Room to Dream

When Mia gets home that day, the health department is there. Mia wastes no time in calling The Anaheim Times. A journalist arrives in less than an hour: The woman takes “careful notes as the health department official, Mr. Moretti, [gives the Calivista] his glowing report” (233). The official heads to the Magna next.

The next day, The Anaheim Times exposes the Magna’s unhygienic practices, while the Calivista is praised for their outstanding cleanliness. Everyone praises Mia her for her brilliant idea and the bravery it took to make it happen. The best part of it all, however, is a letter Mia receives from Lupe, asking if she wants to hang out soon.

The story about the motels spreads, aired on five different channels. Mia is the hero to the investors, who “were delighted that [she’d] found a free way to get even with the Magna” (236). The excitement over bringing down the Magna can’t begin to top her excitement to finally see Lupe again.

Mia goes to the library to get more information about businesses that have closed recently. The librarian is helpful and tells her about a few she knows off the top of her head. She suggests that Mia visit the county clerk’s office for a more detailed record. Mia plans to visit some of the sites close to the school after class and interview the owners.

The group writing project is finished, and Mia is proud of the work she and Da-Shawn accomplished. Their final piece is “a story told from dual perspectives: a boy who started at a new school and a girl whose best friend recently moved to another school, and how they each didn’t think they’d find new friends” (239). She is a little sad to have to move desks back to where she was sitting before, instead of sitting by Da-Shawn.

After school, Mia goes to the building that used to hold the Magnolia Ice Cream Shop but is now a Baskin-Robbins. She asks what happened to the Magnolia shop. The current workers, who are annoyed at having to work for a corporation, tell Mia that the original owner needed the money, so she sold the building.

One worker tells Mia how special Magnolia and its owner were. The caramel rice pudding ice cream was the best ever, adding, “And she’d always make an extra batch for the homeless” (240). This comment reminds Mia that there have been more unhoused people as of late. She writes a note to herself to investigate real estate prices in Anaheim for businesses and apartments.

Vacation Resorts is now offering triple the amount that the investors initially paid for the Calivista. Mr. Cooper is determined to convince the investors to take this deal: “They know how much work you’ve put in, so they’re willing to give you guys thirty thousand dollars each” (242). That much money could help everyone, but they have to consider the long-term effects of the sale.

On the night of the dance, Mia tries to focus on getting ready. She is quiet on the drive, and Dad notices something is wrong. Finally, Mia fesses up to the new offer and her worries about everyone having to move away if they take it. Dad is shell-shocked and pulls the car over. After a moment, he tells Mia that they don’t have to accept it. He tells her not think about it tonight and to enjoy the dance.

When they get to the school, Mia spots Da-Shawn in the parking lot. She wants him to meet her Dad, who objects at first, worried about embarrassing her: “‘No, no, no,’ Dad protested, looking down at his tattered T-shirt and pants. ‘I’m not dressed appropriately. I’m still in my towel-washing clothes!’” (245). Mia introduces them anyway. She is then distracted when Jason walks into the dance with Bethany Brett, one of the mean girls from their class.

Mia can’t believe that Jason is here with Bethany, but she tries to focus on enjoying her first dance. The decorations are beautiful: “[S]trands of golden lights […] hung from the ceiling icicles. In the middle, a disco ball shined a kaleidoscope of colors onto the floor” (246). Mia hopes to secure some work interviews. As she talks with the girls, she is shocked to hear how many have been called boy crazy for asking a boy to the dance or mean for not accepting an invitation from a boy. Once Mia has all the quotes she needs, she resolves to have fun. At the punchbowl, she runs into Jason, who has been scowling at her the whole time. She tells him he can’t keep acting this way. Jason, visibly angrier, “drop[s] his cup of fruit punch onto the floor—on purpose. […] Jason did not just do that” (249). He acts like he’s about to spill another cup, and Mia shouts his name. Everyone turns toward them. Da-Shawn starts walking their way.

