Marriage is bliss

16.5 Sofia Lopez

Summer 1997, Pizzeria Sunny Morning

After a very elegant dinner, Sofia and Paolo had sat down on the fountain in the Park in front of the pizzeria. The night was warm and the sound from the water splashing behind them soothing.
Paolo had called her on the last day of school, and invited her out, before she could have tried.
To celebrate her high school graduation, he had said.
But Sofia knew better. Celebrating with Paolo usually involved some turntables, endless dancing and litres of cold beer - not a fancy restaurant dinner.
Sofia had known that this must have been the night.

"I am sorry for not calling you earlier, baby", Paolo said. "But I didn't want you to be distracted anymore... I wanted you to finish school first."
So Sara had been right here.
But was she also right about the second - more important part?
Slowly Sofia started to lose all hope.
The night was almost over, and he still hadn't asked her.
And there was no ring in the cake either.

She still didn't want to give up, yet.
"I understand", she lied. "And it had helped me."
"I'm glad you say that...". Paolo said.

Then he got up, pulling her with him.
"You know, I love you very much, baby", he said.
Sofia tried hard not to jump out of excitement and ruin the moment - this must be it!!

He kneeled down in front of her.
"Baby, would you marry me?", he asked.
Despite her excitement and anticipation, her heart stood still for a second.
So romantic!!!

"YES!", she cried out, very much not ladylike, as she always had imaginged to answer.
But her happiness had taken over her.
Sofia had been right with everything!

Paolo laughed, then pulled her into a tight embrace.
"I'm so glad", he said.
"Me too", Sofia replied.
She was.
"Fuck you, Alejandro", she thought.

Marriage is bliss

16.4 Sofia Lopez

Summer 1997, Oasis Spring High School

It was the last day of school, and the high school kids were waiting for the bus to take them home. Sara was chatting excitedly to Sofia about what she wanted to do this summer, before she would start working in her father's company in autumn.

Sofia couldn't really pay attention. She was still sad.

"...Sofia? Are you okay?", her friend asked her. She had finally noticed that Sofia hadn't listened to her at all.

"No...", Sofia sighed. "I told you last time when I went to Paolo's?"

"Yes?"

"I did not see him for the whole time since then!" Sofia was about to cry.

"Hey... it's gonna be okay", Sara tried to cheer her up.

But it wouldn't be. She hadn't dared to go over anymore, and he hadn't called her either.

"No, it's not!! I'll never get married in my life!", Sofia really cried now.

Her stupid, awful stepfather would have kept right, after all! She could't stand the thought of it, it was almost worse than never getting married!

"Uhm... But he only said you should go back to school, no? He actually never broke up with you!", Sara tried her best to make her feel better.

"But... I have the feeling that was it."

Sofia was so sure of it, no matter what Sara said could convince her otherwise.

"Oh no... I think he was just worried about you", Sara still tried. "I think he just didn't want to distract you from going to school. Maybe he just wanted you to finish it, and then propose to you!"

That might actually be a possibility. Being engaged in high school was weird, unless you were pregnant. Sofia was not.

"You think so?", she asked hesitantly.

Sara nodded, smiling brightly.

Sofia started to think her friend might be right.

"Yeah... that must be it! Sara, you're a genius!", she exclaimed, having found her good spirits again.

"I will call him when I'm back home!", Sofia decided.

Marriage is bliss

16.2 Sofia Lopez

Summer 1997, caravan park

After Sofia dressed up, she went out.

No matter how angry she was at her mother, she still felt a bit guilty.

But seeing her boyfriend should cheer her up, so she decided to visit him.

Paolo was sitting outside, chatting with Marcus.

"Sofia! What are you doing here?", he asked her, surprised, but obviously happy to see her.

It had been right to come here.

"Ugh...", she started. "My mom just found another reason to pick on me..."

But she felt a lot better now.

"Poor thing", he said.

"Let's go inside, you can tell me more."

Instead of talking, they ended up kissing quite fast.
It felt good, as always.
Still Sofia couldn't help but feeling worried.
What if Alejandro was right?
What if Paolo never intended to marry her?

After a while, Paolo pulled back.

"What's wrong? You seem quite upset", he asked her.

"Uhm...", Sofia stuttered.

She didn't really want to ask him directly.

That would have been too embarrassing.

So she tried to give him a hint instead.

"It's just... I hate living with my parents already. I want to move out from there!", she exclaimed.

Paolo didn't understand her.

"...but you get everything you want there", he said.

"I don't!", Sofia exclaimed. "My mum keeps bugging me about everything, and now that she got another letter that told her I might drop out of school for skipping, it is even worse!"

The memory of today morning made her angry again.

"Wait...", Paolo thought for a second.

"You might drop out, only one month before finishing?"

Sofia hadn't told Paolo ever about her school problems, there were usually more important things to do.

"Maybe this time you should actually listen to her", he said then.

Oh no. Did he want to tell her what to do now, too?

"Since you got the chance to go to high school, at least finish it, okay?", he said.

Sofia didn't like it at all.

And it seemed the good mood here was ruined, too.

Marriage is bliss

16.1 Sofia Lopez

Summer 1997, Gonzales residence

It was Saturday. Sofia had slept long after another night of partying around, and went down for breakfast, humming a tune.

