Slim Chance is Still a Chance! {Héctor}

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A bashful smile formed on the sixteen year old guitarist’s lips underneath his signature mole above his lip upon seeing Imelda’s beautiful, shy smile in return. Héctor glanced down at his guitar for a moment, trying hard not to blush, and he hoped that he wasn’t at this moment, but when he glanced back over at her, he couldn’t help but smile so adoringly at her either, especially the way she tilted her head when he mentioned that he didn’t know the rules. She was so adorable and beautiful. There was something about Imelda that just made the world stop spinning, almost like nothing else mattered. Maybe it was because she did not smile all the time that just made him appreciate the moments that she did, almost as if they were small moments of victory for him to witness himself. He didn’t know what it was, even when Ernesto would question him. He just knew that he wanted to keep making her smile for as many times as he could.

”I’ve heard it’s a confusing organ, Señor”,

The way Imelda spoke about “hearing” how the heart was a confusing organ rather than experiencing it herself just made the slender teen chuckle incredulously in disbelief. Now he definitely knew that she had to be playing with his head! “Ay, no manches, señorita! Don’t tell me that you never once followed your heart before!” He half-joked with a wave of his hand, refusing to believe such a thing. He knew that Imelda had followed her heart before; he had seen it once or twice, after all. He just felt that she was capable of anything; she was so beautiful and valiente, he knew she was fully capable of setting her heart free to do what she thought was best.

Part of what she said was true, however, but it was only because the young Héctor was plenty confused on what Imelda wanted, when she wanted it..or if she even liked him, or if she even messing with him? He didn’t know. He was certain in his heart that he knew he wanted Imelda’s affection or attention though; how he was trying to get it was something else entirely, but he didn’t care if it was making him look crazy to the rest of the world.

“Haha! Come on! What is the point of following the rules if they are changing all the time?" Héctor laughed jokingly, trying to explain his reasoning for why he didn't prefer to follow the rules. They had gone through so many revolutionary leaders taking over Mexico during all these revolutionary wars, how could anyone keep count of all the rule changes that took place by both the terrible leaders and the great ones that took over? Even the great leader they thought they had right now was starting to become corrupt this year. Suddenly, things that were allowed were becoming not allowed, and things that were once great for a year or so were now suddenly becoming terrible again with all the worker strikes being met with violence! He didn't get how anyone could still follow the rules after all that has happened! “A ver (Let’s see)...okay…let me see if I'm understanding this!” The young teen remarked enthusiastically as he began taking off his shoes, revealing only his long blue socks that were partly covered by his blue pants. “So, what happens if the rules suddenly changed to put our shoes on our head, Imelda? Where should I put my shoes, eh?” He asked with his hands holding up the shoes with a grin. “..you’re saying that I should put them on my head? Hahaha!” Trying to make her laugh and to prove a point that following the confusing, ever-changing rules instead of following your heart did not make much sense, he balanced the shoes on his raven head with a playful grin demonstrating his slightly misaligned pearly whites before bursting into a laugh and forgetting that he needed to not move in order to balance them right. “Oof!” The shoes suddenly fell off his head, one of them rolling down his face before falling onto his lap, while another one of them fell on his legs, flinching slightly in pain as it rolled on the pain where the dog bite was, and began rolling off his leg before he quickly tilted his foot back to try to stop it from rolling off the stage, causing him to reach for it before it would fall. “..eh-heh!” He chuckled sheepishly as he rapidly placed his shoes back on his feet to avoid any more embarrassment further. 

”I, um, I don’t...sing...in public”,

Imelda looked so cute being shy just now, it really caused him to smile even more, if it were possible. Hey! It all made sense now! Why she was so angry at him before when he heard her sing!  “Ah c'mon, señorita Imelda! What public? You are not even in front of an audience!" He tried to persuade her with an enthusiastic grin, not knowing what she was talking about being in public like everyone was watching her. Everyone was too busy trying to go home to focus on her! "Fine! Okay.. Then you can play right by the stairs! ¡Vamos! (Let's go!) You can do this! It would be just like playing back stage! No one could see you that easy!” He added encouragingly, then picked up his guitar with one hand, before standing up to hold out his free hand out to her in a gentlemanly way for her to take and make her way up the steps and sit on the stairs. "Hey! Look at me, Imelda, now is your chance to sing like nothing else matters!" Sitting by the edge of the stage next to the stairs now, the teenage musician began to strum the song La Llorona again with a small smile at her. Music was the only thing that kept him distracted from the cruel realities of the world. It was the only thing he knew that could keep so many people from so many different backgrounds together like this during hard times; and it was perhaps the only chance he could have of interacting with Imelda in public. 

[Mamá Imelda]

No one, but no one had before looked at her the way this boy did! Imelda had been approached by, and chased away, plenty of boys since her Quince seemed to traditionally signal they could start bothering her, but she'd never felt anything back for all their looks but annoyance. She still felt annoyance at Héctor, but also something else...touched?

Imelda was more than a bit afraid to try to define it.

“Ay, no manches, señorita! Don’t tell me that you never once followed your heart before!”

Imelda glanced aside again, before tucking a strand of hair back behind her ear, "Well...I mean...", she still didn't readily give a full answer to the question, almost still teasingly yes.

“Haha! Come on! What is the point of following the rules if they are changing all the time?"

He might have a point there...a small one, but still.

