by Animania
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Chapter 1
...
Forsake Not an Old FriendIt was a warm January that year. So warm, in fact, that Maria was able to wear her favorite short-sleeved blouse. It was a nice change, she guessed. It was more comfortable, anyway, and she needed that for her job, which she had taken just recently to gain some modicum of independence from her family, not to mention some money of her own. It was an excuse to leave the house, and the young woman was thankful for it.
It wasn't that it was the cushiest of jobs. It paid little, and most of the patrons of the little cafe were from less than the cream of society. The only job that she -- or any other woman looking for work there, for that matter -- could get was that of a simple waitress and dish girl. Maria resigned herself to carting food to rude patrons, who never left much of a tip, if anything at all, and then washing the garbage they left behind. She put up with complaints and hassles, not to mention more pats on the butt than she would prefer, for a few pesetas a week. It was better than nothing, though, and she was still grateful... Wasn't she? It seemed as if she had gained freedom from her home only to lose it to her employer and customers. As much as Maria hated to admit it, she was in a rut.
There were things, however, that made it easier for her. Her friends, for example. Well, friend. She'd only made one so far. Arabela was a girl she had met when she started work here. Arabela obviously had more experience in the real world than she did, and Maria respected her for that...even if her slightly jaded look on the world rained on her parade sometimes. They found common ground in their gripes with work, and this brought them together. It wasn't the strongest of bonds, but Maria was eager for any relationships outside of family. She hadn't been allowed much in the way of friends growing up in Barcelona. But that was the past...
Arabela was what you would call street-wise. She had been on the road and on her own for most of her life, from what Maria could tell. She didn't talk much about it. Although Maria was curious about her past, she didn't pry for fear that she might endanger their friendship. Later on, though, Maria planned on asking. Any stories she could gather, even if they weren't her own, would make her feel better about the world she felt she had missed out on for so many years. Arabela was from Seville. That was one thing she had no problem telling Maria. She'd told her a few things about the city and even taught her a few flamenco steps, which fascinated Maria. Somehow, she felt that Arabela considered her more of a child than a woman. It was understandable, but it still irked her.
The city itself was also a relief. Maria had made it routine by now to wake up at sunrise and sit at her window, which faced the port to the east, and watch the sun rise over the water. It was one of the few beautiful things she had become attached to as she grew older. Living by the sea, in her mind, was a great luxury. For one thing, it never got too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter. The constant traders and merchants that came through the city also gave Maria the merest taste of the exotic places to the east, and now, to the west. There was a New World out there. She had seen things from it. Sailors carrying things called spears, made by savage people, and strange plants, some of which intoxicated while others grew sheep's wool like flowers, were becoming a more and more common sight in her town. The mystery drove Maria wild. Part of her whispered that maybe it was best not to know. After all, maybe they would turn out not to be magic, and just silly trinkets like everything else she saw included in the merchants' wares, up for sale, trade, or barter.
There were so many places she wanted to see and so many things she wanted to do.
But that would have to wait. Right now, she had to focus. Get some money. And then, maybe, some more. Eventually, she would be out on her own. She was practically a full-grown woman now. 18 years old. It was time to start acting like it instead of chasing silly girl dreams. Her mama and papa had told her that so many times that she was beginning to believe...
Another customer had left, leaving the cafe practically deserted. It was the slow part of the day, between lunch and dinner. The only things that drew people in to eat at this hour was the longing for a place to rest and the tempting thought of being served by pretty girls. It was her turn. Maria grabbed a slightly damp rag and headed over to the empty table, grabbing up the measly tip left there beside the dirty dishes. A couple of centimos. Lousy, cheap... Maria bit her tongue to keep her from muttering. Service with a smile. The girl dropped the tip money into a small pouch she wore around her waist while at work. It jingled satisfyingly with the rest of the coins inside. As she picked up the plates, balancing them delicately on her hand and left shoulder, the waitress dragged the wash cloth haphazardly across the table top. That was good enough. Good enough for what she got paid, anyway.
Maria headed back to the kitchen. As she walked through the doorway, the heat hit her in the face immediately. With a small sigh, she set down the plates and glass in the wash tub set up in back. Arabela looked up at her from her position crouched beside it. Maria frowned down. Arabela grimaced sympathetically. It was their little way of saying, "God, this job sucks."
"Maria! New customers!" one of the cooking assistants, Jaime, yelled in their general direction. The girls exchanged another wordless conversation, typically short. With another sigh, Maria straightened her skirt and walked out to greet her new customers, making sure to keep her posture straight. Maybe these guys would leave a proper tip...
* * * * *
Tulio rubbed his right temple. "You know, Miguel, one of these days, I am really going to kill you..." Instead of looking at his friend across the table, the dark-haired man was staring venomously at a crumpled piece of paper lying between them. It was a poster featured their faces, which would have been nice...if not for the fact that it also listed a reward for their capture. Tulio's hand rapped on the wooden surface as he tried to keep his frustration in check.
Miguel smiled in spite of himself. "I don't know, Tulio. That's a lot of money. Maybe we should turn ourselves in." This witty, he thought, remark was followed by weak laughter. His partner met it with a startlingly angry glance. Tulio was not amused. The blonde one stopped laughing. Instead, he rubbed the back of his neck and looked as if he was going to attempt an apology of some sort. "Look. I didn't know, all right...?"
"You didn't know?!? That's not good enough!" Tulio yanked at his hair as his face flushed red, fading moments later as he reminded himself not to yell. He took a deep, calming breath before starting again. "Well, thanks to you, the entire general Barcelona area does. We're wanted men, Miguel! If we don't do something about this, we could find ourselves spending the next 20 years in a cell!" He paused. Closing his eyes, he tried to think of a good reason not to severely maim Miguel.
"Well, think of something, then. That's what you do, isn't it?" Miguel shot back at him across the table. The look on his face was noticeably hurt. "It's not like you ever actually DO anything..."
"It's better than you do! Try thinking before you act, Miguel! Okay?" Tulio leaned over the table aggressively, causing Miguel to lean back. "I mean, could you just do that for me? Just that one little thing?" He emphasized his point with perfectly sarcastic little hand gestures.
"Hey, I think! I'm not stupid!" Miguel's voice was indignant.
Tulio smirked. "Yeah, right." He attempted to imitate his partner's voice, making it a bit too high and whiny for Miguel's taste, "'Oh, Tulio, look! That man is drawing portraits of people! Let's go have ours made! Won't that be fun?'"
Now, they were both angry. "I don't sound like that... Besides, how was I supposed to know the police would get ahold of them?" He folded his arms and glared down at the floor like a chastised child.
It was at about this time that Maria stepped in. The two men before her continued to bicker for a few moments. She forced them to take notice of her. "Ahem." Their heads shot up to look at Maria, their waitress for the afternoon. Her hands were clasped behind her back, and she wore a cute, if somewhat annoyed, grin on her lips. "Good. Now that I have your attention, gentlemen, would you mind telling me what you'd like from our fine establishment?"
