"Be mine, I can take you around the world, wherever you wish,"

-Miran Mayer

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"Kimimela?" Her grandmother- Abuela, as she was fondly called, said. She was in the living room, knitting in her favorite chair.

Kimimela "Kim" Cortes hurried down the stairs, lugging a huge suitcase behind her. She tripped at the bottom step but still managed to maintain her balance. She hurried to meet her grandmother and kissed her cheek.

"I have to go, Abuela. My taxi is here and my flight is in an hour and I don't want to get stuck in traffic," Kim says.

"I know, I made you this scarf. I hear America's very cold," Abuela says.

"California isn't cold at this time of the year,"

"Still take it and this..." she sees what her grandmother is holding out to her.

"Come on, ma... you don't have to!" she groaned.

"Take this with you!" she slips a talisman into Kim's purse.

"Why?" She took it out and held it in her hands.

"When you come back, I want you to come with your husband," Her grandma holds her hands in hers. "This will get you a good husband. Put it-"

"Mother!" Lara Cortes-Kim's mother says, "Let her go, she doesn't have to come back with a man. She's only 24"

"I got married nineteen!! At her age, I already had two kids and was expecting another. Why are you encouraging this child to be single?"

"No one is encouraging her!"

"You are!"

Kimimela watched them argue, going back and forth. She rolled her eyes, she was always their topic.

"I'm fine, it's my decision whether I come back with a man or not. I have to go. Love you, eat well," she picks up the suitcase and heads for the door.

"Alright dear, go safely. Tell Ava she should come to visit us soon, okay? Make sure you have all your meals, warm or hot, and don't stay up too late, okay? I love you."

"I'll try, mom," she kisses her cheek and then Abuela's. "Take good care of yourselves."

Kim grabs the handle of the door and holds it, she turns back at her family. She was going to miss them. She offered them a smile and walked out to meet the taxi that would take her to the airport.

She had decided to find her path in life, start a new phase. Her family owned a ranch. They were farmers and earned a lot of money. With it, she wanted to explore California, make more money, and travel to other countries, hopefully finding her place.

***

Kim gets off the plane and walks to a crowd of people waiting for the arrivals. She looked around and spots Ava- her childhood friend- holding her name up.

"Ava!" she rolls her bag running towards her. It's been four years. She missed seeing her badly.

"Oh my, I missed you!" Ava hugs her. "You look kind of fat though," she pulls her back, taking a good look at her.

"I'm not!" Kim argued, flipping her black hair behind her.

Ava laughs, "You look plumper and it suits you," she smiled.

"It does?"

"You are thick girl!"

Kim rolls her eyes. "First few minutes in California and you're talking about size. Just look at you!"

"What happened to me?" Ava furrowed her brows.

"You look beautiful," she smiled.

"I didn't gain any?" Ava pouts as they begin walking to the exit.

"You want to?" Kim asked.

"I don't know Jackson wants that," Ava's face falls.

"Oh, that your man?"

"Don't sound like that! Come on, let's go," Ava tries to change the topic.

Kim is not ready to drop it. What kind of a man is he to try to change Ava? "You look beautiful, perfect. I know he's your man, but sincerely, he should get his eye checked. Do what you want," Kim says.

"Oh, Kim you won't understand," She takes her bag.

"Whatever, I'm a little jetlagged but, let's have fun tonight! Show me California nighttime," Kim wraps her hands around Ava's shoulder.

"Already?" Ava chuckles and hurls Kim's bags into the boot. She had a convertible car, Kim opens the door and sits, she puts her seatbelt on.

"You're gonna love California, I promise," Ava opens the door and starts the car, driving off. Ava turns on the radio...

"Oh, perfect song!" Ava says, moving to the rhythm.

"This is my oh my!?" Kim asked.

"Yes, by Camilla Cabello," Ava says.

"No wonder I like it, I love her!" Kim says.

"Who doesn't?" Ava gazes at her for a second before taking her eyes to the road.

"They say he likes a good time!" Kim danced along to the rhythm.

"My, oh my," Ava choruses. "He comes alive at midnight," she continues singing while laughing.

"Every night," she honks.

"He's only here for one thing!" she runs her free hand down her jawline down to her tits going lower.

"A little bit older," Ava winks at her

"A black leather jacket, a bad reputation, Insatiable habits," Kim carries on.

"Girl, what?" Ava laughed at her waving her hands, biting her lips.

"He was onto me, one look and I couldn't breathe. Yeah, I said, If you kiss me," she kisses her cheek.

"I might let it happen," Ava winked, laughing her heart out.

"I swear on my life that I've been a good girl. Tonight, I don't wanna be her!" she raises her voice, she was into the song.