“A ver (Let’s see)...okay…let me see if I'm understanding this! So, what happens if the rules suddenly changed to put our shoes on our head, Imelda? Where should I put my shoes, eh? ..you’re saying that I should put them on my head? Hahaha!”

Imelda looked stunned the second Héctor started taking off his shoes. Oh no...

She held her hands up, "You don't have to...", but of course he did. Imelda tried to stifle the sound of her slight giggle, covering her mouth with one hand, but then couldn't contain it when the shoe fell off his head, Héctor even doing a goofy dive to get it before it fell.

"You're so odd", but there was a soft smile to Imelda's face as she said the words, not that odd meant half bad, "But yes, if the rules change to say so, you should do it. Solo tú (only you)", she teased back, not getting herself in a bind of his trying to convince her as well, and maybe even just because watching him do such was so very cute.

She'd half expected a rebuttal to her saying she didn't sing in public, and Héctor of course complied. A half-excuse formed on Imelda's lips as she sighed and still followed him around to the back of the stairs. No, it was still too much...

"Hey! Look at me, Imelda, now is your chance to sing like nothing else matters!"

For some reason, she found herself taking his hand and letting him lead her up the steps, a soft blush forming as she did such, and even sorry when he dropped her hand to sit once more and strum.

The clenching of her skirts either side started nervous, then she let herself sway a bit in place as she found the beat, and he was right and no one was around...

"Ay de mí, llorona
Llorona de azul celeste"

That first beginning to the song she had gone over so much it was pretty much memory, though all of it was. She started softly, and Héctor, or anyone could probably barely hear her. She was almost almost about to do a real twirl, but then she stopped, "No, Héctor...estos es una locura! (this is crazy!)", she said, and glanced off to the side as if to check on who might have heard or seen even that.

"Hey! Why did you stop? You're doing good! Mira, mira.. Don’t look at them, look at me! I already heard you sing! I am the only one in the audience right now!”*

Héctor's voice brought her back, and she did glance back over to him, and something about his gaze gave her a confidence she wouldn't have said she could be given. She gave a soft smile. Just keep your focus on him, you can do this...

"Respira, shake out all of those nerves, y a ver.. how does it go again?" He pretended that he didn't know all the words and needed her help, before singing softly along with her in harmony.*

"Ay de mí, llorona, llorona
Llorona de azul celeste"

Her voice grew a bit more confident, and she smiled a bit as he softly aided further with his words.

"Y aunque la vida me cuesta llorona
No dejare de quererte"

Imelda gave a full out spin, and suddenly she skipped over closer to where he was with a sudden idea, and desire, and since he said he didn't care about conventions like the men asking and all. She didn't sing the next part, because she had a question, "Care to dance?", she held a hand out to him. Or if he preferred to remain playing...and helping her out with that lovely voice of his.

And his guitar playing wasn't half bad either. Was she falling? Imelda asked herself; and hadn't she asked herself that before? Well...she didn't quite know yet, but it was a possibility... one she wanted to explore with her request.

<<*bits approved by Sephy and early slipped in <3>>

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A bright, awkward grin demonstrating his pearly whites formed across the young musician's lips upon hearing her giggle when the shoes fell and she called him odd, his heart melting at the sight of her smiling and laughing - even if it was at his expense. He wasn't sure if odd was truly a bad thing or not if he got a smile from her out of it. He had no shame though. 

"But yes, if the rules change to say so, you should do it. Solo tú (only you)"

Héctor blinked his eyes at her statement. She wanted him to only do such a thing? Imelda must be really taking liberties over his undying devotion to her. Sometimes he wasn't sure if she was playing or not. The sixteen year old chuckled slightly, hoping she was joking this time. He was not only crazy for her, but now he was starting to look crazy in front of other people. Oh, but if he could get the chance to be with Imelda for longer, to hear that laugh, to maybe even hold her hand again, he would do whatever it takes. "Mande (As you command), senorita! I will do anything that you ask!" He bravely said instead, forgoing the rules of society by stating that he was only following her rules. Perhaps his desperation to be with her and his willingness to do any of her silly rules was what was probably going to drive him crazy one day.  

Oh, how the sixteen year old Héctor felt his heart race at the touch of her hand in his as he guided her to the stairs, his smile widening considerably at the thought of such a thing happening, though he respectfully let it go as he sat down by her, lifting the guitar to hold it back on his lap to play to La Llorona. When Imelda sang, a soft exhale drew from his lips as he watched her with an expression of adoration, from the beautiful curve of her face to the lips in which that melodic voice was uttered with such an underlying tone of strength that just captivated him, his heart sensing that hint of passion that needed to be belted out if she would only allow herself to. He knew that feeling. It was just like a grito that needed to be let out! Oh, this was even better than the first time he heard her sing in secret, only because this time, she was singing along to his music that he played with every melodic pluck of the string on his guitar. 

And then she stopped singing. 

With a parting of his mouth, it was almost as if the young musician was left without air to breathe, simply left with the feeling of wanting more. Yet after his encouragement and strumming his guitar to continue the familiar tune of the song, she began to sing while he lightly harmonized with his own voice. Suddenly being inspired by her singing, Héctor slowly stood up to lean against the railing, nearly sitting on top of it with his growing height, without missing a single beat of the music that he played on his guitar that he held up without guitar straps, and began to weave additional notes onto the music of La Llorona as if it were like writing cursive on paper, just to make the melody flow as beautifully as her voice.

