Frida nervously slipped her gray gloves over her wrists determined to hide the markings that had appeared on them last night. She knew all too well that if Manny or anyone else knew that she was the apostle they would freak out and that was the last thing she wanted so until she would just keep them hidden until they went away. They were gonna go away right? She hoped so. For the past few days she had been buying things that would hide her marks such as long sleeved shirts, make up that was her skin color, and gloves. Luckily no one had any suspicion, no one except T.J.
"Hi Frida!" The exorcist boy jumped her excitedly.
"Ahh!" She cried startled. "Where did you come from?"
"My room. Hey listen can I ask you something?"
"Uh...Yeah what do you want?"
"You've been acting a little weird lately."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh you know I mean wearing tops different from your usual kind of clothing, wearing gloves even though it's May, and buying make-up. You're up to something and I think I know what."
"You do?" She asked nervously.
"Yep. You're trying to make a move on Manny."
"What?"
"It's so obvious. The change of clothes, the make up, wearing gloves to hide your horribly unmanicured nails."
"Hey!"
"Don't bother denying it Frida I know women especially when they're trying to attract a guy."
"You! (Thinks for a minute) Are right! Yep! That's exactly what I'm doing! You caught me. Ha-ha! Well now that, that's settled please leave my room so I can change. Okay goodbye." She shoved him out of her room and locked the door. "Phew! That was close. I need a diversion to get T.J off my tail and I know just the one."
Later while everyone was busy in the cafeteria eating lunch, Frida was sneaking over to Andrea's room where she left a bouquet of flowers with a note.
"Frida what are you doing?" Manny asked.
"Ahh! Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"Well what are you doing?"
"Nothing!"
He looked at the flowers in her hand with the note attached to it. He plucked the note off before she could stop him and began reading it out loud.
"Dear Andrea
I would like to spend the day with you.
I have been admiring you from afar and have often
thought about asking you out but was too nervous
So please come with me into town today.
Sincerely T.J." He read. "What is this?"
"It's invitation asking Andrea on a date. I'm trying to set them up."
"Why?"
"Because...Because it's obvious that they like each other and want to be together so why not bring them be together?"
"Because it would never work out. They're too different. He is a peaceful lecherous exorcist and she is a violent man hating slayer."
"Ever heard of the phrase opposites attract?"
"That is a myth. Couples who are too different should not be together. Take me and you for example, you and I aren't even the same species so if God forbid we were to ever develop feelings for each other it would be taboo."
PUNCH!
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"For not believing in the power of love! And we are not completely different, you're half human! So there! Besides you have no idea how powerful love is."
"You're right I don't because it's stupid."
PUNCH!
"Ow!"
"Nonbeliever! You'll see! I'll prove you wrong."
"And how exactly do you intend to do that?"
"Simple we are going to spend the whole day making sure T.J and Andrea end up together."
"Whoa! Whoa! Slow down chica! What's with this we stuff? I'm not getting involved in this! I don't even agree with it!"
"But you have to! I can't do this by myself!"
"Too bad! You know very well I hate human romantic affairs! If you wanna bring together a relationship that's doomed from the start go ahead but leave me out of it!" He declared walking away.
"Hmmph! Great! Now T.J will never leave me alone."
Manny froze and rushed back.
"What was that/ What do you he'll never leave you alone?"
"Well he's kind of been on to me lately."
"On to you? What does that mean? Has he been hitting on you?"
"Hitting on me?" She thinks for a minute, remembers that Manny is the jealous type, and an idea pops into her head. "Yes he has actually."
"Really?"
"Right now he's just flirting with me right now but he's told me several times that if he doesn't end up with Andrea I'm his second choice. In fact he once invited me to join him in bed."
"Is that right?" He asked with gritted teeth and an eye twitching. "Um Frida where is he right now?"
"In his room doing his daily rehearsal of pick up lines."
"Excuse me but I have some friends of mine I want him to meet." He cracked his knuckles. "Their names are Right Fist and Left Fist."
"Manny violence is not the answer."
"Who said anything about violence? I just want him to meet my fists."
"Dude I know you're jealous-"
"I am not jealous! The fact that you are the only one who can summon my powers until they stabilize makes you very important so I must protect you from monsters, demons, and lecherous exorcists."
"Whatever but beating him up won't solve a thing. We just need to get him with the girl he loves."
"That won't work."
"You never know unless you try so are you gonna help?"
"Fine but only because if anything happens to you I'll never be able to use my powers again."
"Wow thanks for caring so much about me." She said sarcastically. "Alright now let's find T.J and tell him about his date."
"If she even accepts."
"She'll accept she's crazy about him."
