Chapter One

 As I stand on the porch of my house, staring up at the beautiful moon-lit sky. I see the stars, so bright, and powerfully shining. Reminding me of the type of star earrings, my wife, Jessica, wore when I first saw her.

 It was the first of September of ninety - one. I was eight - years old, puerto-rican born, light-tan skin, shorter than all the girls, with long dark-brown hair, beautiful brown - eyes, and handsome. Heading off for my first day of third grade. Excited and not knowing that the day awaiting me was to be one of the best in my life.

 Its six in the morning and I'm walking down the mountain with my two sisters and three girl cousins. Alexa, brunette, nice, and my older sister by a year. Leli, brunette, short, funny and my little sister by two years. Our three girl cousins Mary, Magda, and Mariela, brunette's, kind, and funny.

 Were walking down the mountain and see the old lady, Gabi, who lives mid-mountain and steps out of her house to wait for me. I've developed a routine of stopping of at her house for my most precious morning supplies.  

 Gabi spots us and says, Omar! Come get some cookies and juice boxes?

 I look at her, excited, my heart - aching for the cookies and orange juice.

 But I look back at my sisters and cousins. They don't move, just stand stoic, and frightened.

 Alexa says, Don't go near her.

 Mary adds, Yeah, you don't know her and she's a stranger.

 All the girls take a step - back, wanting to deter me from going closer. But I want the cookies and juice too bad to listen to them.

 Que paso? (What's happened?) I say, with confusion and carelessness.

 I start walking towards Gabi, my heart throbbing, looking back at my family members with every step. One deep breath, every moment, slower, and heavier.

 Omar! con cuidado (with carefulness). My little sister Leli screams.

 Gabi looks at my sister's and cousins with an angry look and says, Why would she say such a thing? Loud enough for me to overhear. As if waiting for me to give her a reason otherwise.

 I finally reach Gabi and say, it's okay, they're crazy. I don't believe it but I say it anyway. I just want the juice and cookies. Come on, hand them over, I think to myself.

 Gabi hands the cookies and juice boxes over to me saying, Toma (here). I'm ecstatic she gave them to me.

 I take the juice boxes, cookies, and start walking away. As I turn, my cousins and sisters are a gasp. I stop and say and say to myself, Uh - oh.

 Gripping tightly the juice boxes I turn back. Gabi walks up to me, steps in front of me, and says, Nene (boy), hold them higher. You don't want the food to fall before you give it to the girls.

 I look up to Gabi, putting on a fake smile and laughing an unfeeling Ha, Ha, Ha. Gabi pats my head, smiles, saying, Don't be a bad-boy today.

 To that statement I give her my bad-boy smirk and walk away towards my girls with the morning supplies saying to myself Oh, yeah, I'm bad...whatever that means. 

 Well, as bad as I can be wearing short tan khakis, with tan socks, brown shoes, white button-shirt with a miniature black tie, and a vest. I think to myself as I reach my cousins saying, Cojanlos, (Take them).

 The girls look at me smiling. Magda saying, I didn't think you'd make it back. I'm glad you did.

 Alexa and Mary look at me like I did something stupid. While Leli and Mariela give me a hug, glad I'm back.

 Nevertheless, they take the juice boxes and cookies and we continue down to the bus stop at the corner of the mountain.

 I stop and look back at Gabi waiting to see that we continue safely without getting hit by a car. Either on its way up or down the mountain.

 Gracias, (Thanks) Gabi, I scream as I wave goodbye to her. Feeling bad, because I know she has no kids like us to keep her company or send off to school every morning. More and more I can't wait for the walk back up just to put a smile on Gabi's face when she waves at us returning from school.

 Omar! Vente! (Come on), Mariela screams, la wawa escolar (the school bus), it's coming. Let's go!

 I run down to the bus stop. Passing the black and white cows grazing on the mountainside. Juan, a kind farmer, short and buff that we see every day on our way to school. Always standing in his stable at the same time, every morning preparing his pure white horse for a trip to the store to buy seeds to plant and harvest.

 I'm coming, almost there. No deje que se Valla(Don't let it leave) I scream as I reach the landing just as the school bus stops for us.

 Did you see how pretty Juan's horse looks today? Leli says to me with a smile on her face.

 Yes, I reply. One day, when I buy a horse and it has babies. I'll give her a pure white one if I can, thinking to myself as I board the school bus.

 As I look around the school bus, I see its full of my friends, boys dressed just like me and girls dressed in their dresses of red and blue with stripes.

 Hola (Hi), I say to Pedro as I seat next to him on the seat he saves for me every morning. Pedro is seven, with long brown hair, green-eyes, and all the girls like him. Including my sisters and girl cousins because they think his eyes are so cute. Most people call him "gringo" because they think he's white. We all laugh at that assumption and move on.  

Hi, Omar Pedro says. He puts out his hand and we shake. You're not going to fight the nun again are you? Pedro asks.

I look at Pedro with my trusting look instead of my mischievous one saying of course I am. Sister Pirahna is my nemesis.

You keep saying her name wrong, Pedro says.

I smile and say, I know.  

Pedro falls back in the seat saying Yeah, I remember, ever since she stole your race car and didn't want to give it back. Last I remember, she slapped you with the twelve inch ruler across your hands.

I turn and look at Pedro straight in the face. Pull my book bag between us and open it revealing its contents.

Omar! Oh no, Pendejo (Dummy), Pedro says.

In my book bag I have over thirty race cars like the one sister Pirahna stole from me. A collection my mother has helped me develop. Since every day I go to school and Sister Pirahna takes my race car. My mother always has one in waiting for me when I return home just in case. So you can imagine the collection I've amassed since Sister Pirahna dislikes me so much and takes my race car's every day.

