Enjoy!

"Why the long face my dear?"

Marcella stopped resting her head against the passenger window. Her dad looked concern as she turned to him.

"Is everything alright, you're awfully quiet."

She shrugged. "Oui papa. I'm just a little tired."

"And upset." He nodded. "Don't lie to me, I can tell."

Marcella crumbled in her seat, lowering her head. Her dad reached out to shrug her legs. "Your mother will come around, don't worry about it."

"It's just a stupid dress." She muttered. "Why does she care so much about a stupid dress?"

"Well, it cost her alot of money, didn't it? Just for you to refuse to wear it tonight. Why is that Marcella? Your mother told me that you liked the dress in the shop, that you picked it out yourself."

"It was a mistake." She assured and was glad that the car ride to Martina's quinceanera continued in silence.

"I'll pick you up at midnight!" Her father shouted across the restaurant parking lot. There were alot of cars, dropping of a bundle of giddy teenagers. The girls wore colorful dresses and full face makeup, whilst the boys arrived in suits and iron pressed socks.

"Happy birthday Martina!"

She sat on a pink draped throne inside of the restaurant. People walked up to it, wishing her a happy birthday and dropping off thier gifts. Marcella stood in line, waiting to do the same. She took the time to admired the creative birthday decorations, the theme being "Pink Garden." All decorations were in pink, making up a plastic flower garden that all guest had to walk through to get to the birthday girl.

"It's pretty cool, huh?"

Someone appeared by her side. Marcella didn't have to turn her head to know who.

"I don't belive I've ever heard a guy describe anything in pink as 'cool'. "

Pedri was grinning once she turned to look at him. He was handsome, dressed in a black suit and tie. He had done nothing to his hair, he didn't have to. "I guess I'm not like others guys then." He said, voice seductive.

Marcella made a displeased noise and turned back to stand in line.

"I can drop the gift off for you." He offered, not yet to leave her side, even though she wished for nothing more. "I mean as the son of the owner of this restaurant, I think I have the privilege to skip ahead in line."

"I'm fine, thank you."

She was next anyway.

Martina, with her long brown hair and sparkling pink dress, sat on her thrown and looked down on Marcella like a queen would do a peasant.

"Happy birthday." She squealed, to which Martina fixed a smile, but mainly focused on the size of Marcella's gift. "It's from Pandora." She reassured. Marcella then stepped out of line, heading for the beverage table. However, she was still being followed.

"Is this about what I wrote?"

She sighed. "No, Pedri."

"Than what is it, why are you being like this?"

"Like what?" Her steps altered, forcing him to do the same. The restaurant was crowded, people enjoying themselves around them.

"Like this." He gestured. "You're being so...cold."

"Good, you deserve it."

She walked off.

"Ah, so this is about what I wrote."

Pedri caught up with her.

Marcella ignored him while pouring herself a drink.

"Admit it Marcella, you're upset with me. You're not even wearing the same...."

She almost threw the drink at him. "Of course I'm upset Pedri." His eyes widened, not expecting her to snap at him. "I asked you what you were gonna wear tonight and you reply by sending me a tasteless picture of you grabbing your....your..." She grimarced. "....stuff, saying you're gonna 'wear me out'. Like, what does that even mean?" Marcella's chest rose with her heavy breathing. She didn't realize how upset she was until now. How upset he made her feel.

"Marcella, I didn't mean..."

"Save it Pedri." She raised a hand, silencing him. "I know I sent you that picture of me but...it's not what you think. I'm not that kind of girl."

"Marcella please, I know you're not that kind of girl and I'm not that kind of guy, even though all evidence points against it right now."

She searched his face. He seemed sincere.

"Marcella!"

Someone called her from across the room, Beatrice and Olga.

"I've got to go."

He looked defeated. "Marcella, please. I made a mistake sending you that text. Forgive me."

"I'll see you later Pedri."

"Please, Marcella"

She lowered her head, tuning him out as she left him calling out her name. It was strange. No guy had never done that before, begged her for forgiveness.

"There you are." Olga said, annoyed. "I thought we agreed to be ready at eight?"

"I'm sorry, I was..."

"It doesn't matter." She snapped her fingers for Beatrice to hand her another microphone, which she passed on to Marcella. "We're on in ten minutes."

********************************************

Pedri had to get some air. He couldn't keep standing in there like a fool. Marcella had run off on him, upset with his stupid mistake. A problem for later as Pedri's thoughts were disturbed by a commotion in the parking lot.

"What's going on?"

"Ey, Pedrito!"

It was Pablo and his classmates, two guys that weren't on the football team. The three of them were having a blast, passing a half empty bottle of Absolute Vodka between them. The party was over as Pedri snatched the it from Pablo's hands before he managed to intoxicate himself more than he already was.

"Nah, Pedrito don't ruin the fun." He was slurring on his words, twice as drunk as his idiot friends.

"Get inside." Pedri commanded, shoving Pablo ahead of him.

"Come on Gonzalez. Chill, it's a party. Have a drink with us." Pablo's friends chuckled. Pedri approach them. "Are you guys stupid or is it just the way you look?"

"What?" Both of the boys' were disoriented.

"I said get the fuck out of here. There are kids at this party. Go home!"

The boys chuckled. "Okay, Padre."