"Y aunque la vida me cuesta llorona

No dejare de quererte"

When her voice grew more powerful with confidence, his harmonizing voice faded into the melodic background of the music that he was playing on his guitar as the awestruck teenager's brown eyes were mesmerized by the sight of the powerful woman before him. A wistful smile formed on his lips as the hopeless romantic wished that one day she could sing that to him: never wanting to stop loving him. The passion that he knew was inside of her only inspired him to strum onto the guitar all the more passionately to match her strength. It was a good thing he knew this song by heart with even his eyes closed, or else he wouldn't have been able to focus on what strings he was playing with the way his eyes were fixated on the beautiful, powerful woman that twirled and skipped over to him so elegantly with her each graceful step closer to him, that cactus flower holding her hair so beautifully in place. Without her even needing to say anything, he could tell just by that smile she wore that she loved music as much as he did.

"Care to dance?"

A sharp inhale of breath entered the raven haired teen's lips and he instantly stopped strumming as he blinked his large brown eyes in surprise. In that moment, the sixteen year old knew that this old brown guitar was indeed a magical instrument. It had the power to make his wishes come true; for the most beautiful girl of his dreams appear before him, sing in front of him, and now she was asking him to dance! "..You want to - ? Yes!" The hopeless romantic Héctor couldn't even finish his own question about her actually wanting to dance with him without answering it all in one breath, setting the guitar down gently onto the floor. The young musician fought against blushing right now as he silently took a breath before he instantly took her hand gently as soon as she held her hand out, not wanting her to back out now. Breathe. Relax. Shake it off. Shake off the nerves. Relax. He knew how to do this. He had been performing all of his life! Not to a girl that he was falling in love with, as this was his first, but now was the time to perform his very best! As much as he loved playing guitar, he could not pass up dancing with the girl of his dreams. The teenager was very opportunistic in the sense that he often jumped to opportunities without thinking about the consequences, which would later cost him to make the worst decision of his life and render him desperate to make several attempts to set things right. 

Not hindered by social expectations, Héctor wasn't even thinking about how it looked for a woman to ask him to dance instead of the other way around, or much less how it looked for him to eagerly respond in that manner in a less than "macho" way. With a soft smile formed over his bearded chin now, the tall gentleman tucked one hand behind his back while the other lightly holding her hand but not grabbing it, his large hand being opened enough for her to be free to dance away from him whenever she wanted to, before Héctor guided her to twirl her around in front of him. Then he instantly began lightly using the heels of his shoes to the passionate beat of the song that he had been playing before before he kicked his feet up and then did a twirl himself around her. He then guided her to twirl her behind him, then switched his hands to twirl himself around her. Afterwards, he used both his hands to hold each of her hands and guided her to dance towards the left, then stopping with a kick of his footwork and then guiding her to dance towards the right, before they both turned in a circle, his head tilted downwards and always turning to focus on her as he did so. With one of her hands that he held, he put her hand behind her neck and guided her to dance side by side as they moved towards the front, his footwork keeping up with the rhythm that he had in his head along to the La Llorona music they had been performing. If anyone asked.. holding both of her hands felt so magical, like a fire dancing inside of him. In an instant, he turned and guided her so that they both twirled at the same time, before he twirled her away so that she could dance freely, acknowledging that she was as much of a free spirit as he was. 

"Eso! Keep up with it, Imeldita! It's just me. You could do this!" The teenaged guitarist nodded encouragingly at her with a small smile of his own, wanting her to keep singing while she danced. In a quick, fluid motion, Héctor picked up the guitar and continued strumming along to the rhythm to entice her to dance on her own so that she could hear the melody that was playing in his head the whole time. While he strummed the guitar, he kept up with the movements with the kick of his heels in his footwork, using the back of his heel to create the rhythm as he would circle around her without touching her, though his head would be tilted downward so close to hers, his brown eyes locking into hers always, aiming to try to be in synchronization with her. He knew how a good performance looked, and he knew that it always looked great when they were almost united in their movements. He spun and twirled various times around her with ease, without missing a beat, his head still aimed at her direction as much as he could. Suddenly he held the guitar in his hands as he jumped up in the air with it, spinning himself into the air, before he landed and instantly bent down on one knee while he continued playing on one knee. When he was finished strumming the last melody he wanted to strum, Héctor allowed the rest of the melody to play in his head, before he spun the guitar in his hand and placed it gently down on the floor, holding her hand out for her to twirl over to him and take his hand while he remained on bended knee before her so that he could continue to lead her to the dance. 

[Mamá Imelda]

There was something about the even small gestures to come across Héctor's countenance that threatened a half smile to form on Imelda's own. Or threatened to get a laugh out of her again, though she was trying to keep that controlled still and in public. Trying to still keep her head about this whole thing, and even if Héctor was...half cute, as she'd at least admitted to herself.

Héctor declared he'd do anything she asked, to her own teasing statement, and not the first time he said such, of course, but it had the effect of finally getting out of Imelda the half smile she'd been semi-holding in as she glanced down almost demurely, tucking a loose strand of hair back behind her ear on the opposite side as the one where the flower was still pinned. It was a rare emotion and most in town knew her as a fiery young woman who would challenge both vendors and neighbors. She still was, of course, but...going surprisingly easy on Héctor for all his antics. Because there was just something about him she figured deserved a chance; and which intrigued her.

