Bags dropped on the sidewalk in front of the shabby looking two story. The frail girl dragged the large suit cases up to the front porch. She knocked, tired from the flight. You'd expect a girl who could afford to go to a performing arts school to live in the north side of Chicago, not the south. That's because her mother is a stripper and her father is a paid hit man, the best in the business.
While she stood there for a good five minutes, she looked around at her surroundings. The cold Chicago air, the same dusty cars parked out front. She reminisced on it. "It's good to be back", she smiled, glad to be back with her family.
The door finally opened, her mom opening the door, "Mariana you're back! We missed you so much. Come in, come in," her mom hugged her," Boys! Come get your sisters bags!"
You could hear the trampling of an abundance of feet. Six boys came down and each grabbed a bag. How Mariana carried everything on her own is a mystery. Everything in her house was the same as when she left, messy and chaotic, but in a nice warming way.
"Blanca, who was that at the door?" Mariana's father walked out of the kitchen, a pistol in hand. His chains were making a clinking sound.
"Joe, put the gun down, Mariana is back." Her mom shooed the gun away, not liking her husband's "work supplies" near her children.
"My little Ana is home?" Mariana was his little princess, due to her being his only daughter. He hugged the young girl, who looked a little older than she really was–with her makeup on. "I can't believe we missed your fifteenth birthday mija."
"That was months ago dad, it's okay." The quiet girl shrugged, not wanting attention on her. Mariana plopped herself on the black leather couch, tired from walking all the way from the airport shuttle stop.
"We still are planning your quince, don't think we forgot!" He responded, walking back into the kitchen.
"Don't think we didn't get you presents, your brothers bought you some too!" Her mother squealed in excitement, running upstairs. Mariana laughed at the overexcited woman.
Coming down the stairs were her siblings, gifts in hands. Her mother came down last, with the biggest gift of all. They all sat down around her on the floor and sat the gifts on the dark wooden coffee table. Mariana smiled at the thought of her brothers purchasing something for her, usually they bought her things they wanted and wrapped it in sports themed wrapping paper, but this time it was nicely wrapped in pinks and purples, topped with intricate ribbons and bows.
"I want her to open mine first," her youngest brother spoke softly. He was only at the age of six, yet he was smart enough to be in the third grade. His big green doe eyes glistened with pureness.
"Okay Cody, you go first." Their mother nodded in permission to the small child. Cody picked the baby pink box up, bells jingling from atop. He set it down on her lap.
"Wow Cody, this sure is heavy." Mariana smiled, wondering if it could be the sewing machine she wanted. She carefully tore open the box, and used her matte black knife to open the Manila box itself. Exuberant, she pushed aside the flaps, not wanting to wait to see what it was. "Wow, Cody... It's great. I love it. I always wanted a boulder for my room."
The young boy smiled, showing his missing teeth. Mariana set the rock back in the box. She set the box down beside her then tapped on her thighs in anticipation. The Hispanic girl pursed her lips.
"I'll give her mine next I guess." Her twelve year old brother mumbled. He was the palest of them all, always wore a black hoodie and had a fringe. You could say he was emo. He handed her the rectangular plum purple box.
"Thank you Jake, I've always wanted golfwang." She held up the pastel colored shirt, a large smile on her face.
"Here you go," her eldest brother passed her a small box covered in holographic paper. Inside were two tickets to Disneyland. "It's for you and a friend, a token of sibling ship and how much I missed you, you know?"
"I can't believe you actually bought me a weeks worth of Disney. Times two." Mariana knew how expensive Disneyland could be.
"I finally got a modeling gig. It pays really great. I first thought of you because you always told me I'd make it someday, and I finally did." He smiled, dimples forming. His eyes slowly starting to tear.
As they continued, Issac, Jake's less pale fraternal twin had made her a shirt with his face on it,which resulted in Mariana saying, "Ew Issac you're so ugly, I'm gonna wear it to bed though." She laughed. Her brother Frankie was next, giving her the glow kit she'd been whining about over FaceTime for three months. She opened her mothers gift, the sewing machine she wanted.
"I wanted you to design your first clothing line with a sewing machine that I got, so when you make it big you can thank me," her mother joked, hugging her in the process.
"Thank you mom, I love it. It's perfect. Hell, its better than perfect." Mariana was in love with it, nothing could top it.
"Aight, I guess I'm last." Her brother Chris sighed. He grabbed her hand and brought her to the front door. "Open it." Mariana looked at her brother with a confused face. She opened the door.
This was the greatest gift of all. It was her best friend of all time, Carl Gallagher. She embraced him, hugging him as tight as she did when she had to say goodbye at the courthouse.
"Carl, I thought you were still gonna be in juvie!" Her arms were held tightly around his neck. She didn't want to let go, in fear of losing him once again. A tear slid down her cheek, she couldn't believe it was him in front of her.
