R i d e | a dialogue story

[13] Our little lucky charm

(a/n: i got very emotional writing this chapter kms. anyways id like to dedicate this chapter to peanutbicycles   because that kid is my lucky charm 😄 omg this whole chapter excluding the an is 666 words long :p hope y'all like this chapter as much as i loved writing it :D)

Kati | Italics
Marissa | Normal
Luciá | Underlined
Mama | Italics Underlined
Papa | Bold Underline

Kati smiled to herself, walking down the stairs of the Lopéz house. She'd just finished the movie with T, choosing Isn't It Romantic for the comedy. She fiddled with the ladybug clip in her hands.

"¡niñita! ¿Eres tu? ¡Ven a cenar y al cine, chico! " Kati rolled her eyes.

"¡Ya voy, hermanita! " She dumped a huge scoop of ice cream in a bowl and made her way to the living room.

"What are we watching?" Kati slumped on the couch. Marissa Eves' head popped up.

"Kati, shut up and watch the movie." She shook her head, plopping Andre in her lap.

"Hey, Mari." Marissa grunted, a distracted "hello". Kati chuckled to herself.

"niñita, I made apple crumble. You want some?" Luciá walked into the living room from the kitchen. Kati nodded as Luciá served it and sat next to her.

"You got your clip, cariño?" Kati nodded. "Mm. Oh, come, on, Irene Adler's obviously still alive. Sherlock es tan estúpido a veces!"

She looked at the clip in her hands. An old, worn down ladybug clip, it's paint already peeling. Her dad had sat her down one day as they watched a movie in the living room, stroking her soft black hair. Her mom had been arguing with Luciá in the bedroom.

"¿TIENES UNA RELACIÓN? A relationship?! ¿Estás tratando de darme un ataque al corazón?" Her mother's face had been red. Angry. Luciá had broke another rule. She had gone on a date at the age of 14.

"Catalina, please. She's a teenager..." Kati's papa, Jackson Blake stepped in, trying to calm his wife.

"No, Jack, she's unruly and she needs to be stopped!"

"mamá, no es solo una aventura. I like him! ¡él es agradable! simplemente no entiendes."
Kati had been sitting in the corner with a stuffed dog in her hands, tears welling up in her eyes as she saw Mamá and Luciá arguing. Her papa came out, head in his hands.

"Papa?"

"Kati! Kati, sweetie, what is it?" Papa's head jerked up.

"Why are mamá and Luci fighting?"

"Lucia... fell in love. Are you ready for movie night tonight, baby?" Kati nodded as her papa looked back at his wife and daughter screaming at each other. He sighed.

"Kati. I know our family isn't always the happiest, but I promise you that we're always gonna love each other. Even though mama is shouting at Luci right now, we'll be happy together at movie time later. It will pass and we will be okay. That's what people who take care of each other do. Look. I have a hairclip for you. See this ladybug? Ladybugs mean luck sometimes, honey."

Kati looked at the ladybug clip, turning it in her hands. "This ladybug is our little lucky charm! It was a gift I gave your mama on our wedding day. And look, we're still together with a happy family. I am lucky that I have a family who takes care of me. We may not always be around, honey. But someday you'll find someone who'll take care of you just as well as we did. You'll get lucky too. Lucia fell in love too soon. She wasn't lucky. But here you go. Here's your luck. And it will lead you to the right person, when it's the right time."

Kati looked up at her sister shovelling apple crumble in her mouth while grumbling about how stupid Sherlock was. Her best friend was stroking Andreas' hair while Andreas snuggled into her contently.

And somewhere... maybe even halfway across the world, there was a boy who sat through a romantic-comedy for her. Who listened to her problems and was there to support her.

Someday you'll find someone who'll take care of you just as well as we did. You'll get lucky too.

"I know, papa... Thank you."

And for the first time in a long time, Kati didn't wear the hairclip through the movie.