~CALI~

I kept my tears by force, I know that I had to overcome it, but how to do it? Not even a month passed and it hurts like I'm living it every second of my life. I sighed and looked at my bus ticket, I was going to the house of an unknown aunt and so far my only family. I have not the slightest idea of ​​how that place should be but what I am sure is that it will never be able to compare with my home, without the hugs of my father when he returned from high school and the afternoons of cakes that he cooked with my mother, without them I no longer belong anywhere.

   It was not long to get there, but I am not ready to do it. What am I supposed to tell you? She didn't even want to take care of me and she didn't have to, she was being forced and I feel guilty about that, none of us were to blame for the death of my parents. I sighed again, even thinking about the death of my parents gives me chills and an immense desire to cry, why them? They were the purest of heart that I knew, they never hurt anyone and they did not respond to the discrimination they had for being people of color, white people believe themselves superior and abuse it.

  There wasn't a single moment in my life when people didn't look at me badly, but I can't do anything about it because they've had their brains washed since they were born and no one can change it. There was a lady next to me, who left a free seat in the middle of usto not be near me, why? Because I'm a girl of color, I was indirectly discriminating against myself and it's something I can notice from a long distance. I just rolled my eyes and leaned my head against the bus window, I closed my eyes losing myself in the song that was playing in my headphones. My heart beat to the rhythm as I remembered my mother dancing this same song in the living room while cleaning the house, I was so happy at that moment and I was not able to know it, there is so much that we can lose in a matter of seconds and realize it late.

  The bus finally reached the destination and I grabbed my bags so I could get off. To my surprise, the lady who had to come to find me was not there, I think the word aunt is too much since I do not know her, but they have shown me photos of her to be able to recognize her and I did not see her anywhere at this time. I sighed and took the paper that I had in the back pocket of my pants, there I had written the address of the place. I didn't really know how to get there but I couldn't stay here either, it was getting dark and I don't know anyone, it seemed like a dangerous situation to me. I left the bus station and started walking to the address that I had on the paper, I guided myself through the streets, people looked at me strangely and I no longer cared. I got over those looks a long time ago, plus I had just lost my parents, nothing could affect me anymore and my heart turned to stone, if there was anything left of it.

  Finally I found the address, after almost an hour, it was a small orange house that was in the back of the town and here people did not look at me strangely, nor did they look at me, they had other important things to do. I looked at the house one more time before ringing the bell, I was nervous but couldn't run. There were noises and then a woman opened the door, her hair was long but you could tell it was a wig and she pointed at me with one of her extremely long nails.

  "And you are?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

  "I'm Cali," I replied but she made a gesture of not knowing who I am, "Cali Jackson, daughter of your late brother Eduard."

  She seemed to remember who I am and laughed.

  "I had forgotten you were coming today, come in," she stepped aside and I entered the house, it was very messy, there were things on the floor and on the table, I was used to order, "your room is upstairs, I can't offer you more than that, so you can put your things down and go downstairs to talk about how things will be in this house."

  Had I heard correctly? She seemed to be sure she wanted to give me rules to follow, but I couldn't do anything since it is her house and if I want to live in a house this year I should listen to her.

  "Can't I rest first?"

  "Then, now go put your things down and come back."

  I just obeyed and climbed the wooden ladder that seemed to want to crumble. The room was a dusty attic, there was a bed, a table and a closet. I sighed when I saw the place where I would sleep from now on, it seemed too sad to me and it was obvious that I needed color, but I had to wait for the moving truck to arrive with my things and from what they told me it would take a few days. A few days sleeping in a lifeless room. I put my bags on the bed and went downstairs, she was sitting on the couch filing her nails.

  "I've already left my things upstairs,"I notified her and stood in front of her.

  "Good," she settled into place, "I don't have a good job, not enough to support you," she commented, "so the best thing is that you go looking for a job, you will surely find it here."

  "You want me to work?"

  "Yes, you're already old and I know that Eduard had a stable job so you could do whatever you wanted, but this is my house so if I need you to collaborate, you will do it, is that clear?" her expression became demanding, I didn't know what tell her why she wasn't used to working but I don't think it would be the end of the world, "and I'm also going to need you to clean and tidy up the house when you get back from high school, I don't have time to do it but I would," she pointed out all the mess that was her home, "you could start now."

  "Now? I just arrived, I need to rest."

