Author Note: Sorry of the slow update. I wanted to update a few chapters including this because I wanted to modified the whole story. Then I'll take time off for a while. Trust me, you'll thank me for it.
"We're coming for you. The time is almost up; you will change the world." I hear Bellroc whisper in my ear. I shiver when I feel Skrael's cold breath against my arm.
"A birth of a child in the middle of the 10th month of the year. Another wizard was born 900 years later on the same day. Skin the color of golden sand, hair as dark as night, and eyes the color of cocoa beans. With the power between light and dark. The child is born out of the blood and magic of one of the two elders sorcerers of mankind's history. Holds a staff of shadows and emotion. They will either be the world's savior or doom. The choice is theirs to make." I hear a deep and scary, chilling voice whisper in my ear.
"No! No! No!" I cry, shaking my head and covering my ears.
"You don't have a choice, Claire." I see the Half-troll walk toward me. It grabs my waist and pulls me close.
I struggle and try to get out of the Half troll's grip. But they're too strong. "Let me go! LET ME GO!" I scream. It laughs deeply and lowers its head to sniff my neck, causing me to shut my eyes.
"You belong to the Arcane Order. There's no way to stop us, nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. You're mine, and we're coming for you."
"No! No! No! Jim and Douxie will protect me. The Guardians will stop you!" I cry, trying to hold my determination.
All I hear is a deep and loud laugh as I free-fall into fire and ice.
"Wake up, Claire!"
I gasp, opening my eyes to see my bedroom ceiling come into view. I hear my alarm go off and NotEnrique's shouting, rocking the mattress. I rub my eyes, stretch out, and slowly sit up. "Good morning NotEnrique!" I yawn, raising my arms over my head.
He jumps into my lap. "Good morning! Happy birthday!" He says happily and hugs me.
"Thanks!" I reply sleepily, hugging him back. I sighed with relief that my nightmare wasn't real. But it's a warning.
"Something happened last night in your room." He mentions as he hops from the bed and walks toward my desk.
I get out of bed and walk toward a balloon attached to my chair. The desk has a rectangular boy covered in beautiful purple wrapping paper with a white envelope. I pick up the envelope and see Mom and Dad written on it. I study it for a moment until I open it. It's a greeting card in green, gold, teal, and white colors. The background is light blue and gold stripes, with white covering the center and much of the card. On the white, in golden, is Happy 17th Birthday on it. The 17th is on a cake with gold candles and a cream-colored cake with tropical green leaves. I briefly study the cover until I open the card and see golden text in cursive.
"Today is a special day! It only comes once a year. But you are special every day—time to celebrate with presents, friends, and family. You are the center of attention. But you are the center of attention in our hearts. Hope you have a great day and enjoy the time."
- Love, Mamá & Papá
I smile happily at the words. How sweet! I put down the card and grabbed the present. I sit on my chair and start tearing off the paper. It shows a paper box that we use for Christmas and birthday gifts. I open the box and see a cream note on a white wrapping paper. I grab the little note and open it.
"I know you don't like dresses. But maybe you'll make an exception with this one."
- Mamá
I lift the wrapping paper to see the light blue velvet cloth. I grab and lift the fabric from the box to reveal a beautiful light blue velvet dress. Then I hear my phone ring. I hang on to the dress and walk to my phone on my nightstand. I pick it up and see Jim's icon. I smile, hit the green button, and bring my phone to my ear.
"Happy birthday Claire!" I hear Jim say with enthusiasm, making me smile.
"Good morning Jim!" I reply sweetly.
"How are you feeling?" He replies, referring to yesterday.
"I'm doing alright, Jim. Thanks for asking." I say calmly, looking down at the dress. "Remember that I'm not riding with you and Toby to school; my mom is driving me."
"Oh, I know. You have to leave to go to Huntington at 3:00p.m... I remember. See you at school." He replies, but I hear giggling from the background of his line and paper ripping.
"Jim, what's going on?" I ask, growing suspicious
I hear him shush up something on the line. "Nothing is going on, Claire! Toby and I will meet you at school!" He replies.
I raise an eyebrow but shrug my shoulders. "Alright," I look at the clock, 6:45. "We have to get to school. See you there."
"Alright. Happy birthday! I love you."
"Thanks! I love you too." I say before hanging up. I wash up and get ready to go.
As NotEnrique leaves the room, I remove my pjs and get on the dress. It feels like silk on my skin. The skirt brushes against my knees. The bodice perfectly fit my body, showing off my hourglass figure. At the top, the bodice is a V style, showing my collarbone and the thin straps on my shoulders. The dress is beautiful. I notice a few reflective silver, blue, and purple gems in the fabric. The slight movement gave the impression that I was a gemstone.
"Happy birthday Claire!" I hear a familiar voice behind me, making me turn around.
"Hi, Morgana," I reply flatly, seeing the witch in front of me, smiling.
"You changed your look again. You look so beautiful." She says calmly.
I look down at my dress. "Thank you."
"I hear you're going back to your family's manor."
I roll my eyes. "Yes." I groan.
"You seem not to want to go," Morgana replies with concern.
"Yes and no," I reply with annoyance. "After what my aunts and uncles said about my friends and parents three days ago, I don't want to return there, but they're my family, and I need to go back."
Morgana frowns. "I saw what happened. I'm so sorry about how they treated you, and it's unfair for your family and those closest to you to hate who you are." She says with genuine sadness, sighing.
Is she comparing me with her? "Why?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.
"Because I was shamed by my father and brother when I discovered my magical gifts. Merlin never protected me during the war with the Darklanders and betrayed me when I needed him most." She answers.
What? I thought Morgana betrayed Merlin and King Arthur. How is she comparing this to me? "Alright," I reply awkwardly, shrugging it all.