Why else would she be singing in public with little more than a bit of encouragement from the quirky guitarist; and even if she paused halfway in that. Yet something in Héctor's low voice layering in with hers made her want to give just a bit more volume to her own voice...and then a bit more. Imelda smiled softly as she heard Héctor add in notes that were not traditionally part of the folk song, and as she gave another twirl.

Also as she caught his attentive gaze, and something in it made her feel shy all over again, as well as gave her the confidence to just go ahead with her idea of twirling over to ask him to dance. What...would it be like to let him hold her hand again...

The way Héctor looked stunned by her request, as well as tripped over his words as he tried to answer, had Imelda grinning wider and before he took her hand. For her having asked, Imelda wasn't sure if she was now supposed to try to lead or how this was supposed to go, but Héctor soon took over, leading her into a twirl and showing off very fancy footwork all in all! Imelda wasn't sure why she was so surprised by it, he played so very well also, and seemed just an all around performer, not in a bad way and fake though.

Or not now, she pondered as she followed along.

It was like a needle and thread, and just instantly knowing how to sew once you got the knack down, and Imelda didn't have to pay all that much attention to the steps to know how to just instantly follow both a familiar cultural dance and to the beat. In fact, she was so lost in just pondering Héctor from an almost analytical standpoint, and traits that were either on the pros or cons list, that it was like she blinked and realized just how close they'd suddenly become at one point.

Any other maiden would have blushed and glanced aside, similar to how Imelda had even earlier, and she felt the temptation to, but also held the gaze a bit, and as something shot through her. Too fast, she reminded herself, much like the dance, and mostly due to her own teasing, she would admit, she was in danger of letting herself get pulled along a bit too fast. She had to keep her head.

Imelda may have been many things, but she was not going to get swept of her feet by the first (or not first) boy to come to her balcony spouting platitudes. And not that Imelda hadn't already realized Héctor was different than all the other boys she'd chased off in earnest with her challenges.

She was just reminding herself.

She twirled off aside and away from Héctor, allowing him to go for his guitar once more and to continue strumming, but for having grounded herself a bit, Imelda didn't go so far as to overly worry over the square and who might be seeing her and them again.

"Eso! Keep up with it, Imeldita! It's just me. You could do this!"

She gave an almost playful smile and something stubborn flared up again, perhaps almost teasing once more, and as she twirled over, faced away from Héctor, just in the rhythm and motions of the dance, but meeting his gaze once more, "And what if I say I forgot the words already?", she lightly challenged, and her smile probably showed it, before she twirled aside, and then back over to him again, taking the hands he held out to her.

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While he watched her dance with the beautiful way Imelda twirled as he strummed to the melody, Héctor caught her gaze with an expression as if she could see into his very soul. It just enticed him to lower his head and dance closely in a circle around her as she would draw closely around him, the closest he's ever been to those beautiful lips, before she would spin away again in her teasing way. It always made him draw a breath whenever she teased him like that, as if he had been holding his breath the entire time, or maybe to at least stop his heart from beating so fast. 

"And what if I say I forgot the words already?"

The sixteen year old caught Imelda's tough manner of teasing once more when she said that she forgot the words, nearing him closely again with that captivating gaze of her brown eyes before she twirled away again. "Ay, no me digas eso! (Don't tell me that!)" He pleaded with a smile as watched her dance away. The challenge was accepted though and Héctor took it with easy strides. "Fine, don't worry! I'll just help you to remember!" He replied gently to her with a bright smile as he strummed his guitar, completing the footwork before giving himself a turn as well around her. His guitar was magic! She only had to listen to the music! As he strummed and danced, he also began to sing the lines: 

"Me subí al pino más alto, Llorona (I climbed the tallest pine, Llorona)
A ver si te divisaba (To see if I could spot you)
Como el pino era tierno, Llorona (Because the pine tree was caring, Llorona)
Al verme llorar, lloraba (Upon seeing me cry, it cried)"

Once he was on bended knee after placing the guitar away, the young guitarist smiled up at her when she twirled away around him at first and then returned back to place her hand on his again, once again always electrifying just to feel her hands on his. He slowly stood up to his full height, gazing into her eyes as he did so, as one hand held her hand while slowly placing his free hand at the middle of her back. They were now even closer than before, only inches apart, though he maintained a gentle but guiding hand throughout that was easily capable of breaking free if she wanted. He first guided her to turn with him in a circle as he sang softly under his breath as he gazed down at the beautiful girl that he was dancing with, “Ay de mí, Llorona, Llorona.. Llorona de azul celeste..(Oh my Llorona, Llorona, Llorona of celestial blue)”He then guided her to twirl three times in a row around him before catching her in his arms again, one hand holding her hand while the other one was placed in the middle of her back. “Y aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona..(Even if it costs me my life, Llorona) " He then bent his knee to dip her like a gentle flower, leaning his head closely to hers as he sang this, as if to repeat his promise to her just as he did when they were in her room the other night, then placed both hands at the middle of her back to gently help her to stand up right again. "No dejaré de quererte..(I will never stop loving you)”  He finished singing the song softly in a whisper as if it were now only meant for her ears, his eyes locked on her eyes as he held her in his arms. Maybe it was the adrenaline from the dancing or there was something in her lips that compelled him to want to kiss her, which made him want to lean his head downward only slightly as if he aimed to do that, with his heart accelerating a million times per minute, but he hesitated with a blush rushing to his cheeks and did not move any lower than a few inches, maintaining his head at a respectful distance. He had never kissed before. Ernesto would have taught him to be more forceful than that.. but Héctor just didn't believe in being forceful at all; he was too passive for that, and he just wanted it to be natural somehow. "Thank you for dancing with me, Imelda.." He replied softly with a timid smile, momentarily forgetting about the fact that he held her in his arms with both of his hands at the middle of her back. 

