Note: The song in the music box is Lavender's Blue
Manny didn't feel well after the other night. He was nervous, upset, angry, and even a little scared. Frida on the other hand was quite happy in fact some may say she was glowing. She sat up in her bedroom that morning, brushing her hair at her vanity while humming to the song of her music box. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes were sparkling, and she couldn't stop smiling. Being with Manny last night had left her heart overwhelmed with joy, a joy she hadn't known in so long and she hoped it would never end.
"You must love me dilly, dilly, for I love you." She sang with the music box.
"Well someone is in a good mood toady." Pacifica noticed.
"How did you get in here?"
"Don't you remember? We slept over last night because the auto moblie had broken down and Dipper had passed out from a sugar overload."
"When did he have that?"
"When he tried cotton candy for the first time."
"Oh yeah."
"You seem different today."
"You've only known me for two days."
"Well I'm guessing you're different today. Am I right?"
"I don't know. I feel different but in a good way."
Pacifica noticed the music box playing on Frida's vanity.
"Where did you get this?" She asked.
"Manny gave it to me last night. Isn't it wonderful?"
She picked it up and examined it.
"This thing was made by Ellis Stokes. But he died a hundred years ago and all of his work was burned."
"How do you know that?"
"One of my ancestors used to buy hundreds of his work until they were removed and burned."
"Why did they burn all of them?"
"There was a rumor that were made by demons. How did Manny get this?"
"He said he found it in the attic. I guess his family manged to hold on to this one."
"And he just gave it to you instead of sell it? Because this thing is worth more than the queen of England."
"It is? He told me it wasn't really worth anything."
"Then he's either stupid or he lied to you because no man would give that to any woman unless he was an idiot or...Is he in love with you?"
"What?" She cried as her cheeks turned red. "No...I mean we're friends but he...Why would he feel that way about me?"
"Beats me you're not exactly a looker."
"Hey!"
"That aside most important question, are you in love with him?"
Her cheeks turned even redder with that remark.
"Uh...No."
"You're not a good liar are you?"
"I'm not lying!"
"Then why are you looking away from me and clutching your cross while sweating?"
"Um...Um...Maybe I am."
"Okay quick question I may not be well educated on the church but aren't nuns not supposed to fall in love?"
"Hence why I lied."
"Oh..."
"I mean I know nuns aren't supposed to have any romantic relationships with men and at the time when I was kid it didn't bother me. In fact I had no intention of ever falling in love but then I met him and...and..."
"Newsflash nun girl, we women hardly like boys when we're kids because they're gross and ugly at the time. Some still are. Anyone ever teach you about the birds and the bees?"
"Yes I may have grown up in a church but I know what puberty and sex is."
"Okay well here comes the big question do you plan to pursue him?"
"I don't know. Maybe...It's...It's confusing, I've never really felt this way for anyone."
"Ah so it's a first crush. Well while I don't normally help people below my status I'm a hopeless romantic so I'll help you."
"Help me?"
"Yeah because believe me sister you're gonna need help."
"Uh I think I can handle this on my own."
"I doubt it considering you spent most of your teen hood as a nun and have never interacted with any boys your own age, not romantically that is. I on the other hand have had plenty of experience."
"So you've had a lot of boyfriends?"
"Yes."
"And they dumped you?"
"No! Okay nobody dumps me alright! We just broke up."
"Uh-huh. Sure."
"Now then between you and me I guess your friend is kind of cute so I can understand your crush however I don't know what he sees in you."
"For your information I'm a fun person."
"That all?"
"Um...I know scriptures in the bible."
"And?"
"Uh...Uh...I'm still a virgin."
"Okay that will only attract perverts. Fun fact about the male species sister, they are extremely shallow and listen to their hormones before their brains so if you want him to like you in that way you need to change your appearance."
"What's wrong with my appearance?"
"Where to begin. For one thing you wear a gun garder on your leg, what normal woman does that?"
"One who doesn't want to get mugged."
"And if you insist on wearing a skirt and showing off your legs why wear stockings?"
"Because that's the only way they would allow me to wear the skirt."
"Well I have to admit your outfit is more like able then the usual nun attire. You sure you weren't into boys until now?"
"For your information I only changed my outfit because keeping my head, arms, and legs covered all the time got hot, I kept tripping over my dress, and it didn't have pockets or a belt to hold my stuff."
"Either way your clothes need work and your hair."
"What?"
"It's so messy and it's blue. I mean why on earth would you dye your hair blue? Now red would be great but blue."
