Chapter Text
It was late in the afternoon when Daniela finished cheer dance practice. Sweat still clung to her skin as she walked out of the gym with Manon and Megan, the three of them already talking about the night ahead.
They were on their way to Manon's house to hang out, eat, and get ready before going out.
Manon slid into the driver's seat and pointed at the two of them dramatically. “You girls better eat and rest,” she said. “Because tonight we're making the most of it. Nobody sleeps until the sun comes up.”
Megan jumped into the backseat and let out an excited shriek. “We deserve this so much! Especially after those exams. I swear my head is still pulsating.” She pressed her hands to her forehead and made an exaggerated frown.
Daniela rolled her eyes but smiled as she settled into the passenger seat.
“Also,” she added casually, “we’re celebrating me finally dumping that piece of shit who had the audacity to cheat on me. Why do people even do that?” Dani stated with a confused face.
Manon immediately reached over and squeezed her shoulder.
“That’s because people like him are sick,” she said firmly. “And their mama probably never loved them.”
Megan leaned forward between the seats, her eyes sparkling.
“You know what?” she announced. “Drinks are on me tonight. Getting rid of that jerk is one of your greatest accomplishments, Dani. I want to celebrate it properly.”
Daniela laughed softly as Megan started describing how they were going to spend her parents’ credit card and make the night unforgettable.
Deep down, Daniela knew she deserved it.
School had been brutal lately—exams, deadlines, endless studying. And the idea of partying without the guy who used to hover over her shoulder and tell her she danced “like she wanted men's attention” felt like freedom.
Daniela had always been loud, fierce, and bold.
She's disgusted how Jonah treated her for it.
The cheating was simply the last straw.
That morning, when she caught him kissing another girl behind the campus café, Daniela didn't even hesitate. She threw her metal flask straight at his head.
Jonah cursed and staggered back, clutching his temple.
The small flash of pain on his face gave Daniela a small satisfaction in her chest.
So she kicked him in the balls.
When he collapsed to the ground, she stepped forward and drove the heel of her shoe into his stomach.
Then she leaned down just enough for him to hear her.
“Ni siquiera sabías hacerlo bien en la cama.”
You didn’t even know how to do it well in bed.
She stepped over him and walked away without looking back.
Behind her, Jonah tried to shout, his voice strained with pain.
“You're crazy!”
Daniela could not care less for him anymore.
Instead, she walked straight to school.
By the time Daniela arrived at her first class, she had already forgotten about Jonah.
Academics had always been the easy part of her life. She liked the quiet superiority of seeing her name on one of the top students' lists. It made her realise how she has the brain, body, and beauty.
After classes, she went straight to cheer practice. Music blasted through the gym as they ran through routines again and again until everyone was breathless and sweaty.
During a short break, Daniela casually mentioned what had happened earlier.
The reaction from her friends was immediate.
“You did what?” Megan gasped, her eyes wide with delighted horror.
“You kicked him?” Manon asked.
“In the balls?” Megan added.
Daniela simply shrugged.
“He deserved it.”
That was when the idea of celebrating the end of exams—and the end of Jonah—was created.
And that was how they ended up at Manon's house hours later, getting ready for the night.
The evening passed in a comfortable blur. They ate, rested, and slowly transformed the exhaustion of the week into excitement.
Daniela finally stood in front of the mirror, she studied her reflection carefully.
Daniela liked looking beautiful.
Not the soft kind of beauty people admired from afar, but the kind that made people pause for a second too long. The kind that intimidates the people around her.
Behind her, Manon leaned against the doorway and looked her up and down.
“Girl,” she said, shaking her head. “You look like that and someone still cheats on you? Nothing in this world makes sense.”
Daniela laughed under her breath.
Megan was already fixing her bag near the door.
“Are we all ready?” she asked impatiently. “What are we waiting for?”
And just like that, the three of them headed to their favorite nightclub in town.
The Blue Box.
The moment they stepped inside, deep blue and green lights washed over the crowded space. The bass from the speakers vibrated through the floor, pulsing through the air like a second heartbeat.
