Once Upon a Time...

...in Butterfly Bay, Texas, lived a beautiful 14-year-old girl named Rosabel Flores. She lived with her parents, Alma and Guillermo, the former being a stay-at-home mother and the latter working as a police officer.

Rosabel enjoyed doing different hobbies: playing violin, horseback riding, painting, drawing, and reading books. She had a spacious art studio in her house, and her attic was a roomy home library. In her bedroom, she had a violin, some music books, some decks of playing cards, and some board games. These were fun things to do on rainy days.

Rosabel loved to hang around with her two best friends, Amy Anderson and Holly Harland. Amy had an overactive imagination but was knowledgeable about flowers and ballet. Holly liked studying entomology and doing Brazilian dances. The three girls liked to hang together, and they especially liked fun occasions, but one day, they learned that even fun occasions don't always turn out the way they hope.

It was April 2013, and Rosabel was just leaving for school. As she put on her scooter helmet, her mother wanted to make sure she had what she needed.

"Okay, Rosa, you have your permission slip and the money to pay the trip?" Alma asked.

"I've got it, Mami, safe in my backpack," Rosabel said.

"Good," Alma smiled.

"Okay, Mami, Papi, hasta luego," Rosabel smiled, hugging both her parents.

"Hasta luego, Rosabel," Guillermo smiled.

"Have a good day, mija," Alma smiled.

"Okay," Rosabel said. She got on her motor scooter and rode off to school. Along the way, she enjoyed the wonderful warm spring air, the aroma of fresh cut grass. Spring was her favorite season of the year, especially in April. In fact, this spring was very important to Rosabel.

Soon enough, Rosabel made it to Mesa Grande High School, and she parked her scooter in the bicycle rack. By the time she did so, Holly and Amy came up to her, and parked their segways in the rack.

"Rosabel!" Holly and Amy chorused.

"Hola, Holly, Amy," Rosabel smiled.

"Do you have your permission slip and money for the spring trip to Raspberry City?" Amy asked.

"You bet I do," Rosabel smiled.

"I've got mine," Holly said.

Spring break was next week, and the students and staff of Mesa Grande were going to do something fun this year: they were going on a week-long trip to Raspberry City. There was so much on the trip to expect: seeing the Black Swan ballet and some Brazilian dancers, going to a big mall, seeing an art gallery...this city had so much to offer that everyone was excited to go.

"Can you believe it?" Amy asked. "The big break is almost here. We're finally going to Raspberry City."

"I know," Rosabel beamed. "I've been looking forward to this trip all year."

"Me, too," Holly smiled. "I've dreamed of going to Raspberry City my whole life—well, more like since fall."

"Well, if we're going on this trip, we'd better turn in our permission slips before we forget," Rosabel said.

Rosabel, Holly, and Amy were excited for the trip, but their little celebration didn't last long. They heard a snotty girl's voice ring out, "I brought my permission slip and money the minute this trip was announced, which was weeks ago."

This was Ruby Buchanan, the richest girl in school, and she had nothing better to do than to ridicule Rosabel and her friends.

"Hi, Ruby," Rosabel, Holly, and Amy chorused flatly.

"So, what are you looking forward to do in Raspberry City?" Ruby asked.

"I'm excited for the Black Swan ballet," Amy squealed.

"I look forward to seeing my favorite Brazilian dance group, la Begonias," Holly smiled.

"And I'm excited for the Raspberry Art Gallery," Rosabel said.

"Isn't that cute, my gal pals?" Ruby cooed at her friends meanly. "They think going to Raspberry City is about something other than shopping."

"Well, it is," Rosabel said. "Raspberry City has a lot to offer, from the cinema to the Raspberry Amusement Park."

"Right, Rosabel, and I speak French," Ruby scoffed.

But Rosabel just looked at Ruby like she was crazy. "Ruby, you do speak French," she reminded her. "You're the best French student in Mesa Grande."

Ruby's smug smirk dropped to a sheepish frown. "Oh, oui," she said.

"Anyway, we'd better turn in our permission slips before we forget," Holly said.

"See you around, Ruby," Rosabel said before leaving with her friends.

Inside, Rosabel, Holly, and Amy gave their permission slips to the guidance counselor, who was one of the chaperones for the trip. Some of the students' parents were to be chaperones, too. Lots of students in Mesa Grande were beyond excited for the trip, but they didn't want to let it distract them during school.