1 Chapter One: Everything is going as planned

AS MUCH AS Rosa hated being woken up early, she was exited to be awake so early one fine morning.

It was graduation day!! 

She rushed to the bathroom and soaked herself for thirty minutes, scrubbing her body and her hair more than usual. 

Rosa was one heck of a crazy youth, she was wild and forward, never home early and never missed any parties. 

She was finally graduating from college with pretty good grades. For a girl of her type, one would never expect her to be so focused on her education. 

After spending about thirty minutes in the bathroom, she finally came out and decided to dry her hair first. 

Well long story short, Rosa was ready for graduation, she had on a long red v-neck dress which was slit in both sides all the way up. A pair of black heels, red bottoms to be precise, her long brown hair was let loose and a little make-up on her face. 

"Mi hija! It's time for breakfast!" A voice from a distance called out.

"Coming mami!" She hurried down to meet her whole family who were already sitting round the table. 

"Buenos Dias Mami." she said as she placed a gentle kiss on her mother's cheek. 

"Morning cielo."

"Ay! you look good mi hija." A woman said as she stretched out her hands to hug her. 

"Gracias Abuela." 

"Alright everyone settle down, let's pray."

They all settled and held hands with their eyes closed. 

"Lord, we thank you for giving us this food, for blessing us and keeping us safe..." her mother-Andrea prayed. 

"Amen!" they all echoed in unison. 

Rosa got a few compliments from her family on how she looked as they ate together. 

"Okay is everyone ready, it's a big day for my little hija today, I'm so proud of you!" The woman said as she pinched Rosa's cheeks. 

"Gracias Mami, you won't stay long right, I have plans with my chicas tonight."

"Oh relax muñeca, we also have other important things to do, we just want to be there when you collect your certificate and take a few pictures." Pamela expressed with a roll of her eyes.

Pamela was Rosa's elder sister, Pamela had two children but was a single mother.

Pamela's marriage didn't go so well, they were always fighting and she would end up being brutalized.

That had made Rosa swear that she would never get married, she would never take any guy serious. She would just flirt around with them and collect their money. 

"Whatever, anyway where are my little Sobrina and sobrino?" Rosa asked as she searched the room for her niece and nephew. 

"Oh Marco! Paulina!, come inside" Pamela yelled for her kids. 

Both kids ran inside with mud all over their clothes, giggling for reasons known to them only. 

"Ay cielo, your children have stained my rug with mud!" Andrea complained as she stood up to get some brush and soap to clean up the kids mess.

"Ay, what have you two been up to? Were you playing with Bruno again?" Pamela questioned as she went to carry her children to clean them up.

Bruno was the family's dog adored by every member of the familia. 

Marco was six years old while Paulina was four. Pamela was only twenty years when she had her first baby so she was forced into a marriage she didn't want which didn't last because neither of the couple wanted the marriage in the first place. 

Aguero was Pamela's 5th or 6th boyfriend who ended up getting her pregnant, he was more of a bad boy, drug addict and smuggler, the whole family saw him as a nuisance and advised Pamela to keep away from him but she was blinded by love and followed her heart instead of her head. 

She knew he would never be a good father but she loved him, though she wasn't aiming at getting pregnant for him but she ended up with an unwanted pregnancy. Aguero turned poor Pamela into a punching bag and a sex slave. She ended up with two kids for him but one day decided to runaway from him. 

Pamela hoped to one day find love again and be happy once more. 

"Well that was a nice breakfast but I have to get going, adios mami!" Rosa sprung up from her seat then placed a kiss on her mom's cheek. 

"Say hello to papi and Abuelo and Roberto and--"

"I will Mi hija, just go!" Her mother interrupted her while chuckling. 

"Be a good girl Mi hija." Abuela said with a proud smile.

"I will Abuela." she replied as she hugged her Abuela before disappearing like the wind.

★★★

Rosa and her father were never in good terms because of the type of lifestyle she chose to live. He swore never to speak to her again if she refused to change her ways. 

Her papi was only scared because he didn't want her to make the same mistakes that Pamela did and that was also the same mistake his wife did. Rosa's mother got pregnant for him when she was only nineteen years, he was scared it was turning into a generational curse and Rosa was his favourite child. 

"Buenos Dias Mami." A manly voice said. 

"where have you been Roberto?" 

Roberto was the first son, twenty eight years, yet to get married and still living with his parents. He didn't want to go to school so he learnt cobbler trade instead and made the finest shoes in town. 

"Early business Mami." He replied, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. 

"Your sister just left for school, we are all heading there soon to witness her big moment." Andrea beamed as she explained. "Where's your father?" She asked as she curiously searched the environment for her husband. 

"Papi said he has business today so he's not coming home." Said Roberto who was already stuffing his face with the arroz con leche (rice pudding) his mother made.

"Ohh... " 

"Don't worry Mami...." Pamela said, "....we'll be there for her, the last thing she'd want right now is you worrying over papi."

Andrea smiled as her daughter hugged her from behind but couldn't help but to feel unhappy at the unending father and daughter rivalry between her husband and Rosa. 

"....and your Abuelo?" Andrea asked. 

"He went to the bus station to pick up aunt Lolita and her kids."

"¿Qui?!!" Pamela yelled out. "No, no, no, this can't be happening!"

Aunt Lolita was their papi's sister that nobody liked... Even Andrea. She was so good at condemning others, acting like a know-it-all, only her cooking was the best to her, and that wasn't only her bad quality- lousiness, smoking, eating a lot, talking too fast, nosy and many more, but what could they do? After all she was a part of the familia. 

"Buenos Dias everyone! Where are my little Sabrina's and sabrino?" a distant feminine voice yelled after throwing the door wide open making them hit the walls so hard creating a loud bang. 

"Oh no, we are all dead." Pamela sighed.