Comfy Future. Lucía

She was in the middle of the street, walking. It was daytime, but for some reason, she couldn't see the sun in the sky. There were no people on the street, which was strange. She knew the area very well. She could see Don Juanito's grocery store, but it looked different. The cookie advertisements were crooked, and the drawings were a strange color.

Despite knowing where she was, she felt lost and afraid. The street was too empty: Juanito's dog was gone, and the planters didn't have those ugly bushes that attempted to decorate the landscape.

She tried to call for help; she tried to scream, but her voice wouldn't come out. Fear gripped her. “MOM!," She shouted, but the sound of her own voice didn't emerge. Her anguish grew; no one turned to look at her. There were no people, yet she knew they were there, watching.

She walked aimlessly; the streets seemed like labyrinths. There were alleyways, routes, and places she didn't know existed in her neighborhood. Since when was her house near "crazy Doña Mimi’s" place? Panic set in. She decided to enter a house to ask for help, but a loud sound startled her. She searched for the source of that noise. "Wake up." Lucía finally heard a voice. "It’s time to wake up."

The alarm clock kept ringing, Lucía, terrified, sat bolt upright. It was 6:05 AM. She turned off the alarm and leaned against the wall. That damn movie she watched with Emily was still giving her nightmares. Lucía got out of bed to start her day.

Her room was boring. Her desk was cluttered with books and a huge monitor that took up most of the furniture, barely leaving space for a couple of notebooks for homework. There were no posters of her favorite bands, no television, and no fashion magazines. She had black hair ties or headbands, and she didn't wear perfume.

She carefully left her pajamas on the bed and took her uniform out of the closet. Skirt first, then blouse, and finally, the sweater. Left sock first, then the right. The same with her shoes. She was ready.

She headed to the bathroom. First, she washed her face, then brushed her teeth, then combed her hair. In that exact order. Hair down and nothing else. No hair accessories, no earrings, no necklaces.

"Vanity is superficial," her mother would repeat whenever she criticized Naomy, who went overboard with those bracelets. "What matters is your intelligence." As she left the bathroom, she heard the front door close and, shortly after, the sound of the car engine.

She went down to the kitchen with her school backpack to have breakfast. Her mother was there, already in uniform. Her mother, who was overweight, was clearly wearing a size too small, and it made her look terrible.

"You look bad, Lucy. Did you sleep well?" her mother asked upon seeing her dark circles.

"Yes, Mother, I’m fine," Lucía lied. She sat down and poured herself some cereal.
"Did you study for the history exam?"

"The exam is in two weeks, mom," Lucía complained while she still had food in her mouth, which annoyed her mother. With a finger, she pointed out her poor manners, and Lucía looked down.

"It doesn't matter. You must study," her mother commented, glancing at the clock that was resting on a shelf. "You still believe the Aztecs live in Durango. And I’m still wondering why the Mayans were in Veracruz."

The mother got up from the table and prepared to leave for the office. She warned her daughter not to forget that english classes were that day at 5:00 PM. Computer classes started tomorrow, and of course, swimming lessons remained a priority.

She was just starting middle school, but she already knew these three years would be a nightmare. Her parents wanted her to attend one of the UNAM high schools. 

"Don't want you to go to just any public school. Always aim high. it is better  if you say UNAN or technical school," her father once said an afternoon.

If everything went according to plan, she could eventually choose a major and be an elegant student living in Ciudad Universitaria. Her professional life would begin at some top-tier company based in Santa Fe. From there, to the United States.

She didn't want to fail; she didn't want to be a disappointment to her parents. She took her history book and reviewed her lesson. When the clock struck 6:55, she left the house. She locked the door and walked to school, still reading her book.

Upon arriving, she closed the book and greeted her friends. She was secretly glad that Emily had also stayed up late, but she felt bad for being the only one who had nightmares. How embarrassing. But it was more embarrassing to have poor spelling, more embarrassing to have a bad grade, and above all, it was embarrassing to fall asleep in class.

Lucía heard the teacher say her name. She opened her eyes and realized she had fallen asleep.

"I apologize for waking you," the teacher whispered while the laughter of her classmates echoed in the background. "But today's class is important."

The teacher forced her to come to the front to answer some basic biology questions. She got eight out of ten correct. The adult continued to mock Lucía.

"This is what happens when you come to school to sleep," she commented while the laughter and jeering grew louder. "But who am I to criticize? You’re still growing, and getting enough sleep is important."

A few tears fell. The class continued, and during it, she received a note from Naomy: "The teacher is a bitch, just ignor her." Lucía threw the paper away. Her friend didn't give up and sent a second note: "Relax. it’s almost time for reces."

Classes ended, and she would have loved to go straight home to start her plans for the afternoon: studying history and biology, going to her english class, and reading a bit. Her father had given her a Victor Hugo book, and she had to start reading it. She hated those books her father gave her.

In a month, her father would surely ask her questions. If only she could watch one of the movies based on the book, everything would be easier. "Dad will know what to ask," the girl thought. "He’ll ask me something that isn't in any of those movies."