"Anyway, on a brighter note, have fun with learning and your family, and I hope you have many gifts for your birthday," Morgana says in her calm voice again.
"Thank you," I reply politely, and she disappears.
I pack up my backpack and go downstairs. I smell something good and see my parents in the kitchen and Enrique sitting in a high chair while NotEnrique crawls around the floor. "Hi!" I greet them all and sniff the air. "What's that smell?
Both Mom and Dad look up and smile. "Hello, Mija!" Dad says sweetly, walking to hug me. "Mom is making French Toast. You look so beautiful! Like a crystal."
"Thank you, Papá!" I reply, returning the bear hug from my father.
"How do you like the dress, sweetie?" Mom asks calmly, smiling.
"Even though I don't like dresses, this one is so beautiful! Thanks for getting it. Where did you find it?"
Mom giggles. "Abuela gave me that dress as we left Huntington. She made it for you, she and I wanted you to wear it today, and it looks so beautiful and suits you."
Abuela knows how to sew, knit, and crochet. She's talented and loved making outfits for me when I was younger. She knitted a purple blanket for me when I was a baby and another at 11. She always gave me knitted or sewn items for each birthday and Christmas, but when I turned 13, she stopped sending me them. Out of all of them, this is the best yet.
"Your Abuela is sure talented and loves to spoil you." Dad jokes, making me blush and roll my eyes.
"Am I going to wear this for the party?" I ask curiously, looking down at the dress.
"Oh no! You're going to wear another dress Abuela made for you." Mom replies.
"I just hope I don't look like a purple cupcake," I say sarcastically, thinking of the Quinceañera and gypsy dresses I've seen on TV and in photos.
Mom giggles and shakes her head. "Don't worry, Claire. That won't happen; I didn't wear something like that for my Quinceañera, birthdays, and ceremony."
I think those dresses are extreme anyways. "Thank god!" I sigh in relief. "What did you wear for your 17th birthday and ceremony, Mom?"
Mom looks up and pauses for a moment. "I wore a 90's style tight green dress for my 17th birthday and a green ball gown for my ceremony." She answers.
I sit at the table, and Mom comes over with a plate of four French Toast and a glass of orange juice. Dad came over with a napkin and powdered sugar. Thankfully, they didn't give me a knife and fork. I thank my parents and eat the first toast. My eyes widened as I tasted and smelled the bread—Egg white and cinnamon. The warmth tickles my tongue and makes me feel calm. I love French Toast and forgot how good Mom's was after five years. I poured the powdered sugar on the toast, making it taste better.
After eating the toast and drinking the orange juice, I tried to grab the dishes, but Dad stopped me. "I'll put these away for you. Get ready to go to school." He says calmly, taking the dishes away to the kitchen. I get on black slippers and swing my backpack on my shoulders. I walked up and kissed Enrique on the cheek, making him giggle. Mom gets ready by grabbing her purse, keys, and Enrique. "See you at Huntington Mija. Have fun at school today." Dad calls out from the kitchen, and I say thanks and bye before Mom, Enrique, and I walk out of the house to her car.
I get in the car, and Mom puts Enrique in the backseat; she gets in the driver's seat and turns it into gear. The atmosphere is awkward as it's been six months since riding in Mom's car. We stay in silence for a while as Mom drives to school.
"I'm going to pick you up at 3:00. I already excused you from your last class," Mom states, trying to break the awkwardness.
"Thanks. Got it." I reply quickly, too uncomfortable to look at her.
Thankfully Mom doesn't ask or state anything. She turns on the radio to better the mood, and I hear Papá Skull playing. It makes me feel better and enjoy the ride more. During the drive, I glance at Mom several times until I hear kids laughing and shouting.
Mom pulls up to the school, and I get out. "Claire!" She calls as my feet hit the ground. I turn around on my heel to look at her. "I love you." She says sweetly.
I glance down, feeling a twinge of pain in my gut, and my mind freezes for a moment. She never said that when driving me to school; I know she does. But never says it. "Thanks," is all I can tell, not looking at Mom.
There's a brief pause. "Have a good day at school, sweetie. See you later." I hear Mom reply.
"Alright." I flatly reply before closing the car door and approaching the school. I hear and ping on my phone, and I look at it and see a text from Jim.
Jim: Go to your locker. There's a surprise waiting for you.
I run into the school and find Darci, Mary, Toby, Jim, Aja, Krel, Eli, and Steve, waiting for me at my locker, decorated with purple, blue, and silver colors. I hold my breath and smile.
"Happy Birthday, Claire!" They all cheer.
"Oh my god! Thank you so much, guys!" I cry and run up to hug Mary, Aja, and Darci.
"Your so welcome, Claire!" Darci says sweetly as I wrap my arms around her. I look up and see Jim grin with his arms crossed.
Darci and I let go, and I walk over to Jim. "So this is what you were doing when you called me?" I ask, crossing my arms, raising an eyebrow, and smirking at him.
"Yeah! All of us left home early to decorate your locker." Jim replies calmly, grabbing my waist and pulling me to him. "It's your birthday, and we're your friends," and kisses me tenderly. I kiss him back, and we hug each other. "You look so beautiful! Is that a new outfit? You look like a shining crystal."
"Thanks! Abuela made it for me." I reply. I turn and look at my locker. "Thank you so much, guys!" I repeat. I see little streamers, candy, and beautiful colors. "It's so beautiful! You guys did a great job."
"No problem," Steve replies coolly, flexing his muscles beside Aja.
I roll my eyes but giggle and sigh.
"Oh, because Darci and I know your combo; you have a present inside!" Mary says excitingly.
"Really?" I ask curiously.
"Yeah! Open it!" Aja cheers.
I put in my combo and opened my locker to find a bag of chocolate chip cookies inside. I gasp and smile with joy. "Oh my goodness!" I gasp. The cookies look fresh and warm, not like store cookies. "Who made these?" I ask as I look back at my friends.
