And just like that, it was my special day—thirteen years old. Hoo-ee, I was practically grown.

“Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday dear Sunny… Happy birthday to you!”

Daddy woke me up that morning with breakfast in bed. He took some of my favorite El Lugarian foods and whipped them into a tasty little dish.

“Happy birthday, sweetheart…”

“Thank you, Pa!”

“You go on ahead and eat, and then later, let’s head on down to the city and get you that cell phone. A promise is a promise.”

He made his way out the door, and I smiled at him as he did, but once the door clicked shut, that smile faded faster than it took the latch to catch.

I’d made a promise to myself, too—once I got that phone, it was time to come clean. But that wasn’t until a bit later. As soon as I scarfed down my food, we still had some training to do. Once I headed outside, Daddy had the whole nine yards set up since he wasn’t working today. This was one of those days when we really got to run through everything; it was almost like a test.

We’d go over movement, shooting, and a little hand-to-hand stuff. It always felt fun, but today things were different. After everything that had happened the day before, my focus was in a different place this time around.

Less on the fun I was having and more on how I could improve. My punches were just a bit stiffer against his gloves, my blasts more focused, and my movement a little sharper. Fighting that big monster of a woman wasn’t like fighting Mr. Tough Guy back on the rooftop. At least he couldn’t hurt me. At least with him, I felt like I had the situation under control. But this one—this one was a completely different story.

It was my first time even seeing another hybrid besides myself, let alone fighting one. And if that’s what I had to deal with, I had to be ready—God only knows what’ll happen the next time I see her.

Of course, I wasn’t expecting to make leaps and bounds of improvement in just a couple of days. Heck, I wasn’t even sure I had that much time to begin with. I guess I wasn’t as good at hiding my emotions as I thought—it was practically written all over my face.

We were out on the beach, like always, and it was time for skeet shoot training. Today, I wasn’t gonna miss a single one.

The waves crashed gently, everything around me seeming peaceful, but there was a look in my eyes—distant, preoccupied. I looked like I was focusing on something, yet there was still something off about me.

As I stared out at the ocean, my dad’s cough interrupted my thoughts. I looked over at him—he was having a real fit. I wasn’t sure what was wrong with him.

“Daddy… you okay…?” I asked as I walked over to him and looked up.

He cleared his throat and waved me off. “I could ask you the same thing. You were on fire today, but I noticed you looked a little… upset when you missed some of your shots.”

“Yeah, I’m fine… just itchin’ to improve. I—I guess I was thinking that maybe if I started working hard, they’d let me back in school,” I said, looking up at him with a smile.

“Right…”

He didn’t know, and I’m sure he didn’t want to give me any false hope—but if there was ever a time for him to have the right words, this definitely would’ve been it. I guess nobody bats a hundred, not even your parents. Must’ve been hard for him, going through all this. It’s something I don’t think I ever really understood. Raising a little rascal like me in a world like this… but thinking on that brought up another question.

“Hey Daddy, have you ever heard of this organization called, uh… C.A.L.E.B.?”

“On the news, sure… it was in its infancy around the time you were born. Had barely gotten off the ground. Why…?”

“Why ain’t you ever send me there?”

“Well, sweetheart, wouldn’t have been much of a point. The organization was just getting its feet under it, and only now are they starting to really make something of themselves out in the States. Me and your mama thought about getting you tested, but I didn’t think there was much of a need… goes to show how wrong I was…”

There was a lot I didn’t really understand about the C.A.L.E.B. organization at the time—still a lot I don’t get even now. But I do wonder how things might’ve been different if I’d just headed straight there. It’s definitely different nowadays. Would things have still ended up the same otherwise? Guess I won’t know.

I don’t know that I was upset with my daddy over it, but ever since I got my powers, I always wanted an answer—and I guess now I have one. Looking back on it, it probably wouldn’t have been as good without Daddy being there. Things were different with the C.A.L.E.B organization when I was little; maybe it wasn’t the right kind of environment for me back then.

“I did what I thought was best. And hey, look atcha now—you sure have been building it up pretty quick, huh? But don’tcha go slacking on your homework for a little training.”

“Sir, yes sir!” I gave him a little salute.

After that, we kept at it for another good couple of hours before hopping into Daddy’s truck and heading down into the city. I was excited to finally be getting this new phone, but at the same time dreading the conversation I knew we were gonna have after. I know I didn’t have to tell him—and maybe I should’ve said something before we got the phone—but… this new phone might make it easier to keep up with Mr. and Mrs. Reyes.

And maybe, if I happen to run into more of them fellers out there, I could call the police and round ’em up. It was naive thinking, but still, it felt like the right thing—wasn’t it?

Anyhow, after about a twenty-minute drive and some traffic, we finally made it to our destination. We stepped out of the car, and there was this little shop right in front of us—nothing special, nothing particularly remarkable—but with every step I took, the pit in my stomach kept growing.