Tulio, thinking quickly, grabbed the wrinkled paper from the table. He smiled back at her. "Well, um, I guess I'll have...what do you have?"
"That depends on how much money you have." Maria leaned forward, her hands still behind her back, just enough so that both of them had a fairly good view of her bust. It was cafe policy. Well, at these these guys were cute. Not like the last one. Yuck...
Tulio smiled again, this time more sincerely. "What can ten pesetas get us?" She wished men would look up when ordering...
Maria stood straight again. If they'd had five pesetas more, then she would have had to stay in that uncomfortable position. She was grateful that they weren't rich. "With tip?" She didn't wait for a reply. "Hmm...well, you could each get a bowl of fish soup and butifarra, our specialty sausage. It'd also get you a couple of mugs of beer. How's that sound?"
"Great!" Miguel piped up. He was starving. Even though he wasn't especially fond of fish, any meal sounded good to him right now. For the moment, the argument with Tulio was forgotten. It seemed mutual. He wasn't getting any dirty looks.
Tulio nodded. "That's fine." He turned back to his friend as a signal for Maria to go. She got the message and trotted off. His turned head, however, didn't stop him from watching her as she left.
Maria burst back into the kitchen with the order. "Two bowls of slime, two spicy dicks, and two swill mugs!" she called out to the cooking staff. The main cook nodded in affirmation as his assistants gathered the ingredients for his use. The nicknames for the food felt filthy in her mouth, but it was the quickest way to communicate across the back of the cafe. After a few minutes, the meals were ready, and she carted them out to the two men. Something about them made her wonder, but she pushed it to the back of her mind. They looked familiar... Her curiosity was only further fed when she dropped off the food and heard them discussing, from what she could tell, a recent con. It was interesting, and sometimes irritating, how waitresses were often ignored. They talked as if she wasn't even there. As if the food had magically appeared in the table. Maria didn't really care anymore. She had given up trying to make customers notice. Most of them she didn't even want noticing her. These two were different, though. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something about them...
She retreated back to the heat of the kitchen. There were no more customers coming in at the moment. That meant it was time for a break. Sitting down on a stool, it seemed as if Arabela had had the same idea. She was resting on the stool next to her, nibbling on a few nuts. "You won't believe the guys I just served," she said to her.
Arabela looked over at her, in between nibbles. "Yeah? Who?"
"I didn't catch any names. From what I can tell, they seem to be criminals or something..." Maria looked down at her hands and twiddled her fingers. "They don't look it, though."
Arabela sniffed. "Nothing new there. We don't exactly get aristocrats just waltzing in here." As she spoke, the girl examined one of the nuts, shriveled and black. With a small sigh, she tossed it aside, not caring where it landed.
The girl beside her shrugged, knowing what she meant. "They're cute, at least..."
Her friend perked up a bit. "Cute?" Without another word, she went over to the door and peeked through. Her brown eyes widened. "Oh, great..." Arabela muttered.
Maria looked at her in slight confusion. "Huh? What's wrong."
"Look." Arabela pulled Maria over. "I know those two."
"Yeah?" She was guessing from Arabela's reaction that this wasn't a good thing.
"Uh-huh." She squinted at them, more from distrust than the inability to see. "See the dark one? That's Tulio. The other one is Miguel. I've seen them around. They're con artists."
It was Maria's turn to perk up. An odd expression crossed her face, a mix of excitement and inhibition. "Wow. Con artists? Are you for real?" Her face lit up thinking about daring escapes and cunning tricks.
Arabela was there to burst her bubble. "They're not good guys. They don't want to work for their money. They just take it from others. I'd watch them to make sure they don't run off without paying. I wouldn't put it past them."
"But the black-haired one said they had ten pesetas..." Maria couldn't stop her mouth before she realized just how naive she sounded.
"He was probably lying," replied Arabela. "Those two are trouble, Maria." There was no response from behind her. "Maria?" Arabela turned to check to see if her friend had disappeared into thin air. Turning back again to look at the happy couple, she saw Maria walking toward them. "Maria... Jeeze, I hope she doesn't do anything dumb..."
Maria stepped up beside the table. The two men, now full, looked up at her and smiled. "Okay, guys. Time to pay up."
Miguel looked at Tulio, who in turn looked out at the people in the street, as if avoiding both glances. He rubbed his goateed chin and reached into his vest, pulling out a small handful of coins. He handed them to Maria, who took them without question. Well, except for that of a tip. She cleared her throat, and he realized she was waiting for something. Pulling another coin out of his pocket, Tulio flipped it into her open hand. "Don't spend it all in one place, cutie." She looked at it and smiled. It was a two-headed coin, the type used in fixed gambling. Arabela had been right on the money...
The girl was interrupted from her thoughts by the sight of the two men running out the door, hoping that they could get away before she made them pay. "Arabela! C'mon! We have some ditchers!" she called out as she ran after them, dropping the two-headed pieces on the table.
Tulio and Miguel scrambled down the street and around a corner. They didn't run too fast, though, confident that a young girl could never keep up. They underestimated the physical fitness of a waitress. After all, all that lifting and walking had to be good for something other than backaches.
Maria and Arabela hauled down the street after them, gaining ground quickly even in their skirts. The two offenders, looking behind them, saw and sped up as fast they could, knocking people down in the process. They weren't fast enough, though. The girls leapt at them, tackling them to the ground with a loud "oof!"
Despite the incredible headache that the contact with the cobblestone had given him, Miguel pushed himself up. "All right, all right... We surrender..." He looked over his shoulder to see the one who had caught him. Maria was grabbing onto his legs, seemingly using his butt as a pillow. As embarrassed he was, she looked up at him with a bashful grin. All he could do was grin back. She loosened her grip on his legs, enough to let him get up but not to let him get away. Arabela and Tulio had already stood up, Arabela smiling smugly at Tulio and grabbing him firmly by the wrist as he rubbed his side in pain. Maria grabbed Miguel's arm as she and her friend dragged the two back to the cafe. They were reluctant but not outwardly defiant, which was good. Maria didn't want to have to knock Miguel over again. She'd be thinking about her face in his butt for a week...
The both of the men looked deservedly ashamed when they all got back to the cafe. If it was from running off or being caught, or both, Maria couldn't tell. As long as they paid.
"Guys, just cough it up," Arabela insisted, holding out her hand to the two of them, as if actually expecting them to put money in it.
"Arabela," Tulio said to her in a falsely sweet voice, "vieja amiga..." She narrowed her eyes at him, which shut him up.
"Look," Maria continued, "either you fellas give us something for that food, or we're going to have to work it out of you."
Miguel made a disgusted face. "You call that slop food?" he scoffed, gesturing at the leftovers still sitting on the table, cooling to a congealed sludge. "Charging us ten pesetas for that is daylight robbery!"
