Disclaimer: I don't own The Book Of Life! I'm just a crazy fan!
The four children were sitting in a clearing, right next to the graveyard, where most of San Angel's people were. The people brought food, drinks and candles to the graves of their loved ones who had past away. The Remembered, as people called them. You see, as long as the dead were remembered by their loved ones who lived, they too were alive, for they went to a land of eternal fiesta. But other graves were empty. No food or candles were on them. Those were the graves of The Forgotten. Poor souls who had no one to remember them. They went to a place of eternal misery. But, back to our four children. Joaquin, the fake mustached boy, was no where to be seen. Knowing Joaquin, he was probably hiding behind a tree, preparing to jump out and declaring to protect Maria. Joaquin was strong and kind of egotistic and he loved to flaunt his fighting skills (that weren't very good) to his friends. But this didn't stop Clarissa from having a small crush on the boy. Maria, the girl, was sitting on a rock nearby Clarissa. Maria was a very wild, energetic and courageous. But she was calm at the moment and Clarissa barely saw her like this, so she decided to embrace the moment. Manolo, the guitar boy, was strumming at his little guitar, trying to impress Maria, the little girl. Manolo was a kind and gentle boy, who had a very obvious crush on Maria. Well, very obvious to Clarissa, the little matchmaker that she was. Plus, it helped that she and Manolo were close friends. But still, things like love just came so easy to her. But, instead of making a comment, Clarissa indulged back into her writing. You see, Clarissa loved to write stories, most of them being about her and her friends when they got older. She was the smart one, Joaquin was always the hero, Manolo was the guitar-playing sidekick and Maria was the awesome sword fighting leading lady, who Manolo and Joaquin constantly fought over. Because even in reality, that actually happened. Manolo and Joaquin both wanted to be with Maria. But at the ending of each of her story, Manolo always ended up with Maria. Why? Not because Clarissa wanted to end up with Joaquin, but because, the way Manolo looked at Maria made Clarissa wish Joaquin looked at her that way. Then again, they were just kids.
"Fear not, senorita! Your hero has arrived!" A voice suddenly announced.
Clarissa looked up from her notebook and saw Joaquin jump out from the bushes, with fake sword in hand.
Of course he was taking to Maria. Sometimes it was hard being neglected.
"Is that so?" Maria giggled.
"How dare you interrupt a guitarrista!" Manolo said dramatically, strumming his guitar.
Joaquin playfully pointed his sword in Manolo's direction, but Manolo dodged him gracefully.
"The girl is mine!" Joaquin declared.
"Never! She is mine!" Manolo chuckled.
Maria looked at Clarissa, who smirked. Maria then stood up on the rock she was sitting on, and jumped down in between the two boys, knocking them both to the ground.
"I belong to no one!" the little girl said.
The two boys looked at each other. Joaquin then pulled himself up from the ground and walked over to where Clarissa was sitting. He cutely snatched her writing quill away, which she smiled and reached out for. But Joaquin needed his answers first.
"So, Clary," Joaquin started calling her by her nickname, "What's this story about?".
Clarissa was more then eager to respond. After she had snatched back her quill.
"Oh, in this one, you, me, Manolo and Maria save San Angel from bandits." she replied.
"Am I cool?" Joaquin asked.
"Yes, pretty cool." Clarissa giggled.
"Good. Joaquin would never be able to sleep at night, knowing he wasn't cool in a storybook." Maria joked.
"Hey, Maria. Weren't you grounded?" Clarissa asked, already knowing the answer.
"My father is overreacting. How was I supposed to know chickens don't like baths?" Maria asked, shrugging her shoulders, as a chicken ran by covered in soap bubbles.
"Don't worry. He knows a real man is protecting you tonight." Joaquin said, puffing out his chest.
"Your not even close!" Clarissa laughed, poking the boy in the chest.
"But, I have a mustache!" Joaquin said, pointing to the flap of paper stuck to his upper lip.