"You sure we're talking about the same Andrea? Brown hair? Hazel eyes? Beats up T.J? Sometimes mistaken for a man?"
"Yes! Now come on!"
She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of Andrea's room leaving behind the flowers and note. Then they went to T.J's room to inform him of his date.
""You got me a date with Andrea?" T.J asked.
"Yep!" Frida said.
"And she said yes?"
"Not yet."
"What do you mean?"
"Well I might've, sort of left a forged note saying you wanted to take her out."
"You what?! How could you do that?!"
"You'll thank me later."
"Don't bet on it!"
"T.J!" Andrea called walking toward him.
"Gotta go!" Frida said leaving.
"No! Wait!"
T.J started to run but Andrea sized him by his jacket and held him in place while he still kept trying to run away.
"What is this?" She demanded holding up the note.
"Well-well-well-well-"
"You know normally you just flirt or grope me which I find totally disgusting, immature, and revolting! But this note!" She seethed. "Is so sweet."
"Huh?"
"I never knew you admired me and were too shy about it. I mean it's so unlike you to be this nervous and shy. I like it."
"You do? Seriously?"
"Yeah it's a nice change."
"Gla-glad you feel that way."
"So I'd be happy to go with you into town today."
"Really?"
"Sure just as long as you don't try those pervy moves on me."
"O...Okay."
"Great I'm gonna go get ready."
She skipped merrily off giggling leaving T.J dumbfounded and Frida feeling very proud of herself.
"Ha! In your face tiger boy!" Frida gloated. "I knew she liked him."
"Please it was just flattery." Manny said. "I can assure you once T.J touches the wrong thing she'll dump him."
"We'll see because we're going to spy on them."
"What?!"
"Come on."
...
T.J waited nervously outside of the order for Andrea to show up. He was surprised that she agreed to date him in all honesty he thought she hated him. What exactly did Frida say in that note? But his thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a pretty girl wearing make up, a yellow sundress, and white sandals while carrying a small purse. The young exorcist thought he was going to faint at the sight of her.
"Ready to go?" She asked.
"Have we met?" He asked.
"Ha-ha! you're so funny! Come on the bus will be here in ten minutes."
She took his hand and pulled him along as they went to the bus stop, catching the bus just in time for it to take them into town. Once arriving in town she started showing him around all the shops and attractions. T.J wasn't sure this woman was Andrea, she was smiling and laughing, she was so happy and carefree. He never thought she'd be like this. He liked it, it gave her a certain beauty that he never saw in any other woman. He didn't know why out of all the women he had been attracted to if was this one he wanted the most, the one who seemed to act like she hated him. He definitely wasn't the flirtatious and suave man he normally was in fact he was a shy, nervous wreck. Every time she smiled at him he lost his ability to speak and every time she giggled he found it impossible to move.
Andrea was confused too. She never wore make up and dresses for any boy. In fact she thought would never date a boy least of all T.J. But reading that note and seeing him so shy, flustered, and nervous, she couldn't help but find it adorable. Though she wondered why he picked her? She knew she knew she wasn't very pretty or feminine. She didn't constantly vie for his affections like the other girls who liked him did, in fact she would often hit him when she caught him with other women and yet she accepted a date with him without a single second thought.
"So when my father woke up and saw that my brother and I had put our mother's make up on him, he just laughed and laughed." Andrea chuckled.
"What about your mother? Wasn't she mad?" T.J asked.
"She took pictures! And showed them to all his guy friends."
"No way! If my wife did that I don't think I could ever forgive her!"
"He was mad at Mom but he forgave her. I still laugh about this to this day."
"You know you have a very cute laugh."
"Really?"
"Yeah should laugh more often."
She blushed and smiled.
"So tell me something funny that happened in your life?"
"Okay well you know my uncle isn't exactly Einstein so one time when my uncle was visiting us in the village I saw this person with really long hair walk by and told him 'Hey Uncle Luiz isn't that Polly Anne, the woman who left you for her piano teacher?' So he takes off running toward the person shouting 'Polly Anne! Polly Anne! You coming back for me baby?!' then he picks em up in his arms and plants a big fat kiss on their face only to find out it wasn't Polly Anne."
"Who was she?"
"It was a dude!"
"Oh my God! No way!"
"Yeah it was this guy with really long hair and a slender body. So after my uncle kisses him the guy shouts 'Get off of me!' And then rams my uncle with his foot."
"Where?"
"Right in his manhood."
"Ooooh."
"I was laughing so hard that I couldn't breathe." T.J laughed.
"That does sound funny but who's Polly Anne?"
"She's a woman who was engaged to Uncle Luiz, they were gonna get married after he got back from war but then he lost his mind so they called off the wedding and she ran off with her piano teacher."
