Too quiet.
I’m on my knees, surrounded by tools and scraps of metal, trying to fix the damage Elena did to my bike.
To La Venganza.
My mother’s bike.
The one thing I have left of her.
The scratches on the frame are deep.
The handlebars are bent.
The engine is making a sound it shouldn’t make.
Every dent, every scratch, every broken piece feels like a wound on my own skin.
I run my fingers over the damaged metal, and I feel tears prick at my eyes.
I’m sorry, Mami, I think.
I’m so sorry.
I let someone hurt you.
I let someone hurt us.
I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand and pick up a wrench.
I can’t fix it today.
I can’t fix anything today.
But I have to try.
I can’t keep doing this, I tell myself.
I can’t keep hiding in the garage, pretending the world doesn’t exist.
I can’t keep letting them win.
I think about my mother’s words.
“You’re a princess, Aitana.
Princesses don’t hide.
They don’t give up.
They fight.” I take a deep breath and stand up.
I look at myself in the reflection of the garage window.
My dark curls are a mess.
My clothes are covered in grease and dirt.
My eyes are puffy and red from crying.
I look like a ghost.
I look like someone who’s already given up.
No more, I tell myself.
No more hiding.
No more crying.
I am Aitana Fernandez.
I am the princess of Granada.
And princesses are not afraid of anyone.
I walk to the clubhouse, my feet heavy but determined.
The party is tonight.
The celebration of the clubhouse’s success, a fundraiser for the new garage.
Everyone will be there.
My father.
My friends.
Elena.
Leo.
I have to show them I’m still here.
I have to show them I’m still the princess they once loved.
I walk into my room and open my closet.
The dresses hang in neat rows, colorful and beautiful.
I run my fingers over the fabrics, looking for something that says I’m still here.
I pull out a deep red dress.
It’s simple but elegant.
It was my mother’s favorite.
She used to say it made me look like fire.
I need to be fire tonight, I think.
I need to burn bright enough that they can’t look away.
I put on the dress and look at myself in the mirror.
My dark curls fall around my shoulders.
My blue eyes are bright, almost defiant.
I look like the girl I used to be.
Good, I think.
Let them see me.
Let them remember who I am.
— The party is in full swing when I arrive.
The clubhouse is transformed.
Lights strung across the ceiling.
Tables covered in white cloths.
Music playing softly in the background.
People laughing and talking and celebrating.
I stand in the doorway for a moment, taking it all in.
My father is in the corner, talking to some of the older members.
Isabella is beside him, her hand on his arm, her smile bright and polished.
My friends are scattered around the room.
Diego is by the bar, a drink in his hand.
Sofia is laughing at something someone said.
Carmen is watching the crowd with her sharp, assessing eyes.
And Leo.
He’s standing by the window, his amber eyes scanning the room like he’s looking for someone.
I feel my heart skip a beat.
I push the feeling down.
He didn’t defend me, I remind myself.
He watched me break and did nothing.
I take a deep breath and walk into the room.
Heads turn.
Eyes follow me.
I feel their gaze like a spotlight.
It’s uncomfortable, but I don’t look away.
I hold my head high and smile.
“Princess,” one of the older members says, raising his glass to me.
“You look beautiful tonight.” “Thank you,” I say, my voice steady.
I walk through the room, nodding and smiling.
People greet me, their voices warm and familiar.
For a moment, I almost feel like everything is normal.
Like nothing has changed.
But then I see Elena.
She’s standing in a circle of people.
My friends.
Diego, Sofia, Carmen.
They’re laughing at something she said.
I watch them for a moment.
Elena is the center of attention, her wild curls bouncing, her hazel eyes sparkling.
She’s telling a story, her hands waving animatedly.
Everyone is hanging on her every word.
I feel something twist in my chest.
Something cold and sharp.
She’s charming them, I think.
She’s charming them all.
I walk toward them, forcing a smile onto my face.
“Hey, everyone,” I say, my voice bright.
They turn to look at me.
Diego’s smile falters for a moment.
Sofia’s eyes go wide.
Carmen looks away.
Elena’s smile is bright and warm.
“Aitana!
You look beautiful.
That dress is stunning.” “Thank you,” I say.
I stand there, waiting for someone to say something.
For someone to include me in their conversation.
But no one speaks.
They just look at me with awkward, uncomfortable smiles.
“Well,” I say, my voice hollow.
“I’ll just…
get a drink.” I walk to the bar, my heart pounding.
I can feel their eyes on my back.
I can hear them whispering.
They don’t want me here, I think.
They don’t want me at all.
I pick up a glass of something and take a sip.
It burns going down, but I don’t care.
I need something to numb the pain.
— I’m standing by the window, staring out at the night, when I hear their laughter.
It’s faint at first.
A muffled giggle.
A low chuckle.
But then it grows louder.
More distinct.
I recognize the voices.
Diego.
Sofia.
Carmen.
And Elena.
I don’t know why, but something makes me walk toward them.
Something makes me follow the sound of their laughter.
I stop just outside the room where they’re gathered.
The door is slightly ajar.
I can see them through the crack.
They’re sitting in a circle, drinks in their hands, their faces relaxed and happy.
“And then she said…
Carmen, tell them what she said,” Elena says, her voice teasing.
Carmen laughs.
“She said she thought Leo was handsome.
She told me she had a crush on him.
Can you believe it?” My blood runs cold.
That was my secret, I think.
The secret I told Carmen.
The secret I trusted her with.
The secret I begged her to keep.
Elena laughs, her voice light and cruel.
“She’s so pathetic.
Everyone knows Leo doesn’t care about her.
He’s just being nice because her father is the president.” “Honestly,” Diego says, shaking his head.
“She’s so desperate.
She thinks everyone loves her, but no one does.” Sofia looks down at her hands.
“Maybe we shouldn’t be talking about her like this.” “Come on, Sofia,” Elena says, her voice sweet and coaxing.
“You know it’s true.
She’s been acting so strange lately.
She’s so withdrawn.
It’s like she thinks she’s too good for us.” “I know,” Diego says.
“She used to be fun.
Now she’s just…
miserable.” I feel my heart shatter.
They’re laughing at me.
My friends.
The people I trusted.
The people I loved.
They’re mocking my pain.
They’re mocking my love for Leo.
They’re mocking everything I am.
I push open the door.
The laughter stops.
They look at me, their faces frozen in shock.
“Aitana,” Carmen starts, her voice shaking.
“We didn’t know you were—” “I heard everything,” I say, my voice cold and sharp.
“Every word.” The silence is deafening.
I look at each of them.
Diego, who was my shield.
Sofia, who was my sister.
Carmen, who was my confidante.
And Elena, who is smiling.
A tiny, triumphant smile.
“Carmen,” I say, my voice breaking.
“I trusted you.
I told you my secret.
I begged you to keep it safe.” “I…
Aitana, I’m sorry,” she stammers.
“I didn’t mean to—” “You didn’t mean to?” I laugh, bitter and hollow.
“You didn’t mean to share my deepest, most painful secret?
You didn’t mean to let everyone mock me?” “I was just trying to—” “To what?” I scream, the tears flowing freely now.
“To destroy me?
To make me feel worthless?” Sofia steps forward.
“Aitana, please.
We didn’t mean to hurt you.” I look at her, my eyes burning with pain.
“You didn’t mean to hurt me?
Then why did you?
Why did every single one of you choose her over me?” No one speaks.
“Diego,” I say, turning to him.
“You promised to protect me.
You promised to always be there for me.” “I know,” he whispers.
“I’m sorry.” “Sorry isn’t enough!” I shout.
“Sorry doesn’t fix anything!” And then I turn to Leo.