Mexico Day 00 / 03 Boarding Gate

Mark started to get curious because the time to board was a few minutes ago and yet the room remained empty, he got up and walked out to the information screens of the flights, before he arrived he turned back just to see his sister playing a game away from the world, he got to the screen and started looking for his flight and destination hoping to see the Delayed sign on red but the words he saw spelled BOARDING, he couldn´t believe it, there had to be something wrong. There just HAD to be, that wasn´t possible, then before his eyes the answer popped out, there was something wrong. The Gate, the boarding gate was Gate 75 not 54, they had changed the gate and they had no idea, he hurried to tell his sister who seemed unaware of the situation and was playing still, he arrived to her while stuffing his iPod into his bag pack, pulled her ear buds cord and they popped out.

-          Hey what the ... – Mireya had started to complain.

-          We´re in the wrong gate!- he said while picking the rest of his stuff

-          What?!

-          We have to move NOW or we will be late and might miss the flight!

-          You have to be kidding me!

-          No I’m not, thank god I went to check, seems we still have time to arrive, I guess, I hope

-          You guess? Walk faster! – Mireya shouted as she started walking faster through the aisle – Run if you have to.

-          Hun, I don´t run, you should know that by now.

-          I don´t ca...- Mireya´s response was interrupted by the electronic voice of a female announcing something on the speakers.

-          The Flight AMX448547 To Paris is about to leave, to the passengers Martha Bue...- the voice kept speaking

-          Which one´s our flight?! – Mireya shouted a little nervous

-          It´s ... let me check – Mark said as they turned right into another aisle and started pulling out the tickets.

-          ...rez, Mireya Glen and Mark Glen should report into gate 75 now or you will lose the plane – the electronic voice finished on the speakers.

Mireya and Mark turned to see each other tickets in hand, no need to check them, it was their flight, and it was leaving now and they still had to cross the whole aisle, they turned around and saw the number 61 on one ending, they were some gates that they had to cross and time was up, they walked faster, then they started sliding through the crowd of tourists and travellers that were at the airport, then they were running at full speed through the gates as they saw gate 63, then the gate 65 materialized just to disappear after a few seconds, Mark stumbled with the luggage of someone and almost tripped, Mireya looked back quickly the lack of breath made her feel dizzy on such a quick turn, she looked quickly at her brother placing a foot firmly down on the floor and keeping up with the speed, she turned quickly in despair and saw the big numbers of gate 67 pass before her eye. Mark got next to her and they looked at each other, they had to make it, all the money to pay their tour and to lose it because of running out late, time wasn´t gonna be an excuse to lose the flight, they passed through a book store sliding through the people who were gathering to buy something for their trip, a magazine post, a beverages store, running at their speed limit to get to their goal and get into the plane, there was no time to loose and gates 71 and 73 appeared in front of them. People was starting to like up on gate 73, the loud crowd wasn´t helping to calm the situation, plus it wasn´t a situation to remain calmed, Mark could feel his heartbeat on his throat while Mireya looked furious at the people lining up and sticking together, a push, a sorry and excuse me, were threw carelessly as they got to go through the human wave that was created in the middle of their way, finally they got out of it and at a distance they spotted gate 75.

The path to get to gate 75 had almost no person along and though it was a short way to walk, it seemed eternal; at the other side of the path was a girl of the boarding crew holding a couple of papers and she turned slowly her back to look at the two brothers running breathlessly towards her.

-          Mireya ...- Mark said taking a loud and deep breath- … and … Mark Glen – he finally said while almost reaching the lady in the airline´s uniform.

-          Oh! Good! – she said back to them – you guys almost didn´t made it, but you are here now. Please, through the aisle down you will find the entrance to the plane, enjoy your flight.

Mireya and Mark smiled at the lady their feet numb, their eyes filled with fright and relieve at the same time their hearts beating so hard that Mireya thought her was going to pop out of her chest and moved towards the aircraft.

-          Enjoy our flight? At least we will get on the flight! – Mireya snorted

-          Hey, we did it – he smiled at her

-          Yeah we did – they both giggled still half nervous and half relieved – I hope nothing like this ever happens to us on the tour, because I’ve heard that someone missing is someone gone.

-          Yeah, I’ve heard that too, too many movies I guess hehe, don´t worry we´ll keep up on time, we´ll have a group so things will be easier, I suppose, at least we won’t be the late ones all the time. – she stared at him – I mean there HAS to be someone that gets up late now and then too haha

-          Not funny, just try to be on time okay?

-          Yeah, we will be on time, no more getting lost don´t worry- he smiled at her confident.

