Bianca's POV
5:34 a.m. February.
I was in the backseat of my parents Jeep, on my way to my cousin Schneider's apartment complex. I have to live with him for the next 2 years because of my parent's decision to go to South America for 2 years.
"Mom, I really don't want to go." I complained. She turned to me and smiled.
"It'll be okay, mija." She grabbed my hand, "We'll be back before you know it. Your father and I will call you everyday." She promised me. I sighed and pulled out my phone to check the time. It was 5:36 in the morning. Way too early, especially for a Saturday. My parent's flight left at 7:45 that same morning.
•••
We pulled into the parking garage of the apartment complex and parked our car in the visitor area. I got out and saw Schneider waiting by the entrance door. He walked over to us and hugged my dad. They were cousins and both from Canada, and my mom was from Dominican Republic. ((Yes, I'm using my country. Dominicana para siempre.))
"Hola, Mia." Schneider hugged my mom. "Okay, let me try this time." Schneider asked. My mom reluctantly shook her head yes. "Buenos dias, tengan un vuelo seguro." ((Good morning, have a safe flight.))
My mom clapped her hands at how good Schneider's Spanish was getting. "Bueno, your Spanish is getting better." She complimented his Spanish and Schneider smiled. He turned to me and picked me up in a hug.
"Oh, my gosh. You've gotten so big!" Schneider squeezed me. I hugged him back and laughed. He put me down and helped get my things from my parents car. Once we got everything out, my mom started to cry a bit. She gave me a hug.
"Okay, mi amor, we have to go now." She cried. I cried a little too and opened up the hug for my dad to join. We hugged for another minute until I pulled away.
"Go, before you miss your flight and Mami messes up her make up." I told them and we laughed. I kissed my parents on the cheek and they got in their car. We waved goodbye to each other as they drove off. "I'm gonna miss them." I look up to Schneider.
"I know you will, kid." He pats my shoulder. "C'mon lets go get you settled in." I nod and Schneider grabs my suitcases and I grab my bags.
•••
We walk into his apartment and my I was in awe. I knew my parents apartment was a luxury apartment, but his looked like a full on condo. "Woah. Nice place." I said, walking around.
"Thanks," He said, "This is your room." He walked me into my new room. It had light grey walls and a queen-sized bed. I liked it. It was peaceful and modern. "You can do whatever you want to this room. Hang it, move around the furniture, buy new furniture." He gave me options.
"Okay." I tell him. "I'm gonna rest for a little and then unpack." I tell him. He nods and leaves me alone in my room. I flop onto the bed and drift off into sleep.
•••
10:57 a.m.
I open my eyes to the sun directly in my face. It was shinning through my window. "I'm definitely getting curtains." I say to myself. I get up and grab my bathroom essentials and head into my bathroom. I brush my teeth and wash my face. After I'm done using the bathroom, I go into my room to change into some grey sweats and a random t-shirt. I throw my hair up in a low pony tail and walk out into the kitchen. I see Schneider talking to a lady in the living room.
"Oh, hey." Schneider waved to me, "This is Penelope Alvarez." He introduces me to the woman. She stands up and smiles.
"Hello, you must be Bianca." She shakes my hand.
"Yeah, that's me." I smile.
"Well it's so good to finally meet you, Schneider has talked a lot about you."
"Ay, thank you." I thank her and let go of her hand.
"Well, I've got to get going, I have work in 30 minutes." Penelope says as she grabs her bag and heads for the door. "Bye!"
"Bye!" Me and Schneider say to her. "She's nice." I say.
"Yeah, you should meet her family later. Funniest people ever." He says.
"What? Are they like a Spanish Sitcom?" I ask. Schneider tilts his head in realization.
"Yes, exactly like that." He nods. I laugh and get a water bottle from the fridge. "Do I have to go to school today?" I ask him.
"Well, it's already 11 a.m. so I guess not." He shrugs. I squeal in excitement. I go to my room to start unpacking and to move some furniture around.
I start with unpacking my clothes into my closet, which was huge, might I add. It was a walk in closet with a small vanity in the corner and a light up mirror. I don't wear make up very often, but it was still cute to look at. I put my clothes up and set up my vanity. "Wow, it looks nice already." Schneider said at the doorway of my closet.
"Yeah," I laugh a little in excitement, "Can you help me move some furniture?" I ask.
"Sure. What do you wanna move?" He says as he walks back into my room.
"Hmm, well I was thinking we could move the bed against this wall and maybe later we can go out to buy a desk." I explain to him the look I was going for. "Oo, and maybe I can get a carpet to go right here?"
"Alright," He nods, "Let's go get it now so when we get back we can just redecorate the whole thing."
"Yay! Okay." I grab my purse and throw on some shoes. I leave my hair as it is because were just going to the store.
•••
Main POV
At the store. 12:15 p.m.
