My first impression of the compound is that of a prison, like the ones I saw on TV. A handful of buildings are scattered in the middle of the woods, surrounded by a tall barb wire fence with guard towers in every corner. The only entrance is a control gate, staffed with a dozen soldiers. When Felipe rolls down the window and gives the young man with the machine gun a grim nod, the barrier goes up. We pass, and it goes down just as quickly.

"It's for your own security," Felipe says. "The president is super careful with foreign visitors since they are easy targets for the rebels. He insists on everyone staying here."

I frown. This doesn't sound at all like the safe place he described after I questioned him about a travel warning the US had issued for Malaguay. "Didn't you tell me there was nothing to worry about?"

The smile he gives me is adorable and I can't help for my heart to race in my chest despite my bad mood.

"It's just a precaution and I have a room down here while you're visiting. Besides, we'll be gone for most of the day."

When he strokes my cheek, the last resistance evaporates with the slight breeze. Flurries twirl in my abdomen. It's just awesome to be here and I should follow his lead.

He unloads my suitcase and guides me inside the largest of the buildings. We walk down a long hallway. Rooms on either side are lined with bunk beds and all the way at the end is a huge communal shower. The pastel yellow paint is stained along the ceiling and chips off the walls in numerous spots. Undoubtedly, this place has seen better days.

"This is one of the floors where the soldiers stay. You'll be on the fourth floor. The rooms are smaller and more private."

I wrinkle my nose. "Am I supposed to share a room?"

"Yeah. Is that a problem?" He holds the door open for me as we enter a stairwell.

I've only shared a room once before with Emily, during a summer church retreat when I was ten. My dad had to pick me up after I got terribly homesick. Though Emily and I were besties, it still felt awkward, and the idea of having to spend two weeks in a room with a bunch of strangers is a bit terrifying. What if they bully me or have strange habits? With growing hesitation, I trudge up the steps. Maybe I should just stay at a hotel, though I likely don't have enough money to pay for a room and would rather not ask Felipe. Somehow, I'll have to manage.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." My words are more meant to reassure myself but get him to smile. My heart skips a beat. The dimples are back, and at that moment, I would've slept in a bathtub if that was required to be close to him.

"The other girls are really nice and they all speak English. You'll see, it'll be fun."

His fingers brush over the back of my hand and I have to clench my jaw to prevent myself from drooling. The rest of our ascent is spent in silence with my gaze glued on the little strands of hair curling at the nape of his neck. The image of my fingers entangled in his thick locks while he pulls me closer for a kiss makes me giddy. His lips look soft, their touch probably amazing.

The hallway on the fourth floor is narrow and all the doors are closed. Felipe stops in front of the second door from the end. He knocks and smiles at me with encouragement.

Giggling erupts from behind the door. "Come on in." The voice is laced with the preppy pronunciation of a British girl.

When I step into the room, I meet the stare of a girl with freckles and a ponytail. Two others turn around to inspect me with curiosity.

"Ladies." Felipe motions to me. "Meet Stacy, a new arrival. She'll be staying here for a while."

The freckled girl walks over and extends her hand. "Welcome. I'm Raine." She points to the other girls. "This is Bettina and the redhead is Shauna."

I clear my throat and shake her hand before waving at the other girls. "Hi." This is so awkward.

Felipe rolls my suitcase in front of one of the beds. "The girls will show you where everything is. Freshen up and unpack. I'll get you for dinner in about an hour. Is that enough time?"

"Sure." I'm still not that hungry, but I'm dying to spend more time with him.

Strolling out, he winks at me. The door closes behind him and I become the center of attention.

"You're so lucky." Raine's voice oozes with envy. "Being matched with Felipe is such an honor."

My forehead wrinkles—not sure what she means by "matched"—but before I can ask, the brunette, Bettina, diverts my attention. "Felipe is a nice guy. You hit the jackpot." She has a heavy accent, similar to the Dutch exchange student who had attended my high school for a semester.