She was in a very good mood.

Until her mother jumped on her.

"Sofia!! Can you explain to me why I get another letter from school that you keep missing classes?!"

Sofia was still sleepy and didn't understand first.

"Your grades are already so terrible, that you'll drop out, if you skip more!"

Ah yes.

She had skipped a lot of school lately again. It was just more interesting to hang out with Paolo and his friends instead.

"Who cares!", she said. "It's so boring, and useless!"

She had already given up to find excuses for her mother. It didn't work anyway.

"Wha... how are you talking to me! You'll have to get a job soon, how do you want to get one without a high school degree?!"

Her mother was not amused.

"From Monday you'll never skip a class again, did you understand?!"

Rita was raging.

"I don't want to go to school, and I don't need a job! I want to get married, so I can move out from this terrible house!", Sofia snapped back.

She had enough of her mother always telling her what to do!

Rita looked confused for a second.

"Married?!"

The same moment, the door shut and her stepfather came inside.

Alejandro was laughing.

"Who would marry a dumb girl like you?!", he said.

As usual he had stayed out the whole night, doing whatever.

And as usual, only his appearance alone made Sofia really angry.

"Just wait!", she gnarled. "My boyfriend will propose to me soon, you'll see!"

She turned around and went to the kitchen.

"You have a boyfriend?!", Rita asked, still confused.

Sofia must have forgotten to tell her. As if it was important to her mother, anyway.

And Alejandro still laughed.

"Yeah sure..", he called after her. "He'll just knock you up and you'll never see him again!"

Ohhhhh, how she hated them, both!

Good times

11.1 Sofia Lopez

Spring 1997, Cinema Café

Sofia had managed to stay the whole day in school today. She didn't really follow any of the lectures, but at least she showed some good will. After classes, she went down to the cinema with her best friend Sara.

"Ugh... I cannot wait to get out of school, finally!", she said, eyeing delightfully her vanilla cupcake.

Sara had to laugh. "You're barely there anyhow!"

"Last year, when we cut some classes together, my grades dropped so much my mum got me grounded for a month...", Sara said, still angry about the thought of it.

"Why are you even listening to her?", Sofia asked surprised. She knew Martha was the second wife of Sara's father, and therefore not her real mother.

"Don't say that..." Sara's face changed. "Martha has always treated David and me the same as her own sons. She is like a real mom to me."

Sofia almost felt sorry.

But Sara regained her good mood fast again.

"How was the wedding?", she asked.

Sofia had ravished about it as soon as she received the invitation.

"Oh, Sara... It was beautiful!", Sofia became all dreamy at the memory. "Leroy's girlfriend had a long, white dress, like a real princess! And after the gorgeous dinner, we all danced!"

"I didn't even know that Paolo can dance the waltz!"

It really had been a surprise to her. Sofia didn't know how to, but she had tried to follow his lead, desperately focussing not to step too much on his feet.

"It sounds like a fairy tale...", Sara said, now with a dreamy face, too.

"Oh Sara, I cannot wait to dance on my own wedding...", Sofia sighed.

"Well, I'm sure, soon you'll be a beautiful bride too!", her best friend assured her.

"Uh.... but Paolo sure takes his time with askind me to marry him... I'm almost eighteen now, we're together for one year and eight months now, what is he waiting for?"

She slowly became impatient. Hadn't they dated long enough yet? 

Sara looked insecure for a second too now. But then her face lit up.

"Maybe he's just waiting for the right moment... You want a romantic proposal, too, no?", she said.

"Yeah... I guess you're right!", Sofia answered.

It had to be like that, no?

10.2 Spring Wedding

Spring 1997, Peasant's church

After lunch, most of the guests gathered in front of the bar.

Frank sat down on a table with Diana, who was in a great mood.

"To us, the apparently only singles here on this wedding!", she said cheerfully raising her glass.

"You jealous of them?", he teased her.

Diana couldn't answer, when Rosa and Paolo joined them and interrupted their talk.
"Hey Frank, where did you leave your girlfriend?", Rosa asked.

"What girlfriend?", he asked confused.

"The black haired one with the tattoos", Paolo said.

"Oh, that one."

Frank remembered Hanna. He had picked her up once somewhere, and she had come over a few times after that. She didn't had come recently. He didn't even had noticed.

"That was just casual", he added.

"I bet Frank will die single!", Diana laughed.

"Sometimes I have the feeling I'm single, too", Rosa said and her expression changed.

Her husband was touring a lot lately, to promote their new album.

Frank placed his hand on her shoulder.

Linda was glad she finally caught Delilah alone to chat a little.

"The only thing that actually bothers me, I couldn't find a dress that hides my belly!", her best friend laughed.

"Aww, you can really see something already, when you look closer!"

Linda hadn't noticed it so far.

"Oh no!", Delilah cried out, but still laughing. "I didn't want to be a whale bride!"

"Aww, don't worry", Linda said. "You're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen!"

She really thought that. Delilah's face had been glowing the whole time with happiness. If she wanted to compare her to anything big, it would be rather a star than a whale.

But Linda kept that to herself.