Tomorrow was the day, I had been waiting for this day since I was a baby, since I learnt how to breathe! My Quinceanera! I have never been so excited, I get to see my Papi, I get to eat loads of cake and food, I get to wear my big fancy dress, I get to see Luke and Manny and my friends dance and fall over. I was sat at the table, painting my nails as Haley put my tiara on my head.
"Do you like it"? She asked as she put my hair on my shoulders, "I-I love it" I smiled as I looked in the mirror, "Haley, the tiara is a backward symbol of how women are only valued for their beauty, and now that Julie's wearing one, oh who am I kidding, I don't care, it looks amazing" Alex laughed, "I look awesome and it's super sparkly" I giggled. "I'm so glad you like it" Ms. Ramirez squealed, yep, the whole of Gloria's Colombia family is here too. "Ah, I hope my Papi likes it" I smiled as I looked in the mirror.
"I'm so glad because tomorrow you're only job is to be happy"! Gloria laughed, "Now, can I go try on my dress"? I asked after my nails had dried, "Again"? Alex asked, "Yes, because I want to feel like a princess" I laughed, "Go...go" Ms. Ramirez chuckled pushing me up the stairs. I went into my room and slid into the dress, it was almost to heavy but I laced it up at the back, "I'm done, is everyone clear of the stairs"? I yelled down the stairs, "All clear"! Alex yelled.
"Hermoso, cariño"! Ms. Ramirez shrieked, "You look stunning"! Gloria smiled turning me around, "Thank you, I love it" I smiled looking at myself in the mirror, this weekend I was probably gonna come of as very vain. "What's wrong with it"? Ms. Ramirez asked her face dropping, "Nothing, I love it, I'm happy, I'm smiling" I smiled worriedly, "Exactly, you are not sobbing with joy, I have failed you" Ms. Ramirez frowned, "I have failed my family, I have failed Colombia" She frowned as she looked into the video camera Luke was recording on.
We walked into the hall for the last try out, "Everything is all set for tomorrow, and I just want to say, you have chosen the perfect ballroom" The woman stated, "Gloria, this place is a acoustical nightmare"! Phil sighed, "Phil? What are you doing here"? Gloria asked, "Practicing my toast, duh" Phil laughed, "Oh, the toast is kind of my thing, so maybe you don't speak" Ms. Ramirez sighed. "Excuse me? where is the dance floor"? Ms. Ramirez asked, "You're standing on it" The woman nodded, "I have family members in Colombia who have escaped on bigger rafts than this..." Ms. Ramirez scowled as she began to argue in Spanish, "Let me translate that for you she want's a bigger floor" I smiled, "Give the woman a bigger floor" I heard a familiar voice say.
"Papi"! I shrieked running up to him and hugging him, "You came" I laughed, "I couldn't miss it for the world" Papi smiled. "Hey" Papi waved at Jay, "Hi, you're here" Jay sighed, "Yeah, I asked if he could come early so we could practice the father daughter dance, if you don't mind, sorry for not asking" I frowned. "No, the more the merrier" Jay huffed, I could tell something was wrong.
"Anyway, we have to think of something good to distract the audience, because the songs super cheesy" I laughed as Ms. Ramirez pressed play on her phone, "Ay, Julio" Ms. Ramirez gasped at the phone, "Let them do that, you help me sneak in the booze we bought earlier" Jay whispered to Gloria. Me and Papi began to dance on the dance floor, "Don't worry I found a more modern version of us to dance to" I smiled, "Well, I kind of like this one" Papi laughed, "Me too" I nodded, "It's about, uh, how you look away for a second and you turn back and...you're little girls all grown up" Papi sighed spinning me around.
"I want you to move back in with me" Papi blurted out, "Papi..." I frowned, "Listen, Julianna, you can come back to the village see all you're old friends, your family, Andras" Papi began, I frowned, "I miss you, mi amor" Papi sighed, "Papi, I want to tell you something" I frowned, "That I'm the greatest dancer ever" Papi smirked, "No, I miss you and Andras a lot, like a lot a lot, but I'm a Pritchett now, I have my life here" I smiled tears slowly forming in my eyes as I saw Papi's disappointed look, he let out a chuckle, "Papi, no...I'm serious" I sighed letting go of him.
