Javier found that living with the Brotherhood wasn't too bad. As a matter of fact, he considered a bit fun and relaxing. They didn't set much store by rules, and he loved the fact that they were so amusing. He spent a good deal of his time bossing Toad around.
"Get me a soda, Swamp Breath. Why don't you take a shower, Swamp Breath."
None of the other guys seemed to mind anything he said to them, simply laughed and said something back. As he got to know them better, since he was a very anactical person, and a great listener, he became something like their counselor. The only problem with living here was the lack of food and money. Not to mention the mess.
"We really need to get ahold of some money, you guys."said Javier. "Not to mention someone needs to get the cleaning done. This place is more or less a pigsty! Listen, I think it's time I took things into my own hands. We desperately need the money. We just can't go on like this! I can't live under these conditions!"
"Well, if you got any ideas, we'll be glad to hear them."said Pietro.
"I do have some ideas. I don't know what you guys'd think, but I'm going to go ahead, anyway."
"As long as there's money involved, we're all for it."
"Good. Very well. First, you guys gotta keep going to school, see. I'll catch up with you there tomorrow."
"You're going to register at school?"asked Blob.
"No, you fatass."said Javier. "Maybe instead of asking stupid questions, you could try to concentrate on losing some of that weight. What is it, by the way? Is it actually fat, or just liquids you retain?"
"Uh?"Blob didn't know what he meant.
Javier shook his head.
"Figured. You know,"he looked up the stairs. "You never know. You guys wouldn't by any chance know someone who's good with locks, would you? We'd get a locksmith, problem is, we don't have any money. A little luck and someone at the very same school will help us with this problem."
"We never thought of that."said Blob.
"I know you didn't, fatass."
"And how are you going to get there, and know who's good with locks?"
"I have my ways."
Javier walked out of the room. Really, these guys were excellent most of the time, but sometimes, they were just unbearable. Sometimes the stupidity they showed was more than he could bear. He walked upstairs to his bedroom, when he heard the sound of a guitar playing, and a voice singing. Really, the only time he had ever heard a voice like that, so musically talented, was on TV, or coming out of a stereo. He went to investigate the source. It obviously was not a cd, or even the TV. It was live.
Now who would these guys know who sings with such talent?he asked himself.
He opened the door to Lance's room, and his jaw dropped. There, sitting at his desk was Lance himself, looking out the window, and singing Imagina. He was so absorbed in the music, he didn't notice Javier standing in the doorway, staring at him and listening. When he finished the last note, Javier clapped.
"Bravo! Pero, I didn't know you sang so well, Lance!"exclaimed Javier.
Lance almost dropped the guitar in surpise.
"What are you doing in here? How did you get in here?"
"Through the door, of course."
"But you were downstairs explaining how we were going to get more money."
"Oh, that. That wasn't really a way to get money. I just thought she might've left some cash, or valuables in there. I mean, she did look like she'd own a lot of jewelry when I first saw her. But that's something else! Now, we have an even better income. With your voice and talent, and a little hard work, my, our future is secured! I never knew you sang Spanish."
"No, no."said Lance. "No one can find out that I sing."
"Why not?"
"Because…"he tried to find an excuse.
He didn't want to say that he felt stupid about it. He thought it was lame.
"I only sing for myself. Never for other people, and you had no right to walk in here, and find out. I just…enjoy it. I enjoy listening to myself sing. I like music."
"Do you compose?"
"That's none of your business!"
"Sorry. Only curious."
"Look, I understand that you don't want the other guys to find out you sing, Lance. Knowing them, they would probably just tease you and make your life impossible. But they don't have to find out, see. I was thinking about getting someone to help us open the door to Mystique's bedroom, but I changed my mind. You are extraordinarily gifted, I hope you know that. You are going to save all us with your exceptional talent!"
"I don't understand."
"Well, seeing as how love songs are your specialty, we're going to use it to our advantage. It's even better, because you put so much emotion into it, taking the fact that you suffer from a sort of broken heart yourself."
"How dare you say I suffer from a broken heart! You're really asking for it!"
He got up, ready to cause a tremor.
"No, no, no!"exclaimed Javier. "Calm down! I just want to help you! Don't you see? No one here has to find out about this! Look, I'll simply get some guys who are desperate to make some money, and who have some musical talent, just like you. We can solve the immediate problem by you giving serenatas! Afterwards, well, I've got some contacts of mine, back home who can help us get you a ticket to stardom!"
Lance looked at Javier.
"I don't think I could do that."
"Of course you can. Just trust me. What would be the look on your girl's face when she sees you signing autographs?"
Lance thought for a while. He had never considered anything like that. He just sang whenever he wanted to hear music, and didn't feel like turning on the cd player.
"Look, we could at least give it a shot, couldn't we?"asked Javier. "If for any reason you don't like it, we'll quit. It's as simple as that."