Arabela glared at him next, with an ironic laugh. "Gee, I guess you'd know a lot about that, wouldn't you?" She bent over to pick the dreaded crumpled paper up from off the floor where it had landed. With determination, she held it up, inches from their faces. "See this? There's a handsome reward out for you two." Arabela pulled the flyer back and looked at it, seeming to study it for meaning. "You know," she said, glancing at Maria, "we don't get paid that much. We could use that money..." Her eyes met theirs again, communicating that there was to be a deal made. An ultimatum. "Here it is. You two either pay us or work off the debt. If not, well then," she grinned, looking at Maria again, "I'm sure I can get the authorities to get you to pay up." She put her hands on her hips, which Maria, admiring Arabela's determination, mimicked. "I hear cavity searches can be pretty unpleasant..."
Finally, Tulio caved. "Fine. Sure." He looked at his feet, expecting the worst punishment. "What do you want us to do...?"
The two waitresses looked pleased. "Dishes."
* * * * *
The four of them stepped into the kitchen. Miguel and Tulio were almost overpowered by the combination of heat and smells. The two girls just smirked, being used to it themselves. Maria walked over to the tub of dishes, pointing down to it. "Do a full load each, and we'll consider the debt paid. Any questions?"
Miguel raised a hand. "Um...how much is a load?"
"However much we say it is. Now, one of you come over here and work. Then, it's the other's turn." She put her hands on her hips and waited. "Well? Who's first?" The two men looked at each other, neither one moving. Finally, trying to look as innocent as possible, Miguel reached out a hand and pushed Tulio forward. His friend looked a bit annoyed, but he suppressed any protests, figuring that he might as well get it over with.
Tulio took off his vest so that he wouldn't get it wet by accident. He then rolled up the sleeves of his shirt as far as they would go. After this, he hesitated, looking in the murky, brown water of the tub. It was quite possible that there was a monster in there just waiting for a tasty hand to reach in. No, that was ridiculous. It was just water and dirty dishes. Still gross, though. Tulio looked plaintively at Maria, who had seated herself beside him to watch. She returned it with an expression devoid of pity. "Go on. It won't kill you."
He winced his eyes as he reached his hands into the water and began to grip around for plates or anything to wash just so that he could get done and get out. After a moment, he found a glass on the bottom and, pulling off a rag hanging on the side of the tub, began to scrub. It was strange to be doing manual labor. It had been ages since he'd done any actual work. Conning, he thought, took more than enough effort as it was. After a few minutes of washing, the relatively clean plates and glasses started to gather on the table on the other side of him. The work wasn't so hard. It was just the feeling of the sludge between his fingers that made it so unpleasant. He just knew he was going to smell terrible when he got back. Having one of those girls watch him the whole time wasn't adding to the pleasant atmosphere, either.
Maria fumbled absently with a stand of her wavy, reddish hair as she observed. He was definitely interesting. "So," she suddenly broke the silence, "how long have you been doing this?"
Tulio looked over at her, slightly surprised that she was attempting conversation. "Conning? I don't know. Been doing it my whole life, it seems." He ended it there, wondering if Maria would pursue it any further.
She did. "And how long have you two been together?"
The phrasing of the question threw Tulio off a little bit. "Um...we're not gay." The man paused. "Well, okay, so we experimented a little...but that was one time, and...uh...oh..." His face turned crimson as he stared into the water, wanting to crawl into a very deep, dark hole for having said that.
Maria looked disturbed by the response. "That's not what I meant, actually..." She coughed into her hand and looked to the side, trying to relieve the awkwardness of his last comment. "I meant...how long have you known each other?"
He was relieved. He felt like he'd just dodged a bullet. "Oh, I've known Miguel for years. I've kind of lost track. We've been friends practically forever."
"Oh," replied Maria with a smile. "That's nice." She kept quiet for a few minutes and watched him work. She had to admit that he was doing well, despite a few grumbles. He was fast. Then again, Maria guessed that having nimble hands was a much-needed asset to being a con artist.
Just as suddenly as she had done, Tulio asked, "How about you? Been working here long?"
Maria smiled again and shook her head a bit. Surprisingly polite. "No. I've only been here a month or so." For a moment, she let him think that maybe she enjoyed it here. "It's terrible work. Just don't let my boss hear me say that. He thinks that women should be best seen and not heard." The girl punctuated the frustration in her voice with a sharp sigh.
Tulio laughed a bit. "Hmm...maybe you should should try conning. You can run pretty fast..." He looked up at her, sitting there on the stool. She swung her feet a little bit as she watched him. He smiled as he noticed that she had nice legs.
She was surprised and a bit alarmed to find that she enjoyed the attention. This man tricked people for his bread and butter, and she was getting kicks from his looking at her legs. She sent a mental message to Arabela for her to come over and slap some sense into her. It didn't seem to be getting through. Her friend was in the other room, talking with Miguel.
* * * * *
Miguel watched the cooks working. They weren't going particularly fast, seeing as it was a slow afternoon, but it was better than trying to continue talking with Arabela, who kept giving him the evil eye. "So," he asked he oldest one, whom he assumed was the main cook, "what are you making?"
"Fish soup," the man replied. He finished stirring a vaguely creamy looking mix and took a fish from one of the younger men there, promptly gutting it and dumping the insides into the pot. Seeing this, Miguel felt as if he could feel his bowl of the stuff coming back up.
Turning slightly green now, he excused himself and walked back over to Arabela, who watched him with a morbidly amused look on her face. He looked to her for at least some sympathy. "I think I'm going to be ill..." She simply pointed to an empty bucket in the corner. Starting to feel desperate, he rushed over to it and wretched violently.
"Well," she prodded him after he was done, "was it worth it?"
Miguel spit out the last of his meal and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "What?"
The sides of her mouth were twisted in a strange half smile and half frown. "Trying to cheat us for some fish gut soup."
"Not really, I guess." He glanced briefly over at the pail, wondering if he should empty it out. He let the thought pass. "I thought Tulio had the money... Really. We finished, and the next thing you know, he was dragging me out the door. After that, I figured I had to run." Miguel looked at Arabela, his green eyes completely honest. "It was nothing personal."
Arabela's face softened. She'd always liked Miguel more than Tulio. At least she had hated him less. Wanting to get away from him before he tried to converse with her again, she moved to the outside of the cafe. He followed her like a puppy.
Miguel leaned against the doorway to the outside and breathed in the air, enjoying the unusual amount of sunshine this time of year. "So, Arabela, what are you doing here? The last time I saw you was in...Valencia, I think."
Begrudgingly, she replied, figuring that he would be gone soon, "Hmm...well, I was staying away from trouble." She smirked a bit as he looked at her pleasantly. He was always able to hide his true deceitful nature under a romantic smile. Arabela had seen their lies. It didn't fool her anymore. "But then you guys showed up."
In his typically over dramatic fashion, Miguel put the back of his hand to his forehead, showing just how much her words had wounded him. "Oh, I'm hurt. I really am." He was further encouraged by a small smile that had appeared on Arabela's face. "No. Really. You've really shown me the light." His voice then became a bit more serious. "Look, Arabela, what is it that you detest so much about us? Was it something I said?"
