Ariel in New York

I’ve been in the city my whole life. Yeah the typical New Yorker you see on social media etcetera etcetera.  But with a bit of a catch. You see, I’m not allowed outside of Manhattan. My family is from Washington Heights, my school is here, my home, and all basic things like stores, doctors, dentists, and everything in between. But I live in New York City, what is the point of living in such a big city to only be limited to one borough. I have 6 older brothers, I’m pretty much the princess of the family being the youngest and the only girl. Yet every princess has her problems, being the only girl it’s like they walk on eggshells around me and do everything in their power to “protect” me, but to me those are just useless rules that only seem to me. How am I supposed to grow up and be my own person if my older brothers are always around, never allowed anywhere but school, not having a life outside of this family. 

My mother died when I was 4, I don’t remember her very well since I was so young, but as far as I know she just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time… in Queens. Yeah I guess that left a mark on the lot of them. Ever since then its just been rules and restrictions all around, but my 16th is coming up, and I have big plans. 

The agreement we came up with is that when I turn 16 I could explore the other boroughs with a curfew. But explore only? No, I’m finding my own way.  I went to a psychic last week, the neighborhood bruja as everyone calls her. I went looking for guidance, looking for what the city will finally offer me. 

“Great fortune awaits you mi niña, but you have to break the chains that keep you.” she said.

“Fortune? Like money?” I asked.

“Fortune as in whatever you desire most.” 

“But I do not know what it is that I truly desire doña.”

“You’ll know by your 16th birthday.”

All I have ever wanted is freedom, liberty and to be my own person, and I will get it. I packed my bag that same night. I was running away.I have a friend down in brooklyn I could stay with and she said she had a job lined up for me. I put the bag under the bed and pretend to be asleep for when my father would come to check on me. After I heard this door shut, I quickly snuck down the fire escape and hopped on the 1 train. I texted my friend to let her know I was on my way and just put on my tunes as the stops progressed. 

40 minutes later I was at the stop. I got to my friend’s place and she set me up on an air mattress in her room. In the morning I had to stay in the room since her parents didn’t know I was there. After they headed out for work my friend got me breakfast and we set out to the job. 

It was down an alleyway… not exactly what I had signed up for. It was a strange man at the end of the alleyway. He was big, tall, wide, tatted, and he was bald. He looked like a sergeant and definitely scared the absolute crap outta me. 

He looked at me up and down, took my hand and made me do a twirl, no exchange of words though. He nodded and took my hand while my friend took off. I don’t know to where. 

“You’re pretty and perky but could do with a little makeup,”  he said.

I just stared, had no words, honestly I began to tremble, this is not what I meant by a job, I would’ve done with a cleaning job or retail, what the actual hell did she get me into. 

“Don’t look so scared pretty, we gonna treat you real good while you’re here, Milah gonna take you.”

A tall, leane, blonde woman walked up to me. She was very pretty, her blonde curls cradled her face so nicely and her eyes were icey blue. She smiled as she took my hand, and we went into another room. In the room there were at least 7 other women and girls, some looked just about my age, the rest were grown. 

Milah sat me down and started to do my makeup. “Some blush, a little gloss and some highlight just to make you look a little older pretty girl.” 

She took out a purple lingerie set and a green skirt, and told me to change into it. It hugged my body nicely, I definitely looked at least 5 years older. 

A red wig was waiting on the table when I came back out. I put it on and looked in the mirror. Damn if dad could see his little princess now.