Chapter 14 Valentina

• Valentina
• I pause outside of Abuela’s home and stare up at it, feeling lost. I’ve never been an impulsive person. Every single thing I do is well thought out. My steps are measured and calculated. For as long as I can remember, I’ve played the long game.
• Even when I was younger, I never dreamed too big. The one time I did, reality quickly came calling, reminding me that people like me don’t get to have carefree college years filled with fun and parties. When I close my eyes, I can still see my mother’s expression as she told me that she and Abuela had started eating more canned foods than before, because the loss of my part-time income was too hard to bear.