The Brightest Stars

Julia

If only people knew who I really was. I doubt anyone would talk to me. So I hide it deep down and practice being the liar that my family is so good at.

I finished my last bucket of gum with Annabelle. She seemed odd and bothered by something, but I just shrugged it off and hoped she could feel better with small talk. The moment we finished, she did a sigh of relief and quickly walked towards the office.

"Hey. Are you okay?" I said to her.

She gave me a tight smile and nodded. "Yes. I'm fine. I'm just a little tired." And with that, she quickly gave me a goodbye and walked to her car with her cousin. I smiled at Skyler as she walked by with her siblings. My eyes caught a glance of her sister watching Annabelle leave with worry. But I pushed it aside as I said my goodbye to Skyler.

Now, I'm left alone once again in my old Honda on my way to what I should call "home." I drive into the beautiful parking lot filled with trees and flowers. Our place is inside a small neighborhood that's very closed and protected. It's what some people would call, the rich side of town.

I have it all, but I'm still left with an empty heart.

It's impossible to get lost among these fancy houses when my house is the prettiest and biggest.

An elegant man comes out from the large front doors filled with wood and glass. He quickly runs up to my side of the car to open the door for me. I give him a polite smile and say, "Don't worry. You don't have to do that for me."

"I'm sorry, Miss, but it's my job." He must be new. His dark eyes nervously look from the ground to my face. He gives me an awkward smile and I chuckle at this.

"Very well, sir." I let him take gentle hold of my hand and I step out with my bags on my shoulders.

"Let me take that for you, Miss." He quickly takes my duffle bag and my backpack.

"Thank you."

I close the door of my rusty Honda and walk up to the elegant entrance of my house. My car is the laugh of the neighborhood. I've gotten into fights with my father about it, but I won this battle. At least I can have a glimpse of a life I prefer to be in.

A man is already at the front, opening the door for me. He gives me a firm nod with a blank expression as he says, "Good afternoon, Miss Gonzalez."

"Hello, Manny," I say with a smile. He looks at me with confusion but then returns my kind gesture with a whisper of a smile.

"Miss. Where would you like your things?" The new guy seems more comfortable with me now that he's seen my kindness. Yet, he's still cautious with the doorman there.

"You can put it in my room, sir. Thank you."

"Of course," he says and walks up the shiny stairs with long and quick steps.

I stand at the entrance as the large doors close behind me. I look around at the familiar smell of perfection and neatness. "Everything needs to shine," is something I've heard my mother say for so long. But why shine when darkness makes a mess of our past?

The voice of Ophelia, my personal maiden, brings me out of my thoughts as she says, "Miss Gonzalez! How was your day today?" Her hair is slowly turning white but her smile never gets old.

I chuckle at the way her arms give me a warm hug. I like to see her as a grandmother at times. Other times, she's more of a mother. "It was actually pretty good. I made a new friend today. His name is Diego."

"Ohhh," she says in an accent. Her rose beige skin on her face slowly turns into a blush and her green eyes shine. I shake my head at her tease with a smile. "So it's a boy? When was the last time you had a boy over?"