Love Story

Love Story

            Once upon a time, a 16-year-old girl called Martha moved in a neighborhood of Santo Domingo City. Some weeks later, her parents register her to the school next to their home.

            Martha did not want to enter that school because she had no friends there, she had left all her friends at her previous school, but shortly after, her parents and her best friend managed to convince her to study at that school since this was the nearest one in the neighborhood, and so she could finish the two years she had left without commuting that far.

            When the young girl starts to attend school, she realizes that the school year was a little bit advanced. She had many overdue classes and she, immediately, strives to catch up on all subjects, but in this process, she faces a somewhat difficult situation.

            It turns out that Martha understood the content that had been taught of all subjects but one, Chemistry. Since she was new to school, she only had a friend and asked her to explain the content, to which the friend replied that she did not know how to explain. Martha did not know what to do...

            One day, in Chemistry class, Martha saw that a young boy, one of her classmates, was up to date in class and actively participated. She thought: “That boy can surely help me with Chemistry, I´ll talk to him”. When class ended, Martha approached the young boy, greeted him and asked his name. He replied: “My name is Anthony”. She, immediately, told him about her situation with Chemistry and asked if he could help her. Anthony gladly agreed. They planned to meet after school and so it happened.

            That same afternoon Anthony went to Martha's house to explain Chemistry, as they had agreed. This happened only a few times because Martha was able to understand very quickly with Anthony's explanations, which helped her catch up and raise her grades in that subject.

            But also, due to Anthony´s explanations, they, both, managed to establish a very beautiful friendship, so Anthony continued to visit Martha. They saw each other very often in the afternoons after school.

            In senior year, each one of them leaned for a different major. Martha enrolls in Philosophy and Letters, while Anthony chooses Physical Sciences and Mathematics. But this division only occurs during school hours, since at recess or at some free moments, they would meet and talk.

            A few days after their graduation, Anthony receives the news from her mother that he is going to live to the United States. He left, he did not have time to say goodbye. Martha found out about Anthony´s departure days later through his brother who also commented that Anthony has said that he would never come back to this country. Martha felt very sad because she was fond of Anthony, they were both attracted to each other and Martha felt she had lost him. 

            Twenty years passed, Anthony travels to Santo Domingo to visit his father who was still alive. During his stay, he contacts his friend and schoolmate, David. He asks about Martha. David agrees to trace her since they had maintained communication throughout the elapsed time.

            Martha and Anthony had made their lives, each on their own, unaware of each other. Martha had married, had had two children, and was divorced. Anthony, for his part, had also been married and divorced, in turn.

            David manages to get Martha´s email and he passes it on to his friend Anthony. This, immediately, emails Martha, who is surprised, but also happy, when receiving the email. At this time, Anthony had already returned to the United States, so he and Martha did not meet. However, the communication between them had already reestablished.

            Anthony traveled to the country on other occasions and on every return he communicated with Martha; they met and went out for dinner every now and then. Anthony decided to stay a while in the country; the meetings between them were more and more frequent until Anthony had to go back to the United States.

            One day, Martha decided to apply for a North American visa, she had a good job, so she understood that she had the possibility of being eligible for the visa and so it was, she was approved. On her vacation, she went to the United States and Anthony received her and took her to visit many places in that immense country. She continues to travel once a year and Anthony also travels to Santo Domingo from time to time.

            Anthony is planning to return to Santo Domingo for what he is getting prepared; Martha does not intend to spend the rest of her days living in Santo Domingo, but neither in the United States. Meanwhile, they are happy to have each other, even at a distance. God will know what He will have in store for these two, still not so young, but that every time bring back those times of their adolescence.

Carina Marinangeli

April 19, 2020.

5:26 A.M.