"Yeah, like your grandma!" Manolo snorted.
The Four Amigos laughed but their moment was interrupted. Maria's father, Manolo's father and Clarissa's grandmother called them. Maria and Manolo dashed off. Clarissa stuffed her notebook, ink jar and quill in her book bag and ran off. But not before saying 'goodbye' to Joaquin.
"Adios, Joaquin." She said as Joaquin waved.
Clarissa ran through the busy graveyard filled with villagers and eventually found her 'Abuela' Evita.
The old woman stood beside the grave of Clarissa's parents. Clarissa smiled sadly and hugged her grandmother. Her parents had died from an illness when Clarissa was very young. She lived with Evita ever since. Evita's husband had passed away long before Clarissa was born, so it was just the two of them.
"Your parents would be so proud of you, mija." Evita said, holding her grand daughter close.
Even though some said that it was wrong for a girl to read and write, Clarissa's grandma was all for her being intelligent and unique.
"Woman are meant to do something with their lives! Not sit around the house like 'una carga de troncos!" Evita would yell at someone who judged Clarissa, that last part meaning 'a load of logs'.
Clarissa's Abuela was a sweet little old lady. With a back bone. The best of both worlds, Clarissa supposed.
"I miss them so much." Clarissa sighed, trying to keep back tears.
"I do too. Rosa was the greatest daughter a woman could ask for. But, they haven't truly left us. They will stay right here. Forever." Evita said, placing her hand over Clarissa's heart.
"But, what about those times when I don't want them there? When I want them here?" Clarissa asked.
"My dear, as long as we remember them, they will watch over us. They will always be here." Evita stated wisely.
Clarissa smiled. She would remember that. But what Little Clarissa didn't know was that her best friends were being bet on, right at that moment.
"...And what about Clarissa? You and I both know she has feelings for Joaquin-" La Muerte started.
"-And Joaquin obviously has no interest in the little bookworm." Xibalba cut her off.
"Things change, my love." La Muerte sighed, but happily. If Clarissa and Joaquin fell in love, Manolo and Maria would have more of a chance. Besides, no one could stop true love.
"Joaquin will not love her." Xibalba clarified.
The next day, Clarissa, Manolo, Maria and Joaquin were running through the town, enjoying the sun. Maria was, of course, ahead of the others. Clarissa and the boys stopped for air, before Maria disappeared.
"Doesn't... that girl.. ever.. rest?" Joaquin panted as Manolo sighed amorously.
Clarissa rolled her eyes and smirked at Manolo. But far ahead, they heard Maria yell.
"WE HAVE TO SAVE THE ANIMALS!"
"Huh?"
Manolo, Joaquin and Clarissa ran to find Maria standing in front of a butcher's shop.
"Oh... I don't know, Maria. That butcher has to sell meat or he'll go hungry. We can't just..."
"Come on, Clary. These animals don't deserve to die! We have to do this." Maria cut off Clarissa raising her wooden sword to bust the corral lock.
"Wait, Maria! Don't-" Joaquin and Clarissa started, but it was too late.
Maria had broken the lock and the gate door swung open. The animals immediately stampeded out, like a herd of bulls! The animals all headed downtown with Maria riding on one of the pigs, Manolo pulled along, holding a pigs tail, and Clarissa and Joaquin were running along, trying to keep up.
"FREEEEEEDDDDOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!" Maria hollered.
The children and animals had reached the town's square, where General Posada was trying to recruit soldiers.
"Maria! what have you done now!?" The general shouted at his daughter.
"Freedom is coming through!" Maria replied.
Just then, Manolo lost his grip on the pig's tail and fell down in front of Clarissa and Joaquin, who both tripped over him. Clarissa got up and ran to find Maria. The little brunette ran through the chaos, trying to find her friend. When she did, she found Maria hiding behind a building.
"Nice hiding place!" Clarissa commented.
"Thanks." Maria replied.
