Free Quince Clash by Malín Alegría Page A

eating to see what was going on.
    Grandma Trini smiled with a pained expression and pulled Fabi down into the chair next to her. The crowd lost interest and went back to socializing. “Who stuck a burr under your saddle?” Trini asked curtly. “This show is called Quince Dreams , not Quince Malcriada . We do all this for you and then we get yelled at like children.”
    Fabi was not going to let her grandmother bulldoze her into feeling guilty about something she didn’t even do. Not now, when what she really needed were answers.
    â€œFine. I will not act like a brat. But you guys need to tell me what’s really going on here. Why did Grace Cooper just give me a stack of release forms for when I get sick? And why does she keep saying that I’m a brave girl? What exactly did you guys say in that application?”
    Grandma Trini and Alexis shared a glance. Then they both blushed as if caught in a lie. The hairs on Fabi’s arms shot up. Was this all a lie?
    â€œI want to see the letter you guys wrote,” she said.
    Alexis sighed. “Oh, what does it matter what we said? The important thing is that it’s happening. In just two weeks you are going to have the biggest, coolest quinceañera in the Valley. People will be talking about it for years!”
    Now Fabi knew she had reason to be really worried. “The letter!” she demanded, holding out her hand.
    Alexis turned to Grandma Trini, who frowned as she reached into her bosom and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “It’s only the rough draft,” she said. “I kept it as a memento.”
    Fabi reached for it. But her grandmother wouldn’t let it go. They tugged back and forth for a minute until Grandma Trini finally surrendered. “Fine. But we only did it because we love you. And we wanted you to have the quinceañera you deserve.”
    Fabi didn’t want to hear the excuses. She wanted the facts. What exactly had her family gotten her into? Her hands started to shake as she unfolded the letter that was stained with Jean Naté perfume. Fabi bit her lower lip as she read. She noticed her sister’s small handwriting.
    Dear Quince Dreams ,
    My name is Fabiola Garza. I am fifteen years old and my dream is to have a quinceañera.
    Okay , she thought. This doesn’t sound too bad. She continued to read.
    For my whole life, I’ve taken care of others. I care for my little sister and brother like a mother, because my parents work real hard and don’t have time. I care for my ailing grandmothers, who’re very sick and can’t take care of themselves. I take care of my cousin, who is a gang member and trying to get out of the thug life.
    Okay, so that’s stretching the truth a bit. But not horrible …
    But I have a secret that my family doesn’t know about. A secret that really scares me because I know that it will bring them much pain and difficulty. I am dying.
    â€œDying?!”
    Alexis and Grandma Trini squirmed under Fabi’s rage.
    â€œWe had to make it good!” Alexis cried.
    I have a rare disease that the doctors don’t know how to cure and they’ve only given me a month to live.
    Fabi dropped the letter. She couldn’t read any more. It disgusted her. How could they? How could they lie like that? But then the fog in her head cleared. The pieces fit into place. Grace’s comment, the legal documents — it all made sense now. Grace thought that she was dying, and she wanted to give Fabi her last dying wish.
    Her stomach knotted up and she balled her hands into tight fists. It was all a lie.
    â€œGuys!” she cried, beside herself. “How could you do this? This is … this is … I don’t know what this is, but it’s wrong — so wrong. I can’t believe you lied. Lied to Quince Dreams ! When they find out …”
    â€œHow are they going to find out?” Alexis said. Her voice was light and