"I don't understand, why are you doing this"? Papi asked his eyebrows crossing, "Okay, so that was gonna go how I expected this, just don't be mad, please" I frowned. "No, I'm not mad, you're just confused, I mean you're fifteen, you can't make your own decisions yet, I am your father" Papi scowled, "What's going on in here"? Ms. Ramirez asked walking in, I just walked out before tears spilt from my eyes.
Third Person POV
"Just so you know, Jose is in my house still" Phil whispered to Jay, "Yeah, thanks again for letting him stay" Jay nodded, "Actually, I think he's leaving" Phil whispered, "What"? Jay huffed , "He was packing up all his stuff while he was telling me about how Julie is unable to make her own choices and he should live with him, I didn't want to kill the bro vibe we have going on so I said 'I know right, bro' but what I was like, 'no, not cool bro'" Phil stated as he walked away.
Jay walked into the Dunphy's home, being just him and Jose, "Ahola" Jay sighed opening the door, "What's up, Jay"? Jose asked looking up from folding his clothes, "Just making sure everything was cool, you're not gonna do something stupid like not come to the quinces tomorrow"? Jay questioned, Jose looked at Jay then looked back at his clothes, "'Yeah, cool Jay, 'Oh, thanks, Jose" Jay mocked.
"Look, I know that you're scared she's growing up, we all are, but if she wants to stay here, she can" Jay sighed, "But I am her father...this isn't who she is, Jay. It's not who she is, she's a kid, it's what kids do, to think they can make all big decisions for themselves" Jose huffed, "Yeah, because she wants to move all the way back to the village because being a teenager over here isn't hard enough" Phil sighed as he walked into his home.
"You know what? I'm not joking" Jose scowled, "And I am not here to fight with you because this is not about us right now, this about your daughter, and I know you love her, and you know how much it means to Julie for you to be at her Quinces..." Phil frowned, "It's up to Julie to make these decisions how and when, not you, not me, not Gloria, Julie...But the one thing you are gonna decide today is if your gonna be here for your daughter" Jay sighed before leaving with Phil.
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Julianna's POV
It was the day, the day I had been most excited for was now the day I dreaded, I wasn't sure if my Papi was going to be there, Uncle Cam was putting rollers in my hair, whilst Mitch plucked at my eyebrows and Haley painted my toe nails. "So...ready to tell us your main chambelane is"? Haley asked trying to make small talk as my nails dried, "Well...he's this really cute boy, he's in my chemistry class, he's call Alex-" I began, "Alex? Alex Alvarez"? Manny and Luke scowled, "Yep, he's super sweet" I smiled as a tint of blush went on my face.
It was an hour later, me and Ms. Ramirez were waiting in the dressing room of the venue for Gloria, she walked in a little late in a long blue dress, she looked gorgeous. "Ahola, everything looks amazing and your Papi's here" Gloria smiled, "Really"? I squealed, she nodded her head. "Okay, so I made a few adjustments to the dress" Ms. Ramirez stated, "Mami, I already checked it" Gloria frowned, "We checked that box, in ink" Claire huffed. "But, it's just a few tweaks you won't even notice, it's mainly on the shoes-I should not have said anything...Mira" Ms. Ramirez sighed passing me the dress bag.
I pulled down the zip, I couldn't speak, the words had froze in my mouth, my cheeks were suddenly filled with tears as were my eyes, "I..." I finally stammered before I hugged Ms. Ramirez, "Oh...Now that was the response I've been waiting for...next time don't make me jump through the hoops" Ms. Ramirez sighed. I slipped my dress on, then my shoes, I let my hair down then Ms. Ramirez placed the tiara on my head gently.