"They let me out early."
"What happened to your hair?" The last time she saw Carl his hair was nice and short. Now he had his hair in cornrows.
"They did my hair like this in juvie."
"I missed you so much Carl." She looked him in the eyes, having to look up because she was only a mere five feet tall. Mariana still couldn't comprehend the fact that he was there in front of her.
"I missed you too Mari." She smiled at the nickname. Carl had always called her Mari ever since she was seven years old. She went in for another hug. It was like time had stopped.
"Hey," he whispered in her ear,"don't think I didn't get you a birthday present." Carl smiled and held her shoulders. He snapped his fingers, and out came Ian and Lip with a pile of gifts.
They set down the gifts and Mariana put her hands over her mouth. She couldn't contain the smile that was on her face. Carl looked at her, he thought she was gorgeous. Although she was just wearing some overalls that she sewed patches on and her hair wavy from the Californian beach, he still thought she was perfect.
Nothing could stop Carl from thinking that. He didn't even think about Dominique, who had been on his mind since he first laid eyes on that curly haired girl. But for right now, at that moment, Mariana was the only thing on his mind.
"Open em," Carl was nervous. He didn't know if Mariana would like the gifts he bought her. Carl put a lot of thought into what he bought. Mariana was his best friend after all. Everything was wrapped in beautiful marble wrapping paper and golden bows. Carl wanted the presents to look extra special for his best friend.
Mariana opened it, and she savored every bit of the process. The first thing we're pink puma slides. She looked at Carl, who pointed to his feet. He wore the black pair.
"So we can match." He said with a soft smile.
She continued to open the next gift. It was a gorgeous black silk dress. Mari couldn't look at it, it was too beautiful to look at. She felt the fabric between her forefinger and thumb.
"Wear it tonight, I'm taking you to dinner." He nodded at her. She opened every last one of the luxurious gifts. There was one left. It read: "open last" in Carl's sloppy hand writing.
Mariana carefully opened the wrapping paper revealing a book. The cover had her and Carl from the first day they met. She opened the first page: "to my best friend, the girl I have loved since I was eight years old."
As she turned the pages, it was pictures of them throughout the years. The day they had their first sleepover. The day they were dancing in the rain. The time Mariana was crying because Carl was going to middle school but she was only in the sixth grade. Even the day Ian and Lip caught them kissing under the covers when she was twelve.
All of these memories were encased in this book as large as a novel. She didn't know how to feel. It was just too much for her. She placed the book down on the outside table and just hugged him. That's all she wanted to do. She loved him, more than anyone else. Carl loved her too, but she was just too oblivious to it.
Carl helped her out everything up in her room. They fixed everything up in her room the way she wanted it. They even put Cody's rock in a corner by her little corner on the floor where she reads. It looked different from last time. Last time it was a mixture of just the stupidest shit Mariana would collect. Bobble heads, feather boas, fedoras. She was a mess. She knew she was. Every single time she'd look at her room in a critique perspective, she'd ask herself, "why am I Carl's best friend? Why does he even like me?"
Now her room was the way it was meant to be. She had band vinyls in the corner by her record player. Succulents by the window sill. Her weed jar on her side table, shining bright with jewels. It was the epitome of room perfection. At her performing arts school, she finally figured herself out. She knew what's she wanted now. It was crystal clear.
Carl plopped on the bed while Mariana sat on a bunch of throw pillows in her reading corner. Carl was thinking. He was thinking about Mariana. How she changed. How she was even more beautiful. How he was going to tell her.
"Mari," he softly spoke, barely audible enough for her to hear, " I need to tell you something."
"What is it Carl?"
He sat up, just to look at her. She perched her chin up, her eyebrows furrowed with curious anticipation. "I have a girlfriend." Carl winced, he didn't want her to know.
"Carl, I thought you had cancer or something. God, I remember when we thought you had cancer. But, that's cool." Mariana looked vulnerable at first, but she hid it with her humor. That's what she's good at.
"You're not mad?"
"Why would I Carl? You're my best friend. I want you to be happy." Mariana just thought his happiness would be her.
"I love you Mariana." He hugged her. He really meant it when he said he loved her. Mariana just thought it was in a friendship kind of way. It was more than that. Silence filled the air. It was a fond silence. A silence of realization.
Carl felt terrible. He didn't want to break her heart. He was her first kiss after all. He felt like that meant something. Mariana just shrugged every feeling she had off. She didn't want to feel emotions right now.
"Well, I'll see you later for dinner. Get ready, I'll pick you up at seven baby girl." He kissed her cheek and left. Mariana just nodded and sat on her bed to try and comprehend what he just told her. She had this feeling that she couldn't explain. Her mind was blank, but filled with what had just happened. She didn't know what to do. It was just too confusing for her.
All she knew was she loved Carl too much to let him go.