"You need to stop being so-" Maria glared at her cousin, she dared her to finish her sentence.

"So what?" Maria said as he stood up with her hands resting on her hips. They stood in front of a small store that's been in Santa Cecilia since she was young and maybe before she was born. An old sign hung above the store opening it read 'Leticias'. No please Rosita finish that thought"

"You know what I was going to say" her cousin said to her silently under her breath, yet she turned her head away as she pushed her glasses back by the rim. Maria and her cousin were picking flowers for the ofrenda table, well more like Maria was in tasked to get all the flowers but they didn't trust her going by herself so they made her bring her younger cousin.

They were constantly doing this to her, ever since she turned fifteen and since then it's always been "you can't go alone unsupervised" "you have to be back by this hour" IT WAS UNFAIR! Her cousin Abel was allowed to go anywhere he wanted and she was only a year younger than him, was it because she was a girl? Did they really not trust a seventeen year old girl all by herself?

"your a young lady think highly of yourself"

"you can't go out like that"

"We don't want you to go sneaking off into the plaza"

That's what they were trying to tell her. That they didn't trust her and they never would.

"I just don't know why you can't act you age" Rosa said quietly under her breath as she stack the flowers neatly onto the basket. Maria didn't want to take this from a twelve year old, nor did she have to.

"Oye asi no se habla a tus mayores!" Maria said as she nudge the young girl by her hip. Rosa jumped out slightly from the contact, Maria winced as she realized that she might have used a little to much force. "Sorry"

"It's...fine" Rosa continued to lay the flowers into the basket. Maria wanted to take it back but she knew she couldn't, Their abuelita had caught them red handed sneaking in the plaza square. Rosa had told her not to get near, but it was too tempting for Maria. She pulled the younger girl unwitting along, she felt bad that their abuelita had yelled at both of them. Maria should have taken the blame. On the upside now Rosa didn't have any beef on her on her guitar playing skills, since she couldn't even play the guitar before their abuelita threw her chancla at the kind mariachi.

"I still think he was just trying to flirt with you" Rosa said flatly

"Ugh don't say it so blandly" Maria held her stomach in mocking disgust.

"Well it's true, you act so immature whenever your in front of someone in a mariachi suit, your all giggles and laugh. It doesn't matter if it's a man or a woman"

Maria's blush reached up to her ears, she quickly tucked her hair in as to hide her flushed face, she coughed to clear her throat.

"That's not true-"

" I'll be your first audience . Please the look on that guys face" her cousin said with an eye roll, she pushed her glasses back into the rim of her nose.

"Pfft please" Maria was about to flick her cousins forehead with her fingers but stopped, a thought popped through her head, she gave her cousin a big cheesy smile "could it be that you're just worried about your favorite older cousin?" Rosa bore her eyes into Maria's

"Your my only older cousin"

"And you care for me"

"Your gross stop"

Maria stuck her tongue out towards her cousin, Rosa rolled her eyes but let out a smile. Once again they silently finishing wrapping the flowers together.

"Family knows what's right for you"

Maria stomach twisted as she thought of her family 'was she ever going to see them again? Was her last memory with them really just running away from them in anger?' Maria kept her arms neatly placed on the top of her skirt to keep herself from fidgeting away. The last looks she saw of her family was a mixture of confusion and betrayal, Just like her Mama Imelda. Maria should have signed up for the talent show with the ability of making all of her family disappointed in her, She almost considered it.

She only had Ernesto now, all his fame and glory, forever by his side. her arms pulsed slightly with the thought.

'What is this?' she thought to herself. The warm beating in her arms, was starting to distract her. At first she thought it was simply her muscles aching in exhaustion from carrying the alebrije for such a long time but now maria couldn't make sense of it. It didn't hurt but is was an unpleasant reminder. The pulse reached up to her forearms, it felt like small vines. The image of Ernesto's arms flashed into her head, Maria stopped slightly

"Everything okay Senorita De La Cruz?" asked the guard as he looked behind towards her.

