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When I landed at the airport after the almost ten-hour flight, I was feeling a little jet-lagged, to say the least. In New York, it was eight-forty-five in the morning. And here, it's two-forty-five in the afternoon. So, I was jet-lagged and hungry. Whenever I traveled, it didn't matter if I flew first-class or economy, or whatever. But flight food just made me sick.

As a kid on a trip to Hong Kong, I got food poisoning from the flight food and I've never been the same. Other than the fresh fruits and maybe a muffin, the flight food is a no-go. That trip was scary as a kid, getting so sick that it made you cry. And I wasn't alone, Emilia was stuck with me because she got sick too, also food poisoning from the flight food. So the majority of that trip, the two of us spent in the hotel room, watching movies, barely eating, throwing up, and sleeping.

Speaking of all that, I might see her now. After five years, I might have to face her again. Aspen never confirmed if she really was coming but it's her sister's wedding and there is no chance that she would miss it. She's more than likely to be here.

After collecting my luggage, I headed to the exit. I knew I was supposed to meet the others at the airport, but that could also mean meeting Emilia at the airport. Here, in front of all the others, who I know are dying to see how we would react if we met.

The last time I met Emilia was the first Christmas when we started college. We came home at the same time and our families spent Christmas together, just like they do every year. Things were so incredibly awkward and we were both hostile towards each other. We ignored and avoided each other and even threw around a lot of snide remarks and jabs.

The next three years after that, we didn't see each other for Christmas. We didn't visit each other's houses and families, despite our rooms being right across from each other, we didn't even look the other way, and two of those Christmases, her family went to visit her in San Diego instead of her flying back home.

I couldn't stand the thought of reliving those moments, so I contemplated getting a cab and then just meeting them at the hotel, saying my flight landed a bit earlier. I glanced behind me, looking for a familiar face, to see if they were here yet.

"There he is, Adam!" came a voice from my left.

I looked over, nodding as Aspen and Remy walked over with our parents and Mr. and Mrs. Feye walking beside them. It's been a while since I saw my own family. They flew down for the last game I played but then I got hurt so they only stayed a few days and then flew back.

Remy and her parents didn't come with them.

I met Aspen and my parents first, pulling away from the hug my mom gave me. "Mr. Feye," I nodded downward, shaking his hand. "Mrs. Feye," I said, giving her a quick side hug that she reciprocated. "Remy, hey."

"Adam," she replied, not sticking a hand out or making any move.

"Okay," I mumbled mostly to myself.

"Oh, there she is! Em!"

My eyes cut to Aspen's while Remy waved someone over from behind me. Well, while Remy waved Emilia over from behind me. I took a few steps away from the others, keeping my back to them. I wasn't ready to see her again. I can't even say this was completely unexpected because a huge part of me knew she would be here. I just didn't want to believe it.

I heard her laugh while she met everyone, starting with her sister and parents. "Mrs. Blackwell, Mr. Blackwell."

I just knew she hugged them, I didn't have to look to know that.

"Aspen," she sang.

"Hey, Em," he chuckled. And then nobody said anything. "Let's get some cabs and then head to the hotel, yeah?" Aspen said, clearing his throat and leading everyone outside.

I followed behind, still not even looking at her. We walked to the taxi stand and Aspen started by getting cabs for our parents and Mr. and Mrs. Feye while Remy stood with him.

I felt her coming closer and I saw her suitcase next to me from the corner of my eye. Then I heard her sigh. "Hi, Adam."

"Hi, Emilia." I just couldn't look at her, I don't know what was wrong with me, but I couldn't do it.

She mumbled to herself, "I should have expected this. Of course, you can't even look at me."

I closed my eyes, taking in a slow breath. "Emilia, I—" I turned to face her but she was gone. I realized that she had gotten into a cab on her own, and closed the doors.

This is about to be a disaster. This whole trip, every moment, every damn minute I'd be near her or alone with her is about to be a disaster. She hates me and it shows, of course, she does. But what about her choices? It's easy for her to pin it all on me and blame me for the fallout we had, but she made the same decision that I did. What about that?

I got in my own cab, running a frustrated hand through my hair.

"¿A dónde?" the cab driver asked, bringing me out of my thoughts. Where to?

"Uh, Marbella Oceanview Hotel, por favor," I answered.

He started driving and the cab I was in started trailing behind the others. "¿Hablas español?" he asked, glancing at me through the rearview mirror. Do you speak Spanish?