"How can you even ask that?" Her eyes suddenly lit up, burning right through him. "You're con artists, for God's sake! Why don't you try to earn a living instead of taking it from others? How can I just forget that?!?" Arabela turned her back to him and folded her arms sharply, sucking in her breath and trying for the life of her not to cry. "I came from the streets, too, you know..."
"Yes, I know," Miguel replied sympathetically, pulling a white hankie from his red shirt and handing it to her. She took it without even thinking about who was giving it to her, wiping her watery eyes.
"At least I try not to live off of others anymore." She suddenly turned on him, flailing the hankie around in the air with her words. "At least I try!" Realizing what she was holding, she handed the white piece of cloth back to him. "It's not like I'm unsympathetic. I just hate to think that others suffer because you two are too damn lazy and selfish to get the money yourself..."
"Arabela, I..." Miguel didn't know how to finish the sentence. It was hard to know what to say to a girl in this situation. He didn't have much time to think about it. Before he could think of another word, the girl, who was surprisingly strong for her size, had grabbed him by the shirt and was dragging him to do his half of the job. He would do some real work whether he liked it or not.
* * * * *
Tulio intrigued her. Maria couldn't help but listen intently as he told her about the dynamic duo's latest getaway.
"So, then," he explained, kneeling beside the tub, which was now empty of dishes, quite animated as he told the tale, "the guy is chasing us, all 300 pounds of him, demanding his money back." He paused for a moment and scratched his nose, as if gathering his thoughts. "So Miguel and I stood in front of this cart, taunting him to come and get us. Of course, the guy falls for it and heads straight for us as fast as he can go...downhill!" Tulio tried to keep himself from laughing. "A few seconds before he actually got to us, we just moved aside, and his fat ass couldn't stop itself. So he just barreled right into the back of the cart, which was full of pigs in these flimsy cages, and let loose half of the stupid things. BOOM! The horse, of course, thought that thunder had just struck the back of the cart and took off at full speed down the hill! Then, the cart's owner comes out of the shop he had been in and started chasing it even though most of his pigs were running in the opposite direction! Miguel and I were on the ground laughing!"
Maria was doubled over at hearing all this. She could see it. Maybe she was being silly, drinking in all the things that Tulio told her, but his stories excited her so. The realistic part of her knew that most of it was probably lies and that he was leaving out the parts about nights spent in jail and life threatening situations. But her romantic side...well...it was in control right now. She finally stopped laughing, her ribs aching, and thought of something. Wiping tears from her eyes, she asked, "What about the two men?"
He paused, not having thought to mention it. "Oh, they were fine. But that guy never got his money back!"
She laughed some more and then noticed that he was looking at her rather intently. "Umm...what's wrong?"
Leaning back, he tried to seem as if there was nothing to even ask about. "Oh, nothing. I was just wondering..."
"Yeah?" She folded her arms. Maria honestly hated it when people pussy-footed around about things. Just spit it out, will you?
"Maybe you'd like to...do something tomorrow?"
The girl looked almost shocked. It was if she'd been slapped clear across the face. Was he serious? "I don't know..." her voice sounded unsure.
"Oh, come on." Tulio stood up, looking his most earnest. "I guarantee a good time. I have plenty more stories..." He grinned suggestively. Or not. Depending on how she took it.
"Well..." Maria bit her lip, trying to think of possible reasons to say no. There was the fact that she hardly knew him. There was also the fact that he was a con artist. Still... "I guess--"
Her voice was cut off by Arabela hauling Miguel into the room, her face slightly red. "Here. You take him!" She practically threw him into the room and then huffed off.
Rather mystified by this, Maria still took a moment to turn back to Tulio. "You can pick me up around 6 o' clock."
* * * * *
Tulio ran a brush through his loose black hair and examined himself in the small wall mirror. Handsome as ever, of course. He wasn't sure why he wanted to impress Maria. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he hadn't been out with a girl in months. Most of the time, it was just him and Miguel, which got a little tired after a while. The promise of some female company was a nice one.
Sitting on one of the two small beds in the modest room, Miguel watched. "And why are you looking so beautiful?" he asked half teasingly. It was strange to see his friend dressed in actual semi nice clothes. Since they were constantly on limited funds, they weren't very fancy, but it was a marked improvement from how he usually dressed. His shirt, instead of the usual blue one with the rolled up sleeves, was dark green, with sleeves that actually went down to his wrists. Instead of his favorite faded, and rather ragged, trousers, his wore nice black pants. He didn't look like a bum, at least. He'd even given himself a good shave to get rid of his 5 o' clock shadow. That never lasted. It'd be back in the morning.
"Nothing. Just going out somewhere." He fixed the stray hairs in place, despite knowing that they'd pop right back up within minutes, and tied it all back in his traditional ponytail. "Maria and I are doing something."
"Oh..." Miguel looked down at the floor for a moment, not exactly sure why this let him down. "Who's she, again?"
"That waitress we met yesterday. The one working with Arabela." He tucked in his shirt. "You know. The one who got a face full of your butt."
Miguel laughed at the memory in spite of himself. "Oh. Her," her replied with a wide grin. "I remember now." Pausing, he tried to think of something encouraging to say. "She seems...nice..."
"Yeah. And if she turns out to be a bore, she's got a nice figure, at least."
The man sitting on the bed frowned a bit at this remark. It wasn't enough for Tulio for notice, but it was there. Miguel wondered a bit sometimes about his partner's shallowness. He seemed like a bit of a jerk sometimes, but he knew that he really didn't mean it. Tulio would only have asked her out if he saw something good in her besides looks. And she had to have seen something in him to actually accept.
After a bit more primping, Tulio turned around and showed off. "How do I look? Okay? Did I get that big stain out of these pants?" He bent over some and scratched at the spot on his leg where he'd dropped that sauce before, examining it. The spot seemed to be gone, but the light from the window was fading, so he couldn't be sure. She probably wouldn't notice it, anyway.
Miguel shrugged noncommittally. "Oh, you look fine, Tulio. You better get going." He stood up and started to push the other man out the door.
"Okay! Okay! I'm going!" Tulio turned around and motioned that he could walk out the door by himself. "I'll be back in a few hours. Just don't break anything while I'm gone. All right?"
"Right," answered Miguel, smiling again, not feeling a bit insulted. He was used to this type of playing from Tulio. "Have fun."
Giving a small, informal salute, he headed out the door, closing it behind him. Waiting until the sound of his footsteps had moved halfway down the stairs, Miguel opened the door again a crack and watched Tulio trot down to the bottom of the stairs, greet Señora Montoya for a moment, and then head out to get Maria. With Tulio gone, Miguel again shut the door and leaned his back against it, folding his arms and kicking at some dust on the floor. Now what was he going to do with his evening?
* * * * *
"Mama?" Maria stuck her head into the living room, where her mother was mending a dress she had torn last week while playing tag with some of the younger children near her home. She'd never had any brothers or sisters of her own.
