Fly Girl | [Novel] (Wattpad Version)

1| 'Sweet' Home

I nodded. "That was before I remembered that Amelia Fuentes has the undeniable power of breaking a child down to nothing to make herself feel better." I sighed, shrugging my shoulders as I sat back and folded my arms across my chest. "Sometimes I have this thought that one day they'll come home, and they'll be the loving parents that I want and need. And if not loving, at least they'll be supportive of what I want to do. I mean, isn't it great that I want to go out, live my life, follow my dream and make my own money rather than spending the rest of my life mooching until I find the perfect Puerto Rican man to take me into his arms and 'love' me until I've filled his home with six or seven bad ass kids?"

"Watch your mouth, and take a breath in between words." I sighed, calming myself. I always spoke fast when I got myself worked up. "Ava, sometimes you can't expect too much from people who've already shown you exactly how much they're willing to give. Your entire life, you've either been left with me or you were left with Duke. God rest his soul; I'd like to think he and I did our absolute best in providing you with that love you sought so badly from those two downstairs."

I immediately sensed the sadness in her tone. I hadn't meant to sound or seem ungrateful. "Of course you have, you and Uncle Duke have been nothing but good to me, and I appreciate it more than you'll ever know. It's just, a little part of me holds this hope that they'll remember that they're the ones who had me, that they're my parents. I shouldn't have been your responsibility twenty-four hours a day, every day for sixteen years."

"I've enjoyed every minute. Now I would never suggest that you do anything to disrespect your parents; they still deserve respect, to an extent I suppose, but Ava, you're only going to hurt yourself more trying to make them what they aren't."

"In other words, continue living life as an accessory until I'm eighteen. Got it."

"You're not an accessory, Ava. You're an individual, your own person with your own thoughts and feelings and I love you dearly. If you never hear those words as often as you'd like, know in your heart and mind that I love you with everything I've got in me. I believe in you, and I believe that you can be anything you want to be."

I smiled, thanking her before we both grew silent. She'd begun drawing, looking at me every few seconds before smiling to confirm my thought that she was drawing a picture of me. "You know, you're perfect to draw. Such a pretty face with nice bone structure."

"I'm a skinny dweeb with strange eyes and sunken in cheeks. What's pretty about that?"

"A whole lot if you take the time to look in the mirror and see yourself the way that I and others do. Was that you I heard down stairs singing El DeBarge?"

I nodded, admitting that I'd recently gone through her record collection for the millionth time, looking for inspiration, and a song to sing for an upcoming audition.

Deena cleared her throat, setting one pencil down before she picked up another. "I've got the perfect song for you to sing at your audition, one I know you'll love as soon as you hear it, it'll fit your voice."

"Is it on a record in your collection?"

Deena shook her head. "Nope, it's on a record in Duke's collection. I'll go in the closet tonight and find it for you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Sweet Pea. Now go and get some rest, or do some homework. Whatever you do, make sure it's something that will calm you down fully before you go around your parents again. I do not need or want another fight between you and your mother."

"You're just going to break it up again."

Deena shook her head. "Not this time. I almost forgot that I was saved when she put her hands on you the last time. I had to remember who I was, and where I was before I finally pulled you away. Now get on. I'll show you the picture when I finish."