"What are you doing here?"

The tone of Julieta's voice wasn't angry, more confused and shocked as she stared at him.

"I had to see you," he replied, his voice low enough that people around them wouldn't hear. "I haven't been able to get you out of my head for the past couple of weeks."

"Well, glad to know I'm not alone in that—how did you even get in here?"

"I have a friend on the inside, I suppose. This was Sara's idea so I could see you without a problem."

Julieta's eyes went towards the other side of the room, where Sara raised a glass to them with a smirk.

"It's really weird," she commented. "Because Bruno picked the theme for this party. He hates these things."

"Well, Sara only gave me this idea because she was 'sick of seeing me moping'."

It seemed to click for Julieta at the same moment and they both sighed.

"At the very least Bruno doesn't hate you," she remarked.

"He probably just wants to see you happy, even if it means making your parents mad."

"So… we can talk now. About anything."

"I guess so."

The music shifted and he cleared his throat, holding out his hand.

"May I have this dance, señorita?"

"You may, señor."

She placed her hand in his and they swept out onto the floor. He regretted it almost immediately, seeing as he had two left feet when he was just walking, let alone dancing, but Julieta didn't seem bothered as they danced. Her face was lit up happily, and he caught sight of Felix dancing with a redhaired girl who must've been Julieta's sister. And Bruno and Sara watching from the sidelines, both looking satisfied with how the night had turned out.

After they finished dancing, they spoke for close to an hour on various topics—books, cooking, how stupid the feud was, how much she disliked the man her mother was pushing her to marry… anything and everything they could think of. He didn't grow tired of their conversation one bit, instead being drawn in more and more as she spoke. And then it was there, in his mind.

He loved her.

It was stupid, he knew, to fall in love this quickly. They'd only met twice, spoken for maybe a few hours at most, but… something told him that Julieta Madrigal was who he was destined to be with. He had to find a way to meet with her again, a way for them to maybe carry on some kind of romance, and then Sara came up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, c'mon, we gotta go. I just heard Romeo Guzman saying he was going to kick your ass."

Agustin nodded, and reluctantly he got to his feet.

"I hope to see you again," he whispered, hoping it was too loud for her to hear so she couldn't…

"I hope so, too," she said in reply, and his heart leapt up into his throat as Sara grabbed his arm.

"Come on, before you get your ass beaten."

They made it outside and down to the square, the place that basically served as a border between the two factions within San Ambrosio. Once they got there, Sara removed her mask and Felix did the same. Agustin kept his on.

"Well, that was fun!" she remarked. "Sorry about butting in, Gus."

"No, no, it's fine. I'd prefer to keep away from Romeo Guzman." He fixed his two best friends with a stare. "Did you know he's using 'Romeo and Juliet' as a line with Julieta?"

"It doesn't surprise me," Felix snorted. "He's an idiot."

"It bothers me that Juliet is only thirteen in that story," remarked Sara. "But you have better luck with yours, I think."

Her eyes were on Agustin, and he gulped.

"What do I do now? I want… I want to see her again, but…"

"The party's winding down. People are heading home, the triplets should be heading to bed soon…" She smirked and leaned in closer. "I also know for a fact that Julieta's room has a balcony."

"Pepa was right—you are evil," remarked Felix.

"Not evil, just bored. Watching you all do this dance is entertaining up until the stabbing starts. Bruno feels the same way, so as long as neither of you are playing with his sister's hearts, he won't try to interfere and keep you away."

Agustin's eyes turned back towards the Madrigal house.

"Good luck."

His two friend's voices were in unison as he made his way towards Julieta.


This had been the best birthday ever.

Julieta felt like she was a child again as she sat on her bed, hugging her pillow and squealing excitedly into it. Agustin had come! He'd wished her happy birthday and danced with her and listened to her talk without looking bored or trying to get out of it! And he wanted to see her again! Was this the kind of feeling Mama had talked about feeling with Papa? This squirmy warm feeling in her belly that felt like butterflies, this feeling that made her beyond giddy at the mere thought of Agustin Montez despite the feud?

Her eyes went to the balcony and she went out onto it, loving the fresh air as she took a deep breath. It reminded her of that night in the woods with Agustin. Was it wrong to feel nostalgic for something so recent?

Then she glanced out at the garden and saw movement. She froze.

Who's that?

She got her answer rather quickly as Agustin stepped into view. Relieved, she smiled at him and leaned against the railing, her eyes meeting his.

"What brings you here so late?" she asked.

"I said I hoped to see you soon. And Sara suggested this."