I smile, my gaze lingering on the baby bump clearly visible under her shirt. She wears no wedding band, so not really an ideal situation to be in.

"Of course, Felipe is still nothing like Ramon . . ." Bettina's voice can't hide the ecstatic ring. She must be crazy about this guy.

Raine falls on one of the beds with a giggle. "Yeah, we know. No one ever compares to Ramon. He's perfect."

"But he is." Red colors Bettina's cheeks. "I'm just so happy I got matched with him."

There it is again. "What does getting matched mean?"

Raine stares at me for a moment with an arched brow. "It's the guy you're supposed to marry. I mean, that's why you're here, right?"

I'm taken aback. Felipe and I are not even an official couple yet, and they make it sound like it's a done deal. "I'm only visiting Felipe for two weeks."

"Oh, well, then . . ." Raine smirks as she and Bettina exchange a glance.

Shauna has lowered herself on the bed next to Raine and fiercely chews her bottom lip. The desperation reflected on her face makes me cringe. She reminds me of a caged animal in a zoo.

"So is this my bed?" I ask when I can't think of anything else. There are only three beds, which makes one girl too many.

"Yes"—Raine points at the metal cabinets against the wall—"and your closet is the one on the left."

I stare at the small lockers; they are no bigger than those in my old high school. How will I fit all my clothes in there? I brought mostly dresses to impress Felipe. Half my stuff will need to stay in the suitcase and will probably wrinkle.

With a sigh, I heave the luggage on the bed and zip it open.

Raine gets up and peeks over my shoulder at my stuff. "So where're you from?"

"Indiana. And you?"

"London. Bettina is from Germany and Shauna here"—she nudges the redhead's shoulders—"is Irish."

Shauna's eyes fill with tears and I wonder what's up with her. Maybe she's sick; she looks a little pale. Otherwise, I've rarely seen a girl more stunning. I love her fat spiral copper curls that are nothing like my dull brown hair, and she has the most unique eye color. A mixture of blue and green that makes them appear turquoise with little specks of gold. Add her long legs and she could easily be a model.

I stuff as many clothes as possible into the locker; the rest of my things find a new home under the bed together with my suitcase. Raine and Bettina offer to show me the showers and the separate bathroom. To my horror, the facilities are mixed. At least the stalls can be locked and everything looks really clean.

"Don't drink the tap water," Bettina warns. "I did it once in the beginning and had diarrhea for a week."

I give her a polite smile; that was already too much information for me. "How long have you been here?"

"A little over seven months. Raine and I arrived on the same day. Shauna's been here the longest—almost a year."

"And you all came to get married?"

Raine nods. "We're here to support the cause and bring peace to Malaguay. This is a great place to be, and those oppressive countries that criticize President Rizo's politics have no clue what's really going on. They stick their noses where they don't belong, always thinking they're right, but they're just tyrannies who suppress their citizens under the disguise of democracy."

Bettina's head bobs up and down in agreement.

The smile is frozen on my lips—their statements are too radical for me. I hope they are not expecting me to buy into their ideology. Felipe and I met under totally different circumstances. "I should get ready. Felipe will be here soon."

I pick out a white dress with little red flowers, accentuated by a small belt, and head for the shower to rinse off. Fifteen minutes later, I'm done braiding my damp hair. When I loosen it later, it will be all wavy. I slide into my only pair of high heels and apply some of the lip gloss I bought at the duty-free shop at the airport. Taking a quick look in the mirror, I'm satisfied; for once, I find myself halfway pretty. Hopefully, Felipe likes my outfit.

The second I open the door, his face lights up. As his gaze travels down my body, heat crawls up my neck. He leans in and pecks my cheek; it causes the heat to spread to my face.

"You look gorgeous. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes."

He glares at Shauna. "Tomás is back and was looking for you."

She can't hold his gaze and silently nods. Tears drop off her chin onto the bed; she hasn't moved an inch since I arrived.

