"I can't believe I'm 13 Mom!" Esperanza exclaimed, jumping up and down on her bed.
"Me too. You grew so fast." Her mom said.
Her mom took out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt from her closet. "How about you wear this for your birthday?"
Esperanza got down and hugged her mom. "It's perfect."
Esperanza's mom hugged her tightly.
"So what are we going to do for my birthday?" Esperanza asked, as she and her mom walked down the stairs.
"You're Uncle Tom is going to come over. Then we will go on a drive and see where the road takes us." Her mom replied.
"That sounds exciting!" Esperanza said, jumping up and down.
Her mom laughed. "I knew you would like it. You did always love adventures."
"And this will be the best adventure of all!"
Her mom's smile faded. "Yeah, it will be."
The doorbell rang. Esperanza ran to the front door.
"Hi Uncle Tom!" Esperanza exclaimed, giving her uncle a big hug.
Uncle Tom laughed. "Happy birthday Esperanza!"
"I can't wait to go! Adventure time!" Esperanza sang.
Uncle Tom stopped smiling.
"Hello Tom."
Tom looked up to see Esperanza's mother, his sister. Tom straightened.
"Hello Kim." Tom said giving her a knowing look.
"Are you ready?" Esperanza's mother asked.
"Yes Yes Yes!" Esperanza cheered.
"Someone's really happy it's their birthday today." Tom said.
"I bet this will be the best birthday I ever had!"
"I bet it will." Tom said, looking at Kim.
"Let's go!" Esperanza shouted, running out of the house. Tom and Kim followed.
"I can't do this." Kim whispered.
Tom held Kim's hand. "Yes, you can. Remember we're doing this for her."
Kim nodded but didn't say anything.
When they all got inside, they drove for a really long time.
"Um." Uncle Tom said. He cleared his throat.
"Esperanza, we both want you to know that we love you very much.You're the only child that I could ever call my own. I'll miss the old days when you were a little kid, always jumping and down the couches, not eating your brussel sprouts. But I'm glad that your'e older."
"And I love you to Esperanza. When your father left, you were my whole world. I didn't want anything to happen to you. Esperanza, I love you to the moon and back." Esperanza's mom's voice cracked.
"I love you too Mom and Uncle Tom. But why are you saying this now?" Esperanza asked.
And that's when everything went black.
YOU ARE READING
Marked
FantasyEsperanza Woods have died in a car accident. When she wakes up, she expects to see a place full of clouds and everything she ever wanted. Instead, she finds herself in a dusty place. She meets the leader, who tells her that she is a Guardian of the...