The place was already alive.
They made their way to their usual table, ordered drinks, and started the night with a few shots.
Soon enough, the alcohol loosened Daniela's shoulders and warmed her chest.
She stood up and decided that the dance floor was her next stop.
As she stepped into the center of the crowd, the music wrapped around her instantly. The bass vibrated through her body as she moved with the rhythm, her hips swaying, shoulders rolling naturally with the beat.
Daniela loved dancing.
It made her feel lighter, freer.
People around her noticed quickly. Some watched with admiration, others tried to match her energy, but Daniela barely paid attention.
She simply moved.
Manon and Megan soon joined her, the three of them forming their own little circle in the middle of the crowd.
For a while, everything felt perfect.
Until Daniela's eyes drifted toward the bar.
And she saw him.
Jonah.
He was leaning lazily against the counter, a smug smile on his face. A different girl clung to his arm, her head resting against his shoulder.
The sight made Daniela's stomach twist.
One of the many things that Daniela hates are cocky people, sure she liked Jonah's confidence before, but seeing him smirking as if he was not wincing in pain earlier, as if the world is created to please him.
It made Daniela's blood boil.
Manon noticed immediately.
She followed Daniela's gaze and quickly grabbed her hand.
“Hey,” Manon said carefully. “He's not worth it.”
She knew Daniela too well.
She wasn't trying to protect Daniela from heartbreak.
She was trying to protect everyone else from Daniela.
Daniela could be the sweetest friend in the world.
But when she gets angry… someone always pays the price.
For the long time they had known each other there was only one instance that she got to stop Daniela when she is like this. An instance that includes Manon fainting from the heat and stress of the environment. Right now, she thinks fainting might still work.
Daniela pulled her hand away.
Her eyes never left Jonah.
Then she started walking toward him.
Jonah noticed her coming.
The moment his eyes landed on Daniela, the smug grin on his face only widened. He shifted slightly on his seat, turning toward her as if he had been waiting for this moment.
“Stop smiling,” Daniela said as soon as she was close enough.
Manon and Megan hovered a few steps behind her.
The girl sitting beside Jonah tilted her head, confused by the sudden tension.
Jonah chuckled softly.
“Why, baby?” he said lazily. “Didn't you used to like it when I smiled like this? When I used to fuck you like I did?”
The slap came before anyone could react.
The sound echoed sharply over the music.
Jonah's head snapped to the side, his face frozen in shock as the alcohol in his system seemed to evaporate instantly.
“You bitch!” Daniela spat.
He shot up from his seat, anger flashing in his eyes. But before he could grab Daniela, the girl beside him shoved her hard.
Daniela stumbled for half a second before grabbing a fistful of the girl's hair and yanking it down.
The girl screamed and immediately grabbed Daniela's hair in return.
Jonah grabbed Daniela's forearm, his fingers digging painfully into her skin.
She winced—but the anger burning in her chest drowned out the pain.
Megan immediately hits him with her purse multiple times, aiming at his head. "Get your filthy hands off of her, you jerk!" Megan says before screaming like crazy with her eyes wide and scary.
Manon, meanwhile, looked completely horrified.
This was not how she imagined their night ending.
Still, she rushed forward and tried to pry the other girl's hands away from Daniela's hair.
The moment the girl lost her grip, Jonah suddenly lost his balance under Megan's relentless assault and fell backward.
He hit the floor with a grunt.
Daniela went down with him, but instead of panicking, she immediately took advantage of the position.
She straddled him and drove her fist straight into his left eye.
The punch landed hard.
Daniela knew Jonah was stronger than her. If he recovered fast enough, he could easily throw her off.
So she didn't give him the chance.
Her next punch struck his throat.
Then another hit his lip.
She saw the faint smear of blood and felt something dark and satisfying bloom in her chest.
She also felt two strong hands grab her from behind and lifted her off Jonah.
Security.
Megan's screaming earlier had already alerted the staff, and the nightclub owner had called the police before the fight could get worse.
Within minutes, the five of them were escorted out of the club before they even got drunk
—
The cold metal bench inside the holding cell was uncomfortable.