"Jim did. He made them right before he came to school." Toby answers, making Jim blush.
"Yeah! I thought you might like them. They're homemade; I woke up at 5:30 to make them." Jim admits, scratching the back of his neck.
I started to feel guilty. "Awww, Jim. You didn't have to do that." I reply softly, caressing his cheek with my hand.
Jim shrugs and covers my hand with his. "It's alright, Claire. You're worth it." He says sweetly before we hear the bell ring and kids walking around us.
"Alright, love birds, time to go to class," Steve calls out.
Jim kisses me goodbye, and my friends walk away. "Bye, Claire! See you at Huntington!" They call out.
"Bye, guys!" I call out back, turn to my locker, put my lunch box next to the cookies, and close it to go to class.
Between classes, people compliment my dress. I thank them all and feel like everything is going great. Some of my teachers ask the class to sing Happy Birthday to me. I feel like I'm the center of attention. I got my lunch box and some of Jim's cookies during lunch. I ate two of them while sitting next to him. They are so warm and delicious. I did offer some of them to my friends, but they denied it and said they were meant for me.
"So... What did you guys get me for my birthday?" I ask curiously, smirking.
Everyone glances at every other and smirk. "You'll find out at the party." Darci giggles.
I roll my eyes and come back to my food. Jim wraps a hand around me. "I can't wait to see my gift for you." He whispers in my ear before giving me a peck on the cheek, making me giggle. While eating, I received a text on my phone.
Douxie: Archie, Zoe, Nari, and I wish you a Happy Birthday! It's a magical day full of fun and joy. I can't wait to see you at Huntington. Also, I finished making the disguised pendants and will give them to Blinky and AAARRRGGHH!
"What's that, Claire?" Darci asks curiously.
I smile and show everyone the text.
"Awww! That's so sweet! What are disguised pendants?" Mary asks.
"The disguised pendants are what Blinky and AAARRRGGHH! will wear that turns them human as long as they wear them. It's so they can attend my party at Huntington." I reply flatly.
"Great!" Toby cheers. "I wonder what AAARRRGGHH! would look like a human, and if Blinky is the same."
"What? Trolls can turn into humans?" Eli asks in excitement.
Today, Jim and I glance at each other and smile awkwardly. "It's a long story." Jim sighs.
At 2:45, during passing period, while kids walk to class, I get to my locker to wait for Mom. I gather my things, take a picture of my locker and remove the candy. I leave the school and wait for Mom's car on a bench. After about 10 minutes, I see her car pull up to the curb, and I run over. I open the door and see her smiling at me, wearing a beautiful green dress with silver diamonds and makeup, throwing me off guard. She hates makeup and dresses as I do.
"Hi, Claire! Are you ready to go?" She says sweetly.
Mom's new look memorized me; I almost didn't hear her. I nod my head. I open the back seat and see NotEnrique.
"Hi, Sis!" He says casually.
"Hi!" I reply as I place my backpack inside. I close the door and jump into the shotgun spot. She starts the car, and we're off to Huntington. "Where did you get the dress?" I ask Mom.
"Your father gave me this dress and jewelry on our anniversary a year after your birth." She replies.
Wow! "It looks so beautiful on you."
"Thank you." She replies, and the conversation ends.
For 20 minutes of the drive, we all stay silent. Mom turns on Papá Skull to make it more bearable, but NotEnrique can't keep his mouth shut.
"Why are you always quiet when with your mother?" He whispers behind me.
"Shut up!" I hiss, hoping she didn't hear it, but I freeze up when I see her eye look at me from the corner of my eye. Shit! Thanks, NotEnrique. Mom looks back at the road, making me sigh in relief.
"Why did you bring NotEnrique along with us?" I ask, trying to smooth things out.
"He wanted to see your party and not be alone at our house." Mom replies calmly, but I can hear a bit of hurt in her voice.
"Don't worry, Claire. I won't make a scene and stay hidden. I just want to see you at your birthday party." NotEnrique replies.
I roll my eyes but nod my head. "Alright! Just make sure none of my family members see you." I call out to him.
"You know I will." He chuckles and winks in the mirror.
Mom and I groan and glance at each other before another 20 minutes of silence. NotEnrique falls asleep in the back seat. I look out the window and see the cars beside us and the sidewalk flying past us. During this time, something felt wrong. My head started to pound, and I heard the voice in my ear again. The lingering feeling of the half-troll and my nightmares. What happened at the manor, and what to expect next? I twitch and shake it off.
"Are you alright, Claire?" I hear Mom asks with concern.
I turn to her. "Why are we going to the manor when we all know people hate us?" I say flatly.
Mom sighs and slightly shakes her head. "They don't hate us; they're just mad at us."
"Well, I'm sorry I upset them, and they disapprove of my life choices as you did." I groan, slouching down and crossing my arms.
"Claire, what are you talking about? You did nothing wrong. Your aunt, uncle, Abuelo, and other family are at fault." She replies reassuringly, but she doesn't acknowledge her part in the past.
I groan and lean my cheek against my palm, my elbow on the window. I stare up at the sky and sigh.
"Is something on your mind, sweetie?" Mom asks curiously.
I take a while to think. First, I hate she calls me that, and yes, I have a lot on my mind that has worn me down over the past weeks: my nightmares, the Half-troll, my family, and my birthday. The very thoughts send shivers down my spine. "I'm just thinking about them." I sigh with exhaustion. "I mean, what Tía Olivia and Tío Lucas said was horrible. I can't believe they would think that of me and think I'm betraying them, our ancestors, and Veronica of Galot. I just want to live my own life." I add quietly, remembering three days ago. "I remember they did that to you, and I'm grateful you took that step before I was born," I mumble softly, feeling remorseful.
