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Chapter 04: Pégate (Get Closer)

I hope you guys like this chapter! I'm sorry it's so short; I guess this could technically be considered a 'filler chapter'. I'm really sorry if you guys don't like it. I promise to make the next chapter MUCH better! Oh, and thanks to Lovin' Big Time Rush, Sir RCCS, TidusGT, CrazyLeex, TheClaire24, Kogan4Ever, and Scarlett for your fantastic reviews! They mean so much to me!This was written in August 2011.

"So what do we do?" Carlos whispered, as Stephanie giggled. The group had ventured from the smoothie shop to the mall, although Kendall did send a few wayward glances toward Carlos. Nonetheless, Carlos was enjoying his time with the group. He found out how crazy some people could be, such as when Camille would slap people while laughing. He found out that girls liked crazy things, like when Jo confirmed that she was into sappy romance novels about a girl debating between dating a werewolf and a vampire. It was ridículo, or ridiculous, to think a genre like that was even considered a novel. Then, he found out that not all girls were weak. While he could have guessed that when Camille slapped Carlos, to his horror he discovered that Stephanie had a tendency to prank people. It was terrifying when Carlos was trying on a shirt in the dressing room, and as he came outside, a masked murderer stood in front of him. It turned out to be Stephanie, trying out a costume, but it took at least five minutes of coaxing from a laughing James and Stephanie to lure Carlos out from the dressing room.

"Just wait and watch. Jo and Camille are such bitches whenever they do this." Stephanie grinned. The seven kids were on the uppermost level of the mall, watching throngs of students and adults walk across the floor. Jo, the blonde, had seen the boyfriend of her friend Megan, with some "whore" (As Camille had spat) named Candy. Carlos had snorted at the name, Candy. It was almost equivalent to being named Dulce in his homeland. Upon thinking that, he suddenly felt a stir of fatigue, although he did his best to stay awake. Nonetheless, he continued to yawn.

Kendall had grinned, much to Carlos's surprise that the impassive Kendall Knight could express joy, while Logan shook his head, albeit chuckling under his breath. James grinned, and cheered Jo and Camille onward to 'do it'. Camille had handed Jo her cellular phone device, and immediately, Jo dialed a number. She stood around, waiting. Finally, it seemed as if someone on the phone answered.

"Hello? Is this Candy'?" Jo spoke very formally, as Camille tried to stifle her laughter. Carlos grinned, although he was still confused. Stephanie and Kendall were chortling, while James was looking away to hide his laughter. Logan sat as well, grinning.

"Hi! So you are Candy's mother? This is Daphne, from the Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center in Los Angeles," Jo continued, her face keeping an impassive shield on it, "I just wanted to let Candy know that her test results have returned. It seems like unfortunately, she did acquire gonorrhea from her affair with that boy. Could you kindly let her know? Hello?" Jo then hung up, and grinned widely. Camille and James roared with laughter, as Kendall and Stephanie held on to each other for support. Logan grinned silently, as Carlos smiled as well. However, he was confused.

"Wait, but why did you impersonate that girl's nurse?" Carlos asked, as the laughing slowly began to cease. The positive atmosphere continued to stay, however.

"Candy is this girl at our school," Camille slowly began to explain in between bouts of laughter, "and she's known for sleeping with like everyone." Camille trilled onward, "and so Jo, who hates her, pretended to be the girl's nurse and called the girl's home to tell her mother that she got a sexually transmitted disease from the boy!" Camille roared with laughter again, tears flowing out of her face. Carlos slowly began to understand what the group did, and while he found it slightly offensive, he could see the joke behind it and accepted it. He continued to laugh with the group, and the laughing was resurrected when Camille pointed out Candy's mother entering the mall and dragging Candy with her. The group was positively happy when they decided to leave the mall and head back to their respective homes.

Carlos felt like instantly falling asleep, but the sugar from the smoothie had kept him going. He embraced Sra. Knight and Katie, despite Kendall's grunts, and answered all of their questions. He intentionally left out what Jo had done, feeling that it was a bit too below and too uncouth for Sra. Knight, but he made a note to tell Katie about it later. Grinning, Carlos walked into the kitchen, where another American delicacy awaited him.

It was an interesting meal. Kendall had called the meal 'fish sticks', which gave Carlos the image of a fish skewered by a stick. However, he was surprised to see rectangular strips of fish covered with a breaded seasoning. It tasted heavenly in Carlos's mouth, and not even Kendall could resist grinning as Carlos exclaimed that he could survive off of fish sticks and corn dogs all his life.

After dinner, Sra. Knight sent the kids off to bed, for which Carlos was grateful. He had a lot of fun, but he was entirely tired and fatigued. The jet-lag was hitting him hard, and he felt like the moment he touched his bed he would fall fast asleep. It slightly hurt him that he had not heard about his mother calling, but he figured she wanted to let Carlos acquaint himself. He also made a note in his mind to check his email account the next day to see if Marisol had replied. He could not wait to tell her about his day. School had not even begun, but Carlos was so excited for his stay in America. Despite Kendall's initial hostility, Carlos was beginning to feel accepted. He felt as if Jo and Camille were mean, but in a good way. They seemed loyal to the group, and Carlos felt as if he ever had any trouble with any student, the two girls could take down even the strongest and heftiest student he could find. Of course, Carlos and his chivalrous behavior made him think that he would not even need Jo and Camille, but he kept them in his thoughts. He thought Stephanie almost was a long lost relative of Marisol, but she seemed...far more feminine and beautiful. He did not want to delve into it too much, but he found Stephanie positively enthralling. Logan was likewise interesting, and Carlos felt as if Logan was the anchor to the group's chaotic behavior. But then there was James.