Her mother looked up, her face peaceful from her mind-numbing work. "Yes, mi querido una?" She took the pins from her mouth and stuck the needle in the bun on top of her head. "What is it?"
Maria hesitated. How could she ask this? And on such short notice? Her mother would never say yes. It was needless to even consider her father's reaction... "I was wondering...um...could I go..." The last words "on a date with a con artist" didn't want to leave her mouth. They stuck to her tongue like cheap sweetmeats. Her mother only wanted to protect her, as did her father. They didn't have any other children, after all. Maria was their treasure. She only wished that they wouldn't try to keep her in the house all the time, except for outings to work. Her home was her father's castle and her prison. For most of her childhood, the window of her room had been the most freedom she had ever known. Maria swore that she wouldn't allow it to be that way any longer.
Señora Vela kept still in her chair, waiting for her beloved Maria to finish. Her daughter peered at the shelf clock. It was five minutes until time to meet him. She would have to lie. "Could I go..." she fumbled with the words, "out for a walk?" It sounded convincing enough.
Still, her mother looked unsure. "I don't know, Maria. It's already nearly dark outside."
Maria's mind panicked, briefly, thinking that Tulio would be left wondering where she was all night. Finally, she burst, "Mama, look! I'm a woman now! I can take care of myself. I'm sure a walk would do me more good than harm." She bit her tongue after that last sentence. What had possessed her to snap at her mother like that? She waited for the hurt look on her mother's round face to appear, plunging her into guilt.
There was none. Her mother only looked slightly shocked, followed with an expression of amused affection. She would humor her daughter, who felt so strongly that she was ready for the world. "All right, dear. You may go out, but don't stay out too long. You know how your father worries." She again put the pins in her mouth and pulled the needle from her hair, resuming her mending job. That was that.
The girl at the doorway wasn't sure how to react. She had gotten her way? Or had she? The way her mother had relented made her wonder, but she had learned long ago not to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially not one so rare as this. Maria gave her mother a quick curtsy and rushed off to grab her old cloak to fight off the chill of the night. She clasped the black fabric around her neck and pulled the hood over her head, matting her hair down against her back. With a small wave, she was out the door and jogging to the spot where she and Tulio had agreed to meet.
She slowed as she saw him leaning against the wall, checking his breath. Only the street lamps and fading glow of the nearly set sun gave the street any light. His face was illuminated yellow from above, casting an eerie glow over him. Maria gulped back her nervousness and stepped up to him. "Hello," she greeted simply.
He looked at her quizzically until she pulled back the hood, which had been hiding her face in shadows. "Oh, good," Tulio breathed. "I thought that you might have been a prostitute or something..." He noticed her looking at him oddly from that remark and attempted to explain. "Well, it wouldn't be very good of you to arrive seeing me chatting with a whore, would it?"
Maria shrugged, figuring that he had a point even if he did express it oddly. It was then that she caught notice of his clothes. They were different, nicer, but he didn't have a coat or anything to protect from the cold. She suddenly felt embarrassed for dressing so plainly. "Um...are you cold?"
"What?" He looked at himself, realizing that he'd forgotten even to bring a jacket. "Yeah, a little. But it doesn't matter."
She reached out her hand a bit, thinking that she could help. "I could--"
"I'm fine," he interrupted with a smile. "Let's go before the place is filled up." That said, Tulio took her by the hand and walked her down the street. They passed through a narrow alley and back onto a larger street that opened widely onto the coast.
Loving the sudden feeling of openness, Maria pulled him over a bit to the side closest to the sea. She could smell the salt coming off the water, and it intoxicated her like wine. Closing her eyes, she drank it fully, letting Tulio lead her along the path. Her eyes opened again, this time to the sky. This disappointed her, however. It was a cloudy night, hiding the stars from her view. "The stars aren't out tonight," she lamented softly to the man walking next to her.
Tulio looked up. He hadn't even considered it. "I guess not." There wasn't much else he had to say about it, but he could tell it bothered Maria for some reason. "Why?"
"Oh...nothing." Her hazel eyes were still locked above the horizon. "I just...like looking at them." She tore her gaze down and looked at his hand holding hers. It was warm and secure. She squeezed. Encouraged, he squeezed back. They were silent for a while.
The streets were a little more crowded than usual this evening. Dark figures ran up and down the streets, and the distant cheers of nighttime celebrations in the bars echoed faintly in their ears. It was probably the warmer weather. Though it was cold that night, it wasn't the usual bone-chilling kind of most Barcelona January nights.
"Here we are," Tulio suddenly announced. Maria, who had been lost in her own thoughts, screeched to a halt. It occurred to her that had never even thought to ask where he was taking her. From the looks of the outside, it looked like a restaurant. Not surprising. She could have hoped for something a bit more spontaneous, though. "I eat here sometimes. You'll like it."
She nodded hopefully as he led her inside. It wasn't the nicest restaurant in town, of course. In fact, it was a bit of a dump. Not that it didn't have its charms... Somehow, the place seemed to fit Tulio's personality, she observed as she watched him wave to a group of guys at a large table near the entrance. Maria hoped they weren't going to sit with them. They looked friendly enough, but she could smell them from a yard away. They were all downing shots of a very strong-looking alcohol. She didn't know what it was, but it stung bitterly in her nostrils. Thankfully, they passed them. There seemed to be quite a few people there that at least recognized Tulio. The two of them had gone all the way to the back of the place before they sat. Maria removed her cloak and hung it on the back of the chair, making sure to keep an eye on it.
Tulio must have noticed that the surroundings made his date kind of nervous. "It's okay, Maria," he comforted her. "I know these guys. As long as you're with me, you'll be fine."
"As long as I'm with you...?" Was that meant to be reassuring? Maria's head filled thoughts of things that might happen to her if she and Tulio were separated. She shuddered. "W-what is this place?"
Tulio shook his head at her stutter. "This is La Serpiente Negra," he told her. "It's really a nice bunch of guys, and the food is great." He paused. "Do you drink?"
"Uh..." Should she lie and say yes? Would he think less of her for hating the taste of alcohol? She hoped it didn't matter. "I really haven't tried alcohol that much. I've been kind of sheltered."
"Ah," he replied with a nod. That explained a lot. "Well, we'll get you something and see if you can hold your liquor."
Maria couldn't help but smile. She was getting used to the...unique atmosphere of the place. In all honesty, she didn't sense any hostility. For the most part, no one seemed to have a lot of interest in the couple in the corner. The ones that did throw them a few glances didn't really seem to be going out of their way to make her uncomfortable. A few of the people looked genuinely friendly and welcoming. She really shouldn't have judged them so quickly.
Aside from the people there, the building itself really wasn't so bad, either. True, the walls had their fair share of cracks and graffiti, but they were more interesting than foreboding. The hairline fractures in the walls formed patterns that added to the strangely warm ambiance of the place. The graffiti, whether done in paint, ink, coal, or chalk, was also often amusing. However, a few of the things on the walls shocked her as she read them:
¡La maldición todo!