There's a brief silence before Mom sighs. "Oh, Claire, I know much it hurts, but they have their own choices, beliefs, and values, and they just don't understand that not everyone has to follow their rules." She replies, hurt.
I roll my eyes and groan. She had the same behavior as me. I ball my fist up and exhale sharply out of my nose again.
"Claire, look at me."
I roll my eyes and turn to look up at my mother, who looks sad in her eyes but serious on her face. "I want you to take this very seriously. What I did doesn't result in you; you didn't betray your ancestors or Veronica. Don't let what people think to define who you are. Do you understand?"
My eyes widen. I didn't expect that to come from Mom, and I thought she would scowl at me as usual, but her words seemed to resonate against what her family said about me. I nod my head and turn to look at the road. "I understand, Mamá," I mumble. Five minutes later, silent until I heard a ping on my phone. I take it out and see a notification of Jim sending me a picture. I touch the tab and open my phone. I giggle as I see a picture of Jim smiling while holding the camera next to Barbara, driving and not looking at the camera. I see Barbara wearing pink gems on her ears and neck in a beautiful orange dress. I also see black on Jim's shoulder and white on his chest. He then sends me a 'we're coming' text and red heart emoji, making me giggle more.
"That boy sure does know how to make you happy." I hear Mom say calmly.
I turn to her and nod, smiling. "Yes! No matter what, Jim knows how to make me feel happy." I reply with happiness.
"Reminds me of how your dad saw me when we started dating at your age." She says seriously. "I'm glad we didn't split you guys up."
I roll my eyes. "Yeah. I'm grateful Jim is coming again." I reply. "Even with what happened three days ago."
"I'm impressed he's coming with us. He's resilient, kind, protective, and faithful to you."
I blush. That's why I love him, and I'm glad Mom finally sees that. Soon, Mom and I started talking about the first time she met Dad, and I talked about how school was. We joked about politics, talked about Mom's life as a young woman, and sang songs on the radio, including Papá Skull. We have a blast. At first, I thought we wouldn't. I thought we would just sit in our seats in silence, only listening to the radio and watching the cars on the road near us go by, but it's nice talking to Mom. I forgot how much I missed talking with her for hours when I was little. It didn't matter what the topic was; I just loved hearing Mom's voice. It was a long time ago after we had these conversations. In no time, we arrive in Huntington. My stomach drops, and butterflies fly when I see the manor.
"Don't worry, Claire. If they step out of line, I'll handle it personally. Alright?" Mom says compassionately, touching my shoulder after we stop.
I turn to her and nod my head. We both get out, and immediately, Daniela, Diego, Maria, Elena, Aurora, and Abuela open the door to come and greet us. Thank god Olivia and Lucas or Abuelo aren't hear.
"Welcome back, you two!" Abuela says happily, walking towards us, her arms open and smiling sweetly at us.
"Hello, Mother," Mom says calmly.
"Hi, Tía Ophelia!" Aurora calls out. "You look so beautiful!"
"Thank you, Aurora." She replies.
Daniela runs up and hugs me, wrapping her arms around me. "You're back!" She cheers.
"Yes. I'm back." I mumble, returning her hug.
We let go, and Daniela smiles, grabbing my hand. "Come on. Let's get you dressed and dolled up before the party." She says before pulling me to the manor. "I took a peek at your dress; it looks so beautiful. It's going to look gorgeous on you."
My eyes widen. The "ritual" of these events is when the family members of their gender doll up the person. The parents can't participate, and no one can see the outfit. Only the Head of the Family can. Either Abuela let Daniela see it for a bit, or she sneaked in to see it. Daniela can be a tricker and one of the most curious in the family. She opens the door, and dread sweeps over my body. I see the beautiful courtyard. It's decorated in all colors of the rainbow, bright and beautiful. I see tables covered in white cloth, the rails wrapped in orange and gold, instruments, and golden and orange lanterns hanging above the ceiling from five days ago. I see my family settings the table, decorating more places, and carrying stuff.
"Claire! You're here!"
I jump at the sound, but thankfully, it's not Olivia, Lucas, or Abuelo's voice. I turn to see Tulio and Miguel running to us. I sigh in relief. "Hi, Engaños!" I laugh.
"We're so happy you're back again. You look so beautiful."
I blush. "Thank you, Miguel," I reply, finally figuring out the difference between the twins.
"Are you ready for tonight?" Tulio asks.
"Yeah, of course. It's a birthday party, and I haven't had one in years." I say, chuckling nervously. Mom stopped them when I was 12, saying I was too old for parties and fun, but when I met Mary and Darci on the day I came in my Freshman Year of high school, Mom agreed I could have a sleepover as long as I told her and Dad where I was."But this seems... a bit much then I'm used to," I comment uncomfortably but try not to show it.
"Well, we take birthdays, holidays, and ceremonies seriously here!" Miguel says enthusiastically, making me tense up, biting my lip.
"As for tradition, come Claire. We must get you ready and dressed." Abuela says calmly as she walks beside Daniela, still holding my hand.
"Come on, Claire. The other girls are waiting for you in the washroom." Daniela says excitingly before pulling me forward, and Maria, Aurora, and Elena follow us.
I turn to glance at Mom, waving and smiling sweetly at me. I don't even have my dominant hand to wave back as Daniela yanks on it. We walk up the stairs. The washroom is a nickname we use for the dressing chamber because a lot more than dressing up goes on there; bathing, washing hair, cutting it, applying makeup, and, as the name says, getting dressed. It's only used for special occasions like performances, this one, and ceremonies.
"Please tell me Kyra won't be in there?" I ask as we walk up the second flight of stairs.
"No. She doesn't want to participate, and Tía Olivia doesn't want her to do it either. With that happened when you last came here, Abuela doesn't mind." Daniela replies as we get to the third floor.
