Chapter Text
“Just yellow lines and tire marks
Sun-kissed skin and handlebars
And where I stood was where I was
to be”
“I still don’t understand why we had to move in the middle of the year,” Luz said, her head leaning against the passenger side window of her mom’s car, “couldn’t we have just waited until the end of the year? I would’ve had to go to a different school anyways.”
In all truth, Luz couldn’t wait to leave that school. She didn’t have any friends, in fact, literally everyone hated her there, even the teachers. It was stupid, anyways. Seriously, who names a town Hummusburg? Nobody in the town even liked hummus anyways (except Luz, but she didn’t dare tell anyone that).
“I’m sorry, cariño, but I had to take this job,” her mother, Camila, said, “It has good pay and it’s closer to your new school!” Oh yeah. Her new school. The one that’s replacing her last school that she may or may not have gotten kicked out of. Great.
“Also, did you have to put me in such a small school? Everyone’s gonna know me in two seconds!”
“Yes! That’s the whole point, so as long as you make a a good first impression, you should be fine! It’s a good school with great teachers! Plus, I heard they have a great band and art program!” Luz looked down at her drumsticks in her hand. She really did love band. She loved the way the band worked together with their many instruments to weave together a piece of music from seemingly bland parts. She also loved the way she didn’t have to think about anything else while she played her part, only the rhythm of the snare drum (she didn’t really mind the bells, but no good snare would ever admit that).
She also really loves art class, but not as much as band. Art was her way to let her creativity run free, but art teachers had always seemed to stifle that spark.
“Sure, I guess,” Luz said, “but what about right now? Winter break isn’t even over, and you’re already starting work. What am I supposed to do home alone-”
“You are going to the library,” her mom cut in, “It’s right across the street from our house, I have a friend at the library who said she’d give you volunteering hours, plus you might meet some new friends!”
Luz gave a small smile. She really did love libraries, plus the library seemed like the kind of place mean kids would avoid. There was one problem, though. “I’m only in eighth grade! Don’t they only give volunteer hours to high schoolers?”
“Yes, mija, but you should volunteer anyways! They only give out one volunteer spot to high schoolers, and this could give you a leg up!”
“Ok, fine.”
After the silent remainder of the hour-long drive, they finally arrived at their new house in Isles at around 5:30, and since it was the middle of winter it was already dark. From what Luz could make out, it was a nice house, but the first thing that caught Luz’s eye was the neighbor’s house. It was relatively tall and it seemed well lived in, proven by the warm lights coming from the inside. It was the kind of house that reminded Luz of her fantasy books, the kind of house she could only dream of living in. This was a stark comparison to the house Luz would be living in, which seemed cold and empty, especially in the cold night. Luz sighed and walked inside. Camila had hired movers to move their things earlier in the day, so all of her stuff was already in what she guessed was her room. The house had two bedrooms and one bathroom with a living room, a kitchen, a dining room, and a basement. It was nothing special, but Luz liked it. She walked into her room to see that her bed frame was already set up, but her mattress was propped up against the wall. She grumbled something about wanting a nap before wrestling the mattress onto the frame and flopping on top of it. She was just about to doze off when her mother walked into the room. “Luz, were you about to take a nap on a bare mattress?”
Luz looked up to see her mom in the doorway holding some sheets with a smirk. “I was tired!” Luz complained, followed by a mumbled “I also didn’t know where the sheets were.”
“Uh huh,” Camila said, setting the sheets on Luz’s bed, “Well before you nap, make your bed and unpack some stuff.”
Luz looked around her room and sighed. She had never moved before, and unpacking even just a little seemed like a daunting task after an exhausting day of packing up the rest of her stuff and driving. The rest of her stuff! Luz ran out to the car and grabbed her suitcase and stacked her small box of the last of her stuff on top. She also grabbed her backpack and put it on, and pulled her suitcase and box behind her into her house and into her room. She looked around her room and decided that things were not arranged the way she wanted them to, so she spent the next 15 minutes rearranging them the way she wanted before she unpacked and made them harder to move. After about ten minutes of unpacking, her room finally looked okay to nap in, but as soon as she sat on her bed she heard, “Luz! Dinner’s ready!” She sniffed the air and realized that something smelled REALLY good. “We’ve only been here ½ an hour! How did you make this so quickly?” She walked into the dining room and realized that there were takeout bags on the table. “Oh, where did you order from?”
“Oh, there’s a Mexican restaurant nearby that I heard was really good, so that’s where I went.”
“Ah. What did you order?”
“Ummm…” Camila tapped her chin, “Seafood quesadilla and carne asada.”
“Ooo!” Luz’s stomach growled at the thought of carne asada and she realized she’d barely eaten anything today. “Carne asada!” As she sat down to eat, Camila sat down across from her and started speaking. “So, about my work schedule…”
“Yeah?”
“Well, it’s a lot of long hours, so I might not be home to say goodnight sometimes, and I might sleep a lot during the day.”
“...Oh.”
There was a long pause in the conversation while Luz thoughtfully chewed. “So am I gonna have to stay somewhere else sometimes?”
“Yes, and I’ve already made arrangements. You know my librarian friend?”
“Yeah?”
“She’s also the neighbor.”
Luz nearly spat out her food. “The neighbor? The one with the house?”
“Uhm, Luz, generally neighbors have houses.”
“Oh! Yeah, um, the one with the tall house that looks really warm inside that I’ve only imagined seeing in books?”
“Yes! Why does it seem so special to you?”
‘I’m not sure. I just kinda feel… drawn to it?”
As soon as Luz woke up the next day she knew what she wanted to do.
“Morning, mom!”
“¡Buenos dias, cariño! ¿Dormiste bien?”
“I slept okay. It’s kinda weird sleeping in a different house.”
Camila raised an eyebrow as she looked Luz up and down. “Yes, I can see that.”
She really could see that. Luz’s hair was a mess, her pajamas were more wrinkly than usual, and her eyes were still half-closed. “Breakfast is on the table, and you’re going to the library at 9:00.”
“Today?”
“Yes. Your set of keys is by the door when you leave. I’m gonna get dressed for work.”
Luz grinned and ate her toast at light speed before running back to her room to get ready for a day at the library.