2022 Version |
Nina Torres has everything she could ever dream of. Friends who stick by her side, a family that supports her, and a cute boyfriend. High school is going to be the best years of her life.
Lucas McKlane is a boy who tries to blend with...
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"Okay, again!" yelled Lily. Some of us groaned as we got back into position. Lily pressed play to the music. Tiempo de Vals started playing from the speakers and began to dance around Lily as she feigned holding her dress.
We've been practicing Lily's hectic and complicated dance routine for her Quineañera. It was going to be in less than a week, and I could see that her nerves were going haywire as she kept mixing up our places. We've got the dance down, but Lily just wanted it to be perfect.
"Lily," one of Lily's cousins, Beth, whined, "we got the dance down. Just chill."
Everyone stared at Beth, silently agreeing with her.
Lily sighed, flustered by what seemed to be with herself, but took it out on Beth. "Fine, Beth. If you don't want to do this, you can leave."
"Wow," I said and walked towards Lily, who was staring daggers at Beth. Beth rolled her eyes. "Lily, just chill. Everyone's tired, and you've had us practicing for the entire day like dogs."
"You don't want to do this too!" she yelled, her face burning pink as tears threatened to fall. "You don't have to do this, you know. I never asked you."
I let my shoulders sag. I closed my eyes as I tried to calm myself and tried not to say anything to Lily that I might regret later. "Hey," I sighed tiredly, "you're just stressed. Now come." I grabbed her hand and led her outside.
A late February breeze blew between us as Lily crossed her arms angrily. She blinked, and the tears she tried so hard to stop slid down her cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "I just want it to be perfect."
"I know," I gave her a supporting smile, and I reached out to give her a hug. "We got it down, and if anyone messes it up, I'll beat them up black and blue."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Okay, now you sound worse than me," she chuckled but then stopped as she frowned. "Am I a control freak?"
"Um," I feigned thoughtfulness. "You have your moments."
Lily groaned and covered her face. "Okay. I'm going inside and apologize to everyone, and we could all go to bed."
She got that right. It was ten at night, and some of the people, the caballeros and damas, were her own cousins or friends, a.k.a. Candy and I. Some of her cousins came to practice and lived an hour away, or came to town from Denver or California.
A few minutes later, Ariel came out. He stood beside me and clicked his tongue.
"I think the whole reason she's like this is that she's mad at me," he muttered.
I frowned. "Why?"
He sighed. "I told her I don't want to be chambelan and she freaked out and sent me to hell," he chuckled dryly.
"Yeah," I nodded my head, "that explains everything, but why don't you want to be her chambelan?"
"I never wanted to, but my mom forced me," he muttered.