Manon hadn't said a single word to Daniela since they were taken to the station.
Guilt slowly crept into Daniela's chest as she watched the officers escort her friends inside with her.
She scooted closer to Manon.
“I'm sorry, Manon,” Daniela murmured softly.
She rested her head on her friend's shoulder.
“I really didn't want you guys to get in trouble because of me. I wasn't thinking clearly. I'm so sorry… please don't be mad at me.”
Manon sighed.
She held onto her frustration for a moment before finally giving in.
“It's not because we got taken in by the police,” she said. “If you're in trouble, we'll be in trouble too. We'll always back you up, Dani.”
“That's right,” Megan added immediately. “We've always got your back.”
Manon looked directly at Daniela now.
“It's just that… I know you have anger issues. And once you start getting mad, it's really hard to stop you.”
Her expression softened slightly.
“And it's dangerous. In a worst case scenario, a guy like Jonah could seriously hurt you. Or hurt all of us.”
Daniela listened quietly.
“I care about you,” Manon continued. “And we're not always going to be there when you lose your temper. I just want you to worry about yourself too.”
Warmth slowly spread through Daniela's chest.
“I understand,” she said softly. “I'll try to control it better.”
Manon pulled her into a hug.
Megan immediately wrapped her arms around both of them.
“Seriously,” Megan added, “if you ever feel like punching someone again, call us first. Safety measures.”
Daniela laughed quietly.
“I will. I promise.”
She looked at both of them with a small smile.
“I love you guys.”
—
They hadn't even spent a full hour inside the station when a police officer came to escort them out.
Daniela already knew what that meant.
Her mother.
The moment they stepped into the lobby, she saw her.
“Mija!” Ana cried out, rushing forward and pulling Daniela into a tight hug.
“Dios mío, you had me worried sick!”
Then, just as quickly, Ana pulled back and began lightly smacking Daniela's arm.
“But that does NOT mean I'm not mad!” she scolded. “What were you thinking?”
“Aw, mami, I'm sorry,” Daniela pleaded immediately.
Ana still looked furious as she ushered Daniela and her friends toward her car.
“You girls get in,” she said firmly. “I have a lot to discuss with you, mija.”
The drive was quiet except for Ana's voice.
“This is the third time, Daniela,” she said, glancing between the road and her daughter. “This is… This is reckless behavior. You need to learn your lesson.”
“Mami, I promise it's the last time,” Daniela begged.
“You said that before.”
“Mamiii…”
Ana suddenly spoke in a tone Daniela knew very well.
“Daniela Andrea Avanzini Llorente.”
*Shit I better stay quiet* Daniela thought
“Your apartment,” Ana continued calmly, “we will no longer be paying for your rent.”
Daniela's head snapped toward her.
“What? Then where am I supposed to stay?”
"I have a friend, her daughter is your classmate, nice girl. You will stay with her and you will behave until the end of this year. If everything goes smoothly, you can choose whatever apartment you want" Ana says
Daniela looked at her friends, checking if they're hearing what she's hearing. Megan pointed at herself and mouthed "what did I do?".
Daniela almost laughed.
Daniela looks at her mom again, her parents are not always strict, she has been allowed to do mostly everything she wanted. On the rare moments they make a deal or demand something from her, their fist suddenly turns iron and they will never take no for an answer.
"But mami, I don't need a nanny" she tries to explain
"Then stop acting like a rogue woman, you're already twenty-two, mija"
"Can I know who this girl is, at least?", she knows she can't fight it anymore
Ana kept her eyes on the road.
For a moment, she didn’t answer.
The car was quiet except for the sound of traffic outside. Megan and Manon exchanged a curious glance in the backseat.
Daniela frowned. “Mami?”
Ana finally spoke.
“You know her.”
Daniela blinked.
“What?”
Ana slowed the car at the next intersection.
“I told you, she's your classmate,” she said calmly.
Daniela searched her memory, trying to think of who her mother could possibly mean.
Ana turned the wheel and finished the sentence.
“Sophia Laforteza.”