Francisco entered through the front door of the upscale suburban home dressed from neck to boots in red and white leather. He carried his motorcycle helmet under his left arm.
"Hey, Brady!" Francisco said warmly as he shook hands with his friend and host.
At six-feet-two, Francisco was taller than his father and every bit as dashing. His chiseled features, piercing blue eyes, and full head of neatly cut dark hair attracted attention wherever he went, attention that he had learned to disregard.
"Whoa! Cool! You came on your bike!"
"Yeah."
"How was the ride?"
"Utterly superior!"
Brady grinned. "I hope you didn't break any speed limits!"
"Well, when it's dark," Francisco said, "I try to keep it under a hundred forty-five."
"Whoa, yes!" Brady let out a howling laugh. "That is my MAN!"
"Hey, Brady, is Isabella around?"
"Yeah, I think she and Tommy are out on the patio. There's beer in the coolers out back and more in the fridge."
"The good stuff?"
"Try the fridge. I've got some micro brews in there."
"Awesome! I'm just gonna run out back and say hi!"
"You got it, man!"
Guests filled the oversized living room. Some of them recognized Francisco and exchanged pleasantries as he passed through. He didn't stay in one place for long; his thoughts were on Isabella. "Why is she here with Tommy?" he wondered. "I thought that was supposed to be over."
A circle of young men stood around the kitchen table debating topics with boisterous enthusiasm. Karen, Brady's younger sister, and Amanda, whom Francisco knew from school, were sitting on the kitchen counters like bored children. "Hi, Francisco!" they cooed in unison.
"How are you guys doin'?"
"Okay!" The two girls looked at each other and giggled.
Francisco opened the exterior kitchen door and walked out onto the patio. He spotted Isabella immediately. She sat watching Tommy and five or six other guys playing a disorganized match of night volleyball.
"Hey, you made it!" Isabella exclaimed as she rose from her seat.
"¡Y tu tambien!" Francisco replied.
"Ooh, I love it when you speak Spanish! Hey Tommy, say hello to Francisco!"
The field of volleyball players shouted together: "Hello, Francisco!"
"Hey, guys!"
"Hey, Tommy," Isabella said, "I'm gonna show Francisco where the beer is."
"There's beer out here," Tommy argued.
"He wants the good stuff," she explained.
"All right."
Isabella led Francisco back into the house. The debating group at the kitchen table was now doing shots and laughing loudly. Isabella and Francisco walked over to a relatively quiet hallway where they could chat.
"So, you're here with Tommy?" he asked.
"It's complicated."
"It looks pretty simple to me."
"Francisco, please, let's not fight. Can we just talk?"
"Sure," he muttered dispassionately.
"I'm glad you're here."
"Why are you glad?"
"Because I wanted to see you. Because I wanted to be sure that you're doing okay."
"I'm okay."
"You don't seem okay."
"I'm as okay as I can be while you're here with him," Francisco explained.
"I know, I'm sorry. I'm working on that."
"Are you guys still going to be together when you go off to school?"
"It's complicated, Francisco. His family and my family - we've known each other since we were kids. They kind of have this picture of us being together."
"I have this picture of US being together."
"That's sweet," she said in a voice that projected tenderness. She was moved by his words. "Maybe one day..."
"That's why I'm not going to college."
"What?" Isabella was shocked and obviously displeased. Her expression became tense.
"I already told my dad."
"What did HE say?"
"He called my mom."
"Francisco, this isn't a good idea!" Isabella said firmly.
"But I want to be with YOU."
"Francisco, listen..."
"No, you listen. That time, that night, it meant the world to me."
"It was meaningful to me, too, Francisco!" Isabella's voice almost sang the words. She was deeply moved. "But you can't go and quit school over this! That's just going to make me regret it!"
"I want us to be together," he insisted.
"Doing what?" she argued. "Doing what?"
"Doing whatever we want," he argued. "We can go wherever we like."
Isabella took Francisco's hand and led him to the edge of the living room. "Look at these people, Francisco. Look at them! Most of them will either end up coasting on their family's money, or they'll get stuck in some dreadful situation trying to live up to their parents' expectations."
