Starcrossed

1. Life Beyond Memories

Bee

"Beatriz, can you come down here, please?" I sighed as I heard my mother's voice from downstairs.

Placing my iPod on the bed, I walked down the stairs; trying not to step on the cat's tail as it ran down the stairs and then up the stairs.

"April, the cat better not be in my room when I get back!" I hollered at my sister, who ran out of my room with an orange ball of fur following her behind.

I turned my attention back to my mom as I walked towards the kitchen where I knew she would be. Mom was standing by the coffee machine, sipping from a mug. She was in her uniform, ready to go to work. She's a nurse at the nursing home across town.

I looked down at my watch and frowned, "Why are you going to work? I thought today was your day... well, night off." My mom works the graveyard shift sometimes. Who would have thought that a place where its patients go to bed around five in the evening had graveyard shifts?

Mom finished her coffee and grabbed her bag, "I know sweetie, but Sandi called me to go help out. Bee, you know we need the money." I nodded, crossing my arms over my chest.

Mom came closer to me and wrapped her arms around me. She pulled me at arms length and placed a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"I know I told you that you could hang out with Memo today, but I don't want to leave April alone."

I shook my head, "He has practice today." I gave her a small smile but I knew that she saw right through me.

Guillermo, Memo for short, is my boyfriend of two years. At first when I met him he annoyed me terribly. Everything he did annoyed me, but little by little I started to laugh at his stupid jokes and found his charm... charming. When I finally said yes to us going out, he was happy and I felt happy too. Things were perfect from the beginning. We have arguments like any other couple our age, but I still find his charm captivating. However, his charm hasn't gotten him in my pants or anywhere near them. I guess that's the root of all our problems lately. I won't 'put out'; as he tells me every time he brings up the topic.

My mom hugged me tightly and said, "Don't let his words get to you, baby. You guys are young and there's time for everything, so don't rush." She emphasized the last sentence and I nodded, knowing very well what she meant.

Mom got pregnant of me when she was my age. The guy that got her pregnant, my father, didn't take responsibility arguing that I wasn't his kid and up to this day I don't know who he is. There was a huge fight between my grandfather and my mom due to her pregnancy. It came to the point that my mom got disinherited and because of that I have never met either of my grandparents. My mom found help in my aunt, who died three years ago and left us the house we currently live in.

I nodded and hugged her back. She kissed my forehead and caressed my cheek, "Siempre seras mi niña." I could see unshed tears in my mother's eyes so I hugged her tightly until I was sure she wasn't going to cry. Her light brown eyes glistened and she had a smile on her lips when we pulled away.

"I have to go now or else I'm going to be stuck in traffic, baby." She kissed my temple and walked out of the house with her bag in hand.

"Bye, mami, te cuidas!" I smiled and waved at her as she pulled out of the driveway in the beat up family car.

As if on cue, my stepfather's car pulled into the driveway and I turned and climbed the stairs up to my room. I heard the bottom door open and I closed my door.

"Ya llegué família!" Raul, my mother's husband and my sister's dad, called from downstairs. I heard my sister's footsteps go down the stairs to meet her dad. I pulled on my earphones and raised the iPod's volume.