Ma. del Carmen walked towards the high school. It wasn't the one she had attended, of course, but still…it reminded her so much of the three years there. She had graduated early by attending summer school. She was glad to have finished high school, as that would mean she could get started on her career, and the sooner she got her degree, the happier she would be. She tried to keep a distance. Most of the people there were her own age, and she didn't get along very well with people her age. She saw most of them walking in groups. That was typical. At her school everyone always moved around in groups. She seemed to be the only one who was always by herself. Suddenly, something could her eye. Or rather, someone. She looked back, and couldn't believe it her eyes. A man, slightly older than the students, but not old enough to be a teacher, about twenty three, standing with a group of boys. His jet black hair contrasting sharply with the silver blond of the boy next to him, the blond mohawk of the biggest one and the brown hair of the other one, standing across him.
"Javier? Javiercito!"she exclaimed. "I just can't believe it! But I thought you were still in jail!"
She stopped, breathless.
"Carmelita Caramelo! Well, you thought wrong!"he said, walking up to her and giving her a hug.
"Oh, I'm so glad I did! But your sentence was for three years! How did you manage to get out!"
"Me redujeron mi condena, por mi buena conducta."
"Que bueno!"
Javier turned.
"Guys, this is my cousin, Ma.del Carmen Medina Gonzaga. She's seventeen, and graduated just last year, as a junior, you know, using summer courses to complete the credits, and she…well, I'm not sure what she's doing here."
"Oh, I'm studying a career as a veterinary assistant, then I hope to go to veterinary medical school, to become a veterinarian!"
"The girl absolutely loves animals, now don't you?"
"Of course. It's only a pity I couldn't bring my kitty with me. Oh, but one day I will have loads and loads of kitties, and not just kitties, either, but puppies, and horses, and cows, and everything."
"I don't doubt you will."
"Well, aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?"she asked, looking at Lance.
"Oh, of course. See, this one here, is Todd,"he pointed to what seemed to be the youngest one. "This here, is Fred, he could really lose some weight."
"Please don't say things like that."she told him.
She hated to hear anything having to do with someone's weight.
"Oh, sorry. Anyway, this is Pietro. I know you love that name."
"Oh, yes."she said.
"And this is Lance."
"I love your hair and your eyes."she told him.
Javier turned around.
"I never noticed much."he shrugged. "Listen, guys, you don't mind if I get back to the house later. See, I haven't seen my cousin for a very long time, and I'd like to, you know, spend some time with her. She might just be able to help us out."
"Fine. We'll see you later, then."said Lance, as they all climbed into the car.
"Yes, I do hope we shall see each other later."Ma.del Carmen said, looking at him.
Javier and Ma. del Carmen went to her car.
"What exactly do you need help with?"she asked, buckling her seatbelt. "I heard you saying I might be able to help. But with what?"
"Oh, well, see, you know one of the guys I introduced you to?"
"Yes."
"Well, one of them, Lance is exceptionally gifted in my opinion."
"Oh, he is."
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing. You said he was gifted, but let's hear what you have to say."
He told her about how he thought that Lance could probably get very far in the music business. Ma. del Carmen was silent all the way to her apartment.
"You wouldn't by any chance have any cigarettes , or perhaps even something to drink, would you? Tequila? Beer?"he asked hopefully.
"You know I don't smoke, and as for drinks, well, you know I can't drink alcohol, and I don't drink soft drinks. However, there's plenty of tea, punch, agua de sandia, or if you prefer pinapple, I can fix you that. I have another pinapple, so it shouldn't be a problem."
"Oh, never mind. I'll take a nice glass of agua de sandia."
She poured the drink into a glass and handed it to him.
"Anything to eat, by any chance. Over there with the guys, you never get a decent meal."
"More than likely, you won't get one here, either. You know I don't cook if I can help it. Not because I don't want to, but you know I shouldn't do it often."
He nodded.
"Of course."
"I don't think I can help you that much, Javy."she said. "I don't know many people."
"You said it was your dream to live in New York City."he said.
She smiled.
"That was a long time ago. I was so stupid. I don't want anything to have to do with that city."
"Good for you."
"I want to live somewhere where there's space, something which from what I know, is hard to get in that city."
"Look, you know almost everyone in the family judges me so harshly. That's where you can help. And if you know any guys who play instruments here, even better."
"Maybe I can help. However, this is one place where I must set a condition."
"Anything you want."
"Good. Because you have to help me get your friend, Lance to notice me."she said.
Javier nearly spat out his drink.
"What!"
"You heard me."
"Caramelo, you…you can't be serious. You always said guys and love and all that weren't for you! That you wanted nothing having to do with that, for fear that you may end up marrying and ruining your life!"
"I don't care! I want you to help me get him to notice me."
"Look, he's interested in some other girl. I saw him just this afternoon!"
"Is she interested in him?"
"Not that I noticed. She seems to loathe him…Fine, I won't promise anything, but I'll talk to him. You know I'd do anything for you."
"Thank you."
Later, after she drove him back to the Brotherhood house he asked, "You wouldn't by any chance have some extra cash so I could buy some cigarettes, do you?"
"I can't get you anything. Until you speak to Lance."