Pa was getting me this cellphone because he felt I’d earned it, that it was a reward for my hard work, for staying at home and doing what I was told. But something didn’t feel right. I hadn’t earned this. I’d been doing the right thing, sure, but not what he wanted. Maybe it was better to come clean now than later.

As we walked up and Pa reached for the door, I tugged on the back of his jacket. He turned and looked at me.

“Hmm, what’s wrong, Sunny…?”

“Can I talk to you…?” I had a hard time looking at him. I turned my head away, my eyes fixed on his feet instead of his face.

“What’s going on, Sunny-girl…?” he asked, kneeling down.

I took a deep breath and rocked back and forth a little.

“So, you know how… I told you I ain’t been leaving the house?”

“Yeah, what about it…?”

“W-well… I ain’t exactly been telling the truth…”

“What…?”

“W-well… I was getting tired of being all stuffed up in the house… so I started going out…”

“What!?”

“I’m sorry…” I turned my head and peeked up at him. He didn’t look mad—more disappointed. And somehow, that felt worse.

“Start walking, young lady,” he said, pointing back toward the car. With my shoulders hunched and tears in my eyes, I trotted back to his truck.

When I got there, he slammed the door and shot me a glare that hurt more than any bat to the face or crash into a building. His eyes were burning a hole straight through my heart.

“Now, Sunny, I done told you—not to leave the house. You don’t know what people are like out there. Tell me you at least haven’t been using your powers.”

I nodded.

“I know what you said, Daddy, but ain’t that why you taught me how to defend myself?”

“Yes, but… it was for your protection. I wanted to make sure you knew how to use ’em first…”

“But… you said I gotta take care of myself before I take care of others…?”

“I did say that, but you got a lot more takin’ care to do before you’re ready to look after anybody. Sunny, you’re—you’re thirteen! The world ain’t safe for you, hybrid or not.”

I turned my head away and crossed my arms, doing my best to keep the dams from breaking. But it was too late—there I was, blubbering all over myself.

“Sunny… I don’t want you to think I don’t want you to be you, but… I’m scared for ya, is all. I don’t know what the world is gonna do to ya out there, and you’re all I got…”

He rested his hand on the top of my head.

“What’ve you been doin’ out there…?”

“W-well… I’ve been helpin’ people. Like them fellers on TV.”

He let out a sigh.

“’Course you would be… Guess I can’t fault ya for it. But still… you never know who these fellers might be. Anything else?”

“W-well… I made a new friend! Her name is Luz… we met while I was out and about…”

My father looked halfway impressed like it was the last thing he expected to hear.

“O-okay… she’s a little lady like you? Not some creepy feller?”

“Mhmm, mhmm! She’s got this really pretty blue hair, and she rides around on these roller skates. She’s real-real cool!”

“Okay… and her name’s Luz?”

I nodded.

“And what else… anyone botherin’ ya?”

“Well, a course… but nothin’ I can’t handle!” I knew I was telling him I’d been sneaking out, but I didn’t know if I was ready to tell him who I was really after. I don’t think he was ready for that conversation just yet—maybe not ever. I could still feel the scorn in his voice, but the tension seemed like it might’ve started to ease.

“Well, just remember, you gotta watch who you raise your hands to. There’s an old saying—‘No good deed goes unpunished.’”

No kidding. He didn’t know the half of it.

“But hey, ain’t nothin’ a little sunlight can’t fix!”

“You sure love that phrase, don’tcha, girlie.” I nodded. For now, it seemed like the worst had passed. I was sure he’d be a lot angrier than that, but I guess maybe he saw it coming—figured he’d have to face it sooner or later.

“You’re sure like your mother… stubborn as a mule. Come on…” He opened his door, and I stepped outside. “Let’s go get you that cellphone…”

“Y-you mean it…?” I asked, still in disbelief.

“Sunny, you and I both know that no matter what I do, you ain’t gonna stop doin’ what you’re doin’…”

He let out a sigh, his hand gripping the steering wheel.

“And if you’re out there… I’d at least like to hope you’ll be safe. Maybe havin’ a cellphone will give me that peace of mind.”

Hearing that he trusted me—that was kinda all I needed. But I knew I oughta tell him the rest of the story… someday. After that, I made my way outside, and we headed into the shop. We browsed around, and after picking out a little yellow cover for my phone, I was off to the races.

“Now, young lady, just ’cause you got that cellphone, I wanna set some ground rules. You can come and go as you please, but be back by sundown. You know you can’t be out too late.”

“Yes, sir!”

“And make sure you stay on top of your homework, you hear? If I get that report card back and I see one D or F on there, that phone’s goin’ right back to the store, you understand?”

I nodded.

“I understand, Daddy!”

“But tell me somethin’, Sweetpea… what was it that had you so focused this mornin’? I ain’t seen ya this intense to do anything since you ran track…”

“Well, Pa, I kinda figured that if I’m gonna be out there and I see someone in trouble, I oughta do something to help them, of course. And I don’t wanna make no mistakes, so I gotta be as on point as I can.”

