Malena's P.O.V.

After my little disagreement with my mom, I stayed in my room until my father came home. When he knocks on the door, I already knew that my mom told him what had happened earlier. So, the soft knock on the door does not surprise me.

"Come in." Sitting up against the headboard when I see him walking in with a smile.

"Princesa. Did I wake you?" 

Giving him a small smile, I say. "No papi. I was not sleeping."

Nodding, he lowers himself on the mattress on the side of me. "How was your trip?"

"Fine. How was work?"

"Fine. How is Ryan?"

"Fine. How are you?"

"Fine..." Smirking at our little game. I know he is going to say more knowing he spoke to my mother before heading up here to see me.

"Just tell me what mami told you so we can get on with it." Sighing at the staring contest we were both about to have if no one spoke first.

With a heavy sigh, he takes my hand in his. "Yes, she told me what happened and how you reacted."

"Can you blame me papi? She went behind my back and invited them... him from all people. Knowing full well that I most likely will be seeing him in the reunion -- which of course I could ignore him there -- but him here? In our house? Is she trying to set me back a few years?"

With another sigh he responds. "You know mami is not trying to be malicious by inviting them. We discussed it and I agreed with her that it is time Malena. It is time. You have been holding on to so much for the past ten years and I really do not blame you. You know how I wish that I could have taken your pain away. When I found out that those pendejos were making your life miserable, I was ready to go to that school and kick all of their sorry asses."

I could not help but smile. My father, Hector Rodriguez was a very calm and reasonable man. I had never seen him raise his voice or stay angry for too long. But the day that he found out what was done to me, another side of him surfaced. He was going to storm the school, kick ass and then take names after. He was so enraged that he threatened to press charges but like a scared coward, I begged him not to. All I wanted to do was finish school and move away from my tormentors.

"There is nothing in this world I would not do for you Lena," He continues noticing his eyes starting to mist." You are my first born, the reason why I changed my ways. I was not the best man back then and I regret the way I treated your mother in the beginning of our relationship. I did not deserve her and especially you. But the second I held you in my arms after you were born, my heart grew a hundred times bigger, and my mentality changed for the better. You, mija and your mami of course changed me and I am the man I am because of it. People make mistakes Lena and if you do not learn to forgive fully, then they have a hold on you for the rest of your life. You will be a prisoner. I am not saying to forget what happened, you need to heal from that also, but forgiveness is the biggest gift you can give yourself mija. Please, think about it."

Chewing on my bottom lip, I start to think about it and a smidge of self-doubt crosses my mind. The sight of a broken girl who wanted to die after what was done has been hard to wipe off my mind.

"I know that look mija and do not. You are strong. You always have been like your mom and me. But after your nervous breakdown, I realized just how strong you were trying to be to keep it together for us. The guilt we both felt for not getting you the help you needed even when you refused it." Seeing a tear roll down my father's eye broke me.

"Papi, do not cry. Please do not. I decided to move on without help. I thought if I moved away, I could forget. It killed me to see you and mami look at me with pitiful hurtful eyes. I did not want to be a reminder of what happened to me. It was not your fault."

"It was Lena. We should have known something was wrong. We should have seen it. We should have protected you. Mi princesa. You held so much in by yourself." His voice cracks and all I could do is wrap my arms around my father. No matter how strong he is on the outside, he is the biggest pile of mush in the inside.

"I know how long it took you to recover and change your outlook in life. After all of that, I knew you were becoming the confident, vibrant and hard ass daughter that we always had, and it was because of our Faith. We are so proud of you Lena. We love you so much. So please, do not be upset at mami. She would move heaven and earth to help you and your siblings in anything to keep you happy. It broke her when everything came out and you know she was and always will be your biggest cheerleader. We just want you to get past this last obstacle. You are not alone. We will be right there with you."

Tears roll down my eyes now from what my father is saying. He is right. He and mom have always been there through the good the bad and the ugly. I know she means well, and I do owe it to myself to face the past no matter how hard it will be after. So, putting my imaginary big girl panties on, I take a deep breath. "Ok, papi. It really is time."

Smiling, he cups his hands over my cheeks. "That is my girl. No matter what happens, we are right behind you. You do not need to worry about anything." Kissing both my cheeks then patting them softly.

Getting up, he says. "Vamos. Mami made dinner and I know you miss her cooking."

"I will be right down."

Nodding, he turns to leave until I say. "Papi, thank you."

Winking he says, "Anything for you princesa." Then turns and leaves the room.

I sit on the bed for a few more minutes. My dad would do anything for me, and I am so thankful to have him. I am a daddy's girl no matter how old I am. 