"Then don't be her!" she changed to a different lane.

"Where are we going?" she laughed.

"The club? It's not far from here," Ava says smiling.

"I can't go like this," she says. "My parties clothes are buried in my bag."

"We'll stop at the mall first, that's okay."

"But, we have work."

"You asked for this. We won't waste time, promise," Ava taps on her shoulder, focused on the road.

"I think we should go some other time. And I didn't think you would suggest a club," Kim says.

"Come on!" Ava cries. "What says I need new friends than a party? Think about the people you can meet!"

"Ah, I'm tired," she throws her head back, gazing at the cars and people fading into a blur as they whiz past.

"You know, you haven't changed at all," Ava frowns.

"Whatever," Kim ignores her, "Let's go then, I'll show you how fun I am."

"Alright!" Ava booms, her mood brightened.

Ava and Kim stopped at a mall and bought matching red gowns. The neck was a low V that Kim wasn't particularly comfortable with but, she liked it.

Kim walked into the club with Ava. They checked their IDs and were let in. The music was loud and bodies swayed on the dance floor. Neon lights flashed and danced against the walls and bodies filling the place. Being in the club for the first time in California, she stuck to Ava and followed her wherever she went.

"Kim, this is Jackson," Ava introduced her to a tall man with short back hair. He was drinking from a bottle. Kim shook hands with him.

She was seeing him in person for the first time. He was handsome, she understood why Ava got hooked. He was the sole reason Ava moved to California in the first place.

"Nice to meet you!" she yelled over the music.

He leaned into her, "Nice shape you got there." He said clear enough that Ava probably heard

"Excuse me?" he didn't hear her since he pulled away to stand straight.

Kim felt a bit uncomfortable. He was her best friend's man. Why would he say that? She knew Ava had issues with him concerning her body. She must feel insecure this is how he shamelessly checks women out.

"Thanks, you too!" She rolled her eyes, looked at Ava and she only smiled.

"Come on, let's head upstairs," Ava suggested.

"Alright, drinks on me!" Jackson shouted.

Kim followed them. She ordered a cocktail while Ava asked for a mix of pineapple and vodka.

When they got their drinks, they danced together. But, Ava mostly danced with Jackson so, she was more like a third wheel.

The black dress she had one was short and it kept riding up her tighs. She had given up on tugging it down at this point so, she kept dancing.

"Hey, I think someone is checking you out," Ava said into her ears.

"What where?" She turns back to look for the supposed someone.

"There," she juts her chin in his direction.

Kim's eyes follow. She spots a handsome-looking man. Although the light doesn't allow her to see much, she can tell he had dark eyes. His lips were thin and they seemed to glisten when the light came on it.

He had a couple of girls surrounding him and had a dull look on his face. The corner of his lips curved as he noticed that she was looking at him.

"He's been staring for some minutes now," she says.

"He isn't my type," Ava turned away from his direction and sips her drink.

"And what type is he? Hot? Bad boy? You like those!"

"Well, not a womanizer. Guy is with ladies and he has the guts to look at another?"

"It's a free country," Kim looked back at him. He did have a bad boy look on him. She smiled at him, he took his eyes off her and kissed the girl close to him.

"He isn't my type, I said," she took her eyes off him.

"What was that?" Ava says, confused.

"Anyways, can we leave now?" she suggests, she was getting fed up with the club it wasn't her taste.

"I'm sorry, I can't now," Ava winked

"Why not?" She dropped her drink on a table. she looked back at him. She sort of liked the way he sat, he had his legs wide open. Like he was a king. Like he had power.

"Jackson doesn't want to leave now," Ava smiled, sheepishly.

"Girl," this guy has you on a leash, "we have work tomorrow."

"I know, I would catch up with you later. Here's the key to the apartment," Ava digs through her purse and hands Kim the keys. She tells her the address and number. "I would have given you keys to the car but, I don't know if you have a license or if a Mexican license is permitted so, catch a cab."

Kim shook her head, "Bye."

"I'll be home soon with your stuff," Ava heads closer to Jackson.

"Don't drink!"

She pulled down her dress, picked up her bag and she looked back at the young man, he had vanished.

Kim lets out a sigh. She walks out of the club and cool hair blows into her face. She inhaled deeply.

"Aah, better," She walked to the roadside. She felt like someone was watching her.

She looks about and her eyes fall on the black car parked by the curb, a little ways from her. The young man who was staring at her in the club was right in front of her, leaning beside his car. He had a lit cigarette between his fingers.

"Hey, Miran. I'm done, let's go." a woman walks over to him. His eyes doesn't leave Kim.

Kim quickly looked away the intensity of the stare overwhelming her. She hailed the next taxi and got in, telling him the address.