Chapter 2
Bucky’s POV
I wait outside her house. Carmen’s been angry at me for the past week, but I leave today, and I can’t bear not seeing her beautiful face again. Ok, I can do this, I just need to knock on this door and let everything spill out. Oh, how happy her smile makes me, how hearing her laugh makes me want to join in laughing with her and how staring into her deep, dark eyes makes me feel so… so in love.
I knock on the door three times.
“James!” Her mother greets me in her strong accent.
“Hola Señora Sánchez, ¿puedo pasar?”
“Sí, sí, sí. CARMEN, TU NOVIO ESTÁ AQUÍ (CARMEN YOUR BOYFRIEND IS HERE)” I blush as Carmen screams back while running down the stairs,
“Solo somos amigos, Mamá! (We’re just friends Mum!)”. I’m starting to regret her teaching me Spanish. “What are you doing here?” She confronts me in a demanding tone.
“I came because I needed to apologize, will you walk to the park with me so we can talk?” I’m worried she’ll decline my offer until she grabs her coat and storms out the door saying,
“Ok, we’ll talk” in a frustrated tone. Carmen may be known for her smile that shines like the sun, but when she’s angry, you do not want to be the target of that anger.
“Uh… adiós Señora Sánchez.” I wave and then race after Carmen and try to catch up with her as she keeps on storming towards the park. I can tell she’s ready to yell, to fight, to convince me to stay.
We finally reach the park and she turns around to face me,
“You promised you were going to stay here!” she yells with angry tears welling up in her eyes. The line breaks my heart.
“You know I can’t stay here; I can fight so there’s no reason for me to shy away-”
“But there is,” tears start steadily flowing down her face, “Me” she says so innocently before running into my arms and I struggle not to cry. I can’t leave her, I’m not strong enough to say goodbye to her, but I can’t stop what’s about to happen. I know that it’s my responsibility.
Carmen’s POV
I hold tight to him and feel his strong heart beating steadily in his chest and I can’t help but worry if it will stop beating and I won’t be there to do a damn thing about it.
The angry fire inside my chest has died and I break down into the millions of pieces that are my shattered heart. I can faintly hear Bucky trying to comfort me and calm me down, but I can’t understand him over my screaming thoughts until he grabs my face from his chest and holds it between his warm hands, forcing me to look up at him,
“Doll, I’m not leaving because of you, you know that, right?” I nod in confirmation. “But I am doing it for you, I’m doing it so you can stay safe here, and who knows, maybe I can help us win this war, but I can’t stand by and watch all of these poor people be massacred. You know that’s not who I am.”
“I know- I-” I try to answer through my tears. I take a deep breath and steady myself. “I know you don’t really have a choice, I just never thought you’d leave. I don’t know what I’d do here without you Bucky. Sure, Steve’s great, but without you we wouldn’t be complete. The name Three Musketeers doesn’t work with just the two of us.” The tears start to pool in my eyes again when I deliver my last line before feeling absolutely defeated, “What if-, what if you die?” And the sobs come back, even more violent and uncontrollable than before. Bucky just pulls me into his chest again and whispers,
“Oh doll.”