Maria knocks on the door, and it opens to see one of my second cousins, Gabriella. All four of us walk into the dressing chamber. It's big as my bedroom when staying here. The left side looks like a salon, with a bathtub with warm water in the middle, and the right side looks like a dressing room with a vast circular curtain from a 1700s European castle in movies. My female cousins and Tía Lillian, who doesn't seem to hate me, are here.
"Come on, Claire. Time to get ready for your party." Aunt Lillian says flatly.
The ritual starts. I feel hot as Daniela and Maria strip my clothes off my body in front of everyone. At least they are all females. Gabriella bathes me while the other girls get on their dresses and makeup for the party. They're all different and bright colors of orange, green, yellow, red, and blue, but no purple. They look like traditional Southern Californian gowns from the 1800s. (Think of the Mask Of Zorro). I get all my body hair shaved off before Aunt Lillian styles up my hair in a low braided Bun. Maria applies makeup to my face. It's pretty basic. Dark pink lipstick, purple eyeshadow, light olive tone foundation, eyeliner with a slight wing at the end of each of my eyes, pink blush, and that sparkling stuff for your forehead that makes me sneeze. Elena cleans, trims, and finishes my nails. A beautiful deep shade of purple. Next, the dress. Abuela, wearing a beautiful green and pink dress, enters the room for this part. All but Aunt Lillian and two of my third cousins leave the room, all dressed and make-up for the party. I spot Daniela giving me a thumbs up and smiling before Abuela closes the door.
"Oh my goodness! You look beautiful, Claire." Abuela says sweetly as she walks towards me in my fuzzy white robe.
"Thank you," I reply politely, but I don't feel beautiful with makeup on.
"Are you ready to see your dress?"
"Yes!" I say, smiling as Abuela pulls back the curtain.
I'm left alone in the dressing chamber until they're ready for me. I hear the doors open and people outside, probably being let in for the party. I look at myself in the body-length mirror. My hair is a perfect tight low Braided Bun. My face was covered in flawless makeup. No acne and no lines. I look at my dress. It's not as simple as I wanted it to be. The cloth is silky lilac. The dress is the style of a traditional Victorian ball gown. But it has a bit of Mexican culture in it. Off the shoulder, multiple layers, formal, and yes, wearing a corset. The corset pushes up my breast, making my cleavage show, but thankfully, no birdcage hoop skirt. The bodice and skirt are covered in sequences that shine rainbow colors when I move. I notice white Celtic symbols on the silk hem of the dress. They don't sew on but as if they were part of the fabric. The shoes are, thankfully, not high heels. There are simple black but stylish dancing shoes.
My hand touches my neck. Abuela took my necklace away not to upset my family, but she did promise to give it to Mom. Instead, I wear a simple gold chain with a tiny blue gemstone on the pendant, one of Abuela's jewelry that she allowed me to wear. Suddenly, I feel a stabbing pain in my chest. I cry in pain, lose my balance, but catch myself on a table. I place a hand over my chest, trying to take in deep breaths. My head starts to pound hard. I hear someone wailing in my head and a baby screaming, making me cover my ears. So loud. So painfully. But a knock at the door pulls me back to reality, and I calm down; the pain slowly stops, and I stand up straight.
"Come in," I say, adjusting my skirt and turning my head to the door.
Diego opens the door in a black suit and orange tie; his shaggy hair is jelled back and clean cut. "Hey, Claire! Abuela told me to come to get you-" He says, walking into the door but pauses when he looks at me. "Wow! You look so gorgeous, Chiquitita!" He adds in excitement, running up to me.
I blush and spin around, showing off the dress. "Thank you!" I laugh. "Although, this is not what I'm used to,"
"Dress or pants, you look amazing in everything Chiquita." He replies kindly.
I smile, and we hug each other. "Thank you, Diego; you're the best cousin anyone can have," I mumble in his ear before we let go.
"Come on; everyone is waiting for you," as Diego grabs my hand, leads me outside, and sees a big crowd in the courtyard.
We not only invite our family and my friends but some of the people who know us in the town. I try to look in the crowd for my friends and parents and see them in the middle of the courtyard. Diego and I walk to the stairs until I stop in my tracks, frozen in fear.
"Claire. What's wrong?" Diego asks with concern, turning to look at me.
I hug myself with worry. "I don't want to do this, Diego. I'm scared." I whisper.
"Claire, it's going to be alright. Nothing wrong will happen, and if it does, I, Daniela, Elena, Aurora, Pablo, Leonardo, Maria, Tulio, and Miguel will be there for you. We respect and support your decision; you have nothing to be ashamed of." He replies calmly, touching my shoulders and staring into my eyes.
I smile and ask that I just need a minute. Diego agrees and walks down the stairs. I watch him and look down at the courtyard. There are so many people, and they don't fill the whole area, but it's still imitating. I take a deep breath and walk down the stairs. As I get to the main staircase, someone in the crowd shouts, "There she is!" and then all eyes are on me. I freeze in fear, my heart racing, heat rushing to my head, and butterflies scattering in my stomach. My heart races fast in my chest. I take a deep, trying to hold in my courage. I lift my skirt and walk down the stairs to the courtyard. My family starts surrounding me and wishing me a 'Happy Birthday'! I thank them, but the crowd and noise become overwhelming, and my head begins to spin. I hear a female voice from my dreams calling my name incessantly. I see a familiar face in the crowd, but when I do a double-take, I don't see it anymore.
"Claire!"
I see Darci and Mary walking up to me in beautiful dresses. Mary wears a light pink short skirt dress with teal drop jewelry, and Darci wears a leaf green short skirt dress with golden chain jewelry.
"Oh my god, Claire! You look so... so... gorgeous! Everyone, including all of us, was staring at you. You look like an angel!" Mary says with excitement, grabbing my hands. "We barely recognized you on the stairs!"