"This isn't a dye job I was born with this hair."
"Really? No way! How is someone born with blue hair?"
"When my mother was pregnant with me she had a very strong craving for cornflowers. It's was all she ever ate for nine months and the flowers happened to have been grown by gypsy magic so as a result of that she gave birth to a bouncing, blue haired, baby girl."
"Weird. So we can really do anything about the hair because adding dye to blue hair will only turn it white. Ever consider a wig?"
"No. I like my hair."
"Oh boy. This is going to be hard, okay the hair and the clothes are awful not to mention you could stand to loose a few pounds but you do have good bone structure, pretty eyes, and I'd kill for curves like yours so maybe you have something to offer."
"Look I'm not even sure if I'm going to try to be with Manny, if we were to be together I think it would be well...Taboo."
"Why? Cause you're a nun?"
"Well that's one reason."
"What's the other?"
"I'd rather not say."
"Whatever anyway my ride should be here so I gotta go but if you ever want to change your look you know where to find me because as long as you look like that no guy will like you that way."
She then left, Frida sat down and looked at herself in the mirror. She had never thought much about her appearance until now. She looked down at her clothes, she looked at her hair and studied her face. She knew Pacifica wasn't really nice in fact she wasn't nice at all but was she right? Was she really that unattractive? Was she ugly? She tried not to think about it. Today was her first day off and she was determined to enjoy it.
"Alright it's morning now all of you get out of my house!" Manny shouted at Steven and Dipper who were still asleep in the living room. "I said get out!"
He then gave both of them a good hard kick sending them out the door.
"What the hell did you do that for?!" Dipper shouted.
"I told you two that you could spend the night, it's morning now beat it!"
"Where's Connie?" Steven asked.
"She and the royal pain have already left and it's time for you two to get going."
"Can't we at least stay for a cup of coffee?"
"Get your own coffee. Now leave! Scram! Amscray! beat it!"
"What's got you in such a bad mood?" Steven asked.
"What do you mean? You guys know I don't like certain people in my house."
"Yeah but you've let us stay over before and you at least let us stay for coffee."
"And you don't literally kick us out." Dipper added.
"What happened? Not get much sleep last night?"
"I'm fine." Manny said.
"Didn't you have fun last night? You liked you did with Frida. You know, you guys make a cute couple."
"Shut up!" Manny seethed.
"Dude I was just teasing. No need to get upset."
"Well I don't like being teased and for the record we are not and we will never be a couple."
"Sorry I was just-"
"And understand that I will never allow myself to love a human woman again! Last time I did it only caused me trouble!"
"Okay, okay, sheesh! Come on Dipper let's get a cup of jo at the cafe."
"Right behind ya." Dipper said following after him. "What's him pissed him off?"
"Who knows? He's always been a grouch."
Manny shut the door and went to lie down. He was grateful to have two weeks off, he really needed it. He was just about to fall asleep and take a small nap when he spotted Frida outside.
"Oh great, what is she doing now?"
He reluctantly got up and went outside.
"What are you doing?" He asked her.
"Just walking. Helps me clear my head."
"I thought your head was always clear."
"Very funny. Good thing you're not a comedian because you stink."
"Frida I don't think today is a good day to be out especially with the wind blowing like this."
"I don't know, I kind of like it. Makes me feel like running." She flashed him a playful smile and took off running.
"Wait! Where are you going?"
"Race you to town!" She called.
"No. Don't run. I hate running." He groaned.
But she just kept running and laughing while the wind blew through her blue hair making it bounce. It was a very windy this morning. The wind was blowing hard like a twister was coming and it was howling so much that it almost sound human. Manny found himself reluctantly following her and wondering why Frida was so annoying. But his irradiation turned to fear when he saw her running toward a familiar area.
"No! Frida! Don't go there!" He called. But she couldn't hear him over the wind and she disappeared behind the trees. Manny dashed after her, his eyes desperately searching for her figure. Seeing her run into that area caused him to flash back to the terrible event that took place there a hundred years ago. He saw Analia running toward that exact same spot, fear and terror written all over her face.
"Stop! No!" He called chasing after the hallucination.
"No! Stay away from me!" Analia screamed. "Monster!"
"Please! Analia! Don't be afraid of me! Stop!"
But she didn't. Then he heard a noise that sounded like a knife being stabbed and watched as she collapsed on to the ground with her chest bleeding.
"No! Not again! No!"
"Manny what's wrong?" Frida called from behind snapping him out of his flashback.
"Frida, is that you?"
"Of course it's me. Who else would it be?"