"Ouch!"
"It was for the best. Believe me, they're both better off. In fact while in his deluded mind she left him, he actually left her. It was when he still had a little sanity."
"Quick question has your uncle ever hurt you?"
"No. He comes close when he thinks I'm the enemy during his flashbacks to war." He admitted. "Look I know what you're thinking but my uncle isn't abusive okay. He's just insane, the war messed him up pretty bad especially when that bomb went off next to his head."
"Why didn't he just get help?"
"Couldn't afford it. When he started attacking Dad and Grandpa he decided to leave and go back to Miracle City while he still had some sense. He didn't want to risk hurting anyone least of all his family."
"Why go live with him when he's mentally unstable?"
"Because with my parents, my family, and my people all dead he's all I have and I'm all he has. I know I said I went to live with him so he could take care of me but the truth is I went there to take care of him. Because I know somewhere in that deluded mind of his is a little sanity. I just need to find it."
She gently gripped his hand.
"I'm sorry."
"You know um...I don't wanna talk about it anymore. Why don't we go see if they have any good movies out."
"Alright."
"It's going better than I hoped." Frida said watching the two walk together.
"It won't last." Manny said.
"Why are you so negative about this?"
"I'm just looking at the facts and the facts are he's going to do something to tick her off any minute."
But he was wrong. T.J acted like a perfect gentleman, he never once groped Andrea and he didn't even look at another girl. All they did was laugh and talk and smile.
"Isn't love lovely?" Frida sighed watching them.
"Gag me with a spoon." Manny groaned.
"You're very negative you know that?"
"I'm not negative I'm just rational."
"Look just because you don't want love in your life doesn't mean other people don't."
"I'm not saying that I just don't think two people who are very different should be together."
"Oh and you and Zoe had so much in common."
"Will drop that already? Yes we were similar and it might've worked out but the problem was I refused to love."
"Why?"
"You know why."
"Yeah but don't you ever think about being in love? What it would be feel like? To have that one special woman who is important to you?"
"The only woman important to me right now is you and protecting you is the only thing I care about."
"Really?"
"I thought that was already clear."
"Oh." She blushed and smiled. "Okay."
"Are you alright?"
"Oh I'm fine." She started fiddling with her hair while giggling and blushing. "Just fine. So I'm that important to you?"
"Uh...Yes."
"That's...That's awfully sweet of you to say."
"I'm sorry sweet?"
"Uh nothing! You know I think I'm gonna go get a snack excuse me." She scampered off.
"That is one weird girl."
"Man are you clueless." T.J said.
"Ahh! Oh hi T.J I was just walking and-"
"Save it! I know you two have been spying on us but frankly I don't care however I couldn't help but over hear your little chat."
"What little chat?"
"Oh you know 'Frida you're the most important person in my life. Nobody means more to me than you.' I believe it was something along those lines."
"I never said that."
"You might as well have because that's what she's thinking in her mind. I'd be more careful with my words if I were you."
"What exactly are you implying."
"Okay I'm gonna tell you but you didn't hear it from me. Frida is in love with you, there I said it. One problem though you don't love her and yet you do these little things that lead her on."
"What little things?"
"Let's see giving her a locket, sleeping with her at night, saying that she's the only woman important to you. In her mind that totally says I love you."
"You're out of your mind. She doesn't love me, she knows very well our relationship is strictly platonic."
"You can't be serious. You can't honestly tell me you haven't noticed the signs."
"What signs?"
"Dear God how oblivious are you? Her eyes lighting up every time you smile at her, the way she blushes when you touch her, that adorable little giggling she makes, and the way she messes with her hair when she gets nervous around you."
"Haven't noticed a thing."
"Man for an all powerful halfling you're pretty stupid."
"Hey!"
"All I'm saying is if you intend to keep up this I refuse to fall in love act the better cut the whole protective and caring attitude toward her because imagine the look on her face when she finds out it means nothing, that you don't have any feelings at all. It would beak her heart."
"You're being ridiculous! She does not love me! And I'm only acting protective because without her I can't use my powers so there!"
"Denial truly is more than just a river."
"Shut up! She does not have feelings for me! It's impossible."
"Why is that?"
"Because I'm not even the same species as her."
"Half of you is and if I remember correctly your parents weren't exactly the same species either."
"Leave my parents out of this!"
"Sorry all I'm saying is aside from powers spirits, demons, and humans aren't that different and if you really do care about Frida then don't lead her on. Speaking from experience that is the worst thing you could ever do a girl."
"Why don't you get back to your date and leave me alone?"
"Okay but don't say I didn't warn you."