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda could tell something was happening here, had been for a few moments now and since the dance started, she just tried to keep it happening at her pace. Like earlier when her annoyance had been at Héctor just forgetting their surroundings and excitedly calling to her in the middle of the square. They weren't there yet!

But especially in the midst of this dance, she was noticing a worrying tendency Héctor had of making her forget surroundings as well. Of threatening to shake, or even all out break, that control she had so firmly on everything else. She'd been intrigued since last night, now...

Well, she was still just humoring him of course...

"Ay, no me digas eso! Fine, don't worry! I'll just help you to remember!"

Even as she chuckled at that and watched Héctor's response. It was the silliest idea ever, and she'd have told him if she knew, that Héctor's guitar was in any way actually magic, but...he might have had something about him, himself, that...could half classify as such. As anyone in town could tell him, getting Imelda to humor him even this much was nothing to sneeze at and far more progress than anyone else had hitherto got!

"Me subí al pino más alto, Llorona (I climbed the tallest pine, Llorona)
A ver si te divisaba (To see if I could spot you)
Como el pino era tierno, Llorona (Because the pine tree was caring, Llorona)
Al verme llorar, lloraba (Upon seeing me cry, it cried)"

Imelda listened with a soft smile even as she continued the dance steps that were just so ingrained and second nature.

As she twirled back to him, though, they were closer than ever now. Imelda should be reminding herself of surroundings, checking that the coast was still clear enough for this much letting herself just go and follow emotion, but...as she'd said Héctor had a worrying tendency and as she met his gaze once more she somehow couldn't think on anything else. Héctor still gave her enough room to break apart, it just wasn't on her agenda list.

She softly picked back up with him on the lyrics, and it actually offered a form of distraction from over thinking all the feelings tumbling around inside her. She followed out the steps of the twirl aside but then didn't hesitate to come right back and meet Héctor. Any crowds be...well her mother wouldn't want her even thinking crud statements.

“Y aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona..No dejaré de quererte..”

It felt like an actual promise, not just coincidence lyrics, and that should have given her pause, and did. She...had sort of broke off at that part, just unsure, or just taking in everything; so she didn't exactly say it back...now as to if she would...

That thought was stalled as she noticed how close Héctor still was as they paused in their dancing, and how he still held her. Her heart picked up, she said from slight concern for what he may be thinking and if he would actually all out kiss her, but he never moved nearer.

"Thank you for dancing with me, Imelda.."

She gave an unsure but still somehow teasing smile, and just because he'd yet to step back and still all but held her. "De nada...", her own hands laid unsure at either of his forearms and, while a kiss was still a bit far, she did allow herself to almost reward his gentlemanly behavior in not pushing it by giving one of his cheeks a light brush with her fingers as she stood and righted herself from out of Héctor's light hold. Brushing at her dress next, almost distractedly, she side glanced over to him again, "You have quite the impressive foot work also, Héctor", she said, and had almost titled him, just in teasing again, but went with his name simply.

She then did have to give a subtle glance, and was please to find they didn't seem to have gained attention. She then glanced over to Héctor again, "Papa agreed to let me catch the sunset later, from the hill outside my house, if...I was accompanied, I was going to drag my brothers along but...perhaps...you would be interested in...meeting up?", she asked lightly with a small smile.

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There was a moment that the opportunistic Héctor did not take, which was weird because he always jumped at every opportunity. He didn't this time. The adrenaline and the emotion was all there, it just... didn't feel right. Ernesto was probably going to bother him about it for the longest time, how he probably missed that opportunity. A part of the young musician even felt a little insecure about it, since it was so.. new for him to not jump into that opportunity like he did to everything else, wondering if that was his only chance to get close to Imelda. Yet at that moment, his long eyelashes lowered blissfully over his brown eyes upon feeling Imelda caress his cheek, his face visibly melting with a soft sigh escaping his lips. Given that he never had any girl do that to him, he was practically floating away into the sky in spirit. He barely even registered Imelda slipping away from his light hold while he was still spiritually trying to come back down to the ground. 

"You have quite the impressive foot work also, Héctor", 

Hearing Imelda say his name, this time not out of anger, made the teenager's heart jolt happily. Just hearing her voice alone was so beautiful. He smiled shyly at her, "Oh, gracias, Imeldita.." Héctor was not full of himself, but he was self-confident enough to know he was better at dancing than Ernesto, though he wasn't better than Ernesto when it came to this part. Ernesto would have said something suave and romantic about her beautiful way of dancing at this point, but Héctor was kind of stuck on words at the moment. He couldn't stop smiling shyly down at her beautiful face, still on cloud nine from having danced with her. He did manage to overcome his shyness by saying, "You're really good at performing, Imelda..better than me!"  He said sincerely with an innocent shrug, a genuine smile forming over his bearded chin as he timidly held his other forearm. He wasn't going to take back what he said or thought when he first met her. Hearing her sing, then seeing her perform just now, he fully believed Imelda could surpass him if she ever wanted to, and there was nothing wrong with that at all. He wasn't jealous of other people when it came to talents, in fact he encouraged it. That was why he taught Ernesto everything he knew in guitar. 

