On the playground Manny was slapping the tetherball, watching it go around the pole before looping around, getting closer with each pass. eventually the two girls came back: Zoe wiping her face with a paper towel, before pitching it into the trash. "What was that about?"
Frida and Zoe both simply shrugged their shoulders, looking at each other before looking at Manny, claiming 'girl talk' as their defense and he didn't seem interested, noticing Zoe's eyes which had black smudges around them.
"I poked my eye applying mascara" Zoe fibbed as Manny simply nodded. eventually the bell rang signaling the kids that recess was over as they headed back to the classroom. Manny sitting at his desk as the boring teaching resumed.
He just let his mind run on autopilot, not really paying attention to the teacher as he let his pencil write what he was hearing, focusing on the movie they were going to see. he and Frida had snuck into the local theater to see Blood Lake Part 2 a few years ago and since this was going to be the concluding chapter to the trilogy they weren't going to miss it.
Manny, looked at the clock, staring at the hands waiting for them to reach 3:00, to the point where a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead in anticipation; eager as any student to get out of school, watching that big hand get closer and closer to the big 12 on the clock; ringing as the kids began clearing their desk, putting their stuff in their bookbags.
"Remember children, Chapter 9 on my desk by Monday" the teacher said, watching the kids leave the classroom. Manny left with Frida as Zoe had a different fourth period, but they would meet at the school entrance as the two walked down the hall hearing a conversation from the hallway.
"No way Zoe, I forbid it" Manny heard, turning his head, the two spying in on the art room, hearing Zoe talking with her mother; about what Manny did not know but Miss Aves seemed frustrated. looking at Zoe, telling her that she was too young for an R rated horror flick. As much as Manny wanted to stay and listen, he wasn't going to eavesdrop on a private conversation between Zoe and her mom, tapping Frida's shoulder as they left. The Two Aves women unaware they were ever there.
"Your too sensitive for that kind of material" Carmelita argued as Zoe groaned defending that she was not a baby anymore and could handle some fictional violence. Carmelita looked at Zoe reminding her what happened the last time she watched a horror movie. "You would not take a bath for a week because you were concerned La Llorona would drown you in the bathtub".
Zoe huffed reminding her mother she was 8 at the time and that film was terrifying; beside they lived in a city were skeletons and zombies were a common occurrence, her believing in La Llorona at the time wasn't that much a stretch.
"I said No Zoe" Carmelita repeated as the girl simply sighed, not going to argue with her mother who simply recomposed herself, taking a deep breath, offering treat Zoe to some Ice Cream at her favorite parlor. while Zoe was upset about not being able to see the movie it was more not getting to hang with Manny that upset her, she didn't really even care for horror movies that much.
Zoe simply smiled at the prospect of being treated in ice cream, getting her backpack as she left the classroom with her mother. The two walked down the hall leaving the school. Zoe walked behind her mother passing a glance to Manny, and back to her mother, signaling that she would be going with her as he simply nodded.
Once out of the school the two walked to Carmelita's car, a green coupe as she opened the door, sitting down, Zoe doing the same. Carmelita looking down, reminding Zoe to buckle her seatbelt as she did so. Once the belts were fastened the car started as Carmelita looked at Zoe, smiling.
"Why don't you pick the music" she decided as Zoe, leaned it, fiddling with the stereo knob, finding a good radio station to listen to, settling on a soft rock station. leaning back in her seat as Carmelita drove her car smoothly along the streets of Miracle City, driving to the city's ice cream parlor; stopping as Zoe smiled. ever since she was a kid, she enjoyed it when her mother would take her to the parlor. whether to celebrate an event or just to get a treat, it was something special for them.
Once Inside they walked to the counter, the owner recognizing them as the old gentleman smiled. asking if the two wanted their usual or to try something new. The two simply looked at the board. Carmelita getting her usual, chocolate with peanut butter candies and Zoe deciding to try the new strawberry cheesecake flavor. The old man nodded, reaching a scoop into the tub of ice cream, plopping scoops into paper bowls than adorning them with the topping and handing them to the two as Carmelita reached into her wallet paying for the two cups as they sat at one of the tables.
Zoe ran her plastic spoon through the mixture of white and red ice cream, tasting it, smiling as it was as delicious as she thought. Zoe pulled the spoon from her mouth as Carmelita looked at her. now that they had their ice cream they could talk as she looked at Zoe, asking where she was yesterday, specifically after school "I uh, I mean I".
"Zoe, you do remember our watches have GPS location, I KNOW you were at the Rivera household" Carmelita explained taking a bite as Zoe choked. upon reflection that was common knowledge that the three could keep track of each other before Zoe thought carefully to choose her next words.
