HOW TO MAKE DIAMONDS

1

Just so you know, when the text looks like this, is because they are speaking Portuguese but sometimes I'll drop so words in Portuguese.

***

Amber and Jade have this thing they do every week, a way of reconnecting and re-bonding after everything they've been through: Monday Movie Marathon.

Jade's therapist came up with the idea and name.

It's kinda self-explanatory; they sit down comfortably and watch a bunch of movies, sometimes TV shows, together and interact with each other. If they have heavy workloads they go for something stupid just as background noise, if they're having a good day then it's the favorites and when it's in between, so is their chosen one. With today being Monday, Jade went to her sister's new home right after classes ended.

While Ricky was busy doing whatever it was that Jade just didn't care enough to know, she was putting Professor Iglesias on as her sister grabbed the many many snacks they would be devouring.

"So, how was the first day? Any cute boys or bitchy students? Have you made friends yet? Oh-Oh! We could invite them over to Ricky's barbecue this Saturday! He's having his friends over so we can all properly meet them and all that. I promise I'll turn it into a Brazilian barbecue and not that poor excuse of burgers and plain hot dogs this country loves so much."

And that's when Jade realized she should have put Superstore on since Amber wouldn't shut up about unrealistic scenarios instead of paying attention to the wonderful Fluffy.

"Sis." Jade signed. "You know me. No friends. No boys. And if you promise me it will be Brazilian then I'll come to the barbecue- hell, I'll even help you cook."

"You need to open up and let people in! You also need to handle the deserts for me, you're way better at sweets than I am. Vovó made sure to teach me all she knew but you know she was never a fan of sugar." Amber said as she ripped open a pack of gummy bears. "Also, I've been craving sacolés, can we make them later?"

Her baby will have cavities before even having teeth.

"Look, I'm comfortable with the friends I have. I don't need more. I don't need this town's judgment nor their pity. I'm just going to finish this school year, get into NYU, and get out so why should I care about creating relationships or whatever?"

It was always the same argument. Jade is the closed-off sister with severe trust issues and Amber is the social butterfly with a lot of friends and happy moments. They reacted differently to the issues and traumas life threw at them, especially because they were always living it through different shoes.

"Well half your family lives here now, so I would appreciate it if you decided to try and be nice."

"Well, I'm sorry if I'm just not up to playing pretend in your perfect fairytale life. Someone needs to live in the real world."

"Right! So just because I make better choices that don't end up with someone going to jail, that means I live in a fucking fairytale?"

That was a low blow.

Amber was quick to realize the angry tears trying to get to Jade's eyes. Her face was all red and if looks could kill... "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! That was way out of line. I didn't mean it. I'm just so exhausted, my hormones are all over the place and vovó called today so I spent two hours being judged by that old woman and her backhanded compliments - which is no excuse, I shouldn't have said that."

Jade just swallowed her emotions and nodded, picking up a bag of potato chips and giving her full attention to the show.

It's hard. They have a long way to go. Amber had to become a parent to Jade way too soon and that's a lot of pressure to put on someone as young as her. First, their father left, completely out of nowhere when Jade was 8; then you have all their mom's many boyfriends who would win them over just to break up with their mom and vanish too without a second glance; then their mother found thee one when Jade was 14 and just up moved, got engaged, married - but her daughters weren't even invited to the wedding - and is now traveling the world or something. Who knows?! Well, not her kids.

Amber and aunt Maya is all Jade has left. Her family in Brazil and her friends in New York are too far away right now.

A couple of episodes later the living room door is roughly opened with Ricky and another guy belting out the lyrics to The Fall Of Jake Paul. The two grown men were highly involved in the diss created by teenager YouTubers.

"Shit. Hi. I didn't know they were gonna be here." Ricky said with wide eyes that ran through his fiance, Jade, and his friend.

"You know you found the whitest gringo to date right?"

"Stop it! You like him and we all know that. Besides, I'm as white as mom."

"Well, yeah I do like him but it might be only because of his tattoos. I'm still figuring that out." And then it hit her. "Oh my God! Who's gonna handle the grill? He's going to ruin the meats!"

"About that... I'm pregnant and I love you so much, you're such a great sister!"

Jade scoffed. Of course, it was going to be her.

"Alright... I don't know what's going on but hey babe, and hi Jade. Great to see you. This is Chase. I was talking to your sister and she told me you like to watch the races so this is a perfect coincidence. Chase here is going to one on Friday."

Ricky pushed Chase forward after rushing his words out and went to his Fiancee to kiss her and sit by her side so they could be all cuddled up on the couch.

"Sup."

That was enough for the young girl to roll her eyes.

"Ok, I'm going home. Text me the address later. Love you, sis. Bye manchild." And with that, she made her to her beloved motorcycle.