh you don’t want it”
“ no,” Katrina said, putting her head on the table to catch her sleep.
“ Did she sleep..” he said, turning his head to Isabella who was doing her coffee as she liked ( I hate coffee).
“no, solo está Canada,” she said calmly with her hoarse voice. With that, Karl touched Katrina’s hair then began to make his coffee.
“ Hey,” Karl whispered in his mellifluous voice trying to see if she was sleeping. His hand was placed on Katrina’s cheek. That made Katrina move her head in the opposite direction of Karl.
“ mmmm” That's all they needed to hear to know she couldn’t sleep. Both knew she had insomnia. They tried to give her a strict sleeping schedule, go on runs with neighborhood kids, and no caffeine.
“ So how was the surgery,” Karl said striking a conversation with Isabella who was sipping her drink thinking.
“ Good I guess,” she said, moving one of her arms up and down, “ un montón de-.” Isabella took a tired breath while looking at Karl.
“ Stares, am I right,” He said, patting her on the back.
“ Ya I guess, they said that I need to perform regular massages que Katrina me Ayuda” With that Karl, hummed and took a sip of his coffee. In the restaurant, there was a TV above their table playing a soccer game. Karl wasn’t interested in the game but still watched it. Isabella on the other hand was watching her phone. Time began to feel slow in the restaurant. Isabella and Karl started to get hungry that coffee couldn’t satisfy their hunger. Katrina’s head was still on the table, she hasn’t moved. Since they arrived more people have come making Karl more uncomfortable. Signaling the waiter to bring the check.
“ Want me to pay or?” Isabella said taking her wallet out. Even though she didn’t have any money her dad taught her to always offer.
“ No it’s okay,” he said when the waiter come with a receipt, “ I have it covered”. Karl took his wallet while Isabella nudged Katrina with her hand. She still didn’t wake up.
“ Here,” Karl said oblivious to Isabella struggling to wake Katrina up. He gave the waiter them, only one with what Karl calls the smolder.
“ Um thanks,” the waiter said awkwardly, taking the bills from him. When the waiter left, Karl looked at Isabella still struggling. Karl joined Isabella in waking her up. She didn’t leave her head or a single finger.
“ Katrina wake up no es broma” Isabella wined at Katrina still trying to lift her head.
“ Fine,” Katrina mumbled, lifting her head and moving her arms to her pockets from her hoodie, “Let’s go.”
She stands up from her seat and moves her legs front and back until they hurt no more. Isabella followed Katrina, she lifted herself with her hands that looked like they could break. Took her purse and was ready to leave with Karl whispering to Isabella through her ear.
“ Take your pills,” he suggested to me.
“ Okay,” she responded and got Katrina’s hand, and left. Karl followed after he stole some sugar from the box. It had some flowers painted on it and had an aesthetic vibe. Karl liked to keep objects to make his apartment feel less empty ( me too bro).
All of them did that in high school. Now Katrina and Isabella work as a
housekeeper and Karl as fast-food workers and in college. Katrina and Isabella couldn’t go for reasons. The payment was stacked for Katrina and couldn’t pay the rent. Isabella had a scholarship, but she had to take care of her little brother. Her brother Joshua was sick. Not the kind of sick that comes and goes. This one can never go. He was hospitalized for some months. He is still in the hospital for other unknown reasons. Isabella hasn't updated anybody about the situation. Katrina has met Joshua when she was trying to ditch school to Isabella’s house. He had a visible mole on the right side of his mouth. Unlike his sister, he was much paler than Isabella and had more chin. He wore jean shorts and a white shirt, Katrina thought it was Isabella’s shirt.
After they left the place all of them decided to split up. Everything good must come to an end. If it didn't, life would be boring. As all of them walked away separately they went back to their lives as they had been. Katrina still lives with Isabella, works as a housekeeper, and tries to survive insomnia every month. Isabella is paying hospital bills for her brother, tries to get Katrina to understand she is okay with her old clothes, and is on the verge of throwing a chair to Karl’s face. Karl on the other hand is just sitting in his empty apartment, works in a fast food place, and fears student loans more than death.
Chapter 3
2 years ago
Karl: No we keep going, alright
Karl: This is perfect stuff to tell our children
Isabella: I don’t about this place
Katrina: Well I think it’s a great place for fishing
Isabella: no-
Karl: I’ll stick with Alexander because he is the most stable here
Katrina: Wait who is going with who?
As life passes by you don’t forget the ones you know. Katrina still talks to them, but she doesn’t meet with them anymore. Not that she doesn’t like them but because life just goes on. As time passes so does everybody. Everything that must come to an end someday might as well happen earlier than later. Stories tell morals so you can use them. The narrator ( me) is showing you that time flies by. As you know it goes fast. That’s why everything ends one day so keep in touch with your loved ones.
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