"What's the matter with you?!"
"Me?"
"Yes! Running around the woods like this with the wind blowing!"
"What's the big deal? I was only playing."
"Yeah then you would trip, hurt yourself, and the old man would exorcise me!"
"Manny calm down I'm alright see? But what's up with you?"
"I'm fine! Come on let's go back inside."
"Now wait a minute, let me see your face for a minute." She said stopping him. "You sure you're alright? You're shaking."
"I'm fine."
She placed her hand on his forehead and her other on his chest. His forehead was sweaty but it felt ice cold and his heart was beating rapidly.
"You feel so cold and your heart feels like it's about to burst."
"I'm alright."
"You don't look it. What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Maybe you should go back inside and I'll just stay here."
"No! No don't! Don't go anywhere by yourself!"
"What is the matter with you? You're creeping me out."
"I'm...I'm sorry...I just had a little flashback okay? I told you these woods bring back bad memories."
"You know maybe I'm imaging things but you seem to only have flashbacks when I'm around. Is that right? If it is why?"
"It's not! I don't have them only with you!"
"Well I'm still worried about you."
"Well don't be!"
"I can't! Believe it or not I actually like you and I'm worried about you."
"Thanks for the concern but I don't need it."
"Your flashback was about her wasn't it?"
"My thoughts are none of your business!"
"Manny if you're traumatized by what happened to her it's perfectly normal. We can talk about it."
"I do not talk about what happened that night to anyone least of all you!"
"Why? Why least of all me?"
"I'm not getting into this!"
"You know you shouldn't be so mean to me. I'm probably the only real friend you have left in this world."
"Friend? Ha! Yeah we're friends...In slavery terms!"
"What is your problem with me?"
"How about the fact that I'm forced to work for you!"
"No! It's something else! Even before Father Gardner put that belt on you you've always had some type of problem with me! Last night we had such a good time and you gave me that music box and I thought that you were starting to like me but now you're acting like I did something wrong. Did I?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. My feelings for you haven't changed in anyway. You're still just an annoying girl I have to keep an eye on?"
"You mean you don't like me? You never liked me?"
"No I don't."
"Well I like you and I thought you were my friend."
"Frida let me make this perfectly clear I do not like people and I don't male friends with anyone. In fact if it weren't for this damn belt I wouldn't even be talking to you right now."
"You know I don't think that's true! I think that you're a lot nicer than you let on but you're afraid to get close to people."
"I am not afraid of anything!"
"Oh you're afraid of something alright. You're afraid of your own feelings. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out."
"Why do you care so much? It's not like you have feelings for me!"
"Well what if I do?"
Frida realized her mistake when he froze and he looked like he had just been told he was going to hell.
"You...What?" He said.
"I...I...I" She desperately tried to think of an excuse but nothing came to mind so she thought she might as well come out and say it. "I...I think I have feelings for you."
"You idiot! Are you out of my mind?!" He shouted. "You're a human nun and I'm a half devil!"
"I know but-"
"You're lying!"
"No I am not!"
"Yes you are!"
"No I am not! I know I have feelings for you!"
"Stop it!"
"And I think they might be-"
"Shut up!"
"Love."
"SHUT THE HELL UP!" His eyes were green and he spoke in his devil voice, scaring her.
"Why don't you believe me?"
"BECAUSE NO ONE! NO ONE! CAN EVER LOVE ME!"
Frida jumped back in horror, scared and shaking she ran away. It wasn't until she was gone that he realized his mistake but also realized how bad this whole thing was. She couldn't have feelings for him. Why would she? He was the spawn of a demon and she knew that so she couldn't possibly have feelings. She only thought she did because of last night.
He was upset with himself for what he had almost done back on the peek last night. He had almost kissed her, he had almost kissed another woman, one who wasn't Analia. He knew that personality wise Frida and Analia were total opposites but they looked so much alike that sometimes he'd forget that it was Frida he was looking at and he would see Analia in her place. This definitely was a problem. He couldn't let himself love another woman, he couldn't and he wouldn't. He had worked too hard to protect his heart from what he felt a hundred years ago and he wouldn't allow those feelings to come back again.
...
Frida had gone into town to both blow off some steam and to shake off her fear. She didn't understand why Manny had gotten so angry with her and he accused her of lying about her feelings. How did he know how she really felt? He didn't so he had not right to say that were untrue.
"Well look who it is." A familiar voice said startling her.
"Zoe! Oh God! What are you doing here?"
"Don't worry I'm not going to attack you. I would never do that in public, too many witnesses."
