SpanGLEEish

Lima Heights Adjacent. No one would ever think that I, Selena Reina Lopez, would have ever been brought up on the wrong side of Lima, Ohio. It’s true, I wasn’t.

You see, my mother was deported when I was nine, as embarrassing as that is to say. Because of that, my father, Dr. Lopez, had me go move with him and his wife and daughter of ten years. Did I know of this other family? No. That’s a Mexican for you.

Luckily, my grandfather on my mother’s side sent up quite a bit of tuition money for me to get into a private school for the performing arts. He wanted me to be in a mariachi band or some women tejano singer. No thanks abuelo, but I’ll take it.

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I hadn’t cried so much in years. The last time I cried like this was maybe when I was eleven and my witch of a half-sister basically beat me up at recess. I glanced out the window with a sullen expression. I was back home, or the closest thing to it.

Only days ago were my father and I in Mexico, paying our respects to my grandfather, who after a long 90 years passed away due to heart failure. Now here we were, after landing on a long plane ride, driving to the dreary side of Lima, Ohio that I so desperately tried to stay away from.

My father was of course greeted by his wife when we pulled up to the house. My ‘sister’ stood in the door frame, her arms crossed and those dark eyes pierced right through mine. God knows why she’s so mad all the time.

“So how was the trip? You didn’t eat any bad tacos or something?” I rolled my eyes at my step-mother who was bombarding my father with all these questions. We were all seated in the dining room sipping on coffee, minus the she devil. That is until she pounced in, her bag slung over her shoulder; she was sporting her Cheerios uniform as usual.

“Santana.” Dr. Lopez was the first to acknowledge her, “Shouldn’t you be at school already?”

Santana gave a quick glare in my direction, “Shouldn’t La Reina be at school too?” I scoffed and looked down at the cup between my hands.

I felt a firm hand place itself on my shoulder, “She’s in mourning.”

Santana sighed very loudly as she made her way towards the door, “Yeah well, people get sick and people die. Shit happens.”

I shot my head up to glare at the dark-haired cheerleader who’s face wore nothing but a smirk, “Shit does happen, I mean just look at you.”

Santana’s smirk just got wider, “Hun, you should take a look in the mirror yourself.”

“Mensas!” My father stood up abruptly, “Stop! You’re sisters. You should not be talking to each other this way.”

“Sister?!” Santana spat, striding closer to the table, “I barely see this girl. She’s always up at her ‘castle’.”

“School.” I corrected without thought.

“Lo que sea!” Santana began raising her arms around, something she tends to do when she’s angry. “I don’t see why she has to go to some ‘special’ school as if she’s special!”

Santana’s mother spoke up, “Hija, stop. That’s enough.”

Santana went on, arguing with no one, but just to speak her mind. I noticed my father on the other side of the table, his face was getting read and you could see the muscles in his temple and neck straining. This morning would not end well.

“Enough!” His voice rang out so loud I swear I heard the nosey neighbors turn down their blaring music. “I did not want to bring this up this way but I’ve been left no choice.” My father turned to look at me with sad eyes. I couldn’t help but frown myself.

“You won’t be going to private school anymore…”

That’s all I heard. Call me dramatic, perhaps it’s because I’ve spent so much time with the drama department, but literally after those words left his mouth I could only hear the loud thumping in my heart. The loud rushing blood than ran through my veins and into my ears to deafen all things around me. This wasn’t happening.

“What?” Was all I could muster out of through my dry throat.

“Since you’re grandfather has passed, he can no longer pay for the funding. None of us can.”

I felt yet another knot form in my stomach, my eyes began to sting.

“I’ve already taken care of resigning you from the school, you’ll start McKinley High with Santana tomorrow.”

I couldn’t take anymore, I did only what I’ve been taught to do in a situation like this. I stormed out. And I swear I heard a small laugh coming from none other than Satan herself.