Her Father's Expectations by Chevel Grant (classic children's novels .TXT) 📕

Mendez and I are very proud. A lot of kids can now go to different community centers around their neighborhoods" I told her. "Is it true that you are here alone?" she asked. When did the topic change from talking about the charity to her lack of a date. "Yes, I am alone" I told her. "So where is Malik Conner?" she asked. "He should be arriving soon" I told her. "So why isn't he your date?" she pressed. "Uh..." I couldn't answer that question. "That is enough questions" Lorenzo told the news reporter. "Let's go in" Lorenzo ushered both Reina and Carly into the ball. They took their seats. "Will Demetrius be sitting with us?" Carly asked. "Yes" Lorenzo answered. Cybil and Demetrius came and sat opposite to Reina.
"This ball is in honor of Reina Cortes and Carly Mendez. A round of applause for them please" the MC said as the spotlight fell on our table. Even though the MC didn't say Cybil's name she stood when Reina and Carly did. They waved. "You sure know how to pick them" Lorenzo whispered to Demetrius. "Now shall we begin" the MC said. "This is rather fun, isn't it darling?" Cybil asked Demetrius. He didn't hear her because he was busy watching Reina. She was looking down at the table and he couldn't help but stare at her. She was so beautiful! Didn't she know? "Would you like to dance?" Lorenzo asked Carly. She nodded and took his hand. Demetrius got up but Cybil latched on to his arm. He gently pulled out of her grasp.
"Dance with me" he told Reina. She looked up at him as if he were mad. He smiled and gently pulled her to her feet. He led her to the dance floor. "W-why are doing this? What about Cybil?" she asked. "Right now I don't give a damn about Cybil. I am dancing with the most beautiful woman in the world" he smiled. "Don't say stuff you don't mean" Reina told him. He pulled away to look at her. "You don't know how beautiful you are, do you?" he asked. She shook her head. "You are, Reina" Demetrius told her. He led her out of the ball and around the back to the lawn. "Why are we here?" she asked him. He smiled and bent his head. She let him kiss her, oh how he had missed this mouth. "Why are you with Cybil?" Reina asked when he pulled away. "Let's not talk about her right now" Demetrius told her. He bent and kissed her neck. She tilted her head to give him more room. Before Reina knew it Demetrius was unzipping her dress and she didn't even care. It fell to the ground. "Muy linda!" he said in Spanish. "Demetrius" she sighed. "Shhh... Just think about here and now, you and me. Nothing else" he had told her as he had taken her. "You are perfect" Demetrius said as he dipped his head and kissed Reina.

She pulled on her dress and allowed him to zip her up before she walked away. Her eyes were stinging with unspilled tears. She was such a fool. Reina stopped at the ladies room before going back to the ball. As she was making sure her hair was back to it's neat condition Cybil walked in. "So how was he?" Cybil asked her. "I don't know what you mean" Reina replied. "I saw you two walk out of the ball" Cybil said as she applied lipstick. Reina was making her way to the door when Cybil said "He doesn't want you anymore". "What makes you think that?" Reina heard herself ask. "Because little girl, you are just a play thing. Demetrius has had his fun now just like the other toys he throws you away and the fact that he is marrying me" Cybil told her as she turned to look at her. "M-marry you?" Reina stuttered. Cybil smiled. "Of course! After he finds out I am pregnant with his child, he will do right by me and his unborn child by marrying me" Cybil told her. Reina just stood there dumbfounded. Who wouldn't be? "Well little girl. I have to go. My fiance awaits" Cybil winked as she walked pass Reina. All of Reina's hopes and dreams shattered to pieces. She looked at herself in the mirror and steeled herself not to say a word to Demetrius when she went back to the table.
"Ah! There she is! The lady of the hour" the MC said. The spotlight fell on Reina. "Come on up, Ms. Cortes. Come say a few words" he told her. Reina braved it out and went on stage. "Hi everyone. Don't worry I am not going to bore you with a long speech- Reina smiled at the audience and they laughed. "When I was about twelve a friend told me what it meant to be truly poor. At first I didn't believe him because I thought everyone was as privileged as I was, boy was I wrong! He told me about some families that didn't even know where there next dinner was going to come from and the hardships some children faced. I felt horrible about being privileged and not making use of some of the opportunities that came my way. It was then my best friend Carly Mendez and I started working with numerous charities when we turned sixteen. Never thought our little deed would become such a big thing but it did! I met a lot of wonderful people along the way and I will never forget any of them. We will make it our top priority that there are less children begging on the streets. Thank you. Enjoy your night everyone" I walked as I walked off stage.
Lorenzo congratulated me and Demetrius smiled but I pretended not to see it. It is working like a charm -Cybil thought to herself. Demetrius was hers and this little Spanish speaking bitched wasn't going to take him from her. A couple of minutes later, Reina asked Lorenzo to take her home. "I am sorry, sweetheart but the ball has barely even begun" Lorenzo told me. "I want to go home. Please Lorenzo" Reina begged. "Carly I will be right back" Lorenzo said as he got up. "I'll come" Carly offered. I shook my head. It wouldn't be fair to make Carly end her date so soon with Lorenzo after she had waited years to get one. She sat back down. "I will see you at home" Reina told Carly as she hugged her. Lorenzo wrapped his arm around his little sister and led her out of the ball. "What happened Reina? Why do you want to leave?" he asked as he blocked the paparazzi from taking anymore pictures of Reina. "I-I just don't feel in the mood, Lorenzo. I'm fine" I told him. He knew I was lying but he didn't push it. "Take her home, Walters" Lorenzo told the limo driver. Reina hugged her big brother and went into the limo.
A Big Surprise

