Chasing Red Dawn

Chapter 1

Cierra Ramirez casted as Calina. Enjoy! 😊

Just keep running. Those were the only words going through my head as I ran from the hacienda. All I could hear was my heart beating through my chest as my bare sore feet hit the hard dirt. I finally reached a paved road and shortly after saw a pair of bright headlights coming my way. I started to wave in front of it as the van pulled over.

The man rolled his window down and by his appearance I could tell he was american, "Puedo ayudarte? (Can I help you?)"

"Por favor Senior, adonde vas? (Please Mister, where are you headed?" I asked with hopeful eyes.

" A través de la frontera a Texas (Across the boarder to Texas)," he says pointing ahead.

"Por favor senior, let me ride with you," I asked with pleading eyes.

"Yo no se, Señorita. (I don't know Miss) I am kinda in a time crunch and I don't know you so.." He says as he trails off in English. I could tell by his tone he was trying to say no in a polite way.

"Yo tengo dinero, (I have money)," I say quickly as I take some cash out of my back pocket.

"Senior Por favor, this is all of the money I have," I plead to the man as I held out my money with shaky hands. The man pursed his lips as he looked down at the money. I could see he was debating whether or not he should take me up on my offer. With a heavy sigh the man nodded his head and directed me to the back of the van.

"Gracias Senior, (thank you Mister),"I choked out holding in my sob as I hopped in and he closed the back of the van. I let out a heavy breath as the van began to move. I look out the window for a moment, trying to remember every detail of my home. I would miss Mexico City and I would not be back. I finally let the tears run down my cheek as I began to sob thinking about how I would never get to see my home again.

I swiped the tears from my face. I had to leave. Mexico is not safe anymore. I needed to get away. Far away, from him. To a place where he cannot find me and this was the only way. In America, I might have a chance at a normal life. That thought alone was the only thing keeping me going as I ventured off into the foreign land, chasing the red dawn.

2 years later

"Calina! What are you doing in there?! You are going to be late for your interview!" My roommate Rebecca yells from the kitchen.

"I know, I know. Can you stop acting like my mother?!" I huff in annoyance as I slide on my five inch heels to complete my look.

"Well don't blame me if you end up blowing the whole thing just because you are late. Do you know how hard it was for me to pull strings for you to get an interview at my job?" Rebecca says as she waves her arms around in exhaustion.

"Orale, Orale vamanos,(Okay, okay lets go),"
I said as I walk towards her to the door.

"Calina, you know I don't understand you when you speak Spanish," She protests as she follows me out the door.

"Oh, Lo sien- I mean I'm sorry. It's hard to get used to speaking English all the time," I say looking down at my shoes. I then feel her wrap her arm over my shoulder.

"Hey, its not your fault I took French in High School and College, but, enough about that lets get you to your interview!" She says with excitement brewing in her eyes. I gave her a small smile trying not to dampen her mood as my mind briefly drifts off to the past. Rebecca didn't know about my past and I wanted it to stay that way.

We walked out of the apartment complex and hailed cab. It took us a total of 15 minutes to get to the building. The words Moretti Enterprise's stared back at me in big bold letters. I couldn't believe it when Rebecca told me she was able to land me an interview with the boss himself as his personal assistant. Luckily she was good friends with his secretary and opened up an appointment with me to meet with him.