"Well, look on the bright side, guys."said Javier as he walked in. "She gave me some cash."
Pietro hurried down the stairs, grabbed the money, and began counting.
"This isn't going to get us anything!"he said.
"Well, she's not rich, you know. And she does have to earn a living herself. Her parents send her money every now and then, but I don't think it's that that that much."
"Couldn't she ask them for more? I mean, they are her parents."
"They wouldn't send it. Besides, they have another kid. And, why don't I go upstairs and get ready for bed. I'm a little tired. Swamp Breath, take some of this cash, and get some cigarettes for me."
"I'm a minor."
"Then you're just going to have to lie, or something, won't you."he told him.
Toad groaned, and walked out.
"I want you back here in less than an hour! Or your really going to regret it."said Javier.
He waited until Lance was upstairs.
"Listen, you have to do me one favor."he told him without preamble. "You have to get to know my cousin better."
"What?"
"For some unknown reason, she seems to like you. I don't know why, and the only way she's going to help us is if you go out with her. I didn't promise her anything, and I said I'd talk to you, but…you just have to say yes. I know she's not exactly a beauty, but if you say no, then she'll be mad at me, and it'll just be a mess."
"It's a good thing you didn't promise her anything."
Javier groaned.
"Look, why don't you just give it a shot. She's pretty shy, but sometimes she can be a lot of fun. See, it's a little odd, I know, but, you have to do this for me, for your friends, and for yourself."
"I don't want to go out with her."
"Just get to know her?"
"No."
Javier sighed.
"Don't tell me the real reason is that girl you were chasing after this afternoon? Who is she, by the way? You never did tell me."
"It's none of your business."
"Then I'll just have to make it my business, then, won't I? Listen, first of all, if you're going to be a star, like we want you to, then you shouldn't be chasing after women, they should be chasing, and you've got yourself your first fan, in my beloved cousin. I know she would love to hear you sing what I heard just yesterday. Ella adora las balladas romanticas."He seemed at a loss for what else to say. "Fine, look, it might just be that seeing someone else is interested in you, or rather, that you're interested in her, might just spark your beloved girl's interest. I know she's not much to be jealous about. She's not sophisticated or anything. Besides,"he looked a the cds on the desk, next to the cd player. "You have one thing in common. My cousin will probably say she's never met another fan of Alexandro Fernandez, Christian Castro, Limite, and such. You don't have to like her, you just have to give it a shot. Please. I'll get on my knees if it's necessary."
"No, it's not."
"Then the answer is…"
"We'll see."
Ma.del Carmen was thinking it was a pity that she didn't have an image of San Antonio. After all, people said if you turned it upside down, he would help you get a husband. Of course, she didn't want a husband. She was always afraid that another person would upset her way of living and thinking. Her parents always wanted to change it, but thankfully with no success. She wondered if Javier would be at the high school the next afternoon. She decided she would see herself. She saw the same group of boys he was with, but he wasn't with them. However, Lance was. He was talking to a girl in a pink sweater and jeans
She's so short, thought Ma.del Carmen. But that must be her.
She had always thought shorter people stupid, remembering a girl, whom she had loathed and had barely come to her shoulder. She stood, obersving. He seemed to be trying to engage her in conversation, but she seemed pretty mad at him. She started to walk away, and he grabbed her arm. Another guy appeared, telling Lance to leave her alone. Ma.del Carmen walked up, anyway.
"I was wondering if Javier was here this afternoon,"she said. "Oh, hello. I don't suppose you are a friend?"she asked the boy with the dark shades. "Why would anyone wear sunglasses on such cloudy day? You exaggerate so much, you know. You should try living in Arizona. Now there, it is sunny. I lived there, most of my life."she told him.
She could tell that her comment didn't amuse him.
"I'm Ma.del Carmen Medina Gonzaga. You wouldn't know my cousin, do you? He's friends with these guys here."she gestured at the Brotherhood.
"You have a cousin in the Brotherhood?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. However, whomever you are friends with, certainly don't set much store by manners. You still haven't told me who you are. However, answering your question, sort of, I believe quite strongly in living by bonds of real brotherhood."
"I suppose that's why your cousin is with them?"
"I think he said he was with them, because at first he had no where else to go, see, and he stayed with them, so…"she shrugged. "They're quite nice, from what he's told me about them. So, anyway, you would be…"
"Goggleboy."said Lance.
Ma.del Carmen laughed.
"Yes, now why didn't I think of that? Quite an accurate description, wouldn't you say?"
He reached up and looked as though he were about to take off his shades. He seemed to think better of it.
"Come on, Kitty."he said, turning and walking away.
"Que persona mas desagradable."said Ma.del Carmen. "To think that I thought all that was behind me when I finally graduated. I still remember people from elementary school who used to make my life impossible. Most of them dropped out, of course, so I didn't have to put up with them, afterwards, but others…they just, well, it was like when one left, another showed up. Most of them didn't graduate, of course."
"You were looking for your cousin, weren't you?"asked Pietro.
"Yes."
"He's not here right now."
"Oh."
She nodded.
"So, who were those people?"
"Just a couple of geeks."
She smiled.
"I don't think they're geeks. I should know, because I was a geek, a nerd, myself. I certainly would never have behaved in such a disgraceful way. The worse I ever could have done would be tattle. An old habit I could never break."
"I think he might still be at the house, but I thought he would have gone to visit you."
"I have school Monday thru Thursday."
"Not Fridays?"
"No."
"Now that's paradise."
"Well, I guess the only way would probably be to go back to my apartment. Or perhaps you wouldn't mind if I followed you towards your house, see if he's there. I couldn't talk to him on the phone because I don't know the number."
"We have no phone."
"Well, then, I guess that I'll follow you, if that's all right."she said.
On the ride, Pietro said, "Why am I under the impression that she wasn't looking for her cousin?"he asked, looking at Lance.
"Who else would she be looking for?"asked Toad.
"Well, Swamp Breath,"he said, using Javier's favorite nickname for Toad. "In case you didn't notice, she couldn't take her eyes off Lance."
He snickered.
"Oh, I thought that she was looking at Summers, since she was talking to him."said Blob.
"Oh, Blob! You idiot!"
When they got to the house, she asked to speak to Javier alone.
"I was looking for you at the high school."she told him.
"For me? What would I be doing at the high school?"
"Fine. I wasn't just looking for you, I was looking forward to see someone else."
He nodded.
"I think I saw the girl you told me about. She wouldn't be any chance, have brown hair, and wear a pink sweater?"
"Yes."
"I see. You don't suppose I stand a chance?"
"Look, I think you do. I spoke to him. It'll just take a little persuasion. So, what's going on?"he asked when they went back into the room. "What's wrong, Lance?"
"We're going to the soccer game tonight."he said, simply.
"Soccer?"asked Javier. "Maybe you should come with us, Carmelita."he said. "Or you should just meet us there. It's a good thing you guys want to go. It'd break the boring routine."
"We're not going to watch the game."he said. "I'm sick of hiding our powers."
"But I thought you guys said…"Javier began.
"We changed our minds!"
"I think they are quite right, Javier."Ma.del Carmen said.
Javier had explained that they were mutants the night before. Javier nodded.
"So, how exactly are you going to show everyone? You guys aren't the team. At least I know Fatass here, isn't. He couldn't be!"