"Papa agreed to let me catch the sunset later, from the hill outside my house, if...I was accompanied, I was going to drag my brothers along but...perhaps...you would be interested in...meeting up?

The young guitarist rose his eyebrows over his eyes as his mouth parted slightly upon hearing Imelda say this. Was it just his romantic whims wanting to hear this or did he hear this correctly?! "You want to watch the sunset with me?" He repeated in shock, hoping that it wasn't just his romantic whims hearing such a thing! He really hoped that this was real! "Claro que si! (Yes, of course!)" Héctor said enthusiastically without a second to even think about it. Ernesto used to tell him not to show that he was too eager in front of the girls, though he couldn't hide his emotions as well as Ernesto could. He did try to reign it back just a little though, "I..I would like that, Imelda.." He said shyly, rubbing his forearm timidly,  "I can meet you at your house after dinner? So that we can walk there together..?" The gentleman asked gently, wanting to walk with her to the hill so that she doesn't walk by herself. He wasn't sure how to go about meeting her though. He would of course love to present himself to her father when he would pick her up, but he wanted to ask to make sure it was okay with Imelda, given that he wasn't exactly keen on the first impression of the musico. He didn't know what the rules were in meeting the parents of the girl you liked and when that was appropriate. 

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda was familiar with teasing boys just enough while remaining detached and fully in control herself; though honestly even with teasing, she was generally very open about her interest or not. Well...open if they knew how to read an impossible task as a hint to get lost...

Héctor had not, hence this dance. Sure a few steps before that, and being annoyed with him and then coming to apologize leading to this. Still...despite her genuine...interest she wouldn't admit to herself, Imelda fully expected to remain on top of this situation. She gave Héctor a light tease and light smile and would then coyly step aside.

The last of which she did. It was just the first part of that plan.

Imelda's own slight smile to herself faltered, though thankfully Héctor couldn't see it, with his eyes closed in bliss, and at the look of almost content that came across his face, and as his cheek all but pressed a bit more into her palm just with his relaxing. She was suddenly floored for some reason. Imelda quickly scanned the rest of his face in the few seconds she had, trying to pin it down.

But she knew what this was. It had happened back in the dance, and she'd pulled her own self to earth again during it.

She was becoming far too invested in this musico...

The thought hit Imelda that she could kiss him...but instead she shied aside of his grip and her same old in control coy smile was back as he glanced to her again.

"Oh, gracias, Imeldita..You're really good at performing, Imelda..better than me!"

Any other boy and she'd have laughed and glanced down, not taking their words too seriously, but with Héctor she blinked. He sounded...oddly...sincere. "You...you think so...", and as Imelda tucked a stray strand of hair back behind her ear, she wasn't just being coy and playful, but was honestly encouraged by this boy's thoughts on her dancing and singing skills. "Well, I...gracias...". For once Imelda wasn't sure what to say, on that topic.

She was able to mention the sunset of course.

"You want to watch the sunset with me?"

At his almost perrito like enthusiasm, Imelda had to smile, and nod slightly, watching him from beyond her own shyly ducked gaze.

"Claro que si! I can meet you at your house after dinner? So that we can walk there together..?"

Well now...she hadn't exactly said that! Imelda glanced up shocked, "Oh...no!", she thought of her father, just finding the poor, naive, over-enthused boy on their front step! Her brothers! Still her panicked reaction was a bit over the top perhaps. They just weren't there yet!

"I, um, why don't I meet you?", Imelda instead supplied for a plan, "By the old fountain in the center of town?". It was a pretty convenient landmark. "We can walk there together from there", Imelda smiled.

[Deleted]

"Well, I...gracias..."

"I hope that..I can watch you perform again sometime.." The teenaged musician added with a nod and a timid smile after she thanked him for saying that she was good at performing. He didn't want to say your welcome because.. he wasn't saying it to be a compliment. He really hoped this wasn't going to be the last time he would watch her perform. While he rubbed his other forearm shyly, a small adoring smile drew on Héctor's lips as he watched the cute way Imelda tucked her hair behind her ear, exposing her red flower that complimented her skin so well next to her pretty earring. Oh, how can anyone tell him to get away when he was so enamored by the little things she did!

Seeing Imelda nod to confirm that she really meant for him to watch the sunset with her sent his heart pounding against his chest again. Watching the sunset with his crush.. this was the first romantic outing he'd ever had! It was like a first date, no?! Oh, that means he would have to wear his best suit to introduce himself to her father, and maybe the rest of her family before escorting Imelda to - 

"Oh...no!

Héctor snapped out of his fantasy with a blink of his brown eyes, raising his thick eyebrows in bewilderment. What happened? Did he miss something? Was it something he said again? Oh no.. he didn't just ruin the plans to go out with her did he?! The teenager parted his lips, but he couldn't form words, he just listened attentively and was inwardly praying. Please diosito, please magic guitar, don't let the sunset date be canceled because of him! He promised he wouldn't ask for anything again!  

"I, um, why don't I meet you?"