I blush and glance down at the floor. "Thanks!" I reply timidly.
"Come on! Everyone is excited to see you, especially Lake." Mary giggles teasingly at the mention of my boyfriend.
Something about his last name always seems to amuse Mary. On the first day of Freshman Year, when I met Jim, Mary and Darci often made teasing jokes about my crush on him and sexy remarks about his last name, and it only strengthened when I told them we were dating. The three of us walk through the crowd to our friends. As I see them, I see all the women in formal dresses of different colors and the men in suits.
"Hi, guys!" Darci calls out, making everyone turn to us.
"Wow, Claire! You look amazing!" Douxie says as he walks up to me, smiling. He wears a black suit with a blue tie. His hair is still the same, but I like it. We hug, and more of my friends admire my outfit.
I spin and show off my dress. "Do you guys think so?"
"Yeah! You look like a princess." I hear Jim's voice behind me.
I turn around, and my heart skips a beat. Jim smiles sweetly at me in a black suit and light blue tie. His hair is jelled, and his scars are still viable, making him look heroic. He doesn't look like the boy I met—but a handsome young man and a warrior to who my heart belongs too.
"Hey!" He says nervously, making me blush scarlet as I realize I am staring at him.
"Hi!" I mumble while butterflies fly in my stomach.
"Hey, Claire!" I hear Barbara's voice. We turn to see her with my parents, and Barbara is wearing a beautiful orange dress, and Dad is in one of the suits he owns.
"Wow! It looks like Abuela went all out." Dad comments, stunned and studying my dress.
"You look beautiful, sweetie," Mom says sweetly, and Barbara agrees.
"Thanks!" I reply. "Mom, did Abuela give you my necklace?" I ask, concerned.
She nods her head and takes out the necklace from her purse. "Don't worry, Claire. It's safe."
I sigh in relief. Thank god.
"Hey, Claire!" I hear a loud voice. We turn to the voice and see two men. The first one I hardly recognize, while the other I don't think I've met before. They both wear suits, but not as formal as the boys. The first man's facial features look similar to someone I met before. The second man is big and muscular, with dark shaggy brown hair and green eyes. Thankfully Jim helps fit the blank puzzle piece.
"Hey, Blinky! Hey AAARRRGGHH!" He says calmly, completing the puzzle.
"Ohhh! Hey guys!" I reply happily, running up to hug my troll friends disguised as humans. "You came!"
"Of course, we came, Faire Claire. You came with me, Jim, and the other trolls to the other side of the country. I think we could go to a human party. And besides, I want to see how human birthdays are celebrated." Blinky replies enthusiastically.
I groan, and Jim growls. He knows I don't like talking about it, and I don't want to be reminded about the journey. Also, we're at a party where no one should know about trolls.
Blinky backs up and rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry. I forgot you two hate talking about it." He says, embarrassed.
"It's fine. Just don't talk about it here." Jim hisses.
"Claire! Claire!" I turn around and see Daniel running towards us. "Claire! It's almost time for the-... Who are these people?" She asks, pointing to Blinky and AAARRRGGHH!
"Daniela, this is Blinky and Arthur. They are... umm..." I try to think of a reason or connection for how I know them.
"I invited them." I hear Mom say calmly.
Daniela looked stunned, and her eyes glazed over for a moment. Then she smiles. "Oh! Hello! Nice to meet you!" She says excitingly to Blinky and AAARRRGGHH!
"Nice to meet you, too, youngling!" Blinky says politely, making Daniela raise an eyebrow, but it disappears with a smile. Soon, we hear a bell ring. We turn our heads, seeing Abuela and Abuelo standing on a platform.
"Welcome, everyone! Thank you all for coming and making this special occasion. Your hard work is much appreciated on this beautiful night!" Abuelo speaks to everyone in the room.
"To everyone visiting in the crowd, every year on this night, we celebrate and honor the birth of our first ancestor, Veronica of Galot, but 17 years ago, on this day, a beautiful little girl was born, and tonight, we celebrate both of their birthdays. Happy Birthday, Claire!" Abuela announces, and then a roar of cheering and clapping echoes throughout the courtyard, making me blush. Abuela raises her arms, and the crowd calms down. "And to properly celebrate this night, we have food, dancing, music, and singing for your entertainment. Enjoy and have fun!" She adds, and we all get to our tables.
Nothing is assigned, but I sit at a circular table with Mom, Dad, Barbara, and Jim. Thankfully, I don't have to deal with awkward conversations with Olivia, Lucas, and/or Abuelo. This is also the first time my parents, Jim, and his mother sit at the same table for dinner. It's awkward, but I soothe and help Jim converse with my parents. We all eat, talk, and have a great time together until I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around and see Daniela smiling.
"Time for the dancing." She whispers.
I nod my head and tell everyone I'm going to talk with my cousins. I get up, and Daniela grabs my hand, leading me to the other side of the courtyard and a room with my other female first cousins. We get ready for the dances and meet up with my male first cousins, except for Alejandro, Leonardo, Pablo, and Joaquín because they're too young for the dances we will do. There are 11 of us, including me. Five boys and six girls. Kyra decided not to join us, according to Diego. We hear Abuela announce that the dances are starting. We watch our other second and third cousins dancing in the middle of the courtyard, the music, and the clapping and cheering from the crowd. Abuela announces our dance. Our dance is called La Danza de Dos, or "The Dance of Two," where one cousin is paired with the opposite gender and dances in a fast pace waltz. One by one, we break off and pick someone in the crowd to dance with. They will be our dancing partners for most of the party. Since we are an odd number, Maria offers to go out first and pick someone in the crowd to dance with. We come out in pairs one by one. First, Emiliano and Aurora. Second, Benjamin and Daniela. Third, Tuilo and Elena. Fourth, Miguel and Grace, and last, me and Diego. We look at each other, and I squeeze his hand.
