Rule 8

“Family is forever and family doesn’t hurt one another. Everyone has kindness inside of them, even your father. Me and your father were completely different people, then we fell in love and then you came along. When I get back from Work in Paris I'm going to take you to Mexico to visit family.”

That was the last time my family had any glimpse of happiness. My mother has been gone for 8 years. Richard Blackbird is my father, ever since my mom passed he has been resenting me. My mom says my dad couldn’t stop being around me when I was born, but he hasn’t been able to look at me because I look like my mother.

My mother named me Rosalía because it was a sign of gracefulness. My father’s family is an old Italian family and our family has a net worth of Centillion dollars. Richard (my father) has a set of rules that he makes me follow. Number one if you spend money you better repay how much you spent, number two you must have guards wherever you go, number three never trust anyone, number four don’t go past curfew, number five don’t change the schedule that he has set, number six never bother him when he is at work, number seven no friends over without his knowledge.

When I was little my mother used to take me to art galas with her. She bought me a little black notebook after one art gala we went to for me to sketch my creativity in. My mother said “one day your drawings and paintings are gonna be in galas all over the world just like me mi flor”(my flower). But I just didn't have the courage to share my paintings and drawings with anyone since mom passed. Everyone handled moms passing differently; dad got more distant and angry. Me, well painting and drawing and ballet kept me going even through the grief.

When I'm floating through the air and my feet can’t touch the ground, the grief stays to the ground where everyone else is. I feel like my body is flying into memories of childhood and I never want to touch the ground. Twirling like lightning speed while closing my eyes I see flashes of my mom and her laughing. When I'm caught in the air so tightly it's like my dad is catching me from jumping out of the tree. Leaping over and over again on stage it's like I'm jumping in rain puddles without worry, then I stop.When the music is done and open my eyes those happy flashes of memories are not reality….. And I can't hear my mother anymore.

Usually after practice I bust through the doors to see the security team waiting outside for me and I did and Gordon and Sheldon. Gordon and Sheldon, are my fathers personal security and that can only mean one thing.

Gordon opens the car door while Sheldon takes my ballet duffle bag.

“Hello father” saying with little displeasure.

“You sound so displeased to see me” father says with a stern voice.

“Well father you usually tell me in advance when you're coming back home and I have plans with friends” I say with a snappiness in my voice.

“Well you know the rules, il mio fiore delicato (my delicate flower)” said my father with a slight smug on his face .

He only calls me that because I dance like a flower flowing in the wind and I move people through my dancing. My mother called me “rosa” or “lía” because of my name Rosalía and the way she said it was so satisfying off the tongue and I loved it when she called me because of the way she said it.

“Papà technically I wasn’t breaking any rules because rule seven says no bringing friends over, and I'm not. I’m just going to dinner with friends from the Academy and I was going to tell you about it but I shouldn't have to since I'm almost 20 years old, I'm practically an adult” I say with a beaming smile.

“Your bank account spendings say otherwise and any plans you have are canceled we're going on a business trip, see why I have rule number five” father says with barbaric news.

“You just got back from one and I hate going on business trips with you papà and I'm not even packed to wherever we're going. Everytime I go with you to your business trip meetings there in a boring city or state or country. I am not able to go anywhere without you checking up on me like a child!” I said with irritation in my voice.

“Watch your tone with me Rosa. Luckily this one isn’t, we are going to Paris the only place you can have as much free space and shopping as you want. Only four guards are going with you, but I won't check up on you unless you slip away from the bodyguards or don’t come back home. You can pack when we go home our flight does not leave for another 4 hours” father says.

He is right, I love Paris so many places I love to go to. Also I can see him loosening his grip on me and letting me finally do whatever I want kind of. I only stay with him and tolerate his ridiculous rules because he pays for ballet fees and pays for me to go to the most prestigious ballet school in the world.

“Urghhhh fine whatever you say father you have convinced me enough for me to go” I say while rolling my eyes.

“I’m glad because it was not up for debate. Besides Paris, you love everything about it ” he says.

