Frida yawned and stretched as she woke up the next morning. She looked to see that the mattress that he slept on was empty and hadn't been slept in yet. Meaning Manny didn't come to her house last night. He was probably out hunting or sulking so it didn't bother her that he wasn't here.

She got out of bed, got dressed, and went downstairs to eat breakfast. While she ate her parents drank their coffe quietly, they hadn't said a word yet which almost always meant they were going to talk to her about something. So she prepared herself for major awkwardness.

"So Frida when are we going to meet your friend?" Carmela asked.

"What friend?"

"The boy you've been seeing."

"Huh?!"

"What?!" Emiliano shouted.

"What boy? Who?" Frida said playing dumb.

"Your grandmother told me everything."

"Everything?!"

"Don't worry Hija it's okay for you to have a boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"He better not be!" Emiliano shouted angrily. "Who is he?! Where is he from?! Does he have a record?!"

"Emiliano please." Carmela calmed. "So what's he like? Is he cute?"

"Um...I guess."

"Why don't you invite him over tonight so that we can meet him?"

"I don't know he's not really a people person."

"Nonsense I'm sure he's wonderful."

"And if he's not I'll kill him." Emiliano said.

Frida thought she would have a panic attack. How could her grandma tell her parents about Manny? What her parents think if they even met Manny? She remembered how she would bring friends over to meet her parents and it always ended in disaster. Her mother would embarrass her and her father would get into a long boring conversation about the law, if it was a boy he would give him death glares and ask him questions like if he had a record or if he was interested in having sex with her. That was really embarrassing for her.

She went to the park and began writing in her song book to calm herself down. She loved music, she kept a book in which she'd write down all her favorite songs and try to sing them later. Sometimes she'd sing as she wrote it down.

"I know that you have a new love

Nevertheless I wish you all the best

If in me you didn't find happiness

Perhaps someone else will give it to you

Like the flower with so much love

That you gave it to me, shriveled

I'm leaving today, I know to lose

But oh, how hurts me."

"Nice set of pipes." Manny said.

"Oh my God!" She gasped dropping her book. "Where did you come from?!"

"Didn't you ever have health class? When a boy and a girl love each other very much-"

"Not that you big goon! I mean where have you been?"

"Hunting for breakfast and I brought leftovers."

He held up a paper bag that wreaked of something dead. Frida thought she'd be sick.

"What is that?"

"Bear liver, deer heart, sheep stomach, and pig intestines."

"That's so gross."

"Actually it's a lot taster than it sounds and quite nutritious." He said. "It's still fresh and bloody, want some?"

"I'll pass." She said trying not to gag.

"Suit yourself. So um...do you like to sing?"

"Yes, I love music but I only sing when I'm alone."

"Why don't you sing on stage?"

"I want to but my dad wants me to get into law enforcement like my sisters. He says singers don't make it in this world."

"If you ask me you'd make it."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because...Well...You kind of, sort of, have a lovely voice." He trailed off.

"What was that?"

"I said you have a lovely voice." He mumbled.

"Come again?"

"You have a lovely voice!"

"Really?" She said smiling and blushing.

"Hey don't go all soft on me there are lots of people who can sing good but they're not people I like."

"I see."

"That aside, what's new?"

"My parents want to meet you."

"What?! But they don't even know about me."

"My grandma told them."

"Did she tell them everything?"

"About you being half spirit no so far all my parents know about you is that you're some boy I hang around and they want to have you over for dinner."

"No way."

"If you don't my father will get suspicious."

"So?"

"So that means he'll have my house on high alert meaning he'll have his police dogs in the house where they'll be able to sniff you out and tear you to shreds."

"Okay you have a point. So what time do you need me there?"

"6:00 and don't be late."

"Gotcha." He began walking away.

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know eat, sleep, hunt. I'll catch ya later Angel eyes."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Freedom of speech woman! Deal with it!"

