Prism - By Rachel Moschell Page 0,19

here in Coroico with people passing by. “Not just in the big cities. Next year they finish that huge mosque in Cochabamba, you know.”

Wara did know that; during the last decade, Bolivia and Iran had become close friends. With more Muslims coming to Bolivia for business or study, some Bolivians were converting to Islam. And the Iranians had built many hospitals and schools in needy parts of the country. There was probably one here outside of Coroico.

“BOO!”

Wara nearly jumped out of her skin as two rough hands covered her eyes, blinding her. She panicked and tried to lean forward but couldn’t break away. She felt a body come over the back of her bench into the space between her and Nazaret as the hands disappeared. Annoyed, Wara realized that the bony shoulder pressing into hers belonged to Tobin, the wiry, blond Australian friend of Noah’s.

“Tobin!” Wara scolded. “What…? You really freaked me out!” She paused, frowning, wondering what Tobin was doing here. Wara leaned around Tobin and saw that Eduardo Sejas, the good-looking Bolivian who sang with Noah at the cafe, was sitting on the edge of the bench next to Nazaret, wearing cargo pants, a dirty t-shirt, and a heavy-duty backpack. Nazaret’s lips were turned up into a smile, and Wara followed her gaze to see Tobias, the other Australian, and Noah. Standing in front of her bench, smiling down at her.

Wara gulped. And paled. What were they doing here?

“Aww, we’re sorry we scared you guys!” A quick glance over at Eduardo showed white teeth flashing against his tan jaw. “We didn’t know it would freak you out.” He paused and waved his hand as if to erase the past. “So, hello! Nice to see you!” Tobin kissed a still-frozen Wara on the cheek, and the other guys leaned in to give greetings.

Noah was wearing khaki shorts with leather hiking sandals, and his tanned legs were covered in powdery dirt. A t-shirt with cut-off sleeves left the tattoo of blue Celtic symbols around his upper arm clearly visible. Wara dared to meet his eyes and saw no sign that he was thinking of the last time they’d hung out, in Café Paris. Noah leaned forward to give her a Bolivian cheek-smooch, and Wara felt her face go hot.

“What are you guys doing here?” she asked much too sharply.

How could we have ended up coming to the same place for weekends away? I never heard Noah or any of the guys talking about this!

Well, she had also been avoiding him.

“Well,” Tobin said cheerfully in his lovely accent, “we’ve been planning this for quite a while, right guys? Today and tomorrow we are doing ‘adventure tourism’ here around Coroico, and then Monday we are heading out for the hike to the Cotapata nature reserve. What is it, Eduardo, a 24-hour hike?”

Eduardo confirmed, and Noah sat down on the concrete edge of the fountain, stretching out his legs. “Awesome surprise to find you guys here, too,” Noah smiled at Wara and Nazaret.

Wara swallowed hard. “Yeah, I…can’t believe it.” The surprise of having him show up here in the plaza in Coroico, just like that, had still not worn off. She had to think of something normal to say.

“I remember…last week your parents were supposed to come, right?” The last time Wara ran into Noah at the Martirs, he had mentioned his parents were going to come to Bolivia. His parents were wealthy and did not believe in God. They were really not happy their son had decided to study social work and come to one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Hurt glinted in Noah’s eyes when he told her they were thinking of stopping by Cochabamba.

Briefly. On their way to a beach resort in Brazil.

Now, Noah set his jaw and looked away. “Nope. They didn’t come. Decided they just couldn’t do it. Hotels here aren’t up to their sky high standards.” Noah quickly changed the subject. “We’re going to rent a Jeep to drive us down to the waterfalls tomorrow. You guys want to come with us?”

But Wara’s heart was going crazy. Noah should despise her after how she’d acted the other day, but he was still smiling. And so…nice to her.

Could it really just be a coincidence that she and Noah had both showed up here, at the same place, at the same time? She didn’t think so.

Maybe there was a chance Noah could love her. Because maybe God was behind this.

The idea nearly made her cry.

She knew