A soft sigh escaped the tall guitarist's lips in relief. His eyebrows lowered to their relaxed position again as he gazed down at her with an affectionate smile, happy that the romantic outing was not called off after all. Wait. Wait. What what did she say? His eyebrow rose in amazement upon hearing her say that she was actually willing to meet him? An intrigued smile formed over his bearded chin in response, understanding that Imelda was clearly not like other girls, and she was showing him just how capable she was of crossing that line of rules whenever she wanted to. That made it clear that he really was not wrong about her. "Okay! Where do you want to meet?" The young Héctor responded with that simple smile of contentment, not really taking it for a bad thing at all that she preferred to meet him over him meeting her family. He wasn't cynical enough to think that way, but also because he was naive due to his inexperience with this sort of thing. At this point, the happy-go-lucky musician was just going with the flow, taking whatever he could get! 

"By the old fountain in the center of town?"

Héctor recalled the fountain in the center of town and his smile widened, "Oh, the fountain! Yes, I know where that is! Yes! I will go and meet you there, querida (dear) Imeldita!" He promised to meet her there after dinner with a smile and a noble nod, trying hard to contain his enthusiasm and excitement, though it was probably obvious with the bright smile he wore that bore his white teeth. The young musician then took up the guitar by the neck in one hand, then lifted his other hand out in a formal way to help her down the stairs if she wanted to. Though he never wanted her to leave, he knew that it was time for her to go back to her family. "Eh, señorita Imelda...you think.. I can kiss your hand now?" Héctor ventured to ask with a sheepish smile, glancing down at her hand out of his desire to kiss her hand to say goodbye. Since she was upset about it before, he decided to ask this time. He wasn't sure what was allowed anymore. 

[Mamá Imelda]

"I hope that..I can watch you perform again sometime.."

Imelda glanced back to him, and that nervous twitch of his that was...sort of cute. Then off again and as she considered what he'd asked. Her perform again? She wasn't sure, so just moved on.

The play of emotion her instinctive reaction to the idea of him meeting her father caused also caused a bit of guilt in Imelda, but Héctor seemed deterred by very little.

"Okay! Where do you want to meet?"

Imelda smiled. Any other boy would have been put off by her suggestion and taking charge, and had been. She'd already realized Héctor was a bit different, and it had been half a testing of the waters (as she just had to keep doing) or the parts that weren't just completely ruining this moment were.

Imelda didn't want to chase him off, she just wanted to keep this moving at her pace.

"Oh, the fountain! Yes, I know where that is! Yes! I will go and meet you there, querida (dear) Imeldita!"

He was just so cute sometimes she couldn't help but smile, though she tried to hide it.

Also those almost pet names of his...she should really stop them given they weren't to that stage now...but Imelda instead let them pass...for the slight blush they threatened that she also kept controlled...near as she could and by further glances aside. She still noticed him pick up his guitar and hold his hand out though, and daintily handed her own over once more with a small smile.

"Eh, señorita Imelda...you think.. I can kiss your hand now?"

One that quickly vanished with the question and as she considered! You shouldn't let him... her mind immediately told her, it was the same logic as not feeding stray dogs but...she'd already crossed that by not shooing him away directly. "I...well...uh...", Imelda was not generally lost for words but...

She found a part of her gravitated towards the idea, and since they both had shied out of any kisses earlier, since it was too soon and all. She...she could allow that much. "S-Si...", Imelda gave a small nod and waited with something like nervousness, though she wasn't sure for what reason...

[Deleted]

Even that tiny smile of hers back at him just made the shy teenager smile adoringly back at her as he noted how cute Imelda looked with that soft blush glowing against her cheeks just as she would turn her head away to the side. Based on that positive reaction, he thought that the pet names were a good thing, given how sweet she looked when she received them and did not say anything against it. It made him want to keep going, willing to do anything that would produce such a smile like that again and again. The young musician was starting to realize that Imelda liked to hide away in that manner, and he was beginning to feel so enamored by her, the way she can shift from shy to suddenly so strong and forward, but in such an elegant and graceful manner without making herself appear vulgar in any way. It seemed the more he learned about her, the more Héctor was so captivated by her, which was why he was so excited to be given a chance to learn about her even more on his very first date!

Feeling her hand on his again as the gentleman assisted her down the steps, it just made that smile spread all the more across the teenaged musician's lips, right by his signature birthmark. Imelda walked down those steps in such a graceful way that it almost made her appear regal, in his opinion, though perhaps it was because of the way he watched her carry herself in such a way that was so formalita. The sixteen year old Héctor rubbed his forearm shyly as he waited a few seconds of deliberation from Imelda to decide if kissing her hand was allowed or not. Since he told Imelda that he was going to follow her rules instead of society's, he was willing to follow any rule that she would provide for him. His smile brightened jovially upon hearing that kissing her hand was allowed again! Encouraged by this, he bent down slightly to kiss Imelda's hand while his other hand was tucked behind him in a formal manner. The formalita Imelda was making him want to be so formal around her, using what he was taught as far as mannerisms from the nuns at the orphanage as best as he could at least.

"Nos vemos ahorita (Until we'll see each other soon), senorita Imelda!" Héctor bade farewell to Imelda with a bright smile, watching her leave to eat with her family. He waved at her sweetly until she turned the corner and placed his hands on his chest before he couldn't help but yell in excitement, "Yes! Yes! YES!" He practically kissed his magical guitar for making this happen and raised in the air as if it had been blessed. "Hey! Ernesto! You're not gonna believe this!" Héctor instantly rushed up to Ernesto's face and grabbed his shoulders excitedly as soon as he found him. By the way he sounded and acted, it almost looked as if he had just scored a great gig for them to perform at, but he actually wasn't even thinking about that! "I just got a date with Imelda!" His feet was practically dancing excitedly as if he was trying to control himself from jumping up and down excitedly and obviously failing. If Ernesto assumed that he had the nerve to ask her out, then he was wrong. "No! She asked me!" Héctor let Ernesto go and used both of his hands to gesture to himself on his chest with such an excited grin, but didn't pay attention to the face Ernesto was making when the teenaged musician instantly jumped into the air over some boxes, belting out a grito from the depths of his overjoyed soul as he ran towards their shared room that they stayed at, "AHHYAHAHAAYY!!!"