What are you planning? Pedro asks me. You're being a bad-boy? Pedro adds.

Why does everybody keep calling me that? I ask, bewildered.

As the bus flies down the mountain heading for the next stop I turn and see my sisters and cousins laughing and sharing glances with their friends.

Pedro answers, saying, because you're always looking for trouble.

I look back at Pedro with a snide look on my face and say, I don't look for trouble. It just happens to come and I respond.

Pedro slaps his forehead with his hand. Unfortunately for him the bus goes over a bump and he falls off the seat.

I laugh at Pedro and help him back up to the seat as he says, See what happens to me, when you come up with crazy plans.

Patting Pedro in the back I say, But you're always there laughing along with me after I make things happen.

Pedro looks back at me saying, Because I'm your best friend.

I grip my book bag tightly making sure no cars fall out and say to Pedro you're the best friend.

Pedro smiles and starts to say Oh, you're being nice today. I can't believe it. This really is...

I interrupt Pedro saying, Wait! Shut up, (Callate) as the bus comes to its next stop and I see my two boy cousins. Johni and Jey waiting to board.

Pedro says, and he's back, arrogant, and hot headed. That's you Omar.

Johni and Jey board the bus, Johni, seven, shorter than me, and Jey, ten, and taller. They both see me and Pedro, saying together, Omar, Pedro.

Pedro and I stand as they come over and we shake hands and hug.

Johni says to me, What have you got planned for today?

Pedro smirks as he says, See, I told you.

I smile and sway my head in annoyance. Jey smiles and takes a seat across, seats, and Johni joins him. Pedro and I sit down on our seats.

Jey looks back at me and Pedro saying, I hope you make the whole class burst out cheering today. They think you're the class clown.

See, I say to Pedro.

Pedro says, Que (What?).

Looking at Jey and Johni pointing back at Pedro I say, I'm the clown, not the bad-boy.

Jey gets a confused smirk on his face saying, bad-boy? I still don't see it.

Johni and Jey stare at one another and then turn to me and Pedro waiting with anticipation at their response. Jey whispers something to Johni and he says it to me saying, You have to make the teachers scream out your name in unison to be the bad-boy.

My face in strong thought, I sit back on my seat, thinking. The bus hits another bump, Pedro falls off the seat again saying, Que jodienda, (What the hell), seatbelts.

Johni, Jey, and I laugh as he tries to get back but he decides to stay on the floor. Pedro smiles and says, At least I won't fall again and joins us in laughter.

All four of us slide across our seats to look at the school as the bus arrives and stops to let us off. The girls begin to get off the bus and start for class. 

Jey looking at all the girls in his grade says, they're all looking beautiful today.

Johni smiles, and Jey pats him on the head. I look at Pedro and say, which one do you think I can make fall in love with me today?

Pedro smiles and rolls his eyes saying, which one haven't you hit on yet?

I tap Pedro on the shoulder and say, Let's go find out. Johni, Jey, vamonos, (Let's go).

We all descend the stairs of the bus onto school property. It feels great as all our companions shake my hand and look up to me as we walk to the front of the school from the bus stop.

I say, this is what it must feel like to be famous. I like it.

Pedro walking beside me says, you ready for Sister Mariana?

Sister Pirahna I say to Pedro, adding, get it right, it's insulting to the sister.

Johni and Jey start laughing. Pedro joins in the laughter and barely says, I can't wait to see those cars in action.

Jey grabs me by both shoulders saying Lo tenie,(You got him), gleefully.

Johni joins in by saying, I knew you'd come around Pedro.

Suddenly, all the other boys start running past us along with all the girls. They stop inside the entrance of the school. I push them aside as I walk forward with Pedro, Johni, and Jey.

We get to the front and I ask, What's so impressive? Johni adds, Yeah, we're all here.

We laugh along with the other boys. But quickly they become silent and tell us to look behind us. I say, Fine (Esta bien).

I turn around and... and... I don't believe what I'm seeing I say in a soft voice.  

Jey says, it must be a new girl.

Pedro and Johni say together, wow.

It's amazing. It's like two stars fell from the heavens just to emphasize her in every fashion. She is beautiful, my age with light brown-eyes, pretty face, my height, and dark long hair down her back. But the wind is blowing and its flowing in the breeze. Her light brown-eyes locked into mine.

But almost blinding is the glimmer of her star earrings. Which show of her face, eyes, light tan skin. Those star earrings that heighten everyone of her features, won't allow me to look away, and pull me into her eyes.

Her eyes, separate from mine and look to the ground and then back into mine. The wind is ceasing and she grabs strands of hair pulling them back behind her amazing star earrings. She gives me a small smile.

Johni taps me with his elbow saying, What are you waiting for Omar? Introduce yourself.

Hazlo, (Do it), Jey adds.

I walk towards the fallen star or at least that's what I think she is anyway. My heart is going crazy, footsteps are inaudible. I start to smell something, thinking to myself, it smells like Michelia Alba roses or sweet juicy fruit. Like the many that bloom in one of my mother's gardens on the mountain.  

As I reach the girl, I realize its she who smells like juicy fruit. I say, Hi, My name is Omar. I put out my hand to shake with hers.

She smiles again at me, I feel incredibly happy, saying, what a smile.

We shake hands and she says, My name is Jessica.

I can't stop shaking her hand and say, You have a pretty name.

Jessica laughs and the first bell for homeroom sounds. With her little smile, Jessica's friends take her and she lets loose my hand.

Pedro and Johni grab me and take me towards the classroom. Jey heads off to his own classroom.

I can't stop thinking about Jessica. All I know is I have to get a kiss from the girl of stars who smells like juicy fruit.