Frida rolled her eyes as she watched him run off. He basically spent the whole day walking around town watching people work or shop. Occasionally he got bored and played a harmless prank to amuse himself. His favorite person to prank was the vice principal of Frida's school. He was a mean man who didn't like kids or teenagers or adults or anyone. He found him sleeping in his office, the clever boy slipped into his office through the window, pulled out a pair of scissors, and cut off half of his mustache.

"Come back here you delinquent!" He shouted when he woke up.

Manny snickered as he ran to hide somewhere. Out of the blue he was grabbed by T.J who was hiding in the bushes.

"T.J what are you doing?" Manny asked.

"Hiding."

"From who?"

"Andrea, last night she caught me trying to spy on her in the bathroom so she twisted my arm. Today I'm going to get revenge, when she comes out of her anger management class I'm going to jump her and beat her up."

"You're gonna beat up a girl who takes anger management classes, is that what just came out of your mouth just now?"

"Yes I am."

"Quick question T.J do you ever wonder why fools live short lives?"

"I don't have time for riddles! Now be quiet she'll be out any minute."

"This cannot end well."

Five minutes later, Andrea came out of her classes.

"Andrea Monterio! Today vengeance will be mine!" T.J shouted.

T.J jumped from the bushes and toward her with his fists swinging.

"Three...Two...One." Manny counted. Then the air was pierced with T.J's screaming as he was mercilessly kicked and punched repeatedly by Andrea. "I warned you!"

"Rivera aren't you gonna help me?!"

"No way! I don't beat up girls also I'm not lame brain like you!"

"You can be cold hearted you know that?"

"God be with you T.J! Hmm...This may take awhile."

Manny pulled out the book of the recently deceased that Zoe gave him and began reading. Two hours later Andrea gave T.J one last kick that sent his unconscious body flying across ten yards.

"Serves him right." Andrea huffed.

"You didn't kill him did you? Of course I wouldn't blame you if you did." Manny said.

"No. As annoying and perverted as he is I could never kill someone unless they were truly evil and besides he is kind of cute."

"Say what? Time out! You think T.J is cute? Black hair? Amber eyes? Spies on girls in the bathhouse?"

"Yes and if you ever tell him I said that I'll break every bone in your body!"

"Yes ma'am. Well I better go get him."

Manny found him lying near a dumpster. He had several bumps and bruises but nothing was broken.

"Hey T.J." Manny said poking him. "You alive or what?"

"Huh?" He said waking up. "Ow...How long I was out for?"

"500 years."

"500 years? Then you're dead."

"Right I'm not me I'm a hologram."

"Are you serious?"

"Andrea knocked you out and you've been asleep ever since. This is the world 500 years into the future."

"Then what's become of the world since I've been asleep!"

"Total chaos."

"Are you serious?!"

"Yes robots have risen up and taken over the world and made humans their slaves."

"I knew it! Oh dear Dad! My dear Mom! I'm sorry I lived my life as a disgusting pervert! I swear I shall live my life as a true shaman and swear off all lustful and impure contact with women!"

"Seriously dude?" Manny said poking him.

"Hey a hologram can't touch me! You're the real thing!"

"Actually I am a cyborg and I'm here to collect your brain for experimentation."

"What?! Don't do it Manny! Come on please! I'm sorry I groped Frida! I'll never touch her again!"

"Man you sure are gullible."

"Huh? That was a lie?"

"Duh! You're not very bright are you?"

"Hey I was half asleep not to mention I have this huge bump on my head."

"Well maybe next time you'll think twice before trying to beat up Andrea."

"No way! One day I will take her down!"

"In that case I'll try to make it to your funeral. See ya."

"Where are you going?"

"I gotta meet Frida's parents tonight for dinner."

"Good luck I hear her dad will kill any boy who looks at her."

"Then if he knew about you, you would be dead and buried by now."

"You're not gonna tell him about me are you?"