"Yeah fine, sorry my toe got slightly pinched, still getting used to heels" Maria gave the man a kind smile and continued to walk, the guard didn't ask any further questions. Maria took a moment before she began walking again.

She followed the guard around a couple of Halls pretty much exactly where she had been taken up to the room in the first place. The only sound in the hallway was the soft clicking of her Heels and the security guards grunts

Lupe's words still stayed in Maria's head 'families like that sometimes'. Well she supposed that her family was like that sometimes, she guessed they were strange and they wanted to protect her but was it the same for Ernesto, did Ernesto really care about his family? it was obvious to her now that he was simply using her to fill this void that's been in his heart ever since he abandoned them, Mama Imelda and little Coco. The panging feeling in her chest started to beat up again, she felt it contort into her heart. Her whole life she looked up to the man , he had been her hero, her ultimate goal, but now she wanted to scrub her skin away from him. And yet she still she wanted to be with him, deep down in her heart she knew that it was wrong to but she needed his warmth. This protection, this feeling of being wanted, something that her family could never give her. That's what she believed made her the worst person in her whole family. Maybe she was where she belong. Maybe she deserved to be here.

He must have done something to make her feel this way.

She didn't know what Ernesto did to her but she knew he did something . She had nothing to prove it, but she could sense it. Ever since she woke up and felt the burning sensation in her arms, she couldn't explain it. It was like she could feel him. Whenever he commanded something of herself, she obeyed. She needed to ask him, plead to him, just tell her what exactly he did. Maria clenched onto her arms tightly, feeling her the uneasiness in her stomach begin to spread.

"Just down these stairs senorita" the guard pointed down towards the stairs. The guard stayed at his post behind the wall, Maria raised her eyebrow at the mans strange mannerisms, he coughed slightly into his hands "yes just down those stairs"

Maria shook her head in confusion but quickly realized something about this security guard. This was the same man who pulled her out of the line. Suddenly she had a dark thought, she almost wanted to give him a smug smile 'heh imagine if I told my papa what you did to me when I wanted to come into the party? what would he do to you?' Maria stopped herself, where did that vile thought come from? That wasn't who she was. Even though this man did cause her a minor inconvenience she wasn't about to torture the poor soul. She gave him a curt nod and continued to pretend that she didn't know him burying those unwanted thoughts away, she followed where he pointed and turned around the corner. She took in a deep breath

She was at the top of the staircase, it was grand white and beautiful. Maria knew that if she were in a movie this would be the scene where she would finally be greeted by her prince charming and be rescued off on a white horse far away from her troubles, Maria gripped onto the railing as she slowly transcended down the stairs. He stood at the bottom of the staircase with his arms rested against his back and that same smile on his features, his eyes widened as he saw her come down the stairs.

She was truly a vision to see, the only living girl in the land of the dead, His alone to have. Ernesto couldn't help but be reminded of the tragic tale of another young girl named just like her, he couldn't help but let out a small laughed. That was only a story, made up someone or other, this was real. Ernesto watched as Maria clung onto the side of the grand stairway with her almost painfully slow steps. She finally reached the bottom as she averted eye contact, opting to hold onto herself. Ernesto strided towards her, he opened his arms as she pulled out one of her arms to hold her against him, it was her warmth. The way her skin Radiated the warm feeling of being alive, Ernesto could bask in it all day.

"Mira de quien es esta princesa?" Ernesto rhetorically asked as her gave Maria a twirl. The bottom of her dress lifted slightly from the air, it made I look like a rose was opening "more like a perfect queen"

"I uh..it's nothing." Maria said uncomfortable she still looked away from Ernesto "it wasn't much just a change of clothes"

Maria felt her arms slightly pulse, a feeling of annoyance spread.

"Maria.." Ernesto said dangerously low, Maria quickly lifted her head as she felt Ernesto hand group her chin, she stared flustered back towards him. Ernesto grinned at the reaction he received. He decided to play along "do you like the dress?"

