La Rosa Del Sur (The Rose of the south)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1
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"SURPRISE!" I heard as I walked through the front door of my house, and saw all my family members jump out from where they were hiding. As the lights flicked on, I was pulled into a bone-crushing hug from my father. More and more people tagged on until I started to feel like Giles Corey during his execution in the Salem Witch Trials. I tapped my foot on the ground frantically, and they all released me. I caught my breath and stared at them all. Wow, so many people had shown up. All my cousins, tío Alberto, tía Josefina, y mis abuelos. Mother had tears in her eyes, vigorously wiping them away as they fell, while my father looked at me with the proudest smile I'd ever seen.

You may ask why my mother was crying so, and why my father looked so proud. Well, when a young lady, such as myself, turns nineteen, she is officially ready to begin her journey. She has the choice to continue in the shadows of the mafia world, or she can do what I have wanted to do my whole life: Show everyone what truly lies beneath the surface.

Before I knew it, I was pulled over to the couch. As I sat down, my family members immediately began handing me birthday gifts. Jewelry, candy, books (always my favorite gifts), everything a nineteen-year-old girl could want. It wasn't until the last gift that I gasped. A small mahogany chest with my family's name, Santiago, engraved on it in gold lettering. I immediately knew this was no ordinary gift. I opened the chest, and started to tear up when I saw my grandfather Mateo's silver chain with a sparkling rose charm, sitting at the bottom, along with a plane ticket.

"Why is there a plane ticket?" I asked, looking up at my parents.

"Roseina, hija, we are going to Italy!" My mother exclaimed excitedly.

I looked at her, completely shocked, "What? When? Oh my god, I always wanted to go to Italy!" Then it clicked. "Wait is this a business trip?" I asked my mother.

"Yes it is, my darling girl," She answered. I was slightly disappointed at that. Just once, I would like to go somewhere without having to worry about my life every single second.

I went to stand and my father asked, "Where are you going?"

Not wanting him to see my disappointment, I forced a smile and said, "I'm going to my room to start packing." He nodded, and with that I left the room with the chest still in my hand.

I made it to my room. I opened the chest again, taking out the silver chain. I fingered it slowly, looking at it in the light. I could still remember how it looked around his neck. Sometimes, when he would smile, the rose would shine just as bright as his teeth. I put it around my own neck and studied myself in the mirror on my dresser. People have always told me that there was a similarity between me and him. When he was in his youth, people told me that his hair was curly, brown and blonde like mine. His eyes were also similar to mine, a sea of blue and green mixed together. The resemblance I saw in my reflection was almost too much for me.

I wiped a tear from my face and shook myself. I pulled out a large teal suitcase and started to pack. Just as I finished packing I heard a knock. I walked to the door and opened it to reveal my best friend, Zoella Rodriguez.

Zoella Rodriguez was a pretty Dominican girl, with a curvy figure, long black hair, and brown eyes. She and I have been best friends since before we were born. Our parents have been working together with her family's gang for almost five years, and, the best thing is, she's only two days younger than me

Zoe brushed past me and sat on the edge of my bed. I walked over to my mirror and saw her reflection as she slumped her shoulders.

Then I hear the biggest whine, "Oh come on, just ask me already!"

I looked at her over my shoulder, "Ok fine what is it you so desperately want to tell me?"

She looked at me with so much excitement. "Well as you know my birthday is in two days. When I heard about the trip, I asked my parents about what would happen with my birthday party. They said that because of the trip, we would have to miss the one we had planned. "But don't worry," She added when she saw me frown. "Because if we can't have it here, then we will just have to have it over there." That's when a smart idea popped in my head. I crossed my arms and looked at her mischievously.

"Oh shit," Zoe giggled. "You're planning something for when we get there, aren't you?"

I let out a small laugh, "You're damn right. Let me tell you, we are going to go party! I'll have my brother and his friend find the best club in Sicily, then we are taking you out!" We sat there, talking about everything that we were going to do for her birthday and more.

Though we were laughing, a great melancholy settled on my mind. I started fingering my grandfather's silver chain again as it lay around my neck. My fingernail picked at the grooves and dents of the little rose. Tears started to form in my eyes.

Zoella lifted her head to look at me, and a shocked and worried look came over her, "Oh Amiga, ¿Que paso? Why are you crying? It's your birthday."

My lips trembled slightly, and then the dam broke. "It's because I miss them so much!" I told her between sobs. "If only they could have been here with me today!" I put my head in my hands and shuddered. I didn't bother telling Zoe who I was talking about, she knew. She knew everything. I felt a hand resting in the small of my back and begin to rub circles.

"Amiga, you know more than anyone in this whole house that your Abuelo Mateo y Tia Victoria trained you to be the best that you can be," Zoe's voice was soothing. "They would be so proud to see that you are ready to change the law, and fight your way to the top."

"But I don't know if I can," I said into my hands. "What if I'm not strong enough?"

"You are," Zoe said. I lifted my head to look at her. "You are one of the strongest people I know. And they knew it too, or else they wouldn't have put you up to the task." She took my slightly damp hands in hers. " And they wouldn't want you to be here crying. They would want you to get up, show everyone the most amazing version of yourself, and to have fun on your nineteenth birthday."

I wiped my nose with the back of my hand. "Can we do the last bit right now?"

"Yes we can," She laughed lightly. Zoella stood up, pulling me to my feet. We hugged each other tight. How did I ever get so lucky to have a friend like her?

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Pretty soon we realized it was time for dinner. My mother had prepared my favorite dish: Quesadillas con carne asada y mucho queso. For dessert my parents brought out a chocolate caramel turtle flan with a single candle in the shape of the number nineteen. When we finished, Zoella got ready to go home to be at the warehouse early in the morning for the plane ride. When I walked her to the door, she stopped, turned and hugged me again.

"Never forget that you're amazing," she whispered. She kissed my cheek and ran to her car.

After I closed the door, I said goodnight to everyone. I shuffled upstairs to my room to get ready for bed. I was quite tired. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I fell asleep.