Story 3: Manny and Frida

"Hey Manny." Django said. "Are you coming to the Christmas Feastival tonight?"

"Yeah I guess."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I don't feel like going without a date."

"Take Frida."

"We broke up."

"Why?"

"I don't know! Who are you? My therapist?"

"Well I do know psychology."

"How?"

"Eh heh! Long story you don't want to know." Django said. "Look do you still love Frida?"

"No...yes...maybe! I don't know!"

"Well call me if you need any help."

Later that night Manny began to ponder if breaking up with Frida was a good choice. Finally he decided he wanted to be with her and nothing would change his mind. But the next day at school thousands of boys were asking Frida to the Feastival. He felt hurt and very jealous.

"Frida please go with me." One said.

"No me!"

"Back off man!"

"Make me!"

"Boys! Please! Give a girl a chance to think." Frida said. She walked toward Manny giggling.

"What was that?" Manny said.

"What was what?"

"That!"

"Oh it was just a couple of guys who want me to be their date to the Feastival."

"You seem to enjoy that."

"It is nice."

Manny got more jealous.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yes! I'm fine! Couldn't be better!" He shouted.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Will you just leave me alone!"

"Alright! If you're going to be like that then I will." She turned to her heals and walked away.

Frida went home and hurried up to her room where she pulled out a black dress and new shoes she planned to wear at the Christmas Feastival. Unlike Manny she was terribly excited about going. Friday was the day of the Christmas Feastival, it would start at 6:00 Pm. Frida took her dress and shoes to get them dry cleaned. But something went wrong and her dress was torn while her shoes were smashed. Frida fell to her knees and began to cry. She had saved so much money for that dress and those shoes now they were ruined. Just then Maria entered the laundry room and saw Frida crying. She hugged Frida and offered her a tissue.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

Frida held up the dress and shoes.

"Oh dear! Well don't cry I have just the thing for you to wear now come with me."

Back at the Rivera house the three men were getting ready.

"Okay Dad where's my tux?" Manny asked.

"Miho you don't wear a simple tux to this special occasion." Rodolfo said. "Now you'll need something warm and comfortable but special."

He dressed Manny in a red jacket and black pants with matching boots.

"I look ridicules." He said.

"You look fine and everyone else will be wearing stuff like these." Rodolfo said putting on a sliver jacket.

At Maria's house she was getting Frida ready.

"Now Frida I need your permission to give up your punk rock look for tonight if I'm going to do this." Maria said.

"Okay you have my permission."

With that Maria removed Frida's goggles and began brushing her hair. She styled her hair into long wavy curls which were pinned back with a snowflake clip. Then she added some pink blush and red lipstick. After that she opened an old trunk and pulled out a pale blue gown.

"This was mine when I went and I was saving this for when I had a daughter." Maria said. "But your like a daughter to me so I want you to wear it."

"Oh I coudn't."

"Don't be silly you deserve it."

It was a perfect fit then Maria added a pair of earrings and the locket matched it perfectly. The last thing was a pair of dainty flats. Frida looked at herself and gasped at how she looked.

"Wow! I'm actually pretty." Frida gasped.

"You've always been beautiful especially to Manny." Maria said.

"Yeah right he's mad at me."

"For what?"

"I have no idea."

"Men and women have complicated relationships believe me but in the end it works out."

The Feastival took place in a large room without a roof and it was decoreted with lanterns. Everyone wore suits and dresses and had gifts wrapped up ready to give. There was also a table full of food. Manny stood at the side watching everyone dance. Django came over wearing a black jacket with Zoe who was in a purple gown and wearing the black pearls he gave her.

"Hey dude you're missing the fun." Django said.

"I'm not really in the mood to dance." Manny said.

Maria walked into the room wearing a gold gown. Rodolfo smiled and took her by the hand. Behind her was Emiliano and Carmela who took a seat. Frida entered the room and took off her coat revealing the dress. Everyone's eyes lit up the room and stared in awe. Even Django was watching her in amazement and that got him a slap from Zoe.

"Ow! What?"

"You know what you did!" She cried.

Manny felt his heart stop. He had never seen such a beautiful sight in all his life. His anger and jealousy was forgotten and all he could think about was her. Frida felt nervous with everyone looking at her. Manny swallowed hard and politely tapped on her shoulder.

"Hi." He said.

"Hi." She said.

"You look nice. "

"So do you."

"Okay folks now it's time to embrace the spirit of christmas with music so grab a partner." The announcer said.

"May I have this dance?" Manny asked gently taking her hand.

"Okay."

The lights started to dim as Manny and Frida walked toward the middle of the room.

"Rivera!" Emiliano stood up. "Get away from my daughter!"

"Sit down Emiliano." Carmela said pushing him back in the chair.

The DJ pressed a few buttons and the music began to play. Manny and Frida took each other by the hands, interlacing fingers and danced very slowly. Then as if on cue snow began to fall on them.

"Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone without a dream in my heart without a love of own... Blue Moon, you knew just what I was there for, you heard me saying a prayer for someone I really could care for..."

Manny gently pulled her closer to him. She leaned her head against his. Time seemed to stop and it was like they were the only people in the world. Their dance kept getting slower and slower.

"I feel dizzy." She whispered.

"Kind of lightheaded?" He whispered back.

"Yes."

"Me too."

"Should we stop?"

"I don't know."

"And then suddenly appear before me the only one my arms would ever hold, I heard somebody whisper please adore me...and when I looked your moon had turned too cold... Blue Moon, now I'm no longer alone without a dream in my heart without a love of my own..."

Finally they stopped dancing and just stood there. That's when they noticed that they had stopped under some mistletoe. Frida blushed, she didn't want him to see her like this so she turned her head away. Manny took her chin and tilted her face torward his. He gently brushed back a lock of hair that hung in her face. Manny tried to say something but he lost his voice after looking at her beautiful, blue eyes. He could've sworn he saw stars twinkling in them. Her eyes closed as did his. Their breaths grew softer and softer. Their lips met in a passionate kiss. Fireworks went off and church bells were ringing as the two kissed in the snow. When they finally parted Frida laid her head on Manny's shoulder and he held her there.

"Frida, I lied about what I said when we broke up." He said. "I love you. I have always loved you."

"Then why did you break up with me?"

"A voice kind of talked me into it."

"My Dad?"

"Yeah."

"I should've known."

"I have a gift for you." He held out a Rose with red and white petals. Frida took it from his hand and smelled it.

"It's beautiful I love it."

She hugged him and they stood in that embrace.

"Frida I will always love you, this I swear."

"And I will always love you."

"Merry Christmas Mi Amore."

They looked up and spent the rest of the night watching the snow fall. It had been a Christmas of love.

Hello everyone! First of all I hope you liked this episode and second the next episodes I'll be writing are going to be big and dramatic. I don't want to reveal too much but I will say this, Manny will be taking major steps in maturity and his relationship with Frida is going to go further. That's all I'm telling, so have a nice day and Merry Christmas.