Maria wanted to lift her arms and pound him away from her. The markings on his arms glowed as her heartbeat quickened.

"it's...very beautiful" once again it felt as through all those feelings of anger were just sucked out of her, she felt numb. "Lupe was...nice"

Just for a moment Ernesto lifted his gaze off of Maria and look out onto his side, he looked like he was trying to put a name onto a face, for a moment Maria sensed a feeling of confusion off of him. Maria couldn't help but let out a small pout, he really didn't know anyone who worked for him. Ernesto's eyes trailed her face as she gave him that adorable expression, he felt a jolt run through his spine

"now now pequenia what's with that face?"

"it's the only one I have" she mumbled

Ernesto couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh and her pulled Maria into his arms, she fell into his chest like a snug puzzle piece. Her arms were trapped agianst his chest. Maria felt the pounding in her arms pick up again but now she couldn't tell if it was stemming from her fingertips or her chest.

He was close, he was to close

Maria tried looking away but Ernesto's tight grip on her was to much for her to handle. The pulsing in her arms began. His intoxicating smell, his presence, the idea that she was stuck in this world that she could never understand. She felt faint.

Like jelly in his arms. She heard the faint sound of a serenade from his older movies playing in the background, the leading lady was in his arms as he confessed his admiration. His eyes were full of love as he looked down towards the actress. It was almost odd to Maria as she compared Ernesto lustful eyes directed towards her. She almost felt the pulling in her arms, it climbed up towards her chest and into her cheeks. Ernesto leaned his face into the curve of her neck.

she felt warm, he could feel her pulse against his lips as he lightly touched them towards her neck, maria was still, any sound that came from her was only her even breaths.

'What was she doing? Was she going to let this happen? This was...so nice. He felt so nice. Everything was as nice as a pretty rose.'

Ernesto's tongue tickled the soft flesh of her shoulder as he gave it a small kiss. he looked back towards her and his smile turned into a soft grin she was let out a soft breath as she looked up to him sheepishly.

"Maria.." was all he said was he leaned into her lips. Maria in a blind rose tinted gaze tilted her head to accommodate Ernesto's. He was so close Maria could feel her warm breath bounce off of Ernesto's face.

"Ernesto! Let Her GO!"

It was a cool summers evening, everyone was basking in the suns last moment of warmth. The village center was decorated with hanging lights and music filled the air. She stood in the middle of her brothers as she watched the next musical group go on to perform. The announcer welcomed them on stage and everyone let out a huge cheer, especially from the young woman, her brothers nudged her in her sides. She kept her arms crossed as she saw the flirtatious lead singer throw winks to all the girls. Her brother joked with her

"No pues mira lo" Her brother Oscar chimed "look at all that admiration"

"He'll definitely get famous, that man of yours" Her brother Felipe smiled knowingly toward his brother, they high fived behind her back. "you better get ready for all the ridiculous things famous people do"

Imelda ignored them as she continued to placed her attention to the group, the lead singer caught sight of her in the crowd and sent out a kiss, the woman in the crowd all sighed. Imelda scrunched her eyebrows but couldn't help but laugh, her brothers didn't seem to mind her strange they continued to joke with themselves. Imelda let out an annoyed inward sigh 'why wasn't this bothering her? It should be right?'

Yes, it should, She should be a fiery jealous mess. He supposed fiance is on stage flirting it up with the whole audience, while she stood absently in the crowd feeling nothing. This how it always was, Imelda and her brother would go to The boys competitions of small concerts around the town and everyone would cheer, Imlead and Ernesto barely had any time to themselves anymore. And yet imelda didn't mind, but she should, she knew that she should. Imelda took in a deep breath, she needed to stop thinking about this. She was supportive, she helped The boys with their songs sometimes, she would bring her supposed fiance lunch or dinner sometimes, the boy always forgot about eating 'no just hector..' Imelda's back stiffened suddenly with the sudden intrusive thought. 'Stop..stop thinking about it'

The audience cheered as the group sang their last song, Imelda recognized the tune. 'No please don't' she thought. This was just a simple guitar solo accompanied by soft hums from the group, it was beautiful it made Imelda panic. It was a slow song, probably meant to put them asleep, but Imelda felt the sorrowful note in the guitar. It was slow and melodic, Hector's strung the chords with such a low emotion.

