memories

"Mr Cruz!" She called walking seductively towards him. "I didn't expect to see you here."

He muttered a "hmmm" without looking at her. He walked past her into the school but that didn't stop his heart from beating a mile a minute.

She twisted her lips and smiled. He couldn't look in her eyes, that means she somehow affected him and that was what she wanted.

With that in mind, she walked into the school. But immediately froze.

She wasn't expecting to see everyone who was involved in the demise of her family together at the same time.

Her breathing became faster as her heart beat a million miles a minute. It was like she was reliving the moment again. She could hear the screams of her mother and father. She could see Juan dealing blows to her already bleeding father. She could hear her mother scream "Run, run", as they tried to escape the open house.

"Dad! Please let him go!" She kept screaming but they wouldn't stop hitting her father. "Papá! Papá!"

"Just sign the darn document." Juan yelled hitting her father over and over again. "You stupid pendejo."

"Don't sign it dad!"

"Are you out of your mind? If your Dad doesn't sign the documents, he'll die." Juan had told her.

As she watched her father, blood seeping through his clothes, pleading with Juan to stop, all she could think about was his last words to her.

"I love you, Amelia."

"Have you gotten his statement? He has to confess."

"It's just a matter of time."

As the memories came flooding back, she closed her eyes and tried to catch her breath. She breathed deeply and her body felt numb and cold.

She knew she was here and she knew who she was seeing. She knew she had to continue on as if nothing happened. She had to keep her focus on where she was going.

But she couldn't stop looking at him.

"Add one more little bit. It is alright.

"Stay silent! Things will soon be over.

"Go inside! You finished?

Let's go!" "You're done!"

"Okay! More internally, please. Okay!"

Her teeth clattered. She was seething. He was a bad man, that much was clear but she wasn't going to just go away and let him go on living. She knew she had to finish him.

She would get them all back. Mateo, Maria, Juan, Santiago and everyone who was responsible for ruining her perfect family. She would get them all back. Though her family would not be whole again, at least they would be free.

They would all have to pay for their sins and she was going to make sure she had the last laugh.

She inhaled and exhaled heavily to get rid of all the tension. "I'm fine," she said loudly, throwing her hair back and pretending nothing happened.

"Mamá!" She heard Lia call. She put a smile on her face and hugged her. "You came?"

"Of course I did! I'll take you home today. "

She took her by the hand and led her out the door. Just as she was about to exit, her eyes met with that of Mateo.

She bit her lower lip and gave him a quick smile before looking away.

***

"politics for the young was a boring topic to discuss. That is until this man wore a book on it. And since he was the only one that had written anything on politics that youths wanted to read, it sold pretty well and he came to the top. Please put your hands together and welcome senator Diego Gomez."

The audience went wild.

It wasn't the first time they had seen the Queer Eye personality after he appeared on a panel at a conference for political and social activists hosted by the New York University.

"es un placer conocerlos a todos. I am senator Diego Gomez. I am not going to say much other than advising you all present here to never give up on your dreams. And to never let anyone stop you from pursuing your goals. Believe in yourselves and never give up."

Don't stop now.

When I started, not everyone supported me.

I am very thankful to all of the people who supported me along the way. From my mentors, to my parents, to my classmates and professors, thank you for being my biggest advocates. In one way or another, they provided me with the resources I needed.

To the communities and campuses that helped me along the way, I have so much gratitude."

***

Diego sighed as he climbed up the stairs to his house. He had had a busy day, not that he wasn't used to it. His calendar was always overflowing with functions and engagements, none of which could be blamed on his schedule.

The senator's schedule was proof that he was an active and politically minded person.

Diego got the door of his house and saw a delivery guy there. He seemed to be waiting for him.

"¿Eres Diego?" he asked

"Si! Any problem?"

"Not really. You got a special package from another country."

He tilted his head, looking confused. Another country?" He asked collecting it.

"Yes! Please can you sign here?"

"Yeah! Sure!"

He signed and the delivery guy left.

What is this guy talking about? he thought to himself. He wasn't expecting a delivery. He looked at the package, a large one wrapped in special wrapping.

Diego took out a knife from his pocket and slowly cut the tape. The package was sealed, but that didn't matter to Diego, he opened the box. Inside he saw bundles of money. They were not Mexican pesos though. They were in dollars.

Inside the box was a small envelope. It contained a letter.

"It's Amelia here. I'm giving you ten times as much as I pledged to repay you. I appreciate your kindness, thank you."

His eyes opened wide. "Amelia?" He called slowly

*flashback*

*thirteen years ago*

Diego walked angrily towards the building in front of him. His petite friend, Olivia, grabbed him and stopped him. "Are you certain it's okay for you to enter this area uninvited? Wouldn't it be preferable if we submitted a visitation request? I'm afraid." Olivia grumbled.

"Do you believe they would simply provide us the investigation tape if we did?

"But we haven't determined if...

"What I can say with certainty is...

He couldn't complete his sentence as a small person ran into him. It was a girl.

"I'm sorry. Are you okay?" He asked and he helped her up. He looked at her and saw that she was crying.

"I-it's okay, I'm fine..." She lied, wiping her tears with her sleeves and continuing to walk away. She wasn't fine, and he didn't want to let her go like that."

***

"Here, things are neatly coming to a close. Please take a look over here. He is now emerging.

The business has expanded to become a conglomerate after acquiring Sabor Estavez. And Mateo Cruz is the business's heir."

Amelia watched the news with bitterness in her eyes. She could not help but shake in anger as the news reel rolled on. She wanted to fight back, to destroy the whole building but a soothing presence pulled her back down and comforted her. She knew that voice, it was the voice of Diego.

You arrived early. Stop watching the news, please.

"Yes."

You appear dreadful. His sigh was loud. Although I understand that doing this is for your safety, I don't particularly like the idea of sending you off on your own. You're still a child, and that makes me uncomfortable.

"I'm fine,"

He again sighed.

"Although it wasn't simple to meet the requirements for the lawyers association scholarship, they created an exception for you because of your strong academic performance."

"I'm grateful, Mr. Diego. I'll remember how you helped me."

"And if you require anything while you are away." He presented a card to her. "My new number is that. Contact me by phone. I shut down my law firm."

"Why did you shut it down, exactly?"

"I'm considering quitting my job and beginning a new chapter in my life.

"Why?"

"My desire to assist others led me to become a human rights lawyer. But seeing what happened to you and your family made me realize that I can't help anyone without power. If I have that power. I have influence, and therefore I can be a thorn in the side of that system."

"I'm interested. I would like to know what kind of person you become."

"I, too, am eager to see how you develop."

"There is one certainty. I won't be a similar individual. The world would forget about me after some time, but when their misery is in the spotlight," She said that as she looked back at the television. "I will make then pay, ten times more than what they did to me."

"Present "

She broke all ties and left Mexico. Her mother vanished into thin air one day. Both of them did not speak to anyone. They vanished without a trace, as if they had abandoned the world.

The name Amelia likewise faded from my memory. And although they were finally gone, my love for her was the only connection I had left to them.