If only they knew, but they didn´t, they only hoped.

Mexico Day 00 / 02 Awaiting

They had been at Chili´s for 2 hours so-so now and the same view was starting to get boring so he paid the check and they headed for the gate in which the plane was leaving, Gate 54 was it, they walked a bit until they found it there they left their bags and took a place in the chairs one in front of the other waiting for the crew to arrive and start letting people into the plane. He was about to ask her if she was excited with the trip when she took out her iPod and got her ear buds on. Yup that was gonna block some communication between them during the trip, but he had to face the fact that young people lived through the technology, young people? My gosh! He was starting to think like an old man! That he had change ASAP.

-          So, you excited ´bout our trip? – He asked thinking they might chat before taking the plane.

-          Mhmm- was her short reply, clear message to him “ok no chat”.

So he thought he could use the time he got left to do something of more profit like changing some dollars for euros that he would need when he arrived to Paris, so he got up and turned back to search a place where he could change the currencies.

-          Where are you going? – Mireya was staring up at him holding one ear bud on her hand.

-          I´m gonna change some dollars, we´ll need euros when we arrive to Paris.

-          Oh! Great, I´ll come with you then – she said stuffing her things into her purse – I too wanna get some euros – she added taking out her wallet and waving it at him as she walked up to him.

Then they both started walking up through the airport looking for the place to exchange currency but after a few minutes it seemed that there was none, no exchange places inside the airport? That seemed weird. They kept on walking until they found one and as a great lucky strike it was closed. So it seemed they weren´t getting euros not in that airport.

-          Well perhaps in Paris, I mean they HAVE to have currency exchange places there right? – Mireya said

-          Yeah, they should – Mark was a bit sad because he wanted to travel prepared just in case but there wasn´t much he could do now so he´ll have to wait until they arrived in Paris – Anyway we should go to the Gate, don´t wanna catch up a big line of people do we? Hehe

-          Yeah, we should go now.

As they walked back to their seats Mark stopped at a coffee shop and got a pair of cookies, a bottle of water and a large coffee then they walked back to their seats where they put their ear buds on, Mireya looked at the time on her watch, then looked around to the empty room and rolled her eyes, not a single human around besides her brother. Typical – she thought - they´re late- and she pressed play to start listening to her music watching at her brother do the same, then she started playing one of the games that her iPod had.

Mexico Day 00 / 01 Before The Flight

The ice were clashing against each other while rolling around within the glass getting the beverage colder, another spin with the straw got the drink to circle around and the ice to mingle against each other making a light and soft sound when they touched the glass and the bubbles rose from the base, it was very calming just staring at the drink and listening to the sounds it made.

- Hang on, I´m going to the bathroom- he lifted his eyes just to see her walk away and thought that this trip was gonna be a nice experience for both of them, traveling without their parents was gonna help to make the bond with his sister a bit stronger, plus they always seemed to have better times when their parents weren't around, somehow when their parent were close they always ended up fighting, but now their parents were gonna be away, a few thousand miles away.

They had made a great time of flying from Tijuana to Mexico City and now there were about to have dinner at the Chili´s that was close to the boarding gate, they had time to spare, he knew the airport really well and was sure that they will get everything in time to keep on with their schedule, he watched her walk back to the table and when he got closer her eyes blinked with a spark of repoval and her nose got a bit crinkled.

-          So nothing yet, huh? - She said a bit upset.

-          Nope, noth´n.

-          Gosh, not even the appetizers?

-          I guess they´ll bring ´em all together, you know, like, the whole order.

-          I hate it when they do that.

Just as she finished those words the waiter came along leaving a set of appetizers on the table, they stared at each other, he was wondering if the waiter had listened and staring at her, feeling her dark deep eyes on him, yeah she was a bit hungry. They giggled softly and as he went on for a stick of celery her first option was a buffalo wing, she rarely used the dips but he always tried to make a better mix using dressings and this time wasn´t the exception as he went on for the blue cheese with the celery.

-          So, you excited? – She asked having another buffalo wing.

-          Kinda – he said keeping his cool

She stared at him, her eyes diving into his. He stared back holding the half celery in his mouth and trying not to smile.

-          Yeah right! – She snorted – It´s been your dream since forever to travel to Europe and you´re KINDA excited? Mhmm I’m gonna believe that.

-          Haha – he added after finishing the celery – Okay okay! I´m excited, like really excited it´s like a drea... no, IT IS a dream come true, visiting all those places that i´ve read about in books, that I've seen in movies- he paused to let out a sigh, it really was a dream come true – I´m really happy i get to do this – he finished looking into her brown eyes.

