This story is not as popular right off the bat as a lot of mine are, but screw it—this bugger's been in my head for over a week now and you all have to suffer for it.
"Shouldn't you be getting home?"
Agustin glanced up from the wood he was stacking for the priest.
"Ah, I suppose you're right. It's getting a little dark."
"It's pitch-black outside," Sara called, sticking her head into the parlor.
"Yes, thank you, Sara." Padre Tomas glanced at her.
Agustin smiled. Sara wasn't a nun, but as far as the people of San Ambrosio knew she was their sole Sister. It was the only way Padre Tomas had been able to keep her safe from her abusive relatives when she'd come to the town as a young teenager, and it was because of that she hadn't taken her vows. Besides that, she was, for all intents and purposes, Padre Tomas's child and the priest had a vested interest in keeping her around when she made his existence at the church that much less standard.
"I'm heading out now," he said, standing upright as he put the last split log into place. He almost tripped over the corner of the woodpile but caught himself before he did. Sara handed him a lantern and just like that he was out the door.
"Safe travels home!" called Padre Tomas.
"Don't get eaten by jaguars!" Sara added.
Agustin rolled his eyes as the priest and his charge went back inside.
He hadn't gone far when he heard rustling in the bushes. He gripped the lantern he'd brought with him and crept closer. He could see someone—a woman—walking through the woods with a lantern of her own. Concern filled him. The woods were dangerous at night, especially if you didn't know the way. He'd been coming up here for so long that he knew every possible path, and this woman was heading towards the deepest part of the forest—a place where there was said to be an abandoned cabin and a maniac living inside.
"Hey!" he called, and the woman glanced back only briefly before starting to run.
Agustin let out a sigh.
"Señorita! Wait!" He picked up speed and ran after her.
Before too long, the woman came to a stop by a cliff. The bottom was covered by fog so you couldn't see how deep it was, and Agustin tried to stop but he ended up slamming into her. They fell off it (it wasn't very tall, it turned out) and they slid to a stop.
"Why are you following me?!" the woman snapped, looking up. Her face was shadowed by her cloak, the lower half illuminated by the lights of their lanterns.
"I was trying to keep you from going too far in! You were heading for a dangerous area!"
"Dangerous? I can handle myself."
She got to her feet and dusted off her blue dress. Agustin held her lantern and then glanced around.
"Can you make your way back on your own or do you want me to show you the way?"
"I…" She swallowed. "Are you being smart with me?"
"Not at all, I'm just asking since it seems like you've never really been back here."
"I'd appreciate the help, then, thank you."
He nodded and handed her back her lantern. With it closer to her face, he could see what she looked like more clearly, and…
Oh, dios mío.
She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen in his life. His heart was pounding so hard it was a wonder she didn't hear it. But he could practically feel the sting of Cupid's arrow as he struggled to say something, anything, to not sound like the lovestruck idiot he'd suddenly become.
"Shall we go?" he finally spat out.
"Of course."
Julieta could feel her face getting hot as she walked alongside the stranger.
She felt so many emotions at once. Embarrassment for having run from him, relief that he wasn't going to hurt her (she didn't think he was capable of harming her), shame for how she'd treated him, and a little sad that she didn't know his name. But all that could wait; after all, he was probably here for the church. That happened from time to time, where new people would come and stay a few days with Tomas and Sara as part of their training as members of the church and then move on to the next step.
He's handsome, though. Really handsome.
"Are you sure you know where we're going?" she asked.
"Positive." He hesitated. "…actually, I've never been this deep before."
"So you don't know."
"…no."
"Great." She sighed. "So much for sneaking back in before tomorrow morning."
"It'll be fine. I'd bet anything Sara saw me run off and she'll be looking for us soon."
Julieta hummed in agreement, then glanced upwards at the sky for a moment to try and find something to navigate by. Not that she knew much about it. She did notice that clouds were covering the stars. Quite a lot of clouds, actually. And… was that thun—
The downpour came suddenly, sending both of them scrambling for cover. About a hundred yards away sat an abandoned-looking cabin, one that could provide shelter. They ran for the door and slammed it shut.
Thankfully, their clothes weren't too soaked, so they could wait out the storm like this. The stranger hung up her cloak so it could dry.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled.
"It isn't your fault. You don't control the weather."
"I mean about us being stuck out here. I should have just talked to you." He sat down next to her at the table (it was surprisingly clean for being in the middle of the woods).
"It's my fault for startling you, honestly. I didn't really think it through. It's just rare to see anyone in the woods this time of night, let alone someone like you."
"Someone like me?"
In the light of the lanterns, she could see his cheeks getting flushed. She wasn't sure if he was flustered or if it was just the chill of the rain getting to him. Hesitantly she smiled at him and he smiled right back.
Oh, he's extra handsome when he smiles. I like that.