¡Coma mi pene!
She covered her eyes a few times at readings things like these. There were also names scrawled on the walls and tables. Maria entertained herself by reading them. She only recognized two. On the table next to theirs, the names Tulio and Miguel were firmly etched into the wood. Also, in thin black lines on one side were the initials T and M surrounded by a small heart. This made Maria wonder, but she decided not to ask, remembering how embarrassed Tulio had been at the slightest mention before. She wouldn't have had the opportunity even if she had wanted to.
A large man, bigger that Tulio and Maria combined, walked up to their table. Like most of the patrons, he seemed to be familiar with Tulio. They shook hands and exchanged greetings. He then turned to Maria and smiled. Despite his size, he wasn't frightening. His bearded face reminded her of her father, and he had kind eyes. "Hello there, little girl." The way he talked reminded her of her father, too, unfortunately. "What's your name?"
Tulio answered for her. "Her name is Maria."
"I'm his date," she finished, resenting not being able to speak for herself. She wasn't a child.
"Oh, well, then!" The man grinned again. "You did good, Tulio!" he exclaimed, giving him a playful punch in the arm. Tulio rubbed the spot where his fist had hit but maintained a friendly face. That would be a nice bruise later on... "My name is Biaggio!" the man announced, holding out a hand to shake. She extended hers, and Biaggio shook it vigorously. So vigorously, in fact, that she was afraid she might have to carry it home in a sack if he didn't stop. He stopped and introduced himself to the jarred Maria, "I work here, so whatever you want, if we got it, you can have. A friend of Tulio's is a friend of mine."
"Okay, Biaggio," said Tulio, hoping that his friend hadn't scared her, "I'll just have my usual."
The large man make note of this. "Gotcha. Beef stew, white beans, bread, and a mug."
They both looked over at Maria, who wasn't sure what to order, never having been before. "The same, I guess."
Now having both orders, Biaggio strolled heavily back to what Maria knew was the kitchen, probably not all that different from the one with which she was so familiar. It was nice to be the served rather than the server for once. She just hoped none of her food would have fish guts in it.
Tulio and Maria talked most of the time there. She listened, enticed, as he told her a few more con stories. He, in turn, listened as she told him about herself. Maria embellished a little bit in some parts, afraid that she'd sound a bit dull otherwise. He didn't seem to notice. In fact, he seemed to sympathize, feeling sorry that she'd been so protected and limited for most of her years. By the time two hours had passed and it was time for her to be back home, they had reached an understanding. They liked each other.
They left their table at La Serpiente Negra without paying. When Maria tried to protest, he told her that Biaggio owed him some money, which was more than likely the truth. Until Tulio had the debt paid back to him, he was able to eat there for free. This comforted her somewhat. At least he wasn't stealing.
It was getting late when they reached Maria's door. She knew that her parents must have started worrying an hour ago. They were probably eating their boots by now wondering what had happened to her. She should have been more concerned than she was.
"I had a nice time," she told him, as they stood outside her door. The lights inside were still on, and she could see the dark shapes of people moving about restlessly inside. This had to be brief. "I'd like to do it again."
"Me, too," agreed Tulio as he looked down at the girl.
She gave him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, which he seemed to enjoy. "I have to go."
Tulio held his cheek as she stepped away. "Yeah. Bye. Seeya later." He gave a small wave as she stepped up to the door threshold and got ready to step in.
He was stopped from walking away by her voice. "Oh, and you might want to do something about that stain on your pants..." Maria smiled at him again one last time before stepping inside to face her parents. "Buenas noches..."
* * * * * Maria reached up to the door and gave it a quick rap with her knuckles. It was a pleasant morning, and it had occurred to her that it would be nice to spend it with someone. Since Arabela was working that day, she'd eventually ended up on Tulio's doorstep. Well, not his doorstep, exactly. The house belonged to a cheerful little widow, Señora Montoya. The plump woman was fairly wealthy and had let out a room in her little villa for the two of them. It wasn't that she needed the money. It was the companionship that she loved so much. While she'd never said as much to her, Maria could tell that the recent death of her husband, as well as her sons' growing up and leaving her, had left a large hole in her home. She hadn't the heart, however, to tell her of how they made the money for the rent. As far as Señora Montoya was concerned, her two boys were perfect angels.After a few moments, the short, matronly figure opened the door and, recognizing the young woman, welcomed her in warmly. "¡Entre, Maria, por favor!"
"Hello, Señora Montoya!" Maria greeted with a smile.
The smaller woman returned the look, with a slight hint of nostalgia as she remembered being that young. Courtship, what she recalled of it, was a wonderful thing. "What brings you here, girl? Come to see Tulio, I expect." Teasingly, she shook a chubby finger in Maria's face. "You know you shouldn't be with him too much. Bad things can happen!"
Blushing noticeably, Maria asked her seriously, "Is he in? I'd like to talk to him."
"I don't know," the woman beside her answered, rubbing her chin. "I know Miguel is up there. He's been playing on that silly instrument of his for about an hour. You can go and check if you like, though." She motioned to the stairs, which led up to a door, the way into the lending room.
"I guess I will." Maria walked over to the staircase, the sound of her feet on the tiled floor echoing bluntly in the home, and started up to the room.
As she got nearer and nearer to the top of the stairs, the sounds of lute playing grew louder. Yes, Miguel was definitely up there. The sound tasted bored and rather restless, as if the fingers on the strings just needed somewhere to go. The fractured melodies were very distinct by the time she reached the door. Unsure as to why, Maria was hesitant about disturbing the man on the other side of it and listened to him play through a thin crack. It was beautiful to hear, but she really wanted to find Tulio. She pushed aside her concerns about disturbing Miguel and opened the door, forgetting to knock.
She stepped in quietly, allowing herself a look inside before she upset the tranquility of the scene. Miguel was there, alone, strumming his lute listlessly. He sat against the window sill, obviously admiring the city in the morning as he played. It looked as if he'd been doing this since he woke up. His hair was still a mess from the pillow, and he was only half dressed. He'd probably slept this way. The sun glinted off his gold hair and, for the first time, the girl admitted to herself how very handsome he was. She smiled as she watched, forgetting the slight nagging in her mind that maybe, just maybe, she should say something.
Forgetting herself, Maria made a misstep and caused the floor to creak, the first sound she'd made since she entered the room. Miguel's head shot up, and he looked at her. It wasn't a look of shock, but merely realization that he wasn't alone anymore. He grinned at her, holding his position at the window, seeming pleased to have new company.
"Hi," she greeted, giving a small wave. It wasn't until now that she felt embarrassed by the situation.
"Hello, there," replied Miguel. He wasn't embarrassed at all. That is, until he realized that his shirt was on the floor. He scrambled to throw it on. "Um, not to sound rude, but what are you doing here?"
Maria laughed a bit as she watched. "Looking for Tulio." She shifted her weight curiously. "Is he around?"
