PART I - SOFI

I sent the message the moment my plane landed.

Me @Lenny Collins // 05:58 AM: it happened.

Half an hour later, I was still waiting for my suitcase at the baggage claim when my phone showed a message from Helen. My girlfriend Helen. When I was away over the weekend, we talked on the phone daily, and somehow it was easier to clarify our relationship status when I didn't see her face. We were now officially girlfriend and girlfriend.

Lenny Collins @Me // 06:31 AM: What happened?

Lenny Collins @Me // 06:31 AM: Is something wrong?

Lenny Collins @Me // 06:31 AM: Are you okay?

I smiled at my phone. Gosh, I became one of those people.

Me @Lenny Collins // 06:32 AM: I was up before you were

Me @Lenny Collins // 06:32 AM: that has never happened before

She typed, and it took longer than I expected. Then the next message popped up.

Lenny Collins @Me // 06:33 AM: Hello Sofia, this is Helen's dad. She was just admitted to the hospital because her girlfriend gave her a heart attack.

I chuckled at her response.

Me @Lenny Collins // 06:33 AM: hi david, tell her not to be so extra

Lenny Collins @Me // 06:33 AM: Hello Sofia, she says the price for her forgiveness is a kiss.

Lenny Collins @Me // 06:34 AM: And she wants to know whether you'd like to go to the winter formal with her.

My heart skipped a beat. Grandma and I had spent the whole Saturday coming up with a plan on how to invite Helen to our school's winter formal. Now she beat me to it.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my red suitcase on the baggage carousel.

Me @Lenny Collins // 06:36 AM: I'm at the airport

Me @Lenny Collins // 06:36 AM: I'll text you later

It was not the best response but I panicked. Helen didn't text me again. I should have just said yes. She was probably asking herself what she did do wrong.

I got my suitcase and texted Santi that I was on my way. He pulled up the exact moment I exited the airport.

"Buenos días, Sofi, ¿cómo fue tu viaje?"

"You won't believe how tired I am."

He smiled sympathetically at me while he heaved my suitcase into the trunk. "I can imagine. Now get in, let's get you home."

I actually fell asleep on the drive but Santi didn't seem to mind. He hummed along to the radio and grinned at me when he realized I woke up again.

"Feel better?"

I nodded.

"What's on this week's agenda?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I should probably spend every waking second studying for the exams next week. And then there's the art exhibition but I will push that back, the exams are more important. I don't know why they put all that before Christmas: The exams, the art exhibition, the play, the winter formal. Who has the energy for that?"

"You do. You'll get through the next three weeks and then it's Christmas and you'll forget it ever happened."