"Sí," I nodded.

He glanced at me one more time. "¿Te conozco?" Do I know you? "¿Tú eres famoso?" Are you famous?

"No. Debes estar confundido," I lied. No. You must be confused.

He nodded with uncertainty but didn't say anything after that.

I learned Spanish throughout high school anyway and then during college, I had to pick one other class to meet the requirements and Spanish was the easiest out of the choices I had, so I just continued it. Over time, I've learned the language well enough to be almost fluent.

We got to the hotel after about thirty minutes and I paid the driver, collected my bags from the trunk, and then headed inside. Aspen and Remy were at the front desk while Emilia sat in the lobby waiting area with her parents and mine. I headed to the front desk but the minute I got there, Remy turned to me, holding out two key cards.

I took them from her. "Whose are these?"

"Yours and Em's. Her room is right across from yours, so just give her the key and you both can go up if you want."

"Which one's mine?"

"Room 551. Hers is 550."

I handed the key card for room 550 back to her. "Why don't you give it to her?"

"Why don't you both shut up and grow up, hmm? Go and give it to her," she ordered, throwing the key card at my chest.

I caught it with a huff and turned back around, walking to the others. I pocketed my own key card and held hers out in front of her.

She looked up at me and my eyes met hers for the first time. For the first time in five years, I was looking at her again. She was right there in front of me. And it still felt like she was so far away from me.

"It's your room key," I mumbled.

She took it from me without a word and turned to her parents. "Will you both wait down here until everybody else flies in?"

"Christy, Rosa, Tim, Johnny, Ben, Kaelyn, and their kids are all on one flight from Florida to here, so they'll be here soon. Their flight should have landed by now. Why don't you go up to your room?" Mr. Feye asked her.

"Let her meet them," Mrs. Feye argued. "They haven't seen her in years."

"Let her rest, Isabel."

"But Graham—"

"Honey, go," he nodded anyway.

"Are you sure? I can wait if you both want me to."

Her dad shot her a pointed look. "I'm trying to save you, don't dig your own grave. Go. Adam can take you."

She stood up. "That's fine, I can go on my own. Adam hasn't been there for five years anyway. I've been fine on my own, haven't I?"

I stared at her, dumbfounded and speechless.

Mr. Feye looked between us. "Em, come on," he said gently.

She didn't say anything and grabbed her backpack while a hotel staff member came and took her suitcase, leading her towards the elevator, her shoulder brushing against my arm as she walked past me and I stood there for a few seconds, watching her.

"She didn't mean it, Adam," Mr. Feye tried.

"She did," I replied, nodding. "I know she did." I grabbed my bag and walked to the elevator as fast as I could, getting in just before the doors closed on me.

She stood there and looked away from me as soon as I stepped inside. "You couldn't just wait for the next elevator?"

"Just for your convenience? No." The doors closed with a faint ding and she pressed the button to the fifth floor, without saying another word to me. I hesitated but I couldn't stand the silence. "I know you hate me, but—"

"Yeah, I do," she cut me off. "But my sister is getting married and I don't want to ruin it for her. For their sake and their wedding, don't talk to me, Adam. Just stay away from me." The elevator stopped moving and the doors opened. She finally faced me. "I can't stand looking at you right now. Don't try talking to me, don't try fixing things, just don't. Just leave me alone." She walked out and headed towards her room, checking her keycard.

I followed her out, scoffing softly to myself. "I'm not talking to you to try to fix things with you, Emilia. I didn't do anything wrong and you know that."

She ignored me and kept walking. "If I'm wrong, then so are you. Because you did the exact same thing as me."

She halted for a minute but then her shoulders tensed up again and she continued walking away.

"I'm just trying to remind you," I said, both of us stopping at our rooms. "That we're here for a wedding. So maybe instead of saying all the things you have to say about me in front of people, say them to my face."

She spun around, anger blazing in her eyes. "To your face? Okay, sure. No problem. You—" She stopped talking abruptly and then shook her head softly. "I'm not doing this. I'm not ruining this wedding for Remy or for myself. I want nothing to do with you, Adam."

"Well, that shouldn't be a problem since I feel the same way."

"Good."

"Great."

"Okay."

"Okay."

She scoffed again and turned around, going into her room and slamming the door shut.

I winced softly at our hostile interaction and then opened my own door. "Okay," I whispered to myself, closing it behind me. "Okay," I repeated.

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