"I'm not THEM."
"No, you're DIFFERENT, Francisco. You have dreams."
"And my dream is to be with you."
"No! You told me that you wanted to be a veterinarian. You told me that you wanted to develop new ways to train horses so they could run faster with fewer injuries. Did you mean those things?"
"Of course!"
"You told me that you wanted to start a program for underprivileged children so they could connect with animals instead of getting mixed up with gangs. You wanted to expand it into Latin America one day. Did you really mean that, or was it a bunch of B.S?"
"It wasn't bullshit!"
"Really?"
"Really."
"Are you sure that you weren't just saying those things so you could get into my pants?"
"Isabella, that's ridiculous!"
"Is it?"
"Yes! Look, I meant everything that I told you."
"That's nice, Francisco. But if you don't go to college, none of those dreams will ever come true. You'll never become a veterinarian, you'll never start that program for kids. Your dreams will die, right here, right now, all because of one selfish decision."
"It's not a selfish decision."
"It's totally selfish, Francisco!" Isabella was visibly upset now. "You just can't see it!"
"Why is it selfish to want to be with you?"
Isabella took a deep breath and spoke slowly. "Look, Francisco, I would LOVE to be with you, but not if it means you giving up on your dreams. Not if it means being just another rich kid living off of his father."
"I am NOT going to live off of my father, Isabella!"
"Okay! Then what are you going to do? How are you going to accomplish any of that if you're willing to sacrifice your education...for a girl who doesn't want you to? How does that even make sense?"
Francisco stood silently. He wanted to counter Isabella's argument, but he couldn't find the words. He was beginning to fear that she was right.
"Look, I'm sorry, Francisco. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I just want you to think about the big picture."
"I am."
"No, you're not! Your dreams are too important. They're important to me. They're important to the world. And I'll never be happy if I have to watch you give up on them."
"But you'll be so far away," he argued.
"I'll always be with you, Francisco. I told you that, and I meant it."
"What about you and Tommy?"
"Like I said, I'm working that out."
"What if it doesn't work out?"
"Well, what if it doesn't?" she wondered aloud. "You'll be living your life, a good life, doing important things. Helping people. Helping the horses. You'll fly around the world giving talks, and you'll meet lots of people. You'll meet someone."
"Don't say that!"
"It's the truth."
"There's no one else! There's only you!" Francisco seemed so earnest and passionate about his feelings for her. It nearly moved her to tears.
"I'm very touched, Francisco. But it's like I said. Some of us get stuck trying to live up to our parents' expectations."
Tommy walked into the room. "There you are, Pumpkin!"
"Hi Tommy," Isabella said cheerfully.
"What are you guys talkin' about?"
"I was just telling Francisco that he should go to college and pursue his dream of becoming a veterinarian."
"Whoa, cool!" Tommy said in a disinterested tone. "Hey, are there any burgers left?"
"I think you'll have to grill one," Isabella replied.
"Hey, it was nice catching up with you guys," Francisco interjected. "I'm gonna go see what Brady's up to."
"Be cool, bud!" Tommy said.
Isabella looked Francisco in the eyes. "Bye!"
After Francisco walked away, Tommy let out a taunting chuckle. "Veterinarian! Ha! What kind of a douche job is that?"
"Tommy!" Isabella protested.
"I'll make in a week what that asshole will make in a year."
"Well, you haven't made anything yet."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"How much money have you made in your life?" she asked. "Not counting interest on money that somebody gave you?"
"I don't know, I'm still in school," Tommy said.
"Bill Gates was still in school when he started Microsoft. Zuckerberg was still in school when he started Facebook."
"What's your point, Izzy?"
"Francisco has spent the past ten years training the world's finest race horses. What have you been doing? Playing video games?"
Tommy flashed an expression that seemed to wonder whether Isabella had gone completely mad. "Go get me a burger!"
Isabella rolled her eyes. "Coming right up, your majesty!"
Tommy stood by himself at the edge of the crowded living room with a can of cheap beer in his hand, bobbing his head to the music.
"Stupid motorcycle asshole!"
'The Horse Farm'
Copyright © 2015 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
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