-          Yeah! You´re happy alright, cuz you´re traveling with me! Who wouldn´t?!

-          Oh yeah! Carrying my baby sister through Europe sound delightful – he laughed

-          Oh! – she said putting her hand on his then added – Don´t worry Hun I’ll take good care of you.- and she started laughing

-          As I will –he added keeping up the laugh.

-          So what the hell is this? - She said holding up a wrap.

-          Ugh – he rolled his eyes, how come she always has to ask him stuff? Didn´t she knew anything? - It´s a ... um... a ... something wrapped in tortilla? I guess- Yeah, he didn´t knew either- but it´s eatable or it wouldn´t be on the appetizer set!

-          Well... - she took a bite on it and tasted it- ... it ain´t that bad

He was about to take one when the waiter materialized by the table holding their orders, she left them in front of each one and left.

They craved into their meals, giggles passed on and half burger done they spoke again, this time he was the one who started, picked some fries and asked her:

-          So you feeling like, sad, that you broke up with your boyfriend? – and he started numbing on the fries.

-          Not really – she picked fries of her own and did the same.

-          No?! – he was all for love and relationships, so ending one was a big event, at least for him, even though he never had one officially.

-          Well, he was really boring – she laughed lightly – I mean he was nice and cute, and well I met him at the volleyball practice so he had a nice body, but I don´t know, he wasn´t like such a thrill to be with.

-          Hmm – he replied, wondering why he met people lately that seemed to find relationships so easy-going.

-          Plus there´s this other guy.

-          Oh?

-          Mhmm, he´s like weird, I mean he has like cute-ish face but there´s something in him, something that says “I’m a bad boy” that I don´t know.

-          That one seems more fun?

-          Hahaha, totally – she took a sip of her coke – So speaking of the loved and the dull, what´s going on with you? I mean you are already 21! Being single it´s not such an amused state, when are you getting someone of your own, I bet there are some guys after you alright!

-          Well there´s this guy I’ve been hanging out with but just like friend hangin out nothing like couple or anything.

-          Mhmm, sure just a friend ... soon to be boyfriend?

-          No haha he´s cute and all but it´s just like a friend, period. Plus I don´t like ´em like that, tall guys have preference haha, and you know that to get taller than us takes someone alright! Haha

-          Haha that you will find to the land we are heading, trust me, tall people were made there haha.

Their meal was gone and the only remaining thing on were their refilled drinks, he placed his hands under his chin and stared at her, she was beautiful, she looked strong, determined and secure of herself, her hair fell all the way down to her shoulders matching the dark brown of her eyes. Yeah –he thought- she will be a heartbreaker alright. Then he rose his hand and the waiter came on to them, he asked for the brownie fudge desert, his sister always had loved cake and chocolate, let’s not talk about chocolate cake. He left out a little giggle.

-          What? – she said after seeing him giggle out of nowhere.

-          Nothing I just thought about buying a little treat.

-          Mhmm, whatever you say.

Few moments later the cake arrived and her eyes went fierce onto it but she hold herself like she didn't want any, how was she supposed to break the diet and strut around Europe at the same time? No, she shouldn't.

-          ´kay so this is to your b´day, I know it´s tomorrow but I’m not sure how much time we´re gonna have to celebrate it, after all seems that Paris is gonna be one tired day hehe

-          Awww that´s so sweet but you know, the diet and ...

-          Oh come on! It´s not like you´re gonna lose the hot body just because of a cake! – He stared at her – you´ve had worse.

-          Well, that´s true hehe – she picked up the spoon and pushed it down the cake- just a tiny bit then hehe.

She tried it and felt the creamy chocolate filling mix with the chocolate cake and her mouth started to melt at that small taste and before she knew the spoon was heading back to her with more.

-          Glad you liked it – he said with a smile- Happy Birthday Mireya, now legally you are an adult hehe now hand over that spoon! – He grabbed the spoon and took a slice of the cake, it really was good, not the best, but it was good.

-          You know it´s not my birthday until tomorrow, so legally noth´n.

-          Yeah I know I know but on your birthday you´ll be probably over the Atlantic so just in case.

-          Well we are heading to Paris, remember Marie-Antoinette?

-          What? You want me to slice your head off in public? – She gave him a bone-freezing-cold look meaning to say “it´s not funny”- Okay okay, I’ll try to get you a french cake in Paris for your birthday.

-          Yay he he and thanks Mark – she was happy, not that the cake really mattered but it was the whole experience that she wanted and it seemed that she would get it.