"What do you want?" She asked the witch dressed in black.
"I couldn't help but over hear your little spat with Manny."
"Whatever you heard it's none of your business."
"Whatever I just came to tell you that I'm not going to try to kill you because he's going to do it eventually."
"What?! I don't believe that!"
"Why not? He caused Analia's death."
"You killed her!"
"I killed her but it's his fault it happened."
"What are you talking about?"
"Manny didn't believe a human woman could ever really love him especially if she was a woman of the church so he decided to turn her into a demon. When she learned of this she begged me to kill her because she'd rather die than become such a terrible creature."
"I don't believe you. You...You tricked her with a-"
"Fake letter? Is that what he told you? Of course he did. He didn't want to believe that Analia chose death over being his demon wife. There are a lot of things he doesn't want to believe, one of them being that anyone could ever love him. That's why he called you a liar, he thinks because you're human and he's half of an evil creature it's impossible for you to have feelings for him and it's only a matter of time before he kills you."
"You're lying! Why would he kill me?"
"Because you remind him of Analia."
"What?"
"You've never seen a picture of her have you?"
"No."
"Well if you did then you'd know that you and Analia look exactly alike, that's why he has those flashbacks. Looking at you sometimes makes him feel like he's looking at her again. You are a terrible reminder of the woman he loved and lost, it hurts him and enrages him. Eventually that rage and hurt will cause him to kill you so it will end his misery."
"No...No it's not true! He may not like me but he wouldn't...He would never!"
"If you don't believe me go back to the house and check the attic, under a tarp there's a portrait of her. Look at it and you'll see that you're a dead ringer for her."
She then changed into a crow and flew away. Frida told herself over and over again that it wasn't true and that Zoe was lying but the doubt was eating her alive. When she got back she went into the attic. Manny had told her not to come up because he didn't want her to break any of the stuff up there but she had to know. There was a lot of stuff and she was beginning to think that Zoe had been lying about the whole thing when she saw a white tarp covering something.
She took a deep breath and for a moment she hesitated for fear that she might've been right. Then without any more hesitation she pulled off the tarp and to her great shock she saw that behind was indeed a portrait of a girl who looked identical to herself minus the brown hair. Scared beyond belief she bolted out of there and back to her room.
"Okay Frida let's not panic!" She told herself. "Okay so I happen to look like Manny's dead girlfriend that doesn't mean he's going to kill me right?"
She tired to convince herself that everything Zoe had told her was a lie and that Manny would never try to hurt her.
"I can't take it anymore!" She heard him shout. He was on the phone. "Look I don't care if the old man is busy I want to talk to him about getting this belt off!"
She quietly left her room and listened to conversation while making sure she wasn't seen.
"Look old man!" She knew that it must've been Father Gardner he was talking to. "I can't take it anymore! You have to get this damn belt off of me!...Why?...Because your nun is nothing but a pain to me! All she does is run her mouth and get me into trouble!...I don't care if she needs me! I sure as hell don't need her! I want her out of my life!"
It was like a knife in Frida's heart. She wasn't sure if he wanted to kill her or not but she now knew for a fact that he did hate her and that he wanted her out of his life. She went back to her room and began packing her things. If he didn't care, if he really hated her, if she was nothing to him but a pain then she wouldn't stay with him any longer.
"Thanks for nothing old man!" Manny shouted hanging up. "Man good for me my butt. How is making me a babysitter good for me? That's the problem with ministers they're obsessed with reforming people."
He went into the kitchen to get a drink and sat down on the couch. After one bottle he fell asleep but a feeling, a feeling that something was wrong woke him up.
"Frida?" He said.
He got up off the couch and went to her room. She wasn't there and her stuff was gone. He checked the kitchen, the living room, the bathroom, every room in the house but she wasn't there. She was gone.
"Frida." He called checking rooms. "Frida. Where are you?"
But there wasn't an answer. She wasn't here. He found the music box he gave her with a note attached to it. He read the note.
'I'm sorry I was such a pain and that I was such a terrible reminder. If you really don't care about me or even like me then I'll go. I wish you happiness and a better life.'
She had left him. She was out of his life. But instead of feeling the great relief and joy he had always believed he would feel once she was gone he felt intense fear and worry. She had runaway, she was out there by herself, and Zoe was still out there looking for her.
"Oh no. No, no, no." He said getting worried. "Oh God Frida. Where could you be?"
He ran outside, gathered up all the strength in his lungs, and shouted out.
"FRIDA!"
But just like before there was no answer.