Letting out a long breath, I get up and head towards the bathroom to wash up a little. I need to go talk to mom. I know she means well and the news she gave me took me by surprise. Not a good one but I suppose it was inevitable. I just pray that I have the strength to face the people who made my life a living hell all those years ago.

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Creed's P.O.V

Friday comes and goes spending it with my mom running errands. I really miss her, and I love the way she spoils me when I am home. Cannot say the same for my siblings who think I am a spoiled brat even at my age. Does not matter anyways since I am the oldest and I will always be spoiled by our mom. It is great being treated normally when home and I love catching up with all of them.

I even ran into a few old classmates while out and about. They asked me to meet them at a local bar to catch up that night. I cannot believe how they somewhat stayed the same. You would think that after ten years they would grow up and become adults.

"So, Creed, remember Malena Rodriguez? The nerd we used to play pranks on?" Matt chirps in laughing. We have been sitting down in a corner booth drinking beers at Hooligan's. We were reminiscing of our high school years and classmates.

"Yeah, we played a few good ones on her, especially on prom night." Josh joins in causing Matt to widen his eyes at him as if telling him to shut up. It was not subtle.

"I remember Malena," Nodding as I take a pull from the beer. "You guys were ruthless with her. You know she did not deserve that. Right?" Emphasizing my disapproval though I feel like a hypocrite myself. Feeling horrible for the way my friends had treated her.

"Yeah, yeah, she might not of have but she did not stop it. So, she must have liked the attention. Especially after..." Steven trails off looking at Matt and Josh.

Finding the comment strange I look at all three of them one by one trying to figure out what they are talking about. Most of the pranks pulled they had told me about or heard from others around the school. It had not been just Malena they targeted but other kids also. The one on prom night though? This was the first time I hear about it.

"What did you guys do on prom?" Asking them while taking another pull from my beer still eyeing them since they were quiet.

"Ah, you know." Matt shrugs picking up his beer and drinking it. His eyes looking the other way but me.

"Yeah, it was nothing." Josh says picking up a chicken wing to eat.

Glancing over to Steven who back in high school was a close friend of mine, I ask again. "So, can you tell me what you guys did to her?"

Steven stares at me for a few seconds then shakes his head picking up his drink. "Nothing big. We just told her that some guy liked her and that he wanted to talk to her outside the venue that the prom was held." Telling me nonchalantly with a shrug.

Staring at Steven for a while my attention goes to the other two suspiciously. I know that he, they, are lying. What were they hiding that they could not even look me in the eye?

"So, did she show up," Asking calmly. "Did the guy?"

Matt clears his throat and sits up straight in his seat. "She did and he did. He pretended he liked her and told her to meet him later on that night."

"...and? Did he?" Asking him again slowly getting irritated by their vague answers.

"He did not as a matter of fact." Josh replies. Okay, not helping.

"That was the prank. Get a guy to go up to her, flirt and charm her and then pretend she did not exist. The funny part was that she saw the guy making out with another girl later on." Steven tells me and it just does not sound right to me.

"So that was it? The prank? To have some random guy go up to her pretending to like her and then ghost her? What was the point of it?" 

"The point was to humiliate her. She thought the guy liked her and it was probably the only guy that had ever showed interest in her. So, make her think he wanted her and then pull her fantasy from under her." Matt says like it makes sense. Are they serious?

Did I really call these three so called men in front of me friends in high school? Was I that naive back then?

"Hmm..." Humming I finish my beer then set the empty bottle down. Sighing deeply, I stand up taking out my wallet. Pulling out a fifty-dollar bill I throw it on the table.

"It was nice catching up. It really is getting late, and we have a long day tomorrow. I will see you in the morning." Telling them with a nod. I need to walk away from them, and I do shaking my head in disbelief.

Once outside the cool breeze helps calm my nerves. What was wrong with them? How could they have done that to Malena? As far as I knew, she never did anything to them. She did not seem like she would hurt anyone like the way they hurt her. Why her though? Why any of the kids they had targeted? They did not deserve it. I knew from experience. Been picked on and targeted these years especially as the QB of the L.A. Angels. All the judgement and critiques I get because of my career. People tore me apart in the beginning and I still get it through social media. Whether I am doing well or not I hear and read the cruel comments. I act like it does not bother me but after a while it beats me down. People are just heartless and I am totally ashamed that I never really stood up for them, especially Malena.

"I am so stupid..." Grunting when getting inside my car.

Starting it, I just sit there thinking about what they told me. The prank. It does make sense. It just sounded mediocre to me especially coming from them three. They would have done much more than to have a random guy pretend to like her then ignore her. There had to be more to the story. But what? What were they hiding?

"Guess I am just going to have to hear it straight from the horse's mouth." Saying aloud as I pull out of the parking spot to head back to my parents' house.

Saturday is going to be a long day.