Imelda studied his posture, he kept his head bowed towards his guitar, he stared absently at his fingers as he played on his guitar. Imelda slowly reached towards her chest as she heard the silent words coming from the guitar. The whole crowd spoke quietly in confusion, why finish with such a sad ballad? The music rung through the whole music square and everyone decided that it was best to simply let the music carry them softly.

Imelda couldn't take it anymore,she ran out of the square in desperation, all she could hear were her brother shout for her name. As she pushed herself through the crowd and apologize towards everyone that she shoved. He felt the tightening feeling in her chest, she couldn't handle it. Her breath quickened as she tried to runaway from these feverish feelings.

She finally reached a cool shade of a building, she leaned against the brick walls as she tried to catch her breath, her still hand clutching at the decorative lace of her dress, her mother insisted her to wear her best dress, as if it would have changed anything.

She made her decision a long time ago, nothing was going to change her mind. She was going to marry Ernesto and that was that, it's not like her family was against it nor her fiance. She was just trying to convince herself.

"Imelda?" a soft voice voice came from her left, Imelda looked up and saw the big brown eyes of the tall scrawny boy who made her head spin and cheeks fluster to the point of the reddest roses, She smacked him.

"Don't scare me like that!" she yelled, Hector held onto his cheek and gave Imelda a goofy grin, she hated him so much.

"Aahaha I guess I deserved that" He said with a laugh "I didn't even tell you I was coming"

"Ah..um Oh gosh i'm sorry Hector" imelda let out a surprised apology "i I thought you-Nevermind why- why are you here, you need to go back to the plaza!"

"Um sorry Ernesto went looking for you after the last song" Imelda cringed "but he couldn't make his way through the crowd so he asked me to run and find you"

"I guess I must have given him a scare" Imelda monotonically said. Hector bite his lip slightly he looked like he wanted to say something but he couldn't find the right words

"Uhm.. would you like me to accompany you back to the festival?" he asked

"NO!" Imelda shouted, she pulled the attention of people walking by, embarrassed she covered her face as Hector gave the passersby an apologetic look. "Sorry i'm just a little tired, i've been up all morning helping my brothers and last night I was helping you guys get your line out for tonight ready..i'm just tired,yes"

"Do you want me to take you home?" he asked sheepishly

"No, I don-uhm I'm fine! please go tell Ernesto that was just heading home. Besides its a big night for you guys, i heard that a-"

"Famous producer is coming" Hector sighed in exhaustion. Imelda could help but hide a smile behind her hand, Hector must have been as tired of hearing about this 'oh so famous producer coming from mexico city to see all the bands playing tonight' from Ernesto. Hector blushed slightly from Imelda's reaction.

" uhm yeah well i'll go tell Ernesto, Senora Imelda" he said with a tight bow from his head. Imelda couldn't help but feel her eyes roll to the back of her head.

"Senorita" Imelda said with an annoyed sigh, everyone in her village began calling her 'Senora' ever since it became clear of ernesto's intentions. She still wasn't married and they were all ready to give away her identity. She hoped that Hector of all people wouldn't speak to her like that, he was one of her closest friends. The thought left a bitter feeling in her mouth.

"So-sorry Senorita Imelda"

"You know what? it's okay, Thank you for looking out for me Hector" she gave him a small smile as she began walking towards the direction of her home, she picked up her skirt to stop it from dragging from the ground, She needed to clear her mind and just stay as far as she could from everyone.