"I wasn't fighting Manny, I was doing homework with him, that is it" Zoe defended reminding her mom that she was still on break from the Flock as Carmelita sighed looking at her, acknowledging that yes Manny possibly saved her life, he was still their enemy as she nodded. Zoe explained that if she just stopped hanging out with him now, it would look suspicious as Zoe was actually enjoying being Manny's friend.
"I'm telling you Zoe, if you get romantically involved with Manny Rivera It'll end badly; it always does" Carmelita defended as Zoe sighed looking at her mother, explaining that they were not dating; they were just friends and what was wrong with her having friends. Zoe set down her spoon looking at Carmelita. explaining since kindergarten all she had was her and her grandmami and while she loved them both dearly, she craved time with other kids, especially Manny, not wanting to be Black Cuervo 24/7.
The two eventually dropped the topic as they didn't want their meal wasted thinking about the Riveras, this was THEIR time, Zoe asking how her mother's painting was coming along, Carmelita smiling, saying she was studying a new technique to better blend the colors together before asking Zoe if she wanted to get their nails done afterwards.
In another part of the city Manny and Frida were exiting the movie theatre, talking about the movie just saw. Manny admitting he kind of preferred the second one to the third. Frida nodded, looking at Manny pitching his empty popcorn bucket as the exited the showing as the they passed by the ticket seller.
"Wait I thought you were taller, and where's your mustache, wait a minute you were standing on her shoulders; I should have known you two were minors" the ticket seller said as Manny instructed Frida to run behind him as they fled. "You're lucky I'm not allowed to leave this booth"
after fleeing the ticket attendant, the two were talking about what to do now as there was still some daylight. Manny told Frida they probably should head to his house, telling her he promised to help clean up for when his mother was coming visit. Frida simply sighed.
"Okay you can help clean, I'll play video games in your room" Frida replied as they made their way back to the Rivera household, Rodolfo sweeping the floor and Jorge dusting the TV as they noticed the two kids walking in.
"Ah My son, you are back, mind helping clean up?" Rodolfo asked as Frida bolted to Manny's bedroom, Manny being handed a mop as he sighed. He went along with helping his family clean, especially because it was for his mother who he only got to see once a month. Manny dipped the mop in the bucket, running it along the floor, helping the floor get its shine.
Frida was helping herself to some of the apple slices Rodolfo usually prepared, placing one in her mouth, asking Rodolfo why her and Mrs. Rivera got divorced, not really being aware, all she knew is they were as Rodolfo swept the dust in pan.
"First of all: we are not divorced, we are separated, me and Maria are still married, we just live apart" Rodolfo explained, telling Frida the story of how the two seperated.
"You see Frida, when we were younger, Maria thought me being a superhero was cool, all this changed one day. the most feared supervillain in Miracle city showed up, El Mal Verde. I along with my hero friends went off to face him and... well we lost. we stood no chance; the shame was too great the others retired from heroing all together and I returned battered and bruised. and Maria could not the sight of me inured like that. and likewise, I did not want her at risk; so, we agreed to separate" Rodolfo explained.
"It's okay Dad, you gave it all you could and fought valiantly, even if you didn't win" Manny comforted as Rodolfo chuckled nervously.
"It was also the first time My dad tasted defeat"' Manny added as Frida bit into the apple slice as Rodolfo kept sweeping, telling them Maria would be coming tomorrow so they needed to hurry up.
"Oh, did I do not tell you, Maria called earlier, she's actually ahead of schedule, she should be here-" Jorge was interrupted by the doorbell as Rodolfo looked at him."-now". Rodolfo reminded everyone to be on their best behavior as he went to get the door, opening it.
"Maria" he said, greeting his wife as Manny ran into hug his mother as she returned the hug, greeting Frida and Jorge. Manny asking how long she was going to stay, she usually stayed for a weekend, give or take a few days. Rodolfo suggesting they all got to dinner, a nice family dinner at a nice restaurant.
After putting the cleaning supplies away Maria offered to treat to family to Burritos Explosivos, knowing it was Manny's favorite restaurant and the other agreed as Maria asked Frida if she wanted to tag along.
Frida thought it over but decided against it, her dad just agreed to let her hang out with Manny again and she didn't want to stay out too late. waving goodbye to Manny as she left the Rivera house to head back home, leaving the Rivera family alone.
(I wanted some conversation between Zoe and Carmelita outside of costume as the family relationship is never shown and show that they do share a bond. imagine them, doing a weekly spa day and watching heisting movies together. Maria enters the story and while Sartana is the most powerful villain in Miracle City, El Mal Verde is the most feared as he only attacks once every ten years and killed all the other heroes in Miracle City)