"Sara seems fascinated by our relationship."

"Entertained, she says. And your brother is, too."

"Him and his dramas." She chuckled and shook her head. "Are you going to recite some kind of poem for me?"

"I just wanted to see you for a bit. And…" He hesitated. "Meet me at the church tomorrow?"

She blinked; what was he up to?

"N-not for what you're thinking! I just thought you and I could meet somewhere not ruled over by Madrigals or Montezes?"

"Fair enough, I suppose." She shrugged. "What time?"

"Around ten?"

"Ten it is." She gave him another beaming smile and he smiled right back.

"Julieta?" she heard her mother call.

"Mama's calling! Get out of here, quick!"

He nodded and disappeared into the bushes as she ran back inside and landed on her bed. Her mother opened her bedroom door with a smile.

"Hola, Mama," Julieta greeted her.

"Querida, did you have a good birthday?"

"It was wonderful. Bruno's idea was so good!"

"I keep telling him that he has amazing ideas but he won't listen to me." Alma sat down on the bed and grabbed her hands. "I should also let you know that your father has made a decision in regards to your courtship."

Julieta's heart pounded.

If I have to marry Romeo soon, I'll beg Agustin to marry me tomorrow.

"He's decided that this will be a longer one. Romeo makes rash decisions and he wants the boy to grow up a bit more before he takes your hand."

Relief spread through Julieta.

"Thank you for telling me, Mama."

"You're very welcome." Her mother frowned slightly. "I heard from your father, also, that there were Montezes at tonight's party. They didn't bother you or Pepa or Bruno, did they?"

"Not at all. I think I spoke to one but he was very cordial."

Cordial and gentlemanly and amazing and—

"Good. Good." Alma appeared placated. "I shall see you tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night, Mama."

Mama left her room and Julieta went back to the balcony. She could see Agustin walking with Felix and Sara in the distance, his two closest friends. And she thought about what type of partner she wanted for marriage. The only person who came to mind, the only one who was what she wanted, was Agustin.

She couldn't wait for tomorrow.


As it turned out, helping your sister sneak around behind your parents' backs with her secret boyfriend was easier said than done, especially when you had to ensure that she still met with her legitimate suitor on time.

But Bruno could handle it. Bruno could handle a lot of things.

Julieta was so much happier now that she was dating Agustin in secret. They'd grown closer over the month since the triplets' birthday party, and honestly at this point Bruno wouldn't have been surprised if Julieta came to him and said she and Agustin were going to get secretly married and live in Sara's cabin in the woods.

Oh, and Pepa was now carrying on a 'secret' romance of her own with Felix. Fun. He had to keep that a secret, too.

Sara had been right; this was a drama the two of them were watching play out, and up until someone got stabbed it would be fun.

Romeo Guzman, meanwhile, was increasingly concerning Bruno. Since the youngest Madrigal triplet was running interference between his parents and sisters, he had to listen to a lot of the arguing between Julieta's main suitor and Papa. At the very least, Papa wasn't a fan of the pushing Romeo was doing for the wedding to happen sooner and more quickly so he could become a Madrigal. The middle child of the Guzman family had some kind of agenda going on that Bruno didn't like one bit.

"He's going to kill me," he remarked to Sara as they chaperoned a date between Julieta and Agustin.

"Who?"

"Romeo."

"Agustin wouldn't hurt you."

"Not that one. The other one."

"Oh, you mean Idiota Supremo. What makes you say that?"

"He keeps looking at me, and talking about being the head of the house—that's my birthright."

"I thought you said being the head of House Madrigal was a load of bullshit."

"It is, trust me. But most people don't know how much I don't want to do it." He shrugged. "I'm worried Romeo might…"

Sara made a harsh sound and drew her finger across her throat.

"Yeah. Then he'll make it look like an accident or something."

"Did you mention this to your hermanas? Or your parents?"

"No. Listen, people already think I'm crazy, and with me keeping these secrets, I don't think it'll go over well." He let out a sigh. "What a tangled web we weave."

"You and I are the spiders doing the weaving." She kicked a rock. "This damn feud is the problem—if it wasn't for that, the two lovebirds would already be married."

"So what do you suggest we do? End a centuries-long feud overnight?"

"Don't be ridiculous. We just need to warm your parents up to Agustin, that's all."

"Good to know."

He listened to his sister giggle happily.

"I hope this'll work."

"It will. I think."

"Glad for the vote of confidence."

They continued onwards, but he glanced behind him just in time to see a bush stop moving. A sick feeling welled in his gut.

Something bad was about to happen.