  "I'm only asking you one thing, don't be rude," she frowned and got up from her place, "clean the house and then go to rest, my house my orders."

  She didn't let me say anything else, she just left the room leaving me alone. I was dying of sleep and this lady wanted me to clean her house, you could tell that no one had passed a broom for months and the mess that was there was too much, she couldn't do this in one day. I ran my hands over my face, frustrated with exhaustion. It is the first day that I spend here and I want to leave, I did not expect this type of treatment, I was used to my parents treating me like a princess and that did not let me see reality, I am not saying that it is their fault, but I I wish I had been prepared to meet people like her. I went to the kitchen, there were too many dishes and I was exhausted, I can't believe how Wendy has been living all this time and I hope it's not that messy all the time, this house seemed like a garbage dump. I took a sponge and started to wash each one, I don't mind cleaning up but it bothers me to have to do everything by myself and I didn't even make this mess, I wonder how long those dishes have been there.

(...)

  I opened my eyes suddenly when the noise of my alarm rang, I complained and turned it off, I was too tired to go to school, to a new institute, if it were up to me I would stay in bed all my life but I had to do something productive with my life . I took my face off the pillow and sighed, yesterday I had spent hours cleaning the house to make it look like new, Mrs. Wendy was too demanding but she didn't do anything more than give me orders and watch television. I didn't think she was going to be like that, but I know she and my father didn't get along so well, surely she must have resentment towards me and the truth is that it seems ridiculous.

  I got out of bed and went to the bathroom, turned on the shower water and let it run while I undressed. Luckily for me the water was warm, I expected there would be no hot water knowing how Mrs. Wendy lives. I enjoyed the bath and didn't want to go out, but it was getting late so I took a quick shower, dressed in a short white T-shirt and baggy jeans along with my black sneakers. I looked in the mirror, my hair was still short and full of curlers, I really liked it. Finally I brushed my teeth and left the bathroom, I went to the kitchen where Wendy was talking on the phone, waiting to see a breakfast but it was not like that.

  "Here, buy yourself something on the way," she handed me some tickets and turned around to continue talking on the phone.

  I didn't say anything, I took my things and went on my way to the institute. It was not easy to adapt to this great change, I really did not want to go to high school but if I did not I had to stay at home with Wendy and for now I do not like the idea. There is not a day that I don't miss my parents, my habits became completely different without them and I liked the way things were before. I miss my old school and my old city, there I felt safe with my friends and here I don't know anyone.

  The institute was a few blocks away, I had seen it when I went to Wendy's house yesterday, and it appeared to be a large building.
It took me a few minutes to get there, I was nervous but I kept my face straight, I didn't look at anyone and I started looking for my class, if I was right I played art and I loved that subject. So I spent about five minutes looking for the class, until I found it and entered. I got nervous as all eyes fell on me and the teacher who was arranging her things smiled at me and made a sign to pass.

  "Welcome, you must be Calliope the new girl, right?" Asked the teacher.

  "Cali," I corrected, I never liked my name and all my life I have been told Cali, why should it be different now?

  "All right Calí, you can go sit down," she began to look with his eyes for a free seat in the class, "next to Lana, if you want," she pointed to a pale red-haired girl who was at the end of the house, she dressed in basic clothes and seemed to be a girl who did not want problems, she was quite pretty.

  I nodded and sat next to her, my new classmates did not take their eyes off me and I felt intimidated, but I did not let them notice and I put my eyes firmly, ignoring everything around me while I waited for the teacher to start class.

  "Is your name Calí?" Lana, the red-haired girl, asked me as she put her pencil on the table.

  I looked at her, she had eyes of a light blue almost like the sea and she really seemed to be the stereotype of a red-haired girl.

  "Yes, and you are Lana, right?" I asked and she nodded at me smiling.

  I smiled too, for the first time that day I wasn't feeling uncomfortable, I've never had to be the new girl before and I hope this time is the last time, I don't like being the center of attention. I looked at the teacher who was not yet teaching because she was talking to a lady, I think she is also a teacher because she had books on her, but I did not know her. My sight crossed with that of a boy, he quickly looked away and pretended to be writing, I rolled my eyes and looked at the blackboard, I had no idea who that boy was but I was not interested in knowing either, I had no intention of having any relationship with any man and I do not show any signs of wanting to do so. I looked at the time on my mobile, it was early and I was already starving, I wasn't used to going to school without breakfast first and I guess that's the way things will be from now on, but I can't complain.