LUCERO “LU” CRUZ GONZALEZ has been accepted to participate ! they are a TWENTY TWO year old all the way from BARCELONA, SPAIN. SHE is currently studying MUSIC at the interchange. ( peyton, 24, they/them, lizeth selene )
about
if there’s one word lu heard for herself growing up by her well meaning albeit overbearing parents it was gifted. gallerist matías and artist camila (can you guess how they met?) ensured that their youngest daughter would go to all the best catholic schools, participate in the best music program, and be the best child a family could ask for.
classically trained on three instruments by the time she’s fifteen, her parents make her focus on where they believe her talent truly lies with the harp. any other interests were met with apathy because she wanted to be a prodigy, didn’t she? and that meant making sacrifices. lu never minded after being raised in a household surrounded by nothing but love and support she knew they just wanted what was best for her.
the same graces lucero received in her childhood were not as generously handed to her older sister, itzel. the moment lu’s dark brown locks made their debut to the world she became the favorite child while itzel had to fight tooth and nail for their parents’ attention. it eventually leads to acting out. “thank god you’re nothing like your sister” camila tells lu at another family dinner itzel decided to miss. for a long time, lu shared her parent’s sentiments. they were good people so why did itzel have to be so disrespectful?
for a very long time this causes a rift between the two. any of lu’s achievements would immediately be overshadowed by whatever trouble her sister was stirring up. it made her resentful because it always had to be about itzel. lu has an important recital coming up, itzel crashes one of the family cars. lu plays at one of her father’s gallery openings and itzel shows up drunk. lu wins an award and itzel breaks it to be spiteful. it never ended.
it’s easy to get accustomed to and even feel entitled to affection when it was always readily available to you. when lu expresses interest in picking up a second instrument again, this time something more contemporary, her parents are quick to shut her down after they find out. they guilt her, ask her why she was taking all the hard work they put into her classical music career for granted, and lu feels shame for maybe the first time. she knew that they were strict but she always thought she was the exception.
lucero has her first fight with her parents when she was out with friends celebrating her birthday instead of staying home to practice for an upcoming show. their sudden coldness baffles lu and the things they say to guilt her only make her feel worse. it’s the first time she thinks critically about their family dynamic and she realizes that even as the golden child there is always a risk of her parents withdrawing their affection.
she tries to talk about her revelation with itzel, expecting mutual understanding that they were both victims of their environment. it does not end well. itzel, angry that her perfect younger sister was just now deciding to show her some sympathy, lashes out on lu. she calls lu an idiot and by next week she would go crawling back to their parents like she always did because she’s incapable of thinking about anyone other than herself. it stung and was hurtfully specific. rather than following through with her attempt to make amends, lu tells itzel that she’ll never get the approval she so desperately wants. she’ll be pathetic forever.
it was the last time they spoke since lu was accepted for a spot for interchange’s higher education program. she still remembers itzel’s biting words before she boarded the plane “don’t come back home”. she didn’t mean it. right? matías and camila are worried that lu will be too distracted to focus on her musical abilities. she assures them nothing else will keep her from jeopardizing her future anymore. she’s never had the chance to see the world and she assures them the experience will only help her grow as a musician.
the interchange program is really the first time lu doesn’t have her family around to watch her and in many ways she’s already flourishing. she has tattoos and piercings that are skillfully hidden before her weekly zoom calls with her parents, she’s learning to compose music so she can create her own songs, and she even finally has started to look more into playing other instruments (with a particular interest in the drums currently) even if they are a “waste of her time.”
extras
lu has a very “fake it til you make it” personality. being in an environment where negative emotions weren’t talked about or acknowledged she often acts more confident than she lets on. it can make her appear aloof or uppity but it’s just how she was conditioned to act.
vegan icon.
while she was born in spain, her parents are originally from mexico city. she usually visits other family there during the summer and feels closely connected to her culture.
her sexuality is ?????? ?? ? she doesn’t know. she just wants to kiss pretty girls and nonbinary people and maybe one man if he doesn’t suck.
she’s never been the type to have many friends at home. she claims she’s fine being a bit of a loner but does yearn for close relationships and connection.
has a very eclectic music taste. she’ll go from classical pieces to old punk rock bands from the 80s to 2010s indie pop.
her sun sign is gemini but don’t be fooled because her rising and moon are both in pisces. her chart is very water dominant.
she’s not as cool as she looks. lu has a secret love for cheesy movies. romcoms, shitty lifetime movies, over the top dramas, you name it she can’t get enough. she knows they’re objectively bad but she can’t get enough okay!
an official list of the instruments lu can play are: harp (her main/what she’s working on in school for), piano, cello, guitar, and she’s picking up the drums right now.
connections
i prefer chemistry for any dynamic above all else so feel free to hit the like button and i will come to you! or we can exchange discords if that’s easier <3
some generic ideas to get the ball rolling though: friends, best friends, a squad, for the love of god give this girl a social circle, hook ups, amicable exes, MESSY exes, toxic relationships, good influence, bad influence, would LOVE some jam buddies, study buddies, shared trauma experiences, someone who will always try to one up her (and vice versa), a confidante, hateship, maybe a character who reminds her of her sister, anything and everything!