"Hey everybody! Hello?!" Claire called, "Hey guys"! Ms. Ramirez yelled causing everyone to go quite, me, Alex and the other members of my court were waiting on the other side of the door. "The room is yours Gloria" Claire smiled as she passed the microphone to Gloria, Jay walking not far behind her. "Sadly, Julianna's mother, is no longer with us, but I'm sure she'd be more than happy for Julianna to have this gracious day all to herself" Gloria frowned, "Gloria and I would like to thank you all for coming, April 16th 1999, I was told the doctor said Julie was due August 15th-" Jay began.
"But we all know Julie, she won't let no man tell her when she's birthed"! Phil butted in, everyone laughed, I couldn't help it either. "Yeah, I wasn't there when she was born, boy I didn't even know she existed, but for as long as Julie has been in my life, she has always been her own girl...and now she's becoming her own woman" Jay stated, "When she was in fifth grade she played the cherry tree in a school play, and when George Washington swung his ax, she hit him back and yelled, 'trees are people too'!" Claire laughed.
"And that's Julie, always sticking up for the underdog, weather it's a tree, an animal, a friend..." Jay began, "Or me, she's taught me more about being strong...selfless and true to yourself than anyone could have taught her-okay, I can't hold it together to anymore, so let's just bring the court out here"! Gloria yelled, but I swear I heard her sniffle.
The doors opened, the court all walked out, I saw a familiar lock of hair, no...it couldn't be. "And now let's welcome the girl of the hour-oh, I mean the woman of the hour...Julianna Shelia Bellesa Sol Santiago Pritchett"! Gloria announced, the song was right, September by Earth, Wind and Fire. Alex's hand clutched onto mine as we walked out, everyone cheered and hooted, it was like I had won an award for something, "Thank you...gracias! You're welcome"! Ms. Ramirez bowed.
Alex and I turned to face each other, "Are you ready"? He asked, he looked more nervous than me, I nodded, "Are you sure"? I heard a voice ask, I looked behind Alex, "Andras"! I gasped as I flung my arms over him. My older brother was here, I hadn't seen him in almost I don't even know how many years. "What are you doing here"? I asked letting go, "Jay, flew me out" Andras shrugged, I looked over and Jay winked at me. I just smiled at Andras as he walked back to his dancing partner.
I danced to A Thousand Years by Christina Perri, "How do you know all the moves"? I whispered to Andras, "Gloria skyped me everyday for three months, she made me practice so hard, I cried...I loved it" Andras laughed. We danced to the next song Quinceanera by La Sonora de Tommy Rey. Then too Only Girl In The World by Rhianna, I even got a dance circle all too myself I managed to fish Luke and Manny into it too. When the song finished I threw my arms over Luke and Manny as everyone cheered.
It was the time, I was most excited for yet, dreading...the father daughter dance. Papi and I haven't had the chance to speak to each other yet. I went outside the room where I was before, "Please turn your attention to the dance floor for the father daughter dance" Uncle Cam announced everyone sat down and applauded. I walked onto the dance floor, the music started, I turned around to look at Papi's seat, it was...empty.
My heart shattered, I held my tears back and I frowned doing so, I felt everyone's eyes on me, I looked at Jay and Gloria, they looked confused and then the turned to the chair where Papi was sat, Phil was stood at the entry way near his seat, he just shook his head. I let out a sigh, I was going to sit down when I felt a hand reach out for mine.
Jay.
"I got you" He whispered, before we began to dance, everyone cheered, I felt a few tears stream down my cheeks, I felt two head on my shoulders, Luke and Manny, then I saw Uncle Cam and Mitch walked up to us, they leant on Gloria and Jay, then before I knew it, Claire, Phil, Alex and Haley were dancing with me too, we all huddled around each other as everyone watched, "I'm okay, you guys, thank you for letting me have a quinces, I...have to admit, this is pretty great" I sniffled, "Oh, you are welcome, mija, I never get tired of saying...I told you so" Gloria laughed.
"Eat it up, 'cause we're not doing this again until your wedding" Jay sighed, "I'm never getting married gross..." I gagged, "I can't hear you...The music's too loud"! Haley squealed as some salsa music came on.
The Best Night Of My Life!!!