PART II - SOFIA

This year was going to be horrible.

"Here we are," Santiago said. My Mom hadn't had the time to bring me to school on my first day.

"I don't want to go to school. Can't you homeschool me?"

"I wouldn't know the first thing to teach you about algebra," he admitted. "Come on, Sofia. It won't be that bad."

"Yes, it will be."

"Vamos, mi amor."

"Don't call me 'mi amor', Mom might get jealous," I said jokingly.

Santiago laughed. "She knows she owns my whole heart."

It was unbelievably easy to like him. I've only really known him for two months, and he was already closer to me than my father. Santiago was several years younger than my mom, but apparently, they loved each other very much.

We left the car. The school was a conglomerate of low-rise brick buildings. Even though the sun was shining, the buildings looked cold and hostile. Only a few windows opened to the front side, probably a foretaste of the inclement inside. My last school had been on a spacious, green campus, white buildings with open pergolas.

"Should I come with you?"

"Would you?" I didn't want to ask him, but he had offered.

"Of course, Sofia. Your Mom would kill me if I left you alone here. You know she's sorry she can't be here, yeah?"

"Claro que sí, pero sabes-"

"Ya sé," he said and lay a hand on my shoulder. "Pero estoy acá contigo."

"Gracias, Santiago."

"De nada, mi cielo."

Mi cielo. Frank had never been affectionate. As a child, I always thought it was my fault. That I wasn't likable. That I was a bad kid and even my father could not like me. Later, when I found out that I wasn't even his child, I somehow got his sentiment. He just didn't like me and since I wasn't even his flesh and blood, he saw no reason to act as such. What an ass.

There was a biological father to me of course, but he was never in the picture. My mom had been looking for her one true love for forever, and I think that she found it with Santiago.

The principal, Mrs. Hudson, was very nice. She had an open smile while she explained everything I needed to know and winked at me as we left the room.

The hallway in the main building was lined with yellow-and-violet lockers, the school colors. Santiago's view was as skeptical as mine. Yellow and violet? Really? The neon lights shining down on us from the ceiling weren't particularly beneficial, either.

Santiago checked his watch while saying, "Well, Sofia, I gotta go."

"Do you really need to?" I didn't want to sound like a three-year-old, but I couldn't help myself.

"I do."

"Okay. Go. Have Fun. While I'm stuck in this hell. See you at home."

"Dios mío! Cállate, Sofia. You're a great young woman. Go and make some girlfriends!"

I rolled my eyes at him.

"Well, make some friends then."

"See you."

"See you."