And she could feel the prick of Cupid's arrow, just like that.
Shit.
This was bad. This was very very bad.
Sara stared at the two young adults curled up together in her little cabin in the woods, the one Padre Tomas had helped her build as a secondary home in case pretending to be a nun ever failed, and she felt her heart drop into her stomach. Agustin Montez and Julieta Madrigal—oh, this was going to go badly. Very very badly.
"Hey, wake up!"
She toed Agustin's face and he let out a groan, sitting up and adjusting his glasses as he took in his surroundings. Julieta sat up, too, and stretched. Clearly they weren't used to sleeping in places like this, which she expected since their families were two of the wealthiest in town.
"Sara?" he mumbled. "What time is it?"
"Well, good morning to you too, señor. You could've told me about this, you know—I would've given you bedding."
Agustin's eyes widened and he and Julieta scrambled apart. Despite the situation Sara couldn't help but laugh. She knew very well these two hadn't done anything except get caught in that weird storm the night before. They both got to their feet and Julieta retrieved what must have been her cloak from a hook on the wall.
"It's fine, relax. Tomas and I are covering for you both." She looked to Julieta. "Your mother's up in arms looking for you."
"Ay, no! I was supposed to be home by now!"
"Did she know you were out?"
"Would she have let me go out?"
"Guess I answered my own question." She clapped her hands. "And now to lead you both back. Agustin, you should remember this route just in case—"
"Wait." Julieta stared in shock. "What's his name?"
"Oh goodness." Sara sighed.
"No, what's your name?" Julieta looked to the lanky young man beside her.
"Agustin. Agustin Montez."
"No. No. This isn't happening, no—" Her breathing became heavy and Sara put her hands on her shoulders.
"Breathe, Julieta, breathe."
"J-Julieta?" Agustin repeated, looking just as horrified. "As in…"
"Julieta Madrigal," the eldest Madrigal triplet answered.
"Dios mío, my parents are going to kill me."
"My mother is going to leave my corpse out for the crows," Julieta whimpered.
"Not if you get your butts back to the church. Come on."
Sara motioned for them to follow her, and they both did, staying quite a bit apart.
She did notice, however, that they kept stealing glances at each other.
There were few places in San Ambrosio where Bruno really felt… free.
The woods around the church were one such place, containing Sara's cabin where she let him keep his rats that he couldn't hide at home. And with the pressures of a possible engagement for (take your pick) him, Julieta, or Pepa looming, he found himself going there more and more often.
Today, though, he was greeted by a strange sight as the 'sister' made her way through the woods towards the church itself.
She wasn't alone, like she normally was. Instead, she was leading Julieta and a rather tall and lanky young man about their age, both of whom were looking rather sheepish and scared.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice getting Julie's attention.
"Bruno!" she gasped, running towards him. "How's Mama?"
"She woke up half the town to look for you when you weren't in your room. I don't think you're gonna get away with sneaking back in."
"You do it all the time."
"I have skills." He turned his attention to the unknown young man. "And who might you be, señor?"
"I'm…" The stranger swallowed nervously and Sara rolled her eyes.
"You know, hombre rata, it's rather rude to not tell me your sister's having a love affair with the heir to the Montez family."
Bruno was sure something in his brain had misfired.
"Excuse me, what the fuck did you just say?"
"BRUNO!" squeaked Julieta. "I swear that isn't what's happening, Sara's just—"
"I know she's messing with me, but please tell me he isn't…"
"Agustin Montez," the young man replied blearily. "And you must be Bruno Madrigal."
"Damn right I am." Bruno grabbed Julieta's hand and pulled her behind him while Sara made a face. "Are you trying to get her in trouble?"
"No! I promise, I'm not, I didn't know who she was until half an hour ago!"
"And I had no clue who he was until then!" Julieta added.
Bruno took a deep breath. Okay.
"We are never going to tell anyone about this. Ever."
"I'll confess to Padre Tomas, but that's it," Sara sang.
"You be quiet—you're doing enough."
"If by 'enough' you mean leading these two idiotas out of the woods before they get lost forever—"
"We would've found our way out eventually," retorted Agustin.
"Oh, sure." Sara rolled her eyes and kept walking. "Bruno, take Julie home. I have to deal with Señor Montez looking for his son."
Bruno nodded, pulling Julieta along behind him.
He didn't fail to notice the longing looks she was giving Agustin, nor the ones that the young man was returning. But he kept it to himself; one sister lovesick for a Montez was quite enough for him for right now, dammit.
But he'd remember.
And in the days to come, he'd figure out that this was so much more than what he'd believed it to be at first.
Mercutio: Sara
Friar Laurence: Padre Tomas
Tybalt: Bruno
…
I am about to get some angry comments for making Bruno Tybalt, aren't I.
So long and thanks for all the fish!