Manny growled as he watched T.J leave. Frida came back shortly after eating a churro. For the rest of the day as they followed T.J and Andrea around Manny paid close attention to Frida. She blushed whenever he touched her, she giggled at least once or twice, and she was messing with her hair like ten times. He was desperate to think of any solution other than she might have feelings for him.
"Are you alright?" She asked. "You haven't said anything for awhile."
"I'm fine." He said. "Can we go back now?"
"Wait a minute they're going up to watch the stars."
She took his hand and pulled him along upstairs of a tall building. T.J and Andrea were sitting on a balcony so Frida chose to watch them from the roof top. She couldn't help but smile softly as she watched them hold hands and sit closely to each other.
"Frida."
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Do you have feelings for me?" He asked.
"What? Why...Why would you ask that?"
"Something T.J mentioned to me earlier. He told me the most ridiculous thing. He said that you were in love with me and that I shouldn't lead you on. Can you believe that?"
"I am gonna kill that shaman!" Frida thought but her anger at T.J quickly vanished when she saw Manny's reaction. He laughed it off like it was some joke, like her having feelings for him was the silliest thing in the world and she didn't like it.
"I knew it couldn't be true." He chuckled. "After all it's pretty stupid."
"What if he was right?" She asked.
"Huh?"
"What if I did have feelings for you? Would it really be that stupid?"
"What are you saying? You don't really have feelings for me do you?"
"Yes. I do."
Manny looked at her in horror, like she had just said that she wanted to kill herself.
"You're...You're confused."
"No I'm not!" She said, tears were streaming down her face. "I have a feelings for you and I think they might be lo-"
"I will not allow myself to love a woman!" He cut her off.
"That doesn't mean I don't love you! Because I do! I do love you!"
"Well I don't love you! So it's stupid of you to have feelings!"
"It's not stupid! You said I was important you!"
"Nevermind that! That's an entirely different matter!"
"So you never had any feelings for me?! You never cared about me?! You never thought for a moment that maybe you could love me?!"
Manny didn't answer for a long time and just when he opened his mouth to say something a careless construction worker swung a wrecking ball right at the building. In a flash T.J grabbed Andrea, pulled her inside, and shielded her from the crash. Manny and Frida weren't that lucky, the roof started to collapse and a piece of concrete fell onto Manny's leg while Frida started to slide down from the part of the roof that was breaking to fall. Manny tried to stand up but his leg was broken from the concrete so he could only crawl or limp. Ignoring the pain and using all his strength he crawled over to her as quick as he could and caught her hand just as she fell off while using his free arm to cling to an edge that hadn't been broken.
"Frida are you alright?" He asked her.
"I'm fine." She said. "Good thing I'm not afraid of heights huh?"
"Just hold on, I'll pull you up."
He tried to pull her back up but his injured leg kept him from using all his strength.
"Ahh!" He hissed.
"What is it?'
"I broke my leg! I can't pull you up! Undo the seal!"
"What?"
"I can heal myself and pull you up. Now do it!"
"No."
"What did you say?"
"I said no."
"Frida I don't think you understand what's going on here. You are dangling from a hundred foot building, my leg is broken, and I can't pull you up. Now the only way you can be saved is if you undo the seal."
"I know but I won't do it! I'll find another way to save myself."
"Are you out your mind?! Do you want to die?!"
"Do you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Every time you use your powers it shortens your life!"
"So you'd rather die!"
"Yes! I won't have you sacrifice yourself for me!"
"You're crazy! Do you hear me!? You're crazy!"
"Yeah well people always do crazy things when they're in love! And I don't want you to save me anymore or risk your life for me! Because you don't love me so there's no reason for you to save me but I love you so I have good reason to die for you! Now let go of me! I'll save myself!"
"No!"
"I said let go of me!"
Suddenly her wrists lit up and the one being held by Manny burnt him. He cried out in pain, causing him to let go of her hand. She tried to grab on to the edge but she wasn't close enough so she fell.
"Frida!" Horror struck, Manny jumped after her and they were both falling.
"What are you doing?!" Frida asked.
"I'm falling you idiot! Now you have no choice but to undo the seal because if you don't then we both die! Got that?! So stop being so stubborn and undo the seal or we'll be dead!"
He held his hand out to her, she took it.
"Ancient tiger spirit I summon you." She whispered.
His belt buckle glowed and he changed into his spirit form, his leg healed, he caught Frida's body, and landed on his feet much to the shock and awe of people who had seen him. He looked back up at the building and was relieved to see that T.J and Andrea were alright then he looked back at Frida who was trying so hard not to cry but one tear fell after another. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hid her face in his shoulder.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"I'm fine." She sighed.
"Good. Let's go home now."
"Okay."