Chapter 1 (Amber)

16 0 0
                                    

August 20th, 2010

The sweeping breeze of the eventide wraps itself around me as I pull my jacket closer to my body. It is a beautiful crepuscular sundown here in Philadelphia, not too dark but not too light. I gaze around the beauty of the center city as my feet tiptoe my silhouette to my apartment; a city filled with rich history, brotherly love, and warmth. My homeland.

I'm walking home from my job as a baker/barista at Cafe Amore, a part-time job of mine for around five years now. I started when I was 18 in order to gain money for college, but even after getting my degree in English, I never left. It is a very fun and chill atmosphere, and I love my job; very sociable, getting to interact with people, and of course, the calming environment. My other part-time job is a remote copywriter. I've always had a passion for literature ever since I was a little girl, and even though I was always told that English was a useless degree, I proved them all wrong.

I walk past the wondrous Rocky Steps and its stairs, Ben Franklin Institute, and my college of whom I am an alumni now of, Temple University. College was one of the best times of my life. I learned so much when I was there about life; friendships, overhyped parties, you name it. Nonetheless, it was a very interesting experience. Living away from home was a relief to me since I have a toxic stepdad, who is my mom's second husband. My biological father left us for another woman when I was 14, and ever since then, she married this man Alex whom I, nor my older sister Dahlia, can stand. He was never respectful towards me and never respected boundaries. He even ruined my relationship with my mom a bit, unfortunately. That's why college was a sense of escape for me; also why I don't visit my mom as much as I should.

My mother is half Cuban, half Puerto-Rican, and my biological father is Italian. It's important to be aware of where you come from and honor what your origin is, since it's something a part of you that will remain with you forever. No one should be ashamed of who they are by any means, whether it be one's interior or exterior; physicality or interiority. Everyone has the right to be themselves and embrace who they are. And besides, I grew up with pretty amazing food.

My body eventually makes its way to my apartment in Center City shown above in a sign that reads Liberty Bell Apartments. My hand snakes its way to the doorknob to enter into the tall glass building, as my figure penetrates into the premises. I make my way up the steps and go into my apartment, hoping to get some relaxation before tomorrow. But hey, at least tomorrow's Friday. Friday is the absolute best day of the week. I fling my purse upon the coffee table, and I go to the kitchen to heat up some leftover grilled chicken. The microwave beeps soon enough and I grab a plate and some condiments to go with it. My eyes follow the twinkling stars beginning to shine themselves in the inky sky outside my window. I've always been fascinated by the nighttime; cool, quiet, and relaxing. A vibe like no other.

I sit down and watch the beauty of the nighttime paint its way across my city; cars honking, people talking and smiling, and the bright city lights illuminating the terrain. I smile and decide to listen to some music, grabbing my radio from the living room and putting on an old CD. I'm thankful that I grew up in the '90s, so thankfully I grew up with good music. I'm thankful to have grown up with some of the best music the world has ever seen. I mean, there are some current artists that I love, like Rihanna and Kesha, but my heart will forever belong to old school. But who knows, maybe one day I will find a current popstar whose music will leave a truly profound effect on me. It has always been a dream to meet a singer I loved. Unfortunately, I never got to meet any of my favorite artists from when I was growing up.

The audio of the beautiful music from my childhood days flow throughout my ears gracefully, and I take joy in the wondrous talent and magnificence that came with that era in time. I look at the clock; it's 7:36. I head over to wash some dishes and chill on the couch for a bit, turning on the TV and flicking through the channels, eventually and delightfully settling on the Disney film The Little Mermaid, one of my favorite Disney movies of all time.

My body ploddingly falls prey to the wondrous sentiments of fatigue, and I go to put on my pajamas; black and green flannel pants, and an old tie dye shirt. I head over to the bathroom to brush my teeth and perform the rest of my night routine, running my fingers through my wavy dark hair and rubbing lotion on my warm tan skin, earned by the summer sun. Subsequently, the configuration of my body brings me over to my bedroom, and I crawl into bed and under the endearing amethyst covers to get a good night's sleep, awaiting the unexpected of tomorrow.

Fantasy (A Bruno Mars Fanfiction)Where stories live. Discover now