"It's going to be alright. You'll be fine." He whispers.
I give him a nod before we head out to the courtyard. We dance on the floor, and I hear the music in the back of my head. I look at Diego, smiling sweetly at him. Even though Diego is of stocky build and tall, he's a gentleman, and his grip around my waist is tender, but I notice something over Diego's shoulder and behind the crowd. It's the exact figure I saw the same figure before, but when I double-checked, the figure was gone again. Our moves are quick. Boys lift the girls and spin them in the air, quickly turn around on the floor and jump, making the crowd gasp and awe in amazement. As expected, each pair separated and rushed into the crowd to bring someone else to the dance floor.
"Go get your Prince Charming Claire. Don't worry." Diego whispers, winking and smirking before we let go of each other.
I blush but rush over to my table. I see my parents smirk, and Barbara whispers something to her son, who blushes as I approach him. I extend my hand, smirk, and raise my eyebrow, challenging him. Without hesitation, Jim takes my hand, and I pull him out of his seat. We walk to the dance floor and start dancing, wrapping our arms around each other. I place one hand on Jim's shoulder while the other slides into his hand. Jim other slides his hand tenderly around my waist, making me gasp quietly and shiver as he pulls me closer. We start dancing, and I hear gasps in the crowd around us, but I couldn't care less. My eyes are fixed on my boyfriend's. Soon, I hear the music drowns out, and time freezes. It seems like only the two of us are dancing, looking into our eyes. It's like our Spring Fling dance on the cliff. I feel myself pulling closer to him. He leans in closer. We are so close to kissing. Only four inches away. Three. Two. One. Suddenly, my mind pulls back to reality and pulls away. I don't want another incident in my family. Jim frowns with hurt but smiles reassuringly as he sees my sad face. The dance ends, and everyone cheers and claps, but my heart is aching. I want to show affection for Jim now, but my family won't accept him. The night is still young, though, and we dance more.
I asked Nari, who was in a beautiful leaf-green flora dress, to dance with me. We started the Manor dance when I led Daniela, Mary, and Darci on the dance floor. It was so much fun, laughing and cheering (Kingdom Dance from Tangled). I end up with Jim after. I watch Douxie and Zoe next to each other, watching the dances. Zoe is in a gothic Victorian-style dress, smiling and clapping. I danced with all my family and friends, but most were with Jim and some with my female cousins dancing with ribbons and me, jumping and spinning. When everyone becomes exhausted, Abuela calls me to open my presents. I see a bunch of presents near the stage, one from each of my family members, including a few from Abuela, two from each of my parents, and one from each of my friends, including Blinky and AAARRRGGHH!
"Claire, you are so spoiled." Mary pouts at the pile.
"Mary! Most of these are small, but everyone in the family has to contribute one gift to everyone on their birthdays." I correct her, laughing.
I open many of them enthusiastically, starting with my friends, parents, Abeula, and first cousins.
First, I open up Diego's present. A journalist-style gray purse/ small messenger bag. It likes so cute. Kyra gave me a small book-style copy of Romeo and Juliet. I smiled and thanked her. Not politely or flatly. Kindness and happiness. I've always wanted something like this. And it's incredible yet surprising that she gave it to me. Emiliano gives two coloring books. Benjamin gave me a book: Elena, an orange and yellow Dream Catcher. Alejandro placed a Mexican-style bracelet he made himself on my wrist. Maria gives two earrings. One pair are like shells, and the other is green flowers. Aurora, a box of healing stones. Grace, a miniature backpack. Leonardo is a beautiful and thick coloring book. Pablo gives coloring pencils, saying it's for the book. Tulio and Miguel both give two writing journals with prompts on each page. I like writing sometimes. Daniela gives a Paint By Numbers kit: Joaquín, a puzzle book.
And lastly, Abuela gave me a warped box. I open it up and find the book I looked at in her office. I look up at her in confusion. "Are you sure?"
She smiles sweetly and nods her head. "It's yours; you're the only one who reads it."
I thank her and everyone for their amazing presents, hugging some of them. Now, it's time to open my friends' gifts. AAARRRGGHH! gives me a beautiful leafy green gemstone. Douxie gives a blank journal. Zoe's gift makes me scream for joy—an autographed Papá Skull poster. "How did you get this?" I ask her in excitement.
She shrugs her shoulders. "Oh, I pulled a few strings." She says calmly and winks at me, making me squeal.
Mary gives me three pairs of homemade earrings. Darci gave me a box with a soft, warm, knitted homemade maroon cardigan. "Darci, Mary, did you make these?"
They nod their heads. "Yup! Do you like them?" Mary asks curiously.
"Oh my god, they're so beautiful! Thank you!" I say with enthusiasm.
I get to Toby's presents and smell something good. I open the box and find one vanilla and one Pine scented candle. Eil gives a book with a cool bookmark inside. Steve gives colored mini blue lights and plastic hooks. Aja, wireless earphones. Krel, a mini techno device he made himself. Blinky gives a beautiful white crystal. Nari gives a lovely pink single rose that she says will never die. Barbara gave me a 3' by 2' painting she made herself in a black frame. Unlike the image Jim told me about, this one is so beautiful, with the sea and sunset in the background.
"I will hang this in my room when we get home. Thank you!" I say, making Barbara smile lovingly at me. I get to Jim's present. It's big, making me raise my eyebrow. I open it and gasp. It's a scrapbook. I get the book out of the box and read the title, saying, "Friends Forever!" I flip through the pages, filled with pictures of my friends and different styles of handwriting in different colors. I get to a section of the book, the background blue and purple, saying, "I'll always love you!" I find pages of pictures of Jim and me hugging, kissing, and laughing together. Some were of Jim as a Half-Troll. But most of them were of him and me, both as humans.
