What the Future Holds

Chapter 1

"Beep" "beep"
I groan softly as I shut off the alarm on my phone. I  jump down from my top bunk, quietly getting dressed as my younger sister lay dead asleep on the bottom bunk. Swiftly and quietly I made my way to the kitchen, making sure to watch my steps especially carefully as I pass my parents room.

Walking straight to the fridge to start making breakfast and my parents lunch. I made chorizo and egg for breakfast and some sandwiches for my parents. As soon as I start cleaning up my parents walk in, already dressed for work.

"Buenos dia mija" my mama said, as she grabbed their lunch and gave me a kiss on the cheek. My papí just nodded his head in my direction as he walked out the door to the car.

"Buenos dia mama"

She quickly followed my papí out the door, not even a second later I hear the car squeaking as it pulled away from the driveway. I quietly sigh as I start walking down the hall to my brothers room.

As soon as I open the door the smell of sweat, dirty socks and armpit slap me in the face.

"Jesus Christ do these boys not know how to shower!" I mutter under my breath. Trying to hold down the need to gag.

" Wake your lazy asses up, we got school in a bit and breakfast is getting cold". After making sure they were all awake I made my way back to mine and my sisters room. "Tita wake up and get ready, we can't keep being late"

"Mhm"

Knowing she wasn't gonna get up so easily I rip her sheets off and give her a loving kick to her behind. "Come on Tita we don't have time for this get up so you can eat".

"Alright, alright I'm up mom" she said sitting up. " Don't call me that" I say shooting her a glare as she rolls her eyes at me. Now that everyone was up I made my way back the kitchen and fixed my self a plate as they all start to slowly pile in.

"What no tortillas" my brother Josue said taking at seat next to our youngest brother Mateo. " if you want some heat them up yourself" Tita rebuked clearly cranky from waking up.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bad" Arturo said, obviously trying to tease his older sister.

She shot him a glare but didn't say anything back. I just roll my eyes at the interaction, they all just can't seem to get along. Quickly I finish eating and grab my keys to the car. The icy autumn air causes goosebumps to form on my arms as I open the door and walk to my car.

It made a loud squeaking sound as I opened the door and silently prayed that it would start up. When I turned the ignition it sputtered a few times before finally it started running. "Thank god" I muttered to myself. I would hate to walk to school in this weather.

My poor 1967 Chevy Impala has seen better days, it was rusted and still barely running but I refused to get rid of it. It was the first car me and papí ever worked on together. I've had it since I was 12 and always worked on it with him. Not so much now a days but that was okay, I have every intention to fix it up myself.

I hear doors squeaking as the rest of my siblings climb in, already arguing about who sits where. " Why do I always have to sit in the middle, why can't I sit by the window" Mateo wined.

"Cuz your the smallest so you get the middle" Arturo stated, pushing him inside.

"Xio, why can't I ride shotgun, Josue always sits in the front" Tita complained. " Rule of the house manita, older ones sit in the front" Josue said climbing into the passenger. I didn't even need to turn my head to see that Tita was rolling her eyes and huffing.

Once everyone had settled in I took off heading first to the elementary school to drop off Mateo. The elementary was only a 10 minute drive from the house so we got their in no time. I slowly stopped at the front of the school behind the rest of the cars dropping off their kids. "Mateo don't forget your walking home with Tita and Arturo so make sure to wait for them when you get out" I called over my shoulder as he already was crawling over his sister to get out.

"Sí" he said back hopping off the car and running to his class. I heard a huff as soon as the door closed and I started driving to the middle school. "Why do we need to walk home together, I don't wanna walk home with them"

I sigh inwardly, a migraine already starting to form. "Cuz Xio and me are going to the grocery store after school so we can't pick you up. And you guys shouldn't be waking home by yourself" Josue responded for me.

"But- Tita started saying before I cut her off. "Fatima just do it, this isn't something that's up for discussion"

She immediately quite down, knowing that I was getting annoyed since I called her by her full name. It was quiet for the rest of the ride until Arturo spoke up as soon as I stopped at their middle school. " Since we're walking home can we have some cash to buy snacks on the way home"

I sigh but gave him a 10 as him and Tita hopped off the car. I quickly drove off, luckily all the schools are near each other so I get to school in no time. As soon as I park Josue takes off to find the rest of his little freshman friends. I lock the car heading to my locker that I share with my best friend Maria. Just as I pull out my books the bell rings making all the freshman starting running to their class, while I on the other hand walk at a more leisure pace.

I walk into AP U.S History and take my seat by the door. The class was already full and the chattering of the gringos just never seem to end. They continue talking, a rush chattering until the teacher walked in making them quiet down. Once they all quieted he said the words that I hated hearing the most, group project.

" Now class this project is worth a considerable amount of points and it isn't due till the end of the semester and presentations will be held once we all return from winter break" he stated. A collective mutter of disapproval followed. "And I have taken the liberty to assign you into groups of two. Listen carefully as afterwards you will be sitting together for the rest of class"

The migraine that was sitting at the back of my head was now hitting me full force at the thought of getting one of those bozos as a partner. I literally knew almost no one in this class besides the other two Hispanic kids in here.

As I was silently cursing my crappy luck I heard my name being called causing me to look up from my desk.

"Xiomara Alonso and Vera Kamen". I immediately started scanning the room trying to find my partner. As the slamming of books to my left causes me to jump in my seat.  I turn to see a short white girl with green eyes glaring at me as she takes her seat next to mine. She turns back to the front as the teacher starts talking.

This is going to end horribly I thought to myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHORS NOTES

For those who don't speak Spanish

Buenos Dia (good morning)
Manita is a shorter version of hermanita( little sister)

Xiomara- eldest sibling, currently a sophomore in high school. Her current concern is being the same height as her brother Josue

Josue- second eldest, a freshman. Biggest issue currently is remembering to wear deodorant

Fatima/Tita-  3rd oldest, 8th grader. Biggest issue currently Is being seen with her siblings by her classmates and friends.

Arturo- second youngest, 7th grader. Currently is worried someone will eat his snacks he hid

Mateo- youngest, 5th grader. His only concern is to know what's for dinner.