Author's Note:
So this story is going to be about Felix and Pepa. This is going to start when Pepa is 12 and Felix is 13 (Felix is 4 months older than Pepa). This is going to go into how they fell in love with each other and how they got married. I am also going to delve into Felix's backstory and what his life was before he was a Madrigal.
Chapter 1:
(Pepa POV)
- 6 years in the future -
I looked up at the raincloud forming over my head. Why did this always happen to me? I hated my gift. I hated what it did to everyone I cared about. I just hated everything that was going on? "Pepa," I looked up and saw him with an umbrella, "Felix why are you here?" He smiled at me, "I never really minded the rain." He said sitting down next to me. I started crying and he wrapped me in a hug, "Hey, I'm here for you Pepa, whatever you need." Was he really? I looked up at Felix and suddenly I wondered what I was doing.
- back to the present -
I went into town hand-in-hand with Julieta and Bruno. We had, had our gifts for 7 years now and I still had trouble keeping everything in control. "I have to out to the fields," I said separating from the two of them as I went off the path they took into town. I began walking towards the field when I saw him. I sighed Hernando Santiago. I had a huge crush on him and I watched as he walked off into town with his friends going into town. He and I had danced at a few town functions but neither of us were old enough to do anything beyond that. Still...
"Pepa Madrigal," I turned and saw Felix and I couldn't help but smile as I was shaking my head, "Felix what are you doing?" He shoved my arm slightly , "You aren't the only one who has to go do work in the fields." I sighed shaking my head, "Which field are you in?" He pointed off, "Far field near the jungle." I nodded my head, "I am making it rain in the near fields before the river." "You mean I don't get to be rained on for hours today, oh what am I going to do," he started saying sarcastically. "Oh go to work already." He bowed his head, "Until we meet again Pepa Madrigal." "Bye Felix," I said and watched him walk away. Felix and I were friends because he was friends with my brother and Augustin, and Augustin and Julieta were... Augustin and Julieta... Still he did always make me laugh.
I worked over to the field and had to put myself in a bad mood to rain on the fields. As I let it pour down on me someone called out, "We need more sunlight on the far fields." I sighed. It was easy to think of things to put me in a bad mood than making myself happy again. I trudged through the mud to the far fields and started working on putting myself in a good mood, "Pepa does this look like sunlight to you?" Someone said. I sighed and closed my eyes really focusing on what would make me happy. I hated how hard this was.
Suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder and saw that Felix was there again, "Hey what's with the clouds today?" I rolled my eyes, "Felix I'm not in the mood." "Seriously, what's up? What did you use to make the rain start?" He asked looking at me. I really didn't want to say what I did use. I sat down on a rock, "I purposefully stubbed my toe." He shook his head, "No, that is temporary pain. You snap back from that almost immediately. That wouldn't have caused this." I hated that he knew this so well. I sighed, "I don't want to talk about it."
He nodded his head, "Fine, we don't need to talk about it." He sat down on a rock next to me, "You are going to get sick from the rain." He shrugged, "Probably won't I rarely get sick." I nodded my head, "Hey do you remember that scavenger hunt that Augustin planned for yours and your siblings birthdays 3 years ago." I smiled and took in an amused inhale, "Yeah. It was a lot of fun." "But do you remember the bees after?" He asked and I started laughing, "Oh my God. Poor Augustin. We came around the corner and they were swarming him."
"And then I came with that bucket of water," he said and I nodded my head, "He was drenched." He looked side to side and whispered, "Yeah that water was from the well in town." "Oh my God that water is freezing," I exclaimed as I continued to laugh. I looked up and saw that the skies were clear and the sun was shining. "Thanks," I said. He shrugged, "Well I had to get some work done today. I'll see you around." I nodded my head, "See you around."
I watched as he walked over to the field and the someone else was calling for me, "Pepa!" I walked over to the other side of the field. My emotions were always in turmoil because it all changed with ever slight difference in my emotions. How upset I was determined how cold it was or how the wind blew or how hard the rain would fall from the sky. How happy I was determined how sunny it was, how warm it became, if there was a rainbow or not. I couldn't let myself get too anything and it was exhausting.
