Chapter 2
March 12th, 2018
“So Mia do you like him?” Zoe asks at Go!
“He’s sweet.”
Zoe raises an eyebrow.
“Do you like him?” She repeats with emphasis.
“Maybe.” Mia giggles. “I haven’t even known him a day.”
“Either way. Maybe you should be less you about it.”
“Excuse me?” Lupe says coming to her sister’s defense.
“I think what Zoe means is Mia should flirt,” Simon explains.
Sofi and Agus start laughing.
“Mia? Flirt?” Martin asks incredulously.
“Yes, flirt. How else would he know she likes him anymore than a stranger? She’s too bubbly with everyone for him to tell a difference.”
Mia looks downcast.
“Whatever Zoe. Would you ever do that?” Lupe asks.
“If necessary.” She replies as Aunt Isabel walks in. “I hope he realizes how you feel.”
“Class is starting. Team start stretching while I look at Martin’s concepts.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
----- ----- -----
March 13th, 2018
“Juanma and Lupe.”
Stupid mixed second and third year elective, Lupe curses.
“Hi.” Juanma says, sitting down.
“Hi.” Lupe says, checking herself in the mirror.
“I’m, um, surprised you don’t want Olivia to have her party.”
And I’m surprised you speak.
“It’s not like we didn’t have the summer to party. And Go! needs work.”
Juanma pauses in setting up his multi colored pens.
“Right. Tobias mentioned you might have been upset by what I said.”
“Oh, no. I love when people criticize things they know nothing about. Especially when it’s my art and friends who have been working so long and hard at something.”
“I told you, I’ve been to the competitions. I’m not just saying it.”
“Fine. How about the fact that it was one performance meant to be informal with new members?”
“Um.”
“Exactly. Maybe wait until you have solid evidence that we suck.”
“That’s not...”
“Class dismissed.”
Lupe stalks out.
----- ----- -----
March 14th, 2018
“Why aren’t you rooming with Lupe?” Zoe asks again as Mis starts unpacking.
“Because we are sisters. And too much time together can put our lives at risk.”
“As if you could ever hurt anyone.” Simon says.
“SIblings bring out a different side.” Mia says, simply. “Plus we’re good friends aren’t we Zoe? Or would you rather I room with Sofi?”
“You’re my best friend after Simon. I could never let you submit yourself yo all that fangirling.”
“Simon fangirls.” Mia says confused.
“Fanboying is completely different.” He comments indignant.
They all laugh.
----- ----- -----
“Are you sure you don’t mind me rooming with you, Lupe? I can room with Sofi.”
“Agus, you are fine to room with me. My dad cleared the rooms with me a few days ago, when Mia and I decided not to room together. Unless you really want to room with Sofi. I can talk to him for you.”
“No, no. It’s okay.”
Lupe looks surprised at the outburst.
“Sofi and I are always together. Even she can get sick of me.”
“I’m always out practicing. Just don’t be too loud when I’m here.”
“Okay.”
----- ----- -----
“So Juanma what do you think of the school?” Tobias asks.
“I wish we weren’t rooming together.”
“This school isn’t as expensive so not having a bunch of extra rooms makes sense. We are kinda just taking over their school.”
“What with a couple dozen or so of us?” Juanma says as if he doesn’t know the exact number.
“I’m just glad they don’t have the same rules about co-ed in the dorms.” Olivia says.
Did she just disagree with me, Juanma thinks.
“Anyway, Juanma what do you think of our hosts?”
“I think it’s great that we have somewhere relatively close to go to school.”
“What do you think of the people?”
“Ramiro seems nice.”
For once Juanma isn’t sure where she’s going with this.
“What do you think of the daughters? I know Tobias is enraptured with one.”
“They are fine.”
“Really? Just fine. I saw you smiling at Lupe on the way to dorms.”
“Juanma smiled?” Tobias asks incredulously.
Juanma glares at his friend.
“I doubt I was smiling at her. I was smiling while looking in her direction.”
“If you say so.” Olivia singsongs.
----- ----- -----
March 17th, 2018
“Didn’t dad tell us to focus on school and Go! not socializing?” Lupe asks.
“I believe he wanted us to not gossip.”
Lupe glares.
“Either way, mandatory attendance for a party is insane.”
Mia isn’t going to correct her again.
“It’s mandatory? That’s so cool.” Sofi says.
“It’s not mandatory.”
“But you just said.”
“I was being extra. Dad just really implied he wanted Mia and I here.”
“Well it would have been weird if you weren’t at your own house.”
“Agus is right. Anyway, we’re going to go see if we can get this party trending online.” Sofi says, pulling Agus away.
“Trending. Trending is good.” Lupe comments to herself.
“Can we go say hi to Tobias?”
“Mia, you can go say hi to him. You’re almost a grown woman.”
Mia looks unsure. Lupe pushes her 3 feet forward and walks away. She’s proud until...
“Lupe!” Juanma says as they nearly bump into each other.
Her eyes narrow instinctually.
“Hello.” She says coldly.
Juanma bows in reply.
Hahaha. Did he just bow?
“I’m sorry. That was strange. I’m not sure why I did that.”
“Shouted my name or bowed?”
“Bowed actually. Um, the shouting was from surprise. You looked lost.”
“I was congratulating myself.”
“On?”
Lupe starts to gesture towards Mia but remembers she doesn’t like this fool.
“On my house being so beautifully decorated.”
“Oh, did you do it yourself?” He asks, seeming genuinely curious.
“No, I didn’t have time but Martín asked Olivia and I for final say. It’s about 30% my brain child.”
“Nice.”
“Anyway. I have to talk to Zoe.” Lupe lies to get away.
Did Juanma and i just talk like normal humans? Was Juanma a normal human? She remembers the bow and shakes her head.
“Did you and Juanma fight again?” Zoe asks.
Guess she came to find me.
“No. Why do you ask?”
“Because he is standing rather aimlessly on the edge of the dance floor. Did you make fun of his dance skills?”
“No.” Lupe huffs. “We had a pleasant conversation, made strange only by him bowing.”
“Boy likes you.”
Lupe stares at Zoe like she has a third head.
“Come again.”
“Boy. Likes. You.”
“And where did you get that from?”
“The bowing, it seems socially awkward. Like he doesn’t know what to do around you? And can there be another reason he’s talking to Mia right now?”
Lupe looks and Mia is talking to her enemy.
“Everyone talks to Mia. Anyway, how can you be a bad dancer as a coordinated basketball player?”
“Looks like we are about to find out.” Zoe says as Mia leads Juanma to the dance floor.
“Hmm. I wonder what mixes Gaspar has for music today.” Lupe says, trying to be unbothered.
Juanma could have another reason to talk to Mia.
------ ----- -----
Lupe: Juanma isn’t going to get in Tobias’ way, right?
Juanma: It’s not like I’m scared of Lupe. She just wouldn’t want to dance with me.
Mia: This is weird.
Tobias: Mia has such fun.
Olivia: Who doesn’t like a blonde?
Zoe: Not who she was supposed to flirt with.
Simón: Things are getting interesting.
