guns and roses

arrangements

valentina-
i wake to warm sunlight slashing through the curtains. the beams land brightly across my face even though it's mid december, and i stretch my arms above my head, enjoying the warm rays. i shift, my eyes landing on the clock on the nightstand, the glowing red numbers shining at me.
11:57.
"shit." i mutter to myself, running a hand through my tangled hair. i'm gonna be late...again. i finally manage to drag myself out of bed, throwing on a simple grey cami and loose fitting jeans, with a beige zip up over top. i unhook my phone from its charger, and peer at the screen. no new notifications, but i expected nothing more. pulling socks on my feet, already cold from the floor, i tread lightly downstairs. my father is leaned casually against the kitchen counter, his reading glasses balanced on the end of his nose, tapping away on his phone. "buen día, papí." i say brightly, somewhat breaking his concentration as he glances up from his phone.
even as he wears a sour expression on his face because i interrupted him, i know he isn't mad. my dad doesn't get mad. not at me anyways. for the people that end up on his shit list, i can't say the same.
"morning, princessa. how did you sleep?" he questions flatly, typing away again.
"well, i guess. i think im going to stay home today though," his eyes flicker up to mine, irritation shining through. "you know...a mental health day?" we both know that's bullshit. i simply just don't like going to school. we do this dance a lot, i skip school, he gets irritated, i remind him im a straight A student and that he can simply pay off any issues with the dean, and he drops it. rinse, repeat.
he lets loose a sigh, pulling his glasses off to rub the bridge of his nose like he's getting a headache.
"mija, you have to graduate. you can't be skipping like this all the time."
i know he means well. he wants me to set myself up for a better life than he had. sure, we live in a rediculously nice house and have money to spare, but the life he lived to get us here is one he wouldn't wish on anyone, let alone his only dauahter. i know i don't take the brunt end of his nagging, because i may be his only daughter, but not the only child.
my older brother, alejandro, caught most of it when we were growing up. three years my senior, he was what i call "the experimental trial". he caught a lot of dads nagging and constant tailgating because he was dads first kid. dad is not a "moral" man by any means, but he cares for his family deeply.
when i was fifteen, dad offered me a choice. i could fly across the country to live with relatives with no ties to the life we live, or i could stay and be a part of La Fiera. a mafia brat. i chose the latter, as did my brother, even though he got the choice three years before me. my father proudly holds the title of the second largest underground mafia ring in the world. the first being held by Alexander Kane. a violent, brooding, and terrifying man that no one would want to meet under dark circumstances.
"valentina!"
i'm thrown back to reality by my fathers gravelly voice.
"sorry, um...what did you say?" i stutter out. his eyebrows crease and his face turns serious. he motions towards a chair at the table and takes a seat himself.
"we need to have a conversation, mija."
my heart thuds wildly in my chest as i sit. my father never has sit down conversation like this, so it must be something serious. i wonder vaguely if he's already talked to alex, but am snapped out of my thoughts when he begins to speak.
"as you know, daughters of men like me have certain things... expected of them when they come of age." he speaks slowly, almost as if he is trying to gauge my reaction. i only nod my head. i already know that when i turn 19 i'll be married off to whatever man the Fiera council chooses. i've known this since the ripe age of 13 and have come to terms with it since then.
my father seems to weigh something heavy in his mind, and the anticipation is killing me. "papí, where are you going with this? did the council choose for me
already?" i blurt, a mixture of panic, anxiety, and excitement landing in my stomach.
he sighs, finally meeting my eyes.
"Alexander Kane has requested you be placed as his chosen in exchange for alliance with his circle." the statement hangs heavy in the room for a moment. there are too many thoughts swimming through my head. "when."
i hadn't meant for the question to come out so flat and snippy. i apologize quickly and ask again, this time softer. he shakes his head, seemingly not knowing what to say. a realization hits me then-
Alexander Kane's circle is based on the other side of the country. panic rises in my throat.
"will i be able to see you still??" he smiles gently, not quite reaching his eyes. i take that as a good sign.
"it is arranged to happen in one week. i'm also having a seamstress and designer flown in to craft you a dress. you'll meet alexander before the wedding, and im sure we can make arrangements for you to visit as often as you want, mi puegeña flor."
i relax a little in my seat. at least i still get to see him. "when am i meeting him?"
he glances down at his watch. "his flight lands in two hours."
i bolt up from my chair, panicking again. "two hours??" i huff. "that's barely enough time to even get ready for dinner! que caraio, papi??"
"valentina gabriella hernandez, you will not speak to me in such a way under my own roof or i swear on dios mio, you will leave with him tonight!"
i clamp my mouth shut, looking down at the floor in shame. dad never yells at me like this over something as trivial as swearing. he has the mouth of a sailor, something he passed on to us kids. there must be something going on within that he's not telling me about. either way. i know better than to add fuel to the fire. my dad is not a short tempered man, but once he gets up to temperature he's terrifying. i nod once and excuse myself, bounding up the stairs to my room. i need to find something halfway presentable to wear, and my hair is still a mess. this is going to be a long evening.

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A/N hi guys! thank you so much for reading, i haven't written anything in a while because i had such bad writers block but im back baby ;) hopefully you enjoy, im gonna be writing wayyy more so stay tuned and feel free to give me ideas for chapters so i dont get writers block again lol shout out to the bestest girl in the whole world, my friend brook for helping me edit this and make it so much better for you all!!

            restate forti amori miei🤍