By the end of the day I was tired as I walked over to Augustin and Julieta who looked just as tired as I was, "Ready to go back?" Julieta asked and Bruno and I both nodded our heads walking hand-in-hand back to Casita. "Pepa how was your day?" Julieta asked. I thought about it and smiled to myself, "It was good at the end."
(Felix POV)
I rolled out of bed and looked around at the shack. I had moved in here a few weeks ago. I just couldn't do it anymore. I was tired of being a guest. I knew that this place wasn't much, but at least it was mine. Still it was time for me to go to the job that paid for this place.
I poured myself a cup of coffee and took a long sip as the hot liquid made its way down my throat. Today was going to be a long day. I was weeding in the far fields which took hours in the sunlight to make sure that we didn't miss anything. Señor Enrique my boss would take money out of my paycheck if I missed any in my section. I pulled on my work clothes and went out the door and walked into town. I know that it would be closer walking straight from my house to the field but, I liked being a part of town and seeing everyone as I went to work.
Sometimes I would see Augustin, Julieta, Bruno or "Pepa Madrigal," I said as I turned on the path to the fields. She was shaking her head at me but she was smiling, "Felix what are you doing?" I shoved her arm jokingly I was took this way to work, "You aren't the only one who has to work in the fields." We continued talking a little bit when it was time for us to go our separate ways.
I don't know how long I had been weeding but I was tired and wanted to be back in bed. The sky was a bit overcast making it hard to see where they all were suddenly I heard people calling for Pepa to clear up the sky. I stood up and looked over at her as she shut her eyes and was trying to focus, "Pepa does that look like sunlight to you?" Someone called out, "Dude no," I said shaking my head as I made my way over to her.
I could tell that she was getting more stressed as she tried to clear the sky. I tapped her shoulder and gave her a warm smile, "Hey what's with the clouds today?" She rolled her eyes at me and was still frowning, "Felix I'm not in the mood." I knew what was going on and the only way to figure out how to help was to figure out what she was thinking about when the weather started. As I tried to ask her though she became more upset and I sat down next to her. She really didn't want to talk to me and I had to figure out what I could do, "You are going to get sick from the rain." she said and I just shrugged "Probably won't I rarely get sick." I had to think of something fast.
There was one story that now that 3 years had passed was a sure-fire way to make her laugh, "Do you remember the scavenger hunt that Augustin planned for you and your siblings 3 years ago?" She let out an amused breath, "Yeah. It was a lot fun." Ok progress, but I knew I could do better, "But do you remember the bees after?" Now she was laughing. I continued to ask her about that day and she continued to laugh until it was bright and sunny outside. "Thanks," she said with a smile. I shrugged I would have done anything for Pepa or any of my friends, "Well I had to get some work done today. I'll see you around." She nodded her head still smiling, "See you around." I walked back to my field and saw Señor Enrique standing there, "I expect your entire section to be done by tomorrow Felix." I nodded my head, "Yes Señor." I went back to work and continued for a while longer.
I was walking back after the sun set. I walked through the fields back to my shack not seeing the people in town right now. Sometimes when I had the energy I liked to talk with people and catch up but not today. I opened the door to the shack and walked over to the bed falling down. I reached for the envelope under my pillow as I started counting over the money I had saved. Taking out rent and other expenses I would have $30 left this month. I groaned I was never going to be able to afford a better house. "Maybe I can cut back on food," I was talking to myself as I moved through the money again, "If I do that then maybe take save $50?" I let out a long breath as I let my hands fall into my hands. "It could be worse. Things could always be worse," I reminded myself. Maybe tomorrow I would go see Augustin? Maybe I would get off work a little bit early?
I smiled to myself knowing that I wasn't going to cut out of work early, but I could still see my friends. Maybe I could visit them tomorrow? "Life is good," I said to myself. I let my eyes shut as I fell asleep.