"I know that I really want to say 'I told you so' but, now would be a bit of a bad time." Clarissa giggled.
"Papa is going to kill me!" Maria groaned.
"Hey, you didn't know the animals would stampede. And I'm sure he wouldn't kill you." Clarissa stated calmly.
"MARIA!" General Posada's scream echoed through the town.
"Uh-oh." Maria and Clarissa sighed at the same time.
The two girls returned to the town square to see Joaquin, Manolo and a steamed General Posada staring at them. Joaquin had a new air to him, more confidant and strong. Whatever it was, Clarissa didn't like it.
"I'm sorry, Papa. It's just that I-" Maria stopped as she noticed Manolo's guitar was on the ground, broken.
"Manolo's guitar!"
Clarissa gasped.
"Maria!" Her father was as red as a tomato, "This rebellious nonsense ends now! You are going to become a proper lady!"
"Why?" Maria asked.
"Because I said so. I'm sending you to Spain. The sisters at the Convent of the Perpetual Flame of Purity will straighten you out." General Posada yelled at his daughter.
"WHAT!?" Clarissa, Manolo and Joaquin exclaimed.
"But Papa-"
"No, it is decided! Now go home!" General Posada screamed.
Maria started to cry and ran off, holding Manolo's guitar. Clarissa went to go follow Maria, but Evita stopped her.
"Let her go, chica." Evita said.
"But, Abuela! He can't take Maria away!" Clarissa argued.
But, Clarissa knew there was no point of arguing. The General's mind was made up. Maria was being sent away and she could do a thing. The Four Amigos would be no more.
The day of Maria's departure came too soon. Clarissa fought back tears as she clutched her gift to Maria in her hands. After Maria had finished saying 'goodbye' to her father, she turned to Clarissa, Manolo and Joaquin.
"I'm gonna miss you guys." she told them.
"We'll be here waiting." Joaquin said.
"For as long as it takes." Manolo added.
Maria hugged Clarissa and turned to Manolo.
"Don't ever stop playing, okay?" She said, before hugging him.
Then she turned to Clarissa.
"And you, never stop writing. People really like your stories." Maria chuckled sadly.
And finally she turned to Joaquin. "And you, never stop fighting for what's right."
"I got you a present." Clarissa spoke up and placed a small blue bracelet in Maria's hand. She then showed Maria her wrist, she had a matching bracelet "Now, when you wear it, you can remember that I'm wearing the same bracelet. I'm just an ocean away." Clarissa explained, very poetically.
Maria pulled her friend into another hug. There was a little moment there, where Manolo gave Maria a baby pig, Joaquin was being Joaquin and forgot to give Maria and gift all together, and right before the whistle of the train blew, Maria handed Manolo a giant box.
"I-I got to go." Maria said, sounding near tears.
Tears formed in Clarissa's eyes as she knew Maria was probably in a lot more pain than her. Once Maria had boarded the train, Clarissa turned to Manolo.
"What did she give you?" the little blue eyed girl asked him.
Manolo opened the box and smiled a little. In the box was a guitar much bigger than Manolo's old one. And on the side, Maria had carved "Always play from the heart" on it. If this was an ordinary day, Clarissa would have squealed. But, today her heart just wasn't in it. The train finally started to pull away. But Manolo started to chase after it. Joaquin and Clarissa looked at each other and chased after him.
"Maria! When you get back, I will play for you!" Manolo called out.
"And I will fight for you!" Joaquin added.
Clarissa rolled her eyes at the cuteness of Joaquin and Manolo, but added her bit to the pot.
"And I will write for you!" Clarissa yelled.
Clarissa knew Maria was smiling. And in while, she'd see that smile again. But it would be a long while before she would. And that my friends is how our story starts.
I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY THAT I HAVN'T POSTED IN A WHILE! I promise I will post more often! I SWEAR! Hope you enjoyed! Until I see you again my lovelies. ~The Ocean'sMage12