When she got home, her father seemed surprised to see her there. "What happened? Why are you back so early?" he asked. "Didn't feel in the mood to stay" Reina told him as she slowed walked up the stairs. Gertrude was in her room packing away some clothes when she came in. "What happened, Reina? Why do you look so sad?" she asked. I shook my head. "I know you better than that, hija. What is wrong?" she asked. I fell onto my bed and pulled Sasha to my chest not caring that I was still wearing my gown. "When you are ready to talk you know where to find me" Gertrude said as she left. That's when the tears came. She got up and took off the gown. She pulled on one of her nighties. Maybe she would donate the gown to charity. She went back to bed and hugged Sasha who sensed that Reina was sad and licked her. Reina smiled down at the dog. Reina cried until she swore she didn't have any tears left. Carly came into the room after two in the morning and even then Reina was still crying. Her eyes were red and her nosy puffy. "What's wrong?" Carly asked as she rushed to sit beside Reina. Reina shook her head. "Liar" Carly smiled. "So... um... how did the rest of the ball go?" Reina asked. "It went well. Lorenzo told everyone that you weren't feeling well. As for Cybil and Demetrius well you already knew Cybil was self centered. She even wanted to go up and collect your award! How conceited can a person be?!" Carly asked. Reina smiled through her tears. "So what's wrong with you?" Carky asked her. "Nothing" I told her. "When you are ready to talk I'm here" Carly said as she came to bed. I clapped my hand and the lights were out.

"What?!" Demetrius shouted at Cybil. "It's yours" she continued. "We were careful, Cybil! How could you let this happen?!" Demetrius shouted. "I-I don't know" Cybil told him. "This is not good! What are we going to do?" Demetrius asked as he sat in one of the sofas. "Marry me" Cybil told him as she sat in his lap. "I can't let a child be born out of wedlock" Demetrius said obviously agreeing to Cybil's suggestion. He thought about Reina and how she would react. "This is perfect! A big wedding!" Cybil cooed. Demetrius sighed, his parents were going to kill him! And Reina was going to be heart broken.

Two days later every channel Reina put the television on they were talking about Cybil and Demetrius's wedding. She just hugged her teddybear, Mr. Bears, and cried. Her father had already been in her room telling her that he had told her this was how it was going to end and that Demetrius never wanted her. Adding insult to injury he had even called Malik to take her out but she refused. Carly had insisted on staying another night but Reina told her that she would be alright. Carly still called every hour to check up on her though. Lorenzo had visited her and told her it was Demetrius's loss anyway. Antonio and Gertrude came to console her, she had managed to smile even though her heart was breaking.

Three weeks later Reina woke up with a stomach ache. She started vomiting violently. She called Carly and she was over there immediately. "Reina?" Carly called when she came into the room. "In here" Reina said. She was still sitting beside the toilet when Carly found her. "What's wrong?" Carly asked. She dropped to her knees beside Reina. "I-I don't know. I think it's the flu" I told her. "Let's go to the doctor" Carly suggested. She waited until Reina got ready and drove her to the doctor's office. Reina's doctor was also the doctor to the rich and famous.
Reina pulled up her hoodie and put on sunglasses as she exited the car. She sat on the examining table while the doctor examined her. "Ms. Cortes, when