Purus Iungebit

Ch. 1: Good-byes

Right now, this moment, was the beginning of a long line of good-byes, Cynthia knew that. For a moment though, she wanted to remember everything about it. The sun was pouring in through her yellow curtains, as well as a warm breeze. She stretched awake and pulled back the mosquito netting that surrounded her bed. It was needed, after all, she lived in a tropical country, Ecuador to be exact. It was in South America, right on the equator, and she loved everything about it.

It was a country of warm breezes, of sandy beaches, and of easy times. There a smile lingered longer than usual; a trouble erased in seconds. Now, she was leaving it behind her, the only place she'd ever known. She sighed as she stepped onto the cool tiles of her floor. She made her way to the breakfast table, her mother was waiting for her.

"Finally awake I see," she said, "and wearing that again." Cynthia smirked, she was wearing her favorite knee length white skirt and light green T-shirt (in fact she was going to wash it tonight to wear tomorrow, it annoyed her mother to no end), "Well, we have a big day today."

She plopped into a chair and sighed. "Sure Ma."

Her mother put down the empanada that was in her hand (left overs from last night's big farewell party). "Cynthia, this move is going to be great for all of us. Don't worry about it."

She looked up to her. "Why are we moving Ma? To chase a lost dream?" She reprimanded herself for saying such a cruel thing, but in a way she didn't feel so bad about it. It was the truth.

"Aye Cynthia," she put down her fork, "It may be a 'lost dream' to you, but I have hope, and so should you."

After a short silence she spoke. "Hey Mom," she said as her mother stood, "Is it okay if I go meet up with JuJu?"

She looked hesitant, "Cynthia...we have a lot of last minute packing to do."

She pouted.

Her mom gave. "All right! Fine! Be back soon though."

She nodded and walked out of the house. Her past was a complicated one, and she didn't like to think back to it so much. Her mother had a son when she was 17. Her boyfriend left her, and she raised him with the help of her own mother. Her mom met her father years later, falling head over heels for him, not to mention that the idea that he was American was pleasing. Personally, she found them high-strung (Americans that is--they had a lot of tourists). They married and had her, but her father did not like the idea that her mother had a son before him. He asked her to leave him with her mother and come with him to America. Her mother refused of course and in turn he left her and set back to America.

A yell startled her out of her reverie. "Guillermo! Mi doll! GUILLO!!" It was Blanca, her eight-year-old neighbor from two houses down. She was currently chasing her 10 year old brother Guillo. She grinned, in a away she'd envied these two, Cynthia had always wanted a sibling. With her Abuelita dead (it happened when she was a toddler), and a brother she's never met, she'd only ever had her mother. Well, and JuJu too. His real name was Joseph, he had tried to fight it, but it stuck.

Now, they were leaving this all behind. Moving to a completely foreign country to her, England. It's a good thing that she'd learnt English (her father's wish) or else she would have been royally screwed. The point is, they had gotten word that her brother had gone to England in search of a better life (he and her mother had not had a good relationship--actually they didn't have one at all). Her mother was desperate, she wanted her son back. Cynthia could understand that of course, but she couldn't say that she agreed that moving to England in search of him was the best possible answer. Now here she found herself though, walking to the playground near her house to say goodbye to her best friend in the world, JuJu.

JuJu was waiting for her on the swing set at the park. Well, it wasn't a park really. It was more of a dying patch of grass, an old rickety wooden playground, and a run down futbol field. It was enough for her though. She had grown up here, as had JuJu. Actually, JuJu had been her friend ever since she could remember, even as kids when the other boys had made fun of her for being a girl he had stood by her.

She sat in a swing next to him. "Hola JuJu."

The sun was shining bright on him still, emphasizing all his features. He was dark like her, only lighter (and that's light because she was light for her race) because of his mother probably. They never talked about her, just like they didn't talk about her dad. He also had the most brown eyes, she loved them despite what he said (he was jealous of her hazel eyes but she blamed that on her father).

He chuckled. "Why is it that everyone thinks I like that name?"

She grinned and started to swing lightly. "Because we all know you secretly love it."

He laughed. "Believe whatever you want...so, how are you?"

She stopped swinging and shrugged. "As good as I can be."

He leaned into the swing and sighed. "I'm sorry. Come on, let's go take a walk."

She nodded and they started on their way. The walk was a familiar one. They'd gone down this road many times. They passed Marlina's Ice Cream Shop (another of their favorite summer spots) and continued walking; talking about everything and nothing all at the same time. That's what she liked about JuJu, that he could really listen and give good advice--a quality she lacked. She hoped fiercely that he'd go far in life, unlike the new friends he had who definitely were not.

"JuJu, what is it with you and this place?" she asked with a smirk.

He smiled and gestured in front of him. "Do you even have to ask?"

She looked outwards, he was right. Standing here on the corner of the white sand, gazing out at the clear blue water, she knew that Ecuador had something England couldn't offer: this beauty and peace. It was like in this world everything had stopped permanently and even a whisper of your voice would shift it. She felt a strange sensation and shivered.

JuJu noticed. "Something wrong?"

She shook her head. "Absolutely nothing, and that's the problem."

"I know what you mean." He reached into his pocket, pulled out a folded piece of paper, and handed it to her. "Here, I made this for you...as a goodbye present."

She smiled and pulled it open, and then she gasped. It was a colored sketch. JuJu had always been an artist (though he didn't let anyone know), but this frankly topped everything he had ever drawn.

It was a sketch of them, standing right where they were. The ocean glistening behind them, they were smiling wide as if laughing at the person who was looking at them. Cynthia's long curly hair intact, as well as JuJu's one of a kind smile, it was perfect. She felt her eyes start to sting as she folded the picture again.

"Gracias JuJu, it's perfect." She looked up to him, who had put his hands in his pockets. She suddenly embraced him in a hug. "I'll miss you."

His arms found their way around her waist. "I'll miss you too Cynthia, don't forget your best friend OK?"

"I won't."