"He's your husband, Shauna, and he's just returned from recruit patrol. He deserves to have his woman waiting for him at home." Felipe's voice is cold and his eyes have darkened. "Going forward, I expect you to comply with your marital duties and not hang around the compound all the time. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Felipe," she mumbles under her breath. It's the first time that she's spoken all night and her voice is laced with the same desperation I saw in her eyes. She couldn't possibly have a happy marriage.

Offering me his arm, Felipe flashes me a pearly smile. He's a totally different person than he was just a second ago. "Let's go, Stacy."

For the first time all day, the butterflies sit lifelessly in my stomach; the way he spoke to Shauna is not a side of him I want to know. He downright scared me.

I nevertheless bring myself to link arms with him. Closing the door behind us, I catch one more glimpse of Shauna. She's a picture of misery, her shoulders shaking from silent sobs.

"What's up with Shauna and her husband?"

"Oh, they are just going through a rough patch. Shauna tries everything to upset him. You shouldn't worry about them."

His sweet smile eats away at my reservation. If the disaster with my dad taught me anything, it's that married couples have their share of problems. Ultimately, it's none of my business and not worth spoiling my time with Felipe.

~~~~

The restaurant Felipe chooses is more like a tavern with a dingy atmosphere, the air so thickly layered with smoke that my lungs sting the second we step inside. I cough, trying to fight the nauseating feeling in the back of my throat.

The place is packed, mostly with guys who sit at the bar or around tables, playing cards. Almost everyone has a cigarette stuck between their lips. The waitresses wear short skirts and tops that reveal quite a lot of skin. I feel totally out of place in my modest ankle-length summer dress.

Felipe moves his hand to the small of my back as he guides me through the masses. The stares I get are unnerving; it's as if their eyes dissect every part of me. Some even interrupt their game and conversations halt as we walk by. The smirks on most faces heat my cheeks. My instincts scream for me to run, but Felipe's hand is pushing me forward. Not that I would know where to go anyhow.

We arrive in a back room. It's a bit cozier when compared to the pits of hell out front. A few tables are occupied by couples engrossed in deep conversations, but even here, everyone takes a moment to give me a good once-over. A guy even winks at me before refocusing on his dinner date. When she laughs about his next comment, I can't shake the feeling that I was the butt of their joke.

Felipe motions to a table by a window. I sit down with my back to the dining room, trying desperately to concentrate on him and shake the uneasy feeling. Eyes drill into me like a hundred stinging needles; even his boyish smile can't smooth things over. I twitch in my seat, wishing I was back home in Indiana.

"I know this is nothing like the States, but there aren't many places in Malaguay where you can get something decent to eat." He envelopes my hand and the warmth of his touch soaks up some of the tension. "It might not look like much, but the food is totally worth it."

I take a deep breath, determined to give this place a chance. The idea was to have an adventure and I should not act like those tourists who criticize everything simply because it's not what they are used to. So what if the interior of the restaurant is crap? This is South America, a totally different culture with unique customs, and being judgy will just ruin the experience.

Our waitress is dressed more appropriately in a basic black-and-white outfit and beams at Felipe as she speaks to him in Spanish.

He turns to me. "They don't have menus in English. Do you want me to translate or can I order for the both of us?"

I don't want to make a big fuss. "You know what's good, so go ahead."

His eyes sparkle with life and the dimples appear every time he chuckles during the conversation. My heart skips a beat whenever he gazes at me. Leaning back, I listen to him speak the melodic foreign language. I've always loved Spanish; it has a romantic vibe to it. My high school only offered German, a language I struggled with because of its harsh pronunciations, and I was never motivated enough to try a private language school. Now I regret that I haven't even bothered to take an online course since I met him.