"I don't know it may come up."

"I hate you."

"I know."

Manny went by to the Suarez house at 6:00 just like she told him to. He knocked on the door and waited patiently for it to be answered. The door was opened by Carmela who gave him her best Carmela.

"Minus the brown hair, she could be a dead ringer for Frida." He thought.

"Hi you must be Manny." She said. "Would you like to come in?"

"Sure."

"So how long have you known Frida?"

"I don't know, three months."

"I wonder why she never told us about you."

"I can think of few guesses." He muttered.

"Emiliano! He's here!" She called.

Manny felt hot breath blow on the back of his neck. For a moment he thought an angry bull was behind him ready to ram him in the behind with his horns. But when he turned around he saw something equally as terrifying. Emiliano with his nostrils flared and his teeth glitched.

"Hello sir." Manny said.

"What's your name?"

"Manny Rivera."

"I've never heard of you! Where are you from?"

"Miracle City."

"Impossible! You're not in any medical records or school records!"

"How do you know?"

"None of your business! I'll ask the questions here! So care to explain?"

"Well I wasn't born in a hospital and I never attended school."

"No education? If a young man what's to be with my daughter he must be well educated."

"Excuse me?"

"Dad!" Frida cried.

"What?"

"Um let's eat." Carmela suggested.

They sat down at the table to eat but Manny found it hard to enjoy the meal with Emiliano and his dogs breathing down his neck.

"So what plans do you have for my daughter?" He asked.

"Beg pardon?"

"Do you plan to use her for sex?!"

"Dad!"

"Emiliano! What my husband means is, we hope you'll be a very good boyfriend to her."

"BOYFRIEND?!" Frida and Manny gasped. "I'M/HE'S NOT HER/MY BOYFRIEND!"

"You're not?"

"No he's just a guy I'm helping out." Frida said.

"In what way?" Emiliano asked skeptically.

"I...I give him money."

"Why dear?" Carmela asked.

"Because he doesn't have a good home."

"Where do you live?" She asked Manny.

"Well...here, there."

"You mean you don't have a home?"

"Not really. I used to live in the church with my mom."

"Oh is she around? I would like to meet her."

"She's gone."

"Oh I'm sorry, how did she die?"

"She's not dead, she's just gone."

"What about your father? Where's he?"

"You tell me. He left before I was born."

"I'm very sorry to hear that." Emiliano said.

"So you're all alone." Carmela said.

"I get by and I'm pretty smart. I was homeschooled by the nuns."

"Have you ever considered going to live at the shelter and attending regular school?"

"No way! Have you seen those shelters? They're filthy, have no electricity or plumbing and you have to eat garbage and I can't go to school because I don't have any money."

"Oh...I see. Emiliano can I speak with you for a moment?"

She pulled him aside in the hallway.

"Emiliano I think we should help him."

"Why?"

"He comes from a broken home and you know what that's like."

"I know but...I don't trust him. He looks like he could be a punk."

"That's what my mother said about you but I knew she was wrong. Can't you do anything dear?"

He huffed. "I'll see what I can do."

After that they silently ate dinner then bid each other good night. But just as Manny was leaving he was stopped by Emiliano.

"Rivera wait!"

"Yeah?"

He handed him some money and a key.

"There's an apartment I've been saving for Frida when she moves out, you can stay there til you get on your feet. I'll pay for rent and I'm going to enroll you in Frida's school and pay for the education but you gotta go understand? Or the deal is off."

"Why are you doing this? I thought you didn't like me."

"I don't but I had a rough childhood and growing up no one gave me a chance til I meet Carmela in high school so here. But don't screw up! And don't go thinking I'm a nice guy who'll let you slide if you ever break the law because I'll your ass so fast your head will spin!"

"Yes sir and thank you sir."

"Don't mention it, seriously don't."

Btw the Somg Frida sang was the English version of Como La Flor by Selena Quintilla Perez