James had impressed Carlos. He had been so friendly and positive toward Carlos, and he was acting as Carlos's first true friend in America. While Carlos felt awful even thinking along these lines, he knew Kendall was treating him unfairly. It was beyond his understanding as to why Kendall treated him as such, but he would discover why soon. However, tonight was not the night. Kendall was on his personal computer, and Carlos felt awkward disturbing him. He then began to think about the numbers.

He had to start school at the Palm Woods Academy on the twenty-seventh of September, which was martes or Tuesday. He had arrived on lunes, or Monday, the twenty-sixth. Sra. Knight had assured Carlos that she had enough supplies and food for him, and Carlos was suddenly anxious to see how school was going to work out. He then wondered why Kendall had informed him on Wednesdays, the family had corn-dogs, when they had them on the Monday Carlos had arrived. Perhaps it was to welcome the boy from Madrid to America.

Carlos soon drifted off into the land of dreams, dogs running around with corn on them, and fishes swimming with sticks. There was a rainbow made of smoothies, and six shooting stars flying across the sky.

Carlos heard the alarm blare at six o'clock in the morning. He was suddenly dead tired. It was as if he had not gotten a blink of sleep. Kendall yawned gingerly, as he got up from his bed. Carlos felt slightly awkward, seeing the silhouette of the boy in simply a pair of boxers and a tight white shirt. He pretended to be asleep, as he heard the door to the room open and close. Suddenly, as he felt that it was safe to leave the warm haven of his bed, Carlos slowly stepped out into the brisk cold of the house. He eagerly wished to return to his bed, and sleep for several more minutes, having never been used to waking up at this time. But he felt as if he could not let down Sra. Knight and his new found friends. He grabbed random articles of clothing from his bag, and waited patiently outside the bathroom. Finally, Kendall exited, his eyes still drooping. He gave a cold glance toward Carlos, as he returned to his room. Carlos immediately brushed his teeth and jumped into the shower, quickly washing himself. As he left the shower, he quickly put on his clothes, and ran out of the bathroom, afraid of being late.

Yet, he was right on time. Sra. Knight had made panqueques, or pancakes, and they were absolutely delicious. Carlos was beginning to fall in love with the cooking of Sra. Knight, and it was so delectable. Kendall made no sounds as he devoured his sweet treat. Finally, the two students finished their breakfast, and after downing a glass of milk, both students were outside the house, awaiting their school bus. Sra. Knight had explained it to Carlos: the two kids would have to wait for the bus to come, and they would enter the bus, and head toward school.

However, it seemed like Kendall had different plans. After heading toward the bus-stop, Carlos noticed a familiar white car pull up. Kendall sighed, as he bent his head toward the opened trunk of the car, and Carlos immediately understood. Logan drove Kendall and James to school, it appeared, and Carlos was now in by mere fate of being Kendall's exchange student. Luckily, James was in the back-seat again and Kendall was up front.

"So do you know what classes you have to take?" James suddenly asked Carlos, who was still tired. Carlos blinked several times, before yawning.

"Not yet. I think they will give me my schedule when I get there." Carlos spoke plainly. James nodded his head, and continued to speak. From the empty coffee cup in James's hand, Carlos surmised that the stem of James's high level of alertness and hyperactivity was due to caffeine.

"I take Honors United States History for first period," James began listing off, "and then I have Theater second period-" Carlos suddenly gaped at James, who noticed Carlos's wide glance.

"You can take Theater as a class?" Carlos suddenly quipped, as James nodded confidently. He then continued to list his classes.

"I also take Physics third period, and Honors English fourth period. After that, I have lunch, and then I take Honors Spanish," James then grinned at Carlos, which caused Carlos to feel flattered, "Level Four. I'm getting to your level Carlitos." James winked, as Carlos suddenly felt his skin blush. James had called him 'little Carlos', which was supposed to obviously be a pet name. But it was...as if James had trusted Carlos his entire life, and Carlos suddenly felt honored to grace that nickname. "Then after fifth period, I take Honors Pre-Calculus, and then afterward, I have Show Choir for my last period of the day." James grinned, as he turned toward the two silent students in the front seat.

"Kendall, did you show Carlos your schedule?" James asked, as Carlos shook his head, despite knowing the question was not directed toward him. Kendall gave James a terse look, which James seemed to completely ignore.

"Kendall has a pretty cool schedule too. He takes Woodshop first period, and then Physics second period. After that, he takes..." James began to trail off, as Carlos felt sleep catching up to him. He never noticed when he had fallen asleep, and when he had awakened, he was suddenly at the Palm Woods Academy. James was grinning at him, and Carlos was looking around, slightly bewildered. There were so many students, and Carlos, for once, felt intimidated.

However, to his comfort, as Logan parked the car, the three maidens from yesterday appeared from Jo Taylor's pink car. They stood, smiling at the boys, who exited the car and picked up their bags. Carlos, upon seeing Jo, Kendall, and Stephanie walking to his right, and James, Logan, and Camille to his left, suddenly felt much more empowered. He felt as if he could take on the world, with his new-found allies by his side. He was ready to take on the world of American High School.