“Well, just remember, girl… you don’t gotta always use your powers. You can use your fists, too. Not everyone is as tough as you are, and you ain’t trying to hurt nobody, remember.”

“Oh, I know, Daddy…” I learned that the hard way. Seems like every feller I’ve gone up against either had a firearm or some kind of weapon on them. One of these days, I’d like to go toe-to-toe with somebody just for sport. Outside of learning how to control my powers, that’s been my favorite part of all this—getting to be a fighter.

But out in the streets, there aren’t many fellers looking to fight for fun. Especially not the Cima. Every time I see them, they’re packing more heat. It’s like they’re gearing up for war. But we’ll see about that. I’ll show them next time. That’s for sure. Thinking about it had me so excited I pounded my hand into my fist.

“Uh, Sunny, you alright…?”

I’d almost forgotten Daddy was sitting right there beside me.

“Sure thing, Pa. Never better.”

“Alright, let’s get—”

Before he could finish, a fire truck roared past us, siren blaring, heading in the same direction we were. Off in the distance, I saw smoke—thick, black, and rising fast. My chest tightened.

“Daddy… that’s our neighborhood!”

His jaw clenched. He shifted gears and floored it, the car tearing down the road. The closer we got, the worse it looked. The fire was huge, swallowing everything in its path. What the hell happened?

I prayed I was wrong. But when we turned onto our street, there it was—everything my daddy had built, everything we’d worked for… gone.

The fire roared as the wood cracked and crumbled. Each broken splinter felt like a piece of us going with it. I knew the flames couldn’t hurt me—not with my powers. I’d thought about running inside just to grab the picture of Momma we kept on the shrine. It was the last memory we had of her, and if there was anything I couldn’t bear to lose, it was that.

I opened the door and stood outside as fire trucks rushed in, spraying water. Our neighbors stood around, staring in shock. I looked toward my daddy as he stepped out, watching the embers burn everything away. This was their doing—La Cima. Payback for yesterday... or maybe a warning.

As we stood there, watching our world go up in smoke, I noticed Daddy’s legs were starting to shake. “Sunny…” he murmured, stumbling as he grabbed the car door for support. Then, after a moment, he collapsed.

“H-Hey! Somebody call a paramedic!” one of the neighbors shouted. I rushed to his side, propping him up and holding him close. Just like that, two sides of my world fell apart—one before my eyes and one in my arms. No answers. No hope.

Sometime later, the ambulance came. I rode with them to the hospital, sitting in silence. He stayed unresponsive the whole way. The only comfort I had was the wail of the siren and a radio broadcast reporting the fire. I knew exactly who was responsible. Was this what Daddy meant when he said no good deed goes unpunished?

When we got to the hospital, they rushed Daddy inside. I waited—twenty of the longest minutes of my life—sitting in the lobby, soaking my jacket in tears, hoping for answers.

“Miss… your father’s condition has been stabilized… but I’m afraid he can’t leave the hospital just yet.”

Once I heard that, I made my way inside and saw him hooked up to an EKG machine. It was surreal—where did this come from all of a sudden? They said he was fine, didn’t they?

When he heard me come in, Daddy smiled and patted the side of his hospital bed. I got the message and climbed up to join him.

“Sorry I scared you, sweetheart… but there’s something I gotta tell you too…”

I looked up at him, wondering what he meant.

“What is it, Daddy…?”

“Well, sweetheart… Daddy’s sick. Cancer.”

“What d’ya mean… are you gonna get better?”

“Well… I hope so. Like you always say, ain’t nothing a little sunlight can’t fix, right?”

He didn’t have to say anything more. I clutched him tight and held onto him. It turns out that all those late nights and long hours were lies, too. He’d been sick for a while and didn’t wanna tell me ’cause he knew how much I had going on. He was always looking out for me, even when he couldn’t. Even when he knew he wouldn’t be able to for much longer.

“Yeah…”

Some birthday. But at least he was alive. Unfortunately, because of his condition, he couldn’t leave the hospital—and the hospital had already called child welfare.

A few hours later, some fellers from the government came by to pick me up. I gave Daddy’s hand one last quick squeeze.

“Stay strong, babygirl… I love you.”

He shot me a smile to lift my spirits, but something told me that was just his way of protecting me. Maybe he wasn’t being completely honest, either.

Some birthday this was. No home and my daddy was out of commission. With all that weighing on me, it’s a wonder I wasn’t blubbering my way out of the building.

It’s funny. Thinking back on all this, only a few people have popped into my head: the Reyes family and Luz. They both lost a lot, too, especially Luz. I wondered what it was like for her when she lost her parents.

Right about now, I figured she understood better than anyone how I must be feeling. I just wished I could talk to her... but for now, I sat in the backseat of the social worker’s car, not even sure where I was headed.

“You okay back there?” one of the social workers asked as I fiddled with my cellphone.

“Where’re y’all takin’ me…?”

“Well, we need to get you to an orphanage…”

“Can I… make a request?”

She glanced at me through the rearview mirror before responding.

“Where to?”

“Sonrisa…that’s the name.”