Pedri left them behind, helping Pablo inside. He rushed him to the men's room where he vomited at the first sight of a toilet stall. "Stay put. I'm going to get the keys to my dad's car." Pedri left the toilet but was caught amongst the birthday guests as most of them gathered before a large table carrying a five story cake with lit candles and blossoming sparklers. He pushed through to make it to the kitchen where he knew his dad would be, however he seized to make his way there the minute her voice sparked through the speakers.

"Cumpleaños feliz...."

It was Marcella, along with her friends. They were on stage, serenading Martina by singing Happy Birthday.

"Cumpleaños feliz......"

The way her voice soared above the others, her smile lighting up the room, left him breathless. All time stopped and Pedri could not, nor wanted to, diverge his eyes away from her, Marcella, who's dark skin looked golden in the candle lights.

"Te deseamos Martina....compleaños feliz!"

As the song ended, Pedri couldn't help but to stare at her, his heart racing with excitement. He had never felt this way before, and it took him by surprise. He was in love.

The next moments passed in a blur. He found himself wishing that the celebration would never end, just so he could keep looking at her.

Then came the screams.

********************************************

Marcella jumped at the sound of Martina's scream. She watched how the birthday girl hopped off her throne at the sight of Gavi, stumbling towards her like a lost zombie.

"Get away!"

He was clearly intoxicated, his suit stained with what she guessed to be his own vomit.

"I said get away!"

It was like a seen from a horror movie, kids screaming, the crowd disoriented with what was happening. Marcella had a perfect view from the stage. She gasped however, as a man tackled Gavi to the ground before he could get any closer to Martina.

"Oh my god, Pedri." Olga drew a breath, also witnessing chaos unfold before her.

"If that's Pedri then who's he?" Beatrice frowned. There was alot of people gathering around the scene. But just like her friends Marcella spotted two of them, two Pedri's, escorting Gavi out of the restaurant.

"Where are you going?" The girls shouted after her as Marcella pulled up the bottom of her dress and ran out.

"To help!"

She arrived in time to see Pedri arguing with his doppelganger.

"Just give me the keys Fernando and I'll take him home."

"I swear to God Pedri. If your friend vomits in my car..."

"Then what? It wouldn't be worse than what you have done to a car when drunk."

The two stood facing each other, faces inches apart. By now Marcella had gotten to Gavi, letting him support himself against her by draping his arm over her shoulders.

"Guys, a little help?" She groaned.

"Marcella?" Pedri's eyes widened.

"Don't just stand there, help me put him in the car."

"He vomits, you clean." Pedri's doppelganger said, tossing Pedri the keys. He caught them and hurried towards Marcella. The two of them helped Gavi into the car and drove off in the night.

********************************************

How fast the night changes.

Pedri kept glancing in his rearview mirror, making sure that Gavi wasn't giving Marcella too much trouble.

"Pedrito." His friend slurred, sounding quite beaten up. His fragile voice cracked. "I don't think she wants me."

Marcella snorted beside him. "What girl wants a guy who humilates her on the most important day of her life?"

Pablo looked to her with squinted eyes. "Yeah and who the fuck asked you?"

"Hey!" Pedri hissed. "Calm down back there."

"She's crazy Pedri, haven't I warned you about her. Crazy."

"Oh, please." Marcella rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

Apart of Pedri couldn't help but to feel tremendously happy that she was there, with him.

"I don't think anyone's home."

She help Pedri get Pablo inside his house as the lights were out, no sign of his parents being home.

"Careful."

Getting Pablo up the stairs was the real challenge. Pedri had to step back and catch his breath once they managed to get him to his bedroom, dumping Pablo on top of his unmade bed.

"You okay?" Marcella asked, she could tell that somthing was off. "Pedri?"

His heart was beating like crazy and his body began to sweat all over.

"Pedri?" She was by his side now, terror in her eyes.

"I just need to..."

"Yes?" She nodded, ready to assist him with anything.

"I just need...."

"Pedri, what's wrong?"

He slumped down on the floor, resting his back against the foot of Pablo's bed. "Cramps." He groaned. His stomach ached, along with his arms and chest. His whole body.

Marcella fell onto her knees, her hand pulling back the damped hair that had fallen over Pedri's eye's.

"I need somthing to eat." He said, voice weak.

"No."

She ran off, out of the room and down the stairs.

"Marcella, no...." She couldn't leave him. He was gonna die without having told her.

Minutes passed.

It was difficult to stay awake. Pedri felt his eyes rolling back in his sockets, on the brink of passing out. This was not good. He had taken two insulin shots out of the five recommended a day. The distress of getting Pablo home had also taken too much of him, triggering a seizure.

The walls seemed to come down on him, just then it returned, her sweet scent and her light touch.

"Hang on."

She lifted his shirt. Pedri felt a sting in his abdomen but did not think much of it until a few moments later, when he seemed to come to.

"Here, eat this."

She handed him a stained banana, splitting the fruit into edible pieces. He was almost back to normal after a few bites, the light restoration his vision. She was still by his side, Marcella, in a dress that covered her long legs.

"Marcella, there is something you should know." Pedri adjusted himself against the bed, wanting to look her in the eyes when he told her. "I have diabetes."

Marcella paused, putting away the rest of the banana. Her soft hand went to his cheek, rubbing the spot that she then leaned forward and kissed. "I know." She said.