Prologue

"Mami! Look what I drawed! It's a balloon," she said as she looked at her mother, standing tall and beautiful with her caramel-like skin.

"Beautiful, mija." Her mother took the picture and hung it on the fridge. The young girl watched as her mother walked back to the pot of food she was cooking. The smells that came from the pot made her mouth water, no one cooked as good as Mami. Moments later, the food was finished and both mother and daughter sat at the table eating their food. The young girl couldn't help but notice that one person was missing.

"Mami?"

"Si, mi amor (Yes, my love)," she asked in a smooth, loving tone.

"Where's Papi?"

"Ay, Jalexis," she responded as she picked up her daughter, placing the child in her lap, "No se, my love. I'm not sure where Papi is." the look on Mami's face would have told it all had the young girl known any better.

The next morning, little Jalexis awoke to piercing screams coming from a man. They were the type of screams that even hearing them, you could feel that person's pain. It was Papi. Jalexis creeped around the corner from her room to her parents room and saw something she would never forget. Papi was on the floor crying over her mother's limp body. Mami was gone.

Jalexis awoke from her dream- no, rather, her nightmare- to Papi yelling.

"Jalexissss! Bbr-bring your ass downn he-here! I know you hear me," he slurred. Slamming into her room door to see an already dressed Jalexis. She could always see the pain in his eyes, even in his drunken state. Everytime he looked at her, the pain and rage was evident. "Get the hell outta my house and get to school."

Without a word, Jalexis made sure she had everything and ran out of the door to the Bus stop. After Mami's death, Papi blamed Jalexis for everything. It killed her inside at times, but what was she supposed to do? She only had a few days left before her graduation. Then…. Well, then, she is free to leave that drunk of a father and she will never have to see him again. Jalexis was broken out of her thoughts when she realized the bus had arrived at the school.

"Lex!" Turning around, she saw her best friend, Nayeli.

"Hey, Na," she responded, hugging her friend.

"You ready," Nayeli asked her, the excitement almost pouring out of her. Only Nayeli can find a way to be so energetic so early in the morning. Her golden brown skin glowing and her curls bouncing as her body jumped up and down waiting for a response.

"For what," Jalexis asked cluelessly and, obviously, tired.

"Jalexis! For graduation! We finally getting out of this hell hole. You should be more excited."

"Ay, Nayeli. That just means less time to figure out a way to get out of my dad's house," Nayeli gave her a straight face, letting her know she was unfazed. "What now?"

"I told you. Come stay with me."

"No. Nayeli, I don't want to become someone else's problem. Look, I think I have a plan."

"I thought you just said you weren't sure what you were gonna do."

"I know. I just came up with it," she giggled. Nayeli joined her as the bell rang out, notifying the students that they had ten minutes to get to their locker and to homeroom for attendance. The friends gave each other a hug and went their separate ways. Time to get through the rest of the day.