We landed in Pairs and I was very impatient to get off the plane. Dad had business as usual so he told me to go without him. When I got into the car. I rushed to get dressed in the back seat as Sheldon sped through traffic to get to the gala on time. Then I finally arrived at the gala. On my way into the building this beautiful creature appeared before me and the world moved beneath my feet!.

“Where are my manners?. My name is Jackson Grey pleasure to meet you” He says with confidence.

“Rosalía Blackbird” I responded.

Nooo, he can’t be a Grey! Out of the guys i've met he’s the only one that can move me the way he did, but then again when have I ever completely followed the rules.

We connected easily at the gala that we decided to spend time together for the duration of my vacation.

After our chance meeting we had a world-wind week of fun, laughing, dancing, brunches and becoming smitten with one another.

It's the most excited I’ve been since I got the lead in the nutcracker.

One week later, Back in Italy

The music starts playing.

I leapt into the air and landed into my partner's arms. It feels like I'm back in Paris again in Jackson’s embrace.

The beat quickens.

I started having flashbacks about the heated argument back in Paris.

It was the last day until I went back to Paris for my ballet performance. Me and Jackson wanted to see each other before I left . We went to have brunch and once we got done with brunch we headed back to black tinted car.

Jackson opened the car door and we were laughing about his story. Then I noticed he stopped laughing.

“Jackson what's wrong” I say while getting in and closing the door.

Then I see my father in the front seat. How did he find us?Jackson and I were so careful when trying to see each other..

“Father, I can explain” I say with fear in my voice.

“What is rule number eight?!” He yells.

“Rule eight never trust the Grey’s” I say with my head down.

I really didn’t think about what I would say to my father if me and Jackson got caught. But all I know is that I love Jackson.

“Sir, I love your daughter even though both of our families despise each other. But i would never hurt Rose because she means the world to me-”

“No! You don't get to love my daughter under any circumstances. You're going to stay away from Rosa and never talk to her again and if you don’t I will cut her off financially! So it's your choice to ruin her dreams” Father says with rage.

“I don't need your money. Our family lawyer called me this morning, he told me Mother left me a $52 million dollar henerintince along with the $20,000 dollars birthday gift I got. You can’t hold anything over my head anymore and I’ll gladly pay anything you think I owe you. I love him dad, I will not let you break me and Jackson’s love apart!” I say back to him while we leave the car.

“Rosa if you stay with him don't ever come home you hear me?!” Father says while yelling from the car”

I open my eyes and snap back into reality.

I dance as if it was my last. I started to cry because that day I lost my father and that day I didn’t need him anymore.

I leap as if I was a leaf trying to land perfectly on the ground. Doing a Releve I could feel my heart crying but I knew that I had to break away from my father at some point, I just didn’t know how soon it would be. As much as my father hated the Grey’s. My new love makes me laugh, he makes me feel safe. I can’t sleep without dreaming about our future together. I can’t eat without thinking about how he makes jokes out of what I eat. I can’t breathe without him. He’s all I ever needed and wanted?

The music starts to slow down and then I'm finished. I see Jackson in the crowd applauding for me, he’s not rule number eight, he’s my number one.

The show is over and I'm ready to start the new chapter in my life. But I had one more thing to do before I left home. I needed to visit my mother.

“Well mom I found the one, I know you would love him but I have to leave for a little while. I won’t stop dancing but I want to create paintings and drawings now that I'm done being under father’s wing. He didn’t understand how much I love Jackson and it was like how you felt when you first met papá (Dad), love at first sight. I love you so much mom and I will never stop thinking about you while I'm gone,” I say.

I leave a Peony bouquet, her favorite flowers, where she is resting. I leave her mausoleum and see my future waiting for me.

“Are you ready to leave,?” Jackson says while opening the gray Ferrari car door.

I look back and wave and kiss goodbye to my mother, for now.

“Yeah, babe, I’m ready to go.” I say with confidence.

He closes the door for me and hops in and leans over to give me a kiss.

“Lets go to Paris.” I say with excitement.

“Paris here we come!” Jackson yells.

I wave hands in the air because now I'm finally living my dream and free to live my life!.