Bianca looks around at all the desk and find the perfect one to go with her new room. She also looks in the decoration area, grabbing everything that will match the aesthetic of her room. She grab a light purple, fluffy carpet. Bianca also grab some decorative pillows, a throw blanket, curtains and a new bed set all in light purple.
"Okay I think I'm done." She says to Schneider. She pulls out her wallet, "I should have enough allowance to pay for it." Bianca counts her money, but Schneider grabs her wallet.
"I'll pay for it." He says as he closes up her wallet. "You should save your money for more important things." He says and hands the wallet back.
"Thanks, Schneider." Bianca hugs him. Then his phone rings. He looks at it, it was a text from Penelope saying she wanted them both over for dinner later.
•••
Alvarez apartment. 5:38 p.m.
Penelope walks in with grocery bags, "Papito, a little help?" She asked Alex who was sitting on the couch with his headphones on. "Alex!" She yells. No asnwer. She gets a roll of paper towels and throws it at his head.
"What?" He groans and takes off his headphones. Penelope motions towards the groceries.
"Help, you know I have a bad shoulder." She says. Alex gets up and brings them over to the table, then goes back to his previous spot on the couch.
"Alex!" She yells at him. He rolls his eyes and closes his laptop.
"Ugh." He gets up and unloads the groceries. Then Lydia opened her curtain.
"We have a problem." She says, but rolls her R's. Penelope sighed and started to help unload the groceries.
"What is it, Mami?" She asks, putting away the milk in the fridge. Just then, Elena walks out.
"Your daughter doesn't want to have a quinces."
"What?" Penelope sighs, "I already booked a place and a great band." She lied about the band part. "Okay it's a D.J. Okay it's Alex with and iPod and a playlist, but it's a really good playlist."
Elena goes on about how quinces are sexist and unfair to women.
"Ay, Elena it's just a fun party. Anyways, can we talk about this later? We have a guest coming over for dinner." Penelope ends the conversation.
"Who?" Alex asks.
"Schneider's cousin, Bianca. She just moved in today and I want her to feel welcomed."
•••
Bianca's POV
6:30 p.m. Schneider's Apartment
Schneider and I finished setting up my new room and I was in love. It was basically my dream room. "Thank you!" I hugged Schneider and thanked him for his help.
"You're welcome. We should get going, it's time for dinner with the Alvarez's." Schneider pulled away from the hug. I nod but start to worry.
"Should I change into something nicer?" I motion at my grey sweat pants, my baggy t-shirt and my messy ponytail. Schneider shrugs.
"Nah, Penelope is probably in her scrubs and the kids are probably in their school uniform. The only one you wouldn't outshine is Lydia." He chuckles. I nervously laugh back, but I'm actually terrified. I've got bad social anxiety.
We get to the Alvarez's apartment, and Schneider knocks and just opens the door. What was the point of knocking? "Heyo, Alvarez's." He walks in and I follow behind him. I see Penelope, a girl and what looks like to be Lydia. "I would like you guys to meet Bianca."
I walk in and give Penelope a hug. Then the girl walks up to me, "Hey, I'm Elena." She introduces herself.
"Hi, I'm Bianca." I shake her hand and she steps out of the way for Lydia to walk up.
"Hola, Bianca, I am Lydia." Lydia shakes my hand.
"Hola, Senora." I say in spanish. (Hello, miss.)
"Ay, Hablas espanol?" She asks me. (You speak Spanish?)
"Si, lo hago, de donde eres?" (Yes, where are you from?)
"Cuba. You look Dominicana." Lydia guesses. She guessed correctly.
I laugh a little, "Yes I am Dominican and Canadian." They all gasp.
"That's how you're so pretty." Penelope gasped. "I was just gonna ask what face stuff you use, but I assume it's all genetics." She laughs and so do the rest of us. Then she looks around like she's looking for something and then calls out, "Papito, our guest is here!" She yells.
"Sorry, for my poor attire, Schneider said to just leave in what I was in." I apologize and put my hands in my pockets.
"Ay, you're fine." Elena says, "Women can dress however we want and we never have to dress to impress. That is such a stereotype." I chuckle a bit.
"I assume you're a feminist and... Captain of the debate team?" I guess. Everyone's jaw dropped and Elena smiled.
"I like her." She nodded. I laugh.
Main POV
"Oh, Bianca, I want you to meet my son, Alex." Penelope says and she turns around to see a boy around her age... Damn, he's cute, she thinks, Shit, I have a boyfriend.
"Hi, I'm Bianca." She lets out her hand. Alex was at a lost for words looking at the beauty in front of him.
He takes her hand and shakes it. "Hey, I'm Alex." He flashes a charming smile your way. Bianca feels butterflies in her stomach and smile back. She clears her throat and let go of his hand.
"Um," Bianca lost her words because she were too distracted by Alex, "Let's eat." She smiles.
Everyone said yay and gathered around the table.