Episode 17: El tigre no more part 1

"Happy 16th birthday, Manny!" A crowd of people said.

"Thanks everyone." Manny said.

"Now make a wish." Maria said bringing over a cake with lit candles.

Manny thought for a minute then blew out the candles. Everyone ate cake and exchanged gifts. At 10:00 the party ended and everyone went home. Manny hurried up to his bedroom then went to bed feeling happy. He was now 16 years old, he was practically half adult. He had a feeling things were going to get a lot better. The next morning he hurried off to school, on the way he noticed a bank robbery. He spun his belt and went to stop it. It was the Titanium Titan.

"Hold it right there!" A cop said.

"I surrender!" He said.

"Oh boy." Manny said.

The Titan slammed the policeman into a wall and then tried to crush Manny.

"Manny Rivera? Is that you? You look just like your father when he was 16."

"Drop the money!"

"Sure! After I kill you!"

They engaged in a fight. The Titan pinned him to the floor and sneered.

"You know I want to kill you. But I just thought of something better, I'm going to ruin your life like you ruined mine!" He glitched his teeth. "I'm gonna take away everything you love, make you wish you were dead, and then grant your wish!"

He released him and walked away. Manny eventually arrived at school.

"Hey dude!" Frida said.

"Hey."

"So you wanna hang out after school?"

"Sure."

After school they went to the arcade and the ice cream shop. As they walked home Manny couldn't stop looking at Frida. She had grown so much in the past few years, her hair had gotten much longer, her figure was perfect, and her body had a certain glow to it. One thing did stay the same, her eyes. Her big, beautiful, blue eyes had never changed and he was glad they didn't.

"Dude! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm...fine."

"Well I gotta run."

When he got home he found Django in his bedroom.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just came to borrow a few things."

"Borrow or steal?"

"Eh, heh heh...um...you know you look different."

"I am 16 now."

"No. Emotionally, anything happen?"

"No. I just hung out with Frida today."

"Oh I see."

"What do you mean?"

"It's obvious. You're falling in love with Frida."

"What! No!"

"Oh come on, you totally have feelings for her."

"I do not! We're friends! I would never date her. Even though she's a good friend and very helpful and the most beautiful girl I've ever seen-" Manny froze and blushed. Django grinned at him and raised his eyebrow.

"Oh my God! I am falling in love with her!"

"Congratulations! You just figured out something we all knew for 16 years."

"Oh man! Oh man!"

"I guess this isn't a good thing."

"I don't know what happened? I couldn't help it!"

"Well she is pretty hot."

"Yeah but she's more than that. She's smart, independent, loyal, free spirited. She's the most wonderful thing in my life."

"Wow! You got it bad!"

"I know. Look, maybe it'll just blow over if I ignore it."

"What! You can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"It's love! You can't just ignore it!"

"And what do you know about love?"

"Well, actually I...ugh! Zoe and I are dating!"

"Dude! Seriously? When?"

"Ever since that night we met, we tried to ignore our feelings but our passion for each other just wouldn't rest."

"Wow! That's kinda poetic."

"I know! It scares me!"

"Huh...so my dad was right, love is a jewel."

"When did he said that?"

"When my grandpa almost married your grandma."

"Okay, first of all. Ewwwww! Oh gross! Second, your dad is right and you need to tell her soon, and third. Eww! That's disgusting! Ugh! Oh Eww! It's against nature!"

The next day Manny went for walk when something knocked him out. When he woke up he was El tigre and inside of a jewelry store.

"Huh? What?"

He pulled a necklace out of his pocket.

"What the?"

"Freeze!" Police officers surrounded him with guns. "Put your claws where I can see them."

"Wait! I didn't do this!"

But Manny was taken to jail. His father had to bail him out.

"Well that's 800,000$ down the drain." Rodolfo grumbled.

"I'm telling you I didn't do it. Someone knocked me out! I was framed!"

"Hmm...you do have a large bump on your head."

But that was only the beginning of his problems. The media started painting him as a criminal. The press were printing newspapers with Manny becoming a villain as the headline. To make matters worse there were more robberies and he kept getting framed for them.

"I don't understand how this happens! I don't even remember it happening!"

"I think El Demonio is taking over you again." Rodolfo suggested. "Let me examine your belt."

Manny gave it to Rodolfo for examination. We went outside and spotted Frida at the churro stand.

"Hey!" Manny said.

"Hey dude, I heard about what's happened. I'm sorry."

"I need a break. Hey you wanna do something tomorrow night? Something special?"

"You mean like a date?"

"No! Just two friends going to dinner."

"I'd love to! I mean sure."

The next night Manny and Frida did everything they could to look nice. They both took baths and brushed their teeth. Manny combed his hair, put on cologne, shaved off a few whiskers, and wore his best suit. Frida brushed her hair, sprayed some perfume, put on some make-up, and wore a midnight blue dress. They had a wonderful time at dinner and then took a walk around town.

"I had a wonderful time." Frida said.

"Me too. I really needed this."

They gazed at each other then leaned in. Their lips were just about to touch when the bank alarm went off.

"Oh come on! Now?"

Manny spun his belt buckle and ran to the bank. The thugs robbing it quickly attacked him, they pinned him down and punched him. Manny couldn't take it, he panicked. He punched them like crazy. He felt a hand on his shoulder which startled him into scratching the person. He turned around and was horrified by what he saw. It was Frida standing there with a cut on her face which was bleeding.

"No!" Manny gasped.

"Manny! It's okay. It's just a scratch, I'm fine."

"Frida stay away from him!" It was Chief Suarez.

"Dad! It was an accident! He didn't mean to!"

"You get in the car young lady! Now!" Frida went to the police car reluctantly.

"You're a monster! I don't want you anywhere near my daughter!"

Manny ran away in fear. Back at Frida's house her father was having a talk with her.

"He attacked you! He's dangerous!"

"Emiliano, please remember your blood pressure." Carmela said.

"Mom, Dad, it was an accident! And it's just a scratch!"

"He's a criminal!"

"You don't know him!"

"You are not to see him anymore and that's final!"

"No it's not! I love him!" Frida cried.

"What! You can't love him!" Emiliano shouted. "I forbid it!"

"Emiliano!" Carmela cried.

"Dad, I'm not a child! You're not gonna tell me who I can and can't love!"

"Got to your room! You're grounded! And if I see that boy around you I'll shoot him dead!"

Frida burst into tears and ran to her room crying.

"Frida wait!" Carmela called. "Emiliano! Have you lost your mind?"

"I won't have her getting hurt."

"You just threatened to kill a boy! Emiliano, they're just kids."

She ran to Frida's bedroom to comfort her daughter. In an alleyway Manny sat crying, he had lost the most important thing in his life. All because of his stupid belt. Being El tigre had brought him nothing but trouble. He ripped his belt off and glared at it.

"I'm El tigre no more!"

He threw the belt in a trash can and walked away.

To be continued...