Be With Me

Chapter 1

Rafaela finished packing her things and then took a final look at her room. She looked at the empty shelves at her bed and all the luxury inside her room for the last 18 years and a soft smile formed on her lips. Taking a long deep breath and sighing she then closed the door and descended the stairs to meet her parents. A new phase in her life was about to begin and though extremely happy about it, she also felt sorry for leaving her parents behind. She was their only daughter and always had been spoiled but Rafaela wanted her freedom, her independence despite all the love and gratitude she had for her progenitors.

"I'm all packed." She said stopping by the door of the living room where her parents were waiting. Her mother had tears in her eyes and she ran for her. "Oh Mom..." She said holding her close. "It's not like I am going to another country or another state! I'll be in the same town!"

"But this means you're growing up." Her mother admitted. Rafaela nodded knowingly. It must be hard for a parent to see their kid growing up, gaining wings.

"It's time to go." Rafaela said. She placed a kiss on her mother's cheek and then hugged her father. He tenderly wrapped his arms around her and kissed his daughter's cheek fiercely.

"If your grades come down, you come back home you hear me?" He said after and waving his index finger right in front of her nose. "You're moving out but we're still supporting you, so this means our rules remain." He warned. Her father was more protective and more demanding and maybe even more controlling but they have always gotten along very well.

"I could work dad." Rafaela argued. Truth was her father didn't want her to. She belonged to a wealthy family and, at least, until she was done with her studies, her parents were supporting her. Rafaela tried to work once but she was immediately forbidden to do so. College came first. It was important for her small family that she'd graduated and followed her dream. Rafaela was very talented and they knew she could do well in life.

"You don't have to. You have all the time in the world to work once you're done with college, until then it is our duty as your parents to support you." Rafaela smiled and kissed them both one more time, then they followed her until her brand new car, a present of her father when she got into college.

"Behave!" Her mother ordered and Rafaela simply nodded. Finally she was able to leave.

The sun was shinning and the day was warm. She opened the windows and blasted the radio and sang along. She was just happy, she was moving in with her best friend Kelly. Kelly and her have known each other since they were kids and dreamed of this moment for quite some time. Kelly was a year older, so she had been living alone for quite some time, but she needed a room mate and Rafaela saw her opportunity there. After a good half and hour driving, Rafaela parked the car in small parking lot in the building in El Cerrito, her new home was right there in front of her eyes. She got out of the car and smile, she was genuinely happy.

"Finally!" Kelly squealed when her friend knocked on the door. They hugged tightly and then jumped around in joy, after all they were still two kids. Kelly was 19 and Rafaela 18 years old.

"You know my parents..." Rafaela said.

"I never thought they'd let you come Rafi."

"They had too. You know I argued that your apartment was closer to the university and shit like that. Where's the beer?" She asked immediately and Kelly closed the door and ran to the fridge, bringing two cold beers. The girls toasted and then gulped a bit of the liquid.

"You have to meet my friends, and my boyfriend too." Kelly said enthusiastically. She had been telling her about that boy for a while but she still hadn't had the opportunity to meet him.