Chapter Two: The Pink Dress
Cristina Yang was sitting on a chair next to her sleeping grandmother, her arms folded, frowning to the world. She must have been no more than eight years old although her eyes seemed to reflect those of an older woman.
Even though the music was gay and everyone was too, Cristina was bored out of her mind. Today was one of her numerous cousins' wedding day and her mother had forced her to come with her for the occasion.
That's why the little girl was dressed in a summer pink dress, full of bows and that had so many layers to it that it could serve as a cushion. Of course, the little girl hated that dress and had told her mother so. But no matter how much she cried and kicked nothing would do and she had to wear that horrible thing before all her family to see. In that moment, Cristina hated her mother.
Mrs. Yang even if more than a bit superficial was not stupid and knew her daughter too well to trust her and had left her to the care of her own mother. Sadly for her, she had not though that it being June the sun would shine too hard for the older woman and that the heat and humidity would cause her to fall asleep and leave a clever, but angry Cristina free to do and go wherever she wanted.
When her mother went back inside the hotel talking with one of her aunt, Cristina made her move. She got off her chair being careful not to wake her grandma and bring attention on herself. Once she was sure no one had seen her, the dark haired girl ran as fast as she could until she met the fence that separated her from the streets of Beverly Hills.
She had two choices. She could walk out that fences and risk that her mother would notice or she could just go back to the party. Smiling, Cristina looked at her perfect white leather shoes now stained by marks of green grass and dirt and walked out the fence.
As soon as she was out the child was met with the smell and noises of the street of her city and all the fancy little boutiques, the noise tourists taking pictures and the none stopping movement of the cars going this way and that. She was free. That knowledge made Cristina feel elated. She was free. Something she's never been before.
The girl started walking fast, partly by fear of getting caught and partly because of the rush of adrenaline she was receiving.
As she walked, passing through series of business man who all looked very grave, families with their shopping bags and very impressive teenage girls laughing among themselves, people who were in all too busy to notice a little girl dressed in a flower girl outfit walking among them, Cristina came upon a street cross. At eight years old, she had never crossed a street on her own before.
When the light turned green everyone crossed, looking bored by the experience. Trying to look as fearless as the rest of them, Cristina started to cross the street when midway she heard a car hunk in the distance and she ran the rest of the way.
After having walked for a while slowly the shops disappeared to be replaced by residence that looked less and less well maintained. Although she would never admit it, the little girl was starting to get scared and wondered if she should just go back when se heard shouts. Children were playing somewhere near by.
Slowly Cristina followed their voices when she found a couple of little boys dressed in enormous t-shirts playing basket ball in an otherwise deserted backstreet. After watching them play for sometime, the girl started getting annoyed by their apparent lack of interest in her. Being bold by nature, she advance among them and started taking control of the game. This action surprised the little boys who immediately stopped playing.
"What are you doing?" asked the smallest of them all.
"Having a tea party! I am trying to play! What do you think I'm doing?" Cristina answered in her normal rude fashion.
"You can't play!" stated the one nearest to her.
"Why not?" she asked staring at him with disgusted.
"Because you're a girl" answered the first one.
"So?" she said.
"So girls can't play ball. They're no good at it," he answered.
"I bet I can play ten times better than any of you!" she said with clenched teeth, ready to prove her point.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
That was it for the little boys and they soon started playing. Sadly for Cristina no matter how aggressive she was being, her little pink dress was making it hard to play a fair game. Thankfully for her though, soon after they began to play one of the boys lost the ball in a backyard that was obviously prohibited for they all started running. All thoughts of the game forgotten.
Cristina followed their move in direction of her cousin's wedding, but not without yelling "Cowards" at them rather loudly.
Soon the child was back at the hotel. There her mother scream at her for destroying the beautiful pink dress that was now made unrecognizable by dirt from the backstreet and numerous thorns made by her daughter's wild behavior. All her yelling did nothing though. Cristina had learned what it was to be free that day and she was not about to forget it.
AN: Thank you so much for the reviews. That's so nice of you. Oh and to answer you're question Sparkle! If you want to read it then yes, I'll write about Addie. She'll be the last chapter. I already have an idea for her. That's such a great idea. Thank you for the suggestion. Although since we know less about Addie's past, I'll have to create it from scratch so please keep that in mind if you don't agree with my vision of things. Anyway, thanks again for the reviews!