From somewhere on the dance floor, Bethany says, “I did not come with him, I swear” (249). This is the tipping point, and Jason dumps the entire punch bowl, sending glass shards and punch everywhere. The mess is so big that it ends the dance early. Da-Shawn finds Mia sitting out on a bench. Mia finally gets the courage to tell him how she feels, but he just sees her as a friend. She is still grateful to have in him as another writer to confide in and a good friend.

Jason isn’t in school Monday, and there is a “rumor circulating that he was suspended, possibly expelled, for what he did at the dance” (253). Mia and Da-Shawn exchange stories that they wrote after the dance. Da-Shawn’s story is about Jason’s outburst, and he is excited about his dramatic opening line. Mia thinks, “It was dramatic all right. And no doubt it would cement Jason Yao in everyone’s mind as an enraged plague sore (as Lupe would say) forever. But was that really the best thing to print?” (254). Mia is sure this article is too biased.

Mia explains that the journalism guidebook warns against dramatic, biased writing. Da-Shawn takes the pamphlet and promises to think about it. Mia is pleased, wishing she could have read those guidelines herself before publishing some of her pieces about her friends.

After school, Mia visits Carmela Rosa’s Bakery at their new address. The new site is “tucked behind a dentist’s office, way in the back, barely visible from the street” (255). They were bought out of their old location by Purple Star. It seemed like a good price at the time, so they took the deal. Then it took them forever to find a new location. Mia sees her future if the sale for the motel goes through. She only hopes that Vacation Resorts will hire her, her parents, and Hank.

Mia answers Mr. Cooper’s call later that night, and she waves over to her dad and Hank to pick up the other line. Vacation Resorts got their resumes. Mr. Cooper tells Mia they aren’t willing to hire her or Hank. Though they would consider bringing her dad and Jose on board, the men might not be assigned the Calivista. Mia asks why they didn’t want Hank since he had the longest resume, and Mr. Cooper says the company felt Hank wasn’t the “right fit for the kind of front desk experience they want their customers to have […] They want to go after an upscale clientele” (257). This moment feels like the school photo all over again.

The starting salary for the offered positions for Dad and Jose is minimum wage; Mr. Cooper argues that it’s the best way to maximize profit. They must give an answer by Monday. When Dad tells Mom about it, Mom finally tells Dad about her challenges with the substitute teaching job. Dad tells her, “Maybe if we sold the motel, you can take some of the profit and become a full-time teacher” (258). Mia is grateful her parents finally talked and that Dad is so supportive, but hopes there’s still another way.

Lupe is waiting for Mia at the motel after school the next day. She has been thinking about how to use the money from selling the motel: “It’s not just college that’s expensive—it’s getting to college” (260). Lupe needs extracurriculars and activities to flesh out her resume so she can try to get into a top school. Mia would also have more time to write, Lupe argues. At the mention of writing, Mia considers finally telling Lupe about her column, when Lupe asks for a drink.

At the vending machine, the weeklies (the ones who stay at the motel a lot) are discussing the potential sale of the Calivista. Hank is still upset that they won’t hire him and is considering moving back to China to work at his burger pop-up restaurant. He says, “I’m sick of constantly trying to fight for what I deserve” (261). Things seem more hopeless by the minute.

When Mia gets back to the manager’s quarters, Lupe is holding Mia’s columns, having found them while looking for a calculator. Lupe is hurt that all of China has read about the rift in their friendship and leaves without another word.

Mia stays in her room all day, feeling horrible. Her “eyes [land] on the pile of columns Lupe had thrown at [her]. Once upon a time, [she] considered them her finest writing” (263). Now she wishes she could erase them all. Dad asks if Mia still wants to go to the county clerk’s office after school, but she isn’t in the mood.

Through the walls, Mia can hear her parents talking. Dad called Mr. Chen about trying to get a job in China, so he can earn more money to send back to Mom and Mia. Mom begs him not to go, but Dad pushes back: “It kills me not to be able to help you. But if I went back to China and invested smartly, maybe it would help take some of the pressure off” (264). Mia bursts out of her room to tell Dad not to leave. She clings to his shirt and cries, begging him to stay.