"No," was the matter-of-fact response. Miguel stood up and set his lute down on one of the beds. "He left last night. Don't know where he went." He noticed as Maria bit her lip, wondering where he was. There was really no need. "I wouldn't worry. He does this sometimes. He usually comes back in a day or two."
Maria plopped down on the other bed, setting her chin in her hands with a pouty look. "Great," she lamented to her lap. "Now what am I going to do with my day?"
Miguel raised a brow. "What were you planning?"
"Not much, I guess." The girl looked up at him and tried to strike a happier expression. "I just wanted to go out today. It's the Feast of San Antonis Abad today, you know." Walking over the the window, she pointed at the animals walking about in the street. "I didn't want to go alone. The only way I could convince my parents to let me out was assuring them that I'd be with someone."
"Don't want to break a promise like that, of course." As he thought, Miguel scratched his cheek lightly. "Hmm...well, I guess if you don't mind being around a fool like me, I could go with you."
Maria turned toward him from the window. That hadn't occurred to her. He seemed genuine, so she didn't really see the harm. "Sure," she piped up, "why not?" She was sure Tulio would understand.
The two of them took turns dragging each other around. There were things to see that day. It was crowded, too, of course. Most of the crowd, however, were the animals that were being paraded around that day, decorated with flowers, ribbons and anything else pretty that could be tied to a harness. There were horses and cows being led up and down the streets as vendors tried to push off their party favors for the celebration that night.
Maria smiled as she saw children running with their dogs, bright ribbons streaming behind. Miguel seemed to be just as fascinated. She reminded herself that he wasn't from around here. This was probably the first celebration of this kind that he'd ever seen. From what she could tell, he was enjoying himself.
"Get out of here!" came a cry. "Go somewhere else! I don't need you here!" The loud, obnoxious voice was sounding from around a corner. Curious, Miguel and Maria turned it to see who was yelling. There was a large woman, about as big as Señora Montoya but much less pleasant. She was looming over a poor man, looking to be in his 50's but probably younger, sandwiched in the cranny of a building, apparently driving away the woman's customers. A small dog, equally shaggy as the man, growled at her. She ignored the mutt. The woman grabbed the man's arm, trying to haul him out of her sight and away from her set up. Her grip was so rough that she looked about to break his arm. The two watching were more than a little upset.
Miguel was about to speak up when, "Excuse me!" Maria called over to the other woman, who could have easily swallowed her in one bite. She marched sternly over to her. "I'd thank you to leave that man alone! He has just as much right to be here as you do!"
"Excuse me?" she asked incredulously. "Who do you think you are?"
"Someone who knows how to act!" She calmly reached over to the man, struck quite dumb by now, and removed the woman's meaty fingers from his slight arm. It was easier than she expected. "You could have hurt him," she stated, more placid now.
"He was ruining business for me," the woman tried to justify. "I have to eat."
Refraining as best she could from any fat jokes, Maria argued, "What about him? He has to eat, too." She turned to the man. "Here." She pulled up her skirt to the shin and pulled some money, several pesetas, out of a pouch attached to her leg. "Take this."
"Th-thank you," he finally said. She was glad that he could speak. The woman, by now, had retreated, and Miguel had joined Maria by her shoulder.
"No problem." She smiled reassuringly. "Oh. One more thing." Bending over the the dog biting at fleas on his leg, she untied one of the strands of ribbon from around her thin wrist and tied it in a red bow on the collar around his neck. It stood out against the dingy brown fur. It would do. Satisfied, she scratched him behind the ear. "Can't go around today without a little color, now can we?"
After the man had set out, Miguel just looked at the girl waving good-bye to the beggar and his pup. When they were out of sight, she looked back at him, totally innocent. "Well. Now what should we do?"
"Why did you do that?" Miguel finally asked.
She shrugged, scratching her scalp where a few fleas from the dog had nested. "Why not? He needed that money more than I did."
"I just..." He stopped himself. Maybe it was better not to question a selfless act. He should just let it be. "Nevermind."
Taking his arm, Maria led them into a larger crowd of people. "I'm getting hungry. How about you?"
"Um...I guess I am, too." He realized at that moment that he had no money on him. It was all left back in his room. He didn't let it concern him. Maria seemed to have plenty. This didn't surprise him. Tulio had told him that her parents were loaded. He had silently wondered if this was a hidden reason for his interest in the girl. Now, though, that seemed less likely. It was hard not to like her. Tulio's affections were more than likely for real.
Pulling him through the throng of people, Maria followed her nose to a stand selling fresh bread and some fruits and vegetables. After a bit of haggling, she managed to procure two small loaves of simple, but tasty, wheat bread and two juicy oranges. She handed one of each to her partner for the day and motioned for him to dig in as she did the same. They sat reasonably comfortably on the side of a fountain and watched the people shuffle past.
The subtle music of screams and giggles reverberated from the pockets of the city. Small bands of musicians performed to earn some chicken scratch to spend. Miguel began to regret having left his own lute at home. Maybe he could have obtained some of his own money. After witnessing Maria give some of her own to a perfect stranger for nothing more than thanks, he felt guilty about taking more of it. For some reason, taking her money weighed more heavily on his conscience than years of taking the stolen loot of thugs and gamblers. She was barely more than a child. He was suddenly upset with his friend for hanging around her. Who knows what he might have shown or told her... It seemed a crime to taint her.
Having nothing to drink except for the lukewarm fountain water in the growing heat of the sun, they instead sucked the juice out of the oranges. Maria laughed and wiped her face as it dribbled down her chin. The crowd around them seemed to be getting livelier by the moment. The people around the fountain were getting restless, as if waiting for something. Maria and Miguel, now finished with their food, glanced at each other, neither sure what was coming. The air was charged. All it needed was a spark to ignite whatever it was on approach.
"¡Las señoras y señores!" All the heads turned to see a small man standing on top of a barrel, holding his hands in the air to attract as many eyes as possible. His clothes, appropriately for the day, were strikingly colorful. In the light of the near-noon sun, they almost hurt to behold. "Thank you for gathering here on this special day!" he continued addressing the people. "Now, it's time for what you've been waiting for!"
"What's he talking about?" Miguel hissed to the girl beside him gripping his shoulder.
She kept her eyes locked on the little man as she answered. "I-I don't know. This is the first time I've attended this holiday in years..."
The still-standing question was answered by a sharp note, shot into the air by someone at the head of the assembly. A beat started and most everyone around the fountain started to move to it.
"Oh," Miguel said. "That explains it."
"That looks like fun!" Hopping to her feet, the young woman grabbed Miguel's arm again. "Let's join in!" She punctuated the request with a few tugs.
Smiling, he tried to refuse. "I don't think we should. I mean, after all, you should be with Tulio..."
"Oh, c'mon!" Determined, she pulled harder, causing him to lurch forward, closer to the people milling around to the rhythm. "It'll be fun! What could be the harm?"