Glancing around, I notice that everyone has stopped staring and is minding their own business. The waitress disappears, just to return with a bottle of wine and a basket of bread. Before I can protest, she pours me a glass.

"Salud." Felipe raises his glass.

My smile is crooked. "I've never had alcohol."

"Try it. The laws are different here and you are legally allowed to drink."

When the glasses touch, they clink. With slight hesitation, I take a sip.

Stay open-minded.

The wine has an acidic taste, but after a few big gulps, I like it. When I dip the bread into some olive oil, it complements it even more.

With every passing minute, the evening improves and I relax as Felipe leads a light-hearted chat. It's just like on Skype, except face to face, and by the time the food arrives, I'm laughing. The other patrons in the restaurant fade into the background. The flavorful tapas melt on my tongue, though I'm stuffed after only a few bites. Ever since I arrived, my appetite has vanished. It's probably all the excitement.

"Hey, you two. Having a good time?"

I turn my head toward the voice behind me. It's Miguel, his arm lazily wrapped around the hips of a woman with long dark hair falling loosely around her shoulders. Her eyes are filled with nothing but boredom and the way her chin is raised immediately closes a defensive wall around me. She extrudes so much self-confidence that I find her utterly intimidating. Miguel's face, on the other hand, is relaxed with an open smile. Nothing is left of the hostility he displayed this afternoon.

A hesitant smile unfurls from the corners of Felipe's lips. "I think Stacy is enjoying herself."

"That's good. I want her to have a great time."

Miguel's gaze leaves a tingling sensation behind on my skin. Just like this afternoon, I want to look away, but a glow in his eyes keeps me captivated. He's so fascinating.

Felipe clears his throat. "We were about to leave."

"Well, that's too bad. We thought we could join you." Miguel tilts his head in a small bow. "Maybe some other time."

"Yes, that would be nice." To my surprise, my voice is a bit hoarse.

While Felipe settles the check, I stare at Miguel and his date. Just as Felipe, he's the perfect gentleman, pulling out the chair for her and passing her an unfolded napkin. He and the woman look good together. She could even be his wife.

Felipe and I escape through the back door and walk hand in hand along a small river. The evening is cool with a slight bite in the air, the moon and stars sparkling in the dark night sky our only companions. The streets are deserted except for a few stray dogs, fighting over scraps in a garbage bin.

"Where's everyone?" The silence is almost nerve-racking. Carmel is a quiet town but still lively in comparison to Malaguay. It's almost as if we are walking in a cemetery.

"There's a curfew after nine. Only certain soldiers and government officials are allowed in the streets, and women have to be accompanied by their husbands. It's for everyone's own safety."

A new unease settles at the nape of my neck. From the way he's talking, safety is a real concern. I shudder from a sudden cold breeze and Felipe slides an arm around my shoulders. Snuggling against him, I feel instantly protected. Malaguay is an odd place, but with him, it will be fun to explore.

When we get to the car, he pulls me against him, our lips only inches apart. "I'm really glad you're here, Stacy."

My breath catches in the back of my throat, my scalp tingling in anticipation. When our lips meet, his tongue immediately demands access. Unsure what to do, I allow him to take the lead. Before I even know what is happening, his hands have moved to my behind. My body tenses, but he gets one good squeeze in as we break apart. Not only are my insides on fire, but my face is as well.

I shuffle my feet, obliged to give him an explanation. "I—I . . ."

His thumb, brushing over my lips, quiets me. "Don't worry, I didn't expect anything more." He smiles and the dimples pop. "I'd better get you back to the compound. You must be exhausted and tomorrow will be a busy day."

I wouldn't have minded another kiss but slide into the car when he opens the door for me. On our way back, I stare into the night. My life has changed so much in these past few days. If someone had told me a week ago that I would be in Malaguay and my parents would be close to getting a divorce, I would've declared them insane. Now, I'm here, and after my first kiss, there's no place I'd rather be.

~~~~

© Sal Mason 2017

This work is protected by copyright and should not be copied, downloaded, translated or used in any way without my expressed consent. Please don't steal it. Thank you!