"I Uh Imelda!" Hector called out towards her, Imelda froze. She didn't face him but Hector could see how her shoulders tensed up towards her neck. Imelda could feel her breath hit down towards her chest as her breathing began to constrain again. 'No' she thought quietly 'no don't do this hector, because if you do…' she bite her lips together. "Please..take care of yourself"

Imelda let out a sigh of relief, yes that was okay. But the feeling of disappointment did not leave her stomach

"Si claro gracias" she said quickly she gave him a kind smile before she continued to walk away from him, leaving him to stand by himself.

Imelda busied herself around her home, arranging the dinner table, taking out the trash from the store. Clearing the inventory in the stock. Anything to keep her from thinking. It was getting late and the last thing Imelda wanted was for her dreams to control her sleep as well. She sat in her living room by herself, her brothers still haven't arrived, probably still out having the time of their lives with those other two foolish boys. She let out a small laugh, she guessed that they deserved the break. Her parent were currently out of town as they were visiting family, they left the store in charge of their children, well more onto her charge to look out for her older brothers. Imelda continued to flip through the book in disinterest, she used to enjoy reading this story but her mind wouldn't let her read or even make sense of the words, her eyes simply skimmed through the pages.

She heard a loud banging on the grate, her dumb brothers probably. Imelda Looked out towards the window and saw the light of the moon hit into the living room

"Ah mira aquí horas ya llegaron estos borachos" she said softly under her breath. She walked towards the door as she continued to hear the banging of the door "ya voy, ya voy"

"Quiet your racket you dum-" as she open the door in stumbled a drunken large and falling figure of her fiance "Ernesto?"

"Imelda!" he shouted out proudly. He quickly straightened his posture as he gave Imelda a tight hug, she felt crushed in his arms "mi amore! Como estas!?"

"Ernesto!, you've- your drunk" she could smell the liquor off of him, once she could get a better look on him she saw the large bruise and cut of his face and arms. "Ernesto! who-What happened?! Where are my brothers!?

"Borther? Your hermanos?..ohhh HAHAHa" he let out a hearty laugh, imelda stared in confusion as she saw him fumble with his words. She could make out the words 'cleaning up, leaving hector home, fight?' , without a second thought she pulled her stupid fiance into her kitchen and forced him to sit down of a chair, she quickly pulled out a wet rag from the sink and bandages from her cabinets "ahh mi amor mi amore, how doting you are"

"callate tonto, your bleeding!" she pinch the edge of his wounds, he let out a small yelp of pain "now tell me what happened!"

"Nothing important mi alma" he said with an eye roll "I was just upweilding your name"

"Up wielding? Do you mean upholding?"

"Yes! Yes! Uploading, some dumb borrachos were insulting you in the tavern calling you the 'taverns purple shrew'! Claiming that you would only leave heartbreak and tortured souls wherever you went! Can you believe that! Dont worry love these were the same guys who called Hector's mom a dumb..oh I shouldn't say that in front of a lady like yourself" he wrapped his unharmed arm around imelda's waist as he buried his face into her stomach, more like leaning against her. Imelda pushed herself off of her stupid blabbering courtier as she continued to clean of his wounds.

"Who cares what they say about me!" she snarled "I never cared about their opinion, and I won't start now"

"Ahh see thats' why I love you imelda" she froze, Ernesto continued spewing nonsense "you don't' give a rats ass about what anyone thinks, see that's what I told Hector. 'Let them talk their just a couple of drunks!' but noooOOoo hector was the first to punch the dumb idiots! And then I had to go over their and save him from himself"

Imelda slowly processed his story, Hector was the one to stand up to the drunks? She shook her head, what did she care?

"Your both idiots" she let out a small huff

"Only for you Imelda" he spoke as though her had sobered up in an instant, Imelda paid no mind. "Why did you leave the concert?"

Imelda twitched, her eyes didn't leave his wounds, she quietly continued to clean his wounds

"I told hector that I was tired, I needed to rest"

"Then why are you awake?"

" you woke me up tonto! you and your drunk banging, you nearly scared me half to death!"

