Chapter 1 Dreams and Expectations

                                               

           "WHEN YOU LEAVE YOUR HEART BEHIND " Book 1

                                               Prologue

When you're a teenager and you've seen so many movies, idealized as your first boyfriend will be, as your first date will be, everything you have planned as if it were a Romantic movie, you only lack the most important thing in the story, the main character, the problem is that you already have such a high perspective, that it will be impossible for someone to live up to your expectations, you can see how the years are going on and you know a lot of guys, however, because you're waiting for that Blue Prince you idealized and you give up and stop seeing around you "now that I think it's best not to realize, why no one was dating me."

You pass up many opportunities that you never realized you would have, until it's too late and you alone enjoy a book, outside a French-style café, waiting for something that never came "and that's how it all started" the moment I stopped waiting and gave up, it came.

                          Chapter 1 Dreams and Expectations

My name is Larissa Diaz, and I was 21 years old when it all started, I met him very romantically almost 4 years ago, in an old French cafe called “Ville”, near the main square of Palmira, I was reading again that silly sentimental story where the protagonist falls in love with a beautiful man “what a stupid”, But sometimes I concentrated so much on the story that I could feel that I lived in it and dreamed that this woman was me, always imagining that she was the main character, “when I will meet someone other than a date arranged with the friends of my friends’ boyfriends” that was my daily thought, After having been wandering around I finally got back to the reality of my life and continued reading my book, when suddenly I heard a voice and I couldn’t stop my heart from racing at full speed I felt that it would come out of my chest at any moment, but I could hide it very well because I had my sunglasses on, I liked to sit at the tables that were outside on the small terrace, it was the best view of the square in the open air the same table as always to read and avoid being disturbed definitely gave the wrong impression of “get away from me”, I could not see where that voice came from that captivated me so much, who is that person? I turned my head to both sides, trying to see the face of the person who was addressing me, when I took off my glasses I finally saw him, the most handsome man I have ever seen in my life, a charming smile that took your breath away, he was quite tell his hair a little long almost reaching his shoulders, but not too much of a honey blonde color, the wind was playing against me and his hair was flying in the air “impossible to forget that detail” I thought, I could imagine myself inside a romantic scene from one of my books.

I could stay looking at those sky-blue eyes all day and the worst thing is that it seemed like a good idea and that voice that shakes me just by listening to it, “excuse me” he said, with that accent that made me unconsciously release a sigh, I could not believe how handsome it was like coming out of an American movie “I’m definitely dreaming and any moment I’m going to wake up” I thought slowly trying to breathe and not look like a stupid “too late,” I thought and looked him in the eye and I answered as calmly as possible, “yes,” immediately he replied, “this place is busy waiting for someone, I have a lot of time thinking of a good excuse or the right words to introduce myself, but I couldn’t think of anything, so I was brave and come here with the fear of being rejected and meet a perfect idiot,” he said visibly nervous, I could see him close and open his hands trying to look anxious.

“By God I could not believe it, I had never seen him, he must have sat near the bar inside the cafeteria, but how could he pass, I had never seen him around here” I thought surprised, I was still far from the world around me ignoring the surrounding people, an outside world that I was not interested in knowing, until this moment, I think I was already forgetting that I had to breathe and I answered “don’t you think you should introduce yourself first, what is your name?” I was surprised at how serene and sure my voice was heard, I even doubted that it was mine.

He smiled at me, with a smile that captivated me “of course! You’re right” he said with a lovely voice, I was determined to play the interesting, although my legs did not stop shaking under the table, it was impossible for him to realize how nervous his presence made me feel, but I could hide perfectly “My name is Tristan and I come here often” I take my hand and kiss it I can still feel the warmth of his lips on my skin, I smiled and said “Hi Tristan I’m Larissa also come here often and always in the same place”, “I know! I’ve seen you several times” said Tristan with a smile and looking into my eyes, he finally sat down at the table, put aside my book by placing a small red page on the page he was reading, and I fixed my gaze on his, showing him that he had my full attention.

I asked him where he was from because his accent sounded foreign to me. He smiled and said, “ I am from Westminster a small city in England, but I have a year in Palmyra studying at the university and you? Are you from here?

“Yes,” I replied with a spontaneous smile without even thinking about what I was saying when I reacted to my answer and said “no, sorry,” I was making a fool of myself, I tried to get over it quickly and replied “I am from Navarri, but like you, I came to study a year ago too,” at that moment an old memory came to mind and I said “some time ago a waiter gave me a flower and said that it was given to me and .....”. Without even finishing what he was saying he answered me with that voice that had me fascinated “after a while I could realize that you like very much to come to this place and being sincere this place is perfect, one day I was with my friends and we decided to come here, it is a very unusual place, but very nice and on that occasion it was the first time I saw you here, sitting reading, without caring what was happening around you, at that moment I took a flower and told the waiter to give it to you,”, ! Or for God’s sake, he couldn’t believe it! He made a gesture with his lips and told me “I’m surprised you still remember; it was a long time ago, the funny thing is that in spite of having given you that flower months ago I never dared to speak to him, that doesn’t speak very well of true masculine security!

Was I excited for months, I wondered, who had sent me that flower? I was wasting my time focused on finding some flaw or reason to understand why my friends had so many suitors and I didn’t even have one, while unknowingly there was Tristan watching me every day without coming near me, “ how was this possible, how did it happen, at what time?

“Larissa,” Tristan said, trying to get my attention, took my hand in hers and said, “ I know we barely know each other, but I’d like to see you again and get to know you a little better.

“! Of course we do! “I answered him and took a piece of paper from my bag and gave him my cell phone number and he did the same, “how about if we meet tomorrow at this same time, after school”, “that sounds perfect” he said “I’ll be waiting for that moment” he took my hand and looking into my eyes he kissed her, he got up from the table and left, we said goodbye with the promise to see each other the next day, I picked up my things and put them in my bag, I got up and went to my apartment, thinking how slow would be the hours to see him again, I took his number and kept it very carefully I did not want to lose him “Tomorrow! tomorrow I’ll see him again” I thought as I walked I never thought this would happen to me I look like a 17-year-old fool “quiet and breathe he’s a pretty good-looking guy, but you can handle it, take it easy, you don’t want to look like a crazy person desperate to get a boyfriend! Right! I said to myself trying to be calm and not let my imagination run wild “one day at a time, one day at a time tomorrow will be another day!” That was my favorite phrase for moments like this, where my nerves betrayed me and I felt insecure, but it is now when I take more strength than ever.