"Jim. Did you make this?" I ask, looking at him, trying to hold my composure.
Jim nods his head and smiles. "Yes! We all did."
"It was his idea, and he did most of the work. He's been working on it since you came home." Toby corrects, nudging Jim's shoulder, making him blush.
"It's so beautiful. I love it!" I cry, set the book down, and hug Jim tightly. "I love you!" I whisper to him.
Jim wraps his arms around me. "You're welcome. I love you too. So much!" He whispers and gives me a quick peck on the cheek.
I next open up Dad's presents; it's the complete work of William Shakespeare's book I've wanted for a long time. I thank everyone and hug them all, but there is still one more present. Moms. I lift it and see an envelope with a gift from Mom, stated to me. I open the envelope and read the letter.
My Dear Claire,
There are many things I want to say to you, so many things I want you to know. First, you are like a huge ray of sunshine that lights up the sky, the earth, and everyone you come into contact with. Your heart is the size of the moon, and your laugh makes everyone around you smile. Second, you're always persistent in how hard you try at everything- don't you ever lose that. You always dare to stand up and never give up when life mistreats you. When it kicks you, you kick back. You fight harder, work harder, and you're never afraid to speak your mind. Keep singing, keep acting, and keep learning everything.
You are a force not to be messed with. After these past several months, you surprised me with who you are. You remind me of the first time I held you in my arms before you left with Jim for New Jersey and when you returned. When you were born, I saw in your beautiful eyes that you would become a strong, beautiful, funny, and intelligent woman. You are that and more. Kind, creative, compassionate, brave, wise, stubborn, loyal, sarcastic, persistent, and determined to stand up for your friends, family, and those in need.
Barbara, your father, and Abuela told me that if you don't do something now, you will lose something you love. But you taught me that if you let someone go to let them spread their wings and soar, you truly love them. When I saw you leave for New Jersey, I cried every day, regretting not being there for you. That was my karma. But I always thought that you're happy with the one you love. I'm so proud of you as the young woman I see today. And you might not know this. But you are the best thing that's ever happened in my life.
I will try to respect that you are older now and can't force you on what I wanted you to become and thought was the best. But I love who you are, and don't try to change that, no matter what people say about you, your decisions, and who you love. But no matter what, you are my little girl, and I will always love you. I may not be able to carry you in my arms anymore, but I will carry you in my heart.
I am so sorry for not being there for you, but I promise to be there for the rest.
- Love, Mamá
I try my best not to cry as I'm wearing makeup. I have never heard Mom saying those words to me before, but words are more trustworthy on paper than from someone's mouth. I set the letter back in the envelope and opened the big present. I lift the wrapping paper, and my eyes widen. I see a music box, beautiful jewelry, a book, and- odd clothes. The jewelry is Moms, but I've never seen the other items before. I look up and make eye contact with Mom, smiling sweetly. I look back down at the box and close it.
"Thanks, Mom," I say coolly to her.
Soon, we had a cake, which was big and colored with blue, pink, red, and purple frosting. We all get a slice, but I get the biggest. After filling our stomachs with cake, the party starts to decrease in numbers. It's around 8:30 pm, and we need to go. Mom and Dad pack up my presents in Dad's car while I'm still in the courtyard, talking with my friends.
"Claire, what's that letter from?" Nari asks curiously.
"My mom," I reply flatly.
"What does it say?" Darci asks.
I feel warm and nervous. All my friends know about the strained relationship between my mother and me, and I don't want to share it with them. Before I could respond, Mary snatched it out of my hands. "Mary! Give that back!" I shout.
"I just want to see what Ophelia wrote." She replies defensively and starts reading the letter. She shows emotion and passes it to Darci, Toby, Krel, Aja, Steve, Zoe, Douxie, and Jim. All of them looked at me with sadness in their eyes.
"Claire, you have to hug and say thank you to your mom," Jim says softly, holding the letter.
I roll my eyes and yank the paper out of my boyfriend's hands. "I did." I hiss.
"No. We mean, really. We all know you've been waiting for your mom to apologize for everything she did to you over the past seven years, and she said, in words, everything bad she did and wrote, 'I'm sorry,' in this moving letter. You have to." Darci begs.
I look down at the letter. They're right. I've been waiting for this for so long. She said everything in this letter. The pain of everything terrible she did in the past came to me like a brick. I'll never forget what Mom has done to me in the past, but I can forgive her now. It's not too late. I shed a tear and let it fall on the paper. I carefully wipe them away and look up and my friends. "Ok, I will," I mumble.
They all smile and cheer. We say goodbye and thank my family before walking to the gate.
"Claire! Wait!" I hear Abuela shout and see her quickly walking to me with a small box.
"What is it, Abuela?" I ask.
"I forgot to give you this. It's one of my presents." She says sweetly, handing me the small box. I was about to open it when she stopped me with her hand. "Open it when you get home. I found it while in the place I showed you last time you were here. Looking at it, I knew it was meant to be with you. Use it wisely." She adds, covering her hand on mine with the box in hand.
"Claire, is this your grandmother?" I hear Blinky ask, and we turn and see him, and AAARRRGGHH!
"Yes! Hello! I'm Maria López, the Head of the Family. Nice to meet you, and thank you so much for visiting us for my granddaughter's birthday." Abuela replies.
"Claire, we need to go home!" I hear Dad shout, and the car's engines start.
Abuela and I hug and say goodbye, and Me, Blinky, and AAARRRGGHH run outside and hide behind a bush; I open up and portal and send them to Arcadia. I meet her at her car before waving goodbye to everyone at the gate. We get in the car and drive home. I glance down at the letter in my hands and Mom, looking at the road. I'll tell her my feelings and tuck the letter back in the envelope.
Author Note: Final! This is one of my biggest chapters. It took a while to finish it. But it also make me want to be at the party. Please review.