"Don't lie to me"

"I'm not-" his hand snatched her arms, his grip didn't allow her to pull away "-Ernesto let go of me"

"You don't love me"

The silence rang through her home, suddenly she stood in front of a stranger. His posture was cold, and Imelda no longer felt safe.

"Don't make up these lies in you head" she whispered, instead of cowering from his towering height she leaned into his chest, she could feel his heartbeat against his chest, he was the one who was frightened. "Sit back down so I can finish cleaning you drunken bloody brawl wounds"

"It isnt my blood" once again his words stung into her

"..What are you talking about?" she asked quietly

"Are you asking me if the other guy is lying dead in the tavern with his blood spilling out of him?" Imelda wanted to take a step back, she would have never expected him to say that in such a dry manner. She felt the blood in her hands run cold, Ernesto let out a low laugh. "Because he isn't, he and his buddies ran out of the tavern before Hector and I could finish them off"

The room was suddenly ten degrees warmer.

"Dont say it like that!" Imelda screamed, she didnt care if her neighbors could hear her, she needed to put this fool back into his place "what if you had really harmed those guys, what if they come back!? Did you ever consider that?"

"I-um no" Ernesto said bluntly

"Of course not! Out of you and hector I would have expected that you would have more of a level-minded head!" Imelda wanted to whack him with her mothers wooden kitchen spoon, but she guessed that he already had that beaten into him "how can I marry a criminal?"

"You still want to marry me?" Ernesto asked quietly, all of a sudden that cold man that stood in his place was replaced by a shy school boy who meekly looked down towards his sweaters eyes. "I thought-"

"Stop, I don't want to hear it anymore, let me just clean you up" she said as she wiped the sweat off of her brow, "if you love me like you say you do, then..just be quiet"

"I do love you"

"What did I just say?"

"I love you more than I can describe in words"

"Ernesto please-"

"Why did you leave?"

"I...had to" imelda sighed. The cut off the sleeve of Ernesto's shirt and neatly tied a bandage on his wounds.

"Is this how you'll be when I go on tour?"

"Tour?" Imelda asked, there was never any talk of tours

"A couple of producers came to the event tonight and spoke to Hector and Me, their interested in us Imelda! They want to know if we have ever considered going on tour, can you believe it imelda!"

"I-" before she could finish her sentence Ernesto lifted her up in his arms and twirled her around the kitchen, ignoring his wounds and her protests "Ernesto put me down!"

"Imelda?" he immediately stopped and placed her back onto the floor "I thought that this-? Aren't you happy?"

"Happy? Of course i'm happy. I'm proud of you and hector. And everything you've worked for" Imelda began, the uneasiness began to grow in her stomach again "but Ernesto if...I just wish I knew what so say"

'I want you stay'

"It's just so hard to put it into words"

'I don't want this life'

"I just wish you understood"

Both Ernesto and Imelda were quiet in the room, They looked down towards their linked hands. The only thing they would hear was the ticking of the grandfather clock in the living room and the soft flicking of the candles in the kitchen. Ernesto was the first to speak

"Am I not enough for you?"

"What?"

"Thats it right? I'm still not enough for you, after all this time. You still think that i'm am no good to you"

"What is all this nonsense?"

"That' what I am uh? Nonsense?"

"You're just putting words in my mouth!"

"Then I just have to prove that to you too!" Ernesto grabbed imelda by her shoulders and pulled him into his chest, he leaned into the the crook of her neck as he took in a deep breath. Imelda was mortified, what was this lunatic spewing on about! "When I have everything in the world Imelda maybe then that'll be enough"

"I don't want the world Ernesto!" she shoved him off of her side, as Ernesto tried to walk back towards her Imelda pulled chair in between them. "I don't want your fame or glory..I just want-"

Imelda couldn't finish her sentence, what could she say? What could she possibly say to a drunken fool?