He shook his head, amused, as he realized just how familiar this sounded. Only this time he was on the wrong side. "Oh, fine!" The music was catchy. He would have had a hard time suppressing the urge to dance, anyway.
With that, Maria yanked him into the crowd with a startling jolt. Because she'd never done anything of the sort before, she didn't know how to duplicate the steps of those around her. Instead, she made it up, not caring if it looked odd. Her body twisted and twirled, hitting Miguel in the face with her hair more than a few times. Most of the moves were her own, but she managed to thrown in a few steps from the limited flamenco that Arabela had shown her. She laughed to think of how red-faced her friend would be to be seen with her now.
Miguel himself looked inanimate compared to her. He was still unsure about this. Dancing with her didn't seem right. That hardly seemed to matter to her, but that wasn't a very big surprise. Deciding to go with the flow, he took her hands and copied her style, knowing that they must have looked ridiculous. But that didn't matter. It was great fun.
After a while of this, both of them started to get winded, not to mention over-heated. They managed to dance their way out of the square and into a less busy part of the town, laughing at themselves and each other as the music faded behind them.
Maria was still giggling to herself when Miguel stopped dead in his tracks. "What is it?" Her eyes followed his gaze to a flyer on the wall, a copy of the one that he and Tulio had had at the cafe the day Maria had met them. It was reality's cold slap in the face. She put her hand on his arm, trying to make it better. "It's okay, Miguel. It doesn't look that much like you."
He couldn't help but crack a smile. "You're right. It's a terrible likeness."
"Yeah," Maria continued. "For one thing, the ears are too big. And you don't smile like that." Her face froze in thought for a moment. "Do you have anything to write with?"
"Let me see..." Miguel reached into his shirt and pulled out a small piece of coal. She looked at it strangely, wondering how and why that could have been in his shirt but took it anyway.
With a few strokes of the wrist, the two drawings were properly defaced. Miguel's picture had been given a pair of thick glasses and buck teeth while Tulio now had a curly mustache, no teeth, and a long beard. They stood back and admired her work of art.
"I like it!" Miguel announced. "It's beautiful, really. Why haven't I seen your work in any museums?"
She laughed at the tease. "They're idiots. They keep sending my art back!"
The two of them walked away from the blackened poster, still jabbering in a mockingly intellectual way about the magnificence of Maria's latest achievement. They continued to find and lovingly destroy most of Tulio and Miguel's wanted posters in the city. While it didn't help anything, it did keep their spirits up. As they walked, they conversed, sometimes seriously and sometimes for laughs. The sun seemed to be racing them, struggling to go faster than they did. By the time the two had reached the edge of the city at the bay, it was sinking rapidly, as if an immense weight had been tied to it. Clouds had gathered in from the sea, resulting in a magnificent sunset over the red rooves of Barcelona, leaving the sky to the east a darkened sapphire blue. The ocean breeze blew in on the coast, warming them where the sun failed and provoking strands of hair to dance on their shoulders. Maria and Miguel strolled by the view of the ocean, talking quietly.
"I love the sea." Maria stared out at it as they walked along, swinging their clasped hands. "Just think of what could be out there, untouched. I want to go out there someday."
"Tell you what. If I ever go, I'll take you with me."
She laughed softly, tranquilly. "Thanks." She let out a sigh of longing. "I want to go somewhere else. Anywhere else. I want to live a new life everyday." Her head drooped a bit, like a wilted flower. She looked up at him then. "This must sound terribly silly to you."
"No, no," said Miguel. "I know what you mean."
A voice husky erupted from behind them, "Amantes jóvenes! How are you this fine evening?" They whirled around to see a man carrying with him a bundle of flowers, obviously for sale.
Miguel tried to correct the peddler. "No, we're not--"
"You know what you two need?" he interrupted. Maria looked at him curiously while Miguel just looked annoyed. "One of these..." He reached into his bundle and plucked out a rose, the colors of the sunset. Orange, red, and pink. It had been trimmed and stripped of its thorns. Maria took the blossom in her hands and breathed in the aroma. It was wonderful.
"How much do you want for it?" she asked, cupping the petals in her hands.
Grinning at the girl, he put up a palm, signifying no need for payment. "I need no money. Your happiness is reward enough. Just make sure he takes good care of you." He then waltzed off, thinking to leave them alone.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked of the man beside her as she held the prize by its green stem. "It smells delicious."
Miguel looked at her holding the rose. Without thinking, he took it from her fingers and placed it in her thick hair, twining the strands of it around the stem until it was firmly set behind her ear. "My Spanish rose," he whispered to her and hugged her waist.
She froze, not knowing how to respond. She didn't have to, as it turned out.
"Oh, I," Miguel blurted as he backed off suddenly. "I didn't mean that. I don't know why I did that. It wasn't really..." As Maria looked at him quizzically, he turned away, hiding his eyes, wishing hopelessly for giant bird to swoop out of the sky and whisk him out of the awkward situation. He rubbed his arm bashfully and in another instant felt her touch on his hand. He tried to shy away but she wouldn't let him, stubbornly following him.
"It's all right, Miguel," she told him as kindly as she could. "It was nothing. We all forget ourselves sometimes." He looked at her again. She took the opportunity to grin at him warmly and genuinely. Taking his hand again, she walked over to a stone wall that separated them from the sea. As they leaned against it and looked out at the darkening water, tiny droplets of water began to drizzle over them, dampening their hair and clothes and making the water shimmer as it reflected the last evaporating rays of the sunset. "It's raining."
"Yes. I guess it is." They continued looking out at the water, feeling the weak spray of salt from below. Their hands still clung to each other, afraid to let go.
Maria broke the stillness. "I really should be getting back home..." Timidly, she made eye contact with him.
"If you say so."
Just leaving it at that didn't seem right. Even though her head told her to stop it there, she persisted. "I had a nice time. It was a lot of fun."
He just nodded in agreement.
"Well, then." She cleared her throat and made the decision to go. Yes, she would go. Walk away. At that moment. If only her feet would obey her. Maria tried to rip herself from her spot. Then, there was warmth. And sudden.
Before she could grasp what had happened, her lips were pressed against his. In shock, her eyes flew wide, and yet again she struggled to leave. And yet again her body had a problem with this and decided to stay exactly where it was. The rest of her was forced to comply. She didn't know who had kissed whom, but she did know that that wasn't the important thing. She was kissing another man. The odd thing was that she wasn't entirely sure this was a bad thing. Maria wished so hard that Arabela was there to instill some sense in her. As always, she didn't come, and she was left to deal with this for herself. The rain was heavier now, and the scent of the wet rose was intense. Miguel pulled her closer for a harder kiss before finally releasing her. She stared at him, contemplating whether to hug him or slap him. Perhaps both. Finally, she gained her wits again. "I really have to go..." There was no reply from him.
Feeling the reality of what just happened begin to push down on her, Maria struggled loose and ran off toward home, leaving Miguel alone as night fell on him and the stars came out to watch.