Chapter 1

DAVINA

The sweet smell of the strawberry sauce Grandma made is still strong when I walk into the kitchen, despite everything being clean and disinfected. She said that this is a special cake, because it is part of a large order that she received, and that the money would be used to rent a commercial space to start her bakery. Like an ant after candy, I follow my favorite scent until I trace the clear plastic container, emblazoned with your unique brand logo. That I made myself on my cell phone, on the marble bench that separates the part with the stove from the table we use for meals. I ask the exaggerated pink bow she puts on all her orders, and I read the name written in icing on top of the cake.

Pryia.

The middle sister of the owner of the hill.

I knew she was having a birthday today, I was woken up by the fireworks display that her brother organized exclusively for today, but I didn't know that it was Grandma who was preparing all the sweets and cake, I thought that the order she couldn't get enough of talking was about some rich people she worked for in her time as a maid.

I push saliva down my throat, a failed attempt to get rid of the dryness in the area. Grandma should have let me know, she knows I'm the one who delivers her packages, sand that I hate to go up the hill and talk to those people.

"Davina?" My sister's unsure voice makes me look over my shoulder and check her face with concern, since she started getting involved with one of the dealers, Pryia is no longer the same and lives with a fearful look. "What happened? "I ask when I see the tears running down her cheeks.

"I-I…" She takes a step closer, lacing her hand through mine and kissing the back of it with an emotion I pretend not to notice. A siren whistles in my brain. Something is wrong. Very wrong.

"Whose bags are these?" I question when I notice two bags in the corner of the door that gives access to the kitchen. She sobs and breaks down in sobs. "Pryia? "I call her when she hugs me.

"I'm leaving, Davina. This place is not for me. "I move her body away from mine, lining up our eyes to make sure what she just said is true, or I'm imagining something.

"What you mean? I grip his arms with my fingertips. She shakes her head and tries to pull away. My eyes dart back to the two suitcases." You're not kidding."

Whisper.

She gasps, manages to wriggle out of my grip, and wipes away her tears.

" The decision has already been made."

"We never left here." My voice is low, full of our childhood memories.

Silence.

I look down at the cake still sitting on the marble counter. He looks so dull right now.

"Does mom know?"

I let the question out and catch my sister's eyes. Her gaze contains uncertainty, but not enough to convince her to stay.

"No. " she speaks.

I suck air into my lungs, seeking some balance in a nearby chair.

"My plea for you to stay will be in vain, won't it? " I think of mines parents, especially the woman, who always justified the actions of Pryia as rebellious and fleeting moments of youth." Mom will be devastated. I comment when she remains silent.

" The voo is already marked."

"Flight? You mean you're going by plane?

She lifts the left corner of her lip in a cocky smile.

"Your sister is not weak, Davina I'm going to leave this life of limitations for a palace in Italy. The excitement in his voice made me jump out of my chair.

"Palace? Italy?"

My head got to to hurt.

" I met someone on the dating site, and he sent a ticket to visit him in Italy, but I don't intend to return. I will make this opportunity my letter away from this mediocre life."

There was so much anger in his words that I just couldn't understand. Our life wasn't perfect, but nothing was ever lacking, especially for Mom's favorite. What was she talking about?

" You cannot move to another country without speaking the local language." I argued. "It's not safe, either." Pryia. How do you know this man is not a crook? Trafficking in women is common among girls like us. I pointed at Grandma's house and our clothes, even though I felt a twinge of guilt for using where we grew up and our possessions to talk some sense into her head.

"He's not a crook." He defended the guy, crossing his arms over his chest and giving me an annoyed look.

"So, have you seen him yet?"

Another moment of silence.

"No, but I believe not. My ability to read people. And he is not a bandit."

I snorted.

She was the last personable to use this argument.

"Does your drug dealer boyfriend know you're leaving?"  I didn't know the guy's name, I just heard the nickname circulating around the community and used it whenever I wanted to piss her off.

Her mouth tightened, thin lips pressing together.

"He's not a drug dealer!" she yelled, and I rolled my eyes.

"Of course he is. Everyone on the hill says he's in charge of drug production and Blake's right-hand man.

"They are friends." She defended him. " Ghost belongs to a traditional family It is San Diego, his mother is a judge and his father is a successful lawyer.

I opened and closed my mouth in boredom.

"You don't answer my question."

She played the hands up as if he didn't believe my words.

"Of course he doesn't know. Ghost would never allow that I traveled to find another man, maybe he even tried megastar when to find out." the revelation sent shivers through my body, his own voice an octave lower and darker. How could I let her go after she told me all this? I couldn't trust that the guy from Italy was different from that Phantom, her rotten finger wouldn't allow me to believe.

"Please, Pryia. Do not go." I begged, the first tears filling my eyes.

She sighed, but not out of place.

"I'm sorry, Davina, but I've made my decision, and I'm not going back. My relationship with Phantom is toxic, and he will never come out to his parents."

"You can find someone better. Here. A rich guy."

One more turn, she denied.

"No one will change my mind, not even you. I deserve a better house, designer clothes and financial stability. I know you believe you can have a different future if you study, but trust me, that's not enough. It takes luck. The moon doesn't shine for everyone, but we can be smart like her and steal a little bit of that shine for us. Goodbye, Davina, Tell Mom and Dad I love them."

The tears were already falling, but I wasn't going to cry, I allowed myself to take a step towards her as she picked up the bags from the floor, but then she looked over her shoulder at me, shook her head and left. A part of me wanted to scream at Pryia, tell her that her choice was selfish and that it wasn't fair to leave me alone to tell our parents everything, but it was no use, she wouldn't listen. She never listened.

I lost track of the time I spent staring at the door, but it had been minutes. Many minutes.

I wiped my tears, took Raven's cake and made my way to the devil's house.

The fear I usually feel when I walk past armed men who guard the way to Blake's house it wasn't there as usual, my senses were numbed from what my sister had just done. The sweets Grandma had made had already been delivered, along with the cupcakes. And savory, so I didn't have to make more than one trip. However, the person who was supposed to receive me was not there, and I had to ask my childhood friend for help.

The last person in the world I wanted to talk to right now.

Timmy.