"Imelda.." she raised her hand to quiet him

"Leave Ernesto"

"Imelda I -

"Leave"

Ernesto stopped, imelda looked at him straight into his eyes. She couldn't take this anymore. She couldn't live with this lie, with herself. Ernesto slowly backed away from the kitchen and into the living room, before her left he stopped he spoke to imelda once more

"I will prove myself to you imelda. I'll get it all just for you"

And with that he was gone, Imelda ran towards the door and looked the gate. She slowly dropped onto the floor in panicked fear, everything happened so fast to her, and yet in her mind was made. Later in Years to come Imelda thought that he had moved on, that everything's behind them, especially now with a child on the way.

Maria was snapped out of her gaze, She quickly pushed Ernesto off of her, she once again overestimated her own strength as push Ernesto far enough for him to stumble away from her. She felt as though there were an immediate break on her, helped by the heels, that helped her keep her place. Thank the Rivera shoes for making a fashionable but comfortable heel. Instead of focusing his attention on her Ernesto was staring in a mixture of surprise and outrage.

"Hector" was all hat left Ernesto's mouth

For a split second Maria felt a fiery rage stem from her chest onto her cheeks at the sight of Hector, but she stopped herself as she noticed his white clear bones. 'Hector came! Hector kept his promise to save her!"

"Mi gran amigo. Hector" Ernesto walked slowly towards the shabby skeleton with open arms. His demeanor did nothing to help the rising tension in the room.

"What are you doing Ernesto!" Hector walked straight towards Ernesto, he hand stuck out accusingly as he stormed towards the man. Maria notice how he no longer walked with a limp, in fact nothing about with looked shabby, only his clothes. 'No..it couldn't be' maria thought. "She's your own-!"

Before hector could finish his sentence he was pulled back by a pair of security guards. Maria didn't even see were they came from they pulled Hector away from her as they walked towards the door, Ernesto singled them to stop.

"Hector!" Maria let out. Ernesto's attention was brought back to Maria as she stood leaning towards giving a dashing breaks towards Hector..

"Oh hector hector hector" Ernesto mocked "always running to save young girls honors, even if it means to put yourself in danger. And then I have to swoop in because, once again your in over you head"

"This is nothing like back then Ernesto!, you were my friend my only companion! you told me you would move heaven and earth for your amigo !" Maria froze, she heard that before, yes, it was from the movie that was in Ernesto's bedroom, The movie about the two best friends. "You told me years after that it didn't matter to you after all those years, that you were happy, and we shared that drink"

"Heaven and earth? Like from the movie..'Fuego en la sangre'?"

"What?" Hector looked at Maria in confusion. Ernesto turned to Maria as she continued to piece the puzzle together. "Nina what are you talking about this is my life'

"I- that's the plot of the movie. To best friends fight over the beautiful young girl in the town who is stubborn to even consider marriage" Hector glance over at Ernesto whose eyes hadn't left maria's "one of the friends marries the girl but she' stuck in a loveless marriage but before the other man can rescue her, the man's old friend invited him for a drink"

Maria stopped for a moment as she took a step back from both of them.

"But in the movie the married friend poisoned the drink"

A flash of recognition ran through Hectors eyes as though he was processing everything that Maria had just said. Ernesto quickly signaled towards the guards, he placed his hand onto his chin his guards understood immediately.

"...all this time I thought I had deserved this, but- you took everything away from me you- YOU RAT!"

"Your delusional my dear, your confusing movies for reality" Ernesto strolled over to maria but she knew he was talking to Hector. He pulled her roughly back into his arms, she began to struggle again hoping that the guards would take pity, the did nothing but follow what Ernesto commanded. "I mean honestly i'm shocked, with your poor eyesight you probably don't even recognize the face of an old friend"

Hectors eyes darted from Ernesto and then to Maria. From the dark glare that he gave Ernesto his eyes landed on Maria, it was as though he traced her faces shape with his eyes. Suddenly his eyes widened.

"Imelda..?" Hector spoke softly

"My great great grandmother, I thought you knew-" Maria thought out loud. Before Hector could react, Ernesto signaled towards the guards to close his mouth, literally. pulling his jaw bone out of his skull