"Ay..how could I think with my stomach when my heart is RACING, amigo!" Héctor later commented back in their room that they shared, not being able to finish his chapulines in taquitos that a man named Pepé was selling in the street. Then, in a dramatic fashion, the slender teenager collapsed backwards to lay on the bed with an amazed grin on his face like the impossible just happened. "Ah, I can't stop thinking about tonight!" He probably said that like a dozen times to poor Ernesto. Ernesto would mention a kiss on a first date and his heart swelled at the thought of having his first kiss with Imelda! Suddenly, the naive Héctor instantly sat up with concern on his features. "Wait, wait, wait.. I never done this before!" For the first time in his life, the musician that hardly ever got stage fright on stage was actually nervous! "You got to help me out, amigo!" Of the two of them, Ernesto had the most experience with women, whereas Héctor had..none. He knew he could count on his best friend to help him!

Although it was a bit too early still, the aspiring musician that wore his formal jacket with a long sleeved white shirt and striped brown pants held by suspenders hidden underneath his jacket was far too excited to wait at their room and already made his way over there to sit by the fountain like a devoted puppy waiting for his first date to arrive. Sitting by the fountain as he waited for Imelda, Héctor began to think on Ernesto's tips that he had given him just moments before regarding the things that should happen or he should expect to happen on a first date - including a kiss! However, as he reflected on the dance with Imelda, he began to wonder about Ernesto's "seize your moment" philosophy that his best friend had drilled into him. If his decision to not go through the kiss produced this positive effect of her actually wanting to go on a date with him, then.. did that mean that "seize your moment" did not work all the time? Or did it not work on Imelda? No, usually Ernesto was right about things. Maybe it was just not his moment... maybe his moment would be in the date?

With his guitar case in hand, Héctor shrugged those thoughts away and took out his guitar to play, his mind automatically reflecting on Imelda again as he began to make up a melody that he had in his head earlier, plucking strings together as he sat at the fountain. As soon as he repeated it a few times, he simply reflected on the romantic things that happened, but his mind seemed to focus on the crazy things that she would tell him. Those were the moments that actually stood out for him, which made him smile even as he thought about those moments now. When he pulled out the song book to write down the new melody, the cloth that she had given him to tie around his back for healing (which he had of course made sure was washed at the lavanderia), suddenly fell out of his pocket along with it. As he held the cloth in his hands with an adoring smile as he thought about how caring Imelda was, he paused for a moment upon thinking of an idea. He could send her a message! Taking out the pen from inside his book, he placed the cloth on his book as he began writing in his beautiful cursive letters: Me vuelves loco por ti (you make me crazy for you). Suddenly, that inspired him to write that down on his actual song book, along with the crazy things that she would tell him: "Que el cielo no es azul (That the sky is not blue)..mmhmmhmmm.." Héctor sang lowly as he began strumming along to the melody that he had created earlier, a smile forming on his lips upon recalling that funny moment - well, it was funnier later. "You tell me that it's red.." Héctor blinked his brown as if struck by inspiration and instantly began scribbling the words away into his song book. By the way he was so immersed in the music that was forming in his mind, he wasn't paying attention to the people around him as he sat down there at the fountain, waiting for his date.

[Mamá Imelda]

A small smile. That was the only response Imelda gave, seemingly still just humoring this odd boy who was trying so hard to gain her attention, and as he kissed her hand. But in truth, it took a bit more coyness, or just control perhaps, to keep that smile from growing.

There was still just something about him...

Though Imelda pushed that thought aside.

"Nos vemos ahorita (Until we'll see each other soon), senorita Imelda!"

She allowed out a small chuckle, just at his exuberance again, or such, "Until then", she repeated before leaving, and before her family started to wonder, since she was always home well by dinner time.

At dinner, Mama updated everyone on her end of what had transpired for the day, before Papa and the boys did the same. Imelda still wasn't sure if it was more Mama's deciding and light enforcing, or Papa, and by extension her brothers, being polite in allowing her to go first.

She'd also hardly ever bothered with such thoughts before, but now...it seemed slightly important somehow...the small clues in how her parents interacted and for when she would find someone herself. Not Héctor, just someone.

Imelda was never shy about sharing her day either, so her slight silence went noticed, and Mama asked if she were alright. No doubt she thought she was coming down with fever or something, Mama always assumed fever or illness before normal things when her family was acting odd.

"I'm fine, Mama, lo siento, just...thinking". She shot a silent look over to her brothers to tell them to keep their mouths shuts if they guessed anything about 'the odd boy' and their sister's now odd behavior.

Imelda had just been trying to figure out if she would mention her going out later. She would have to mention Héctor at some point (though that thought was scary just for what she was half admitting in that she already expected to see him again after this) but that was not right now, she decided.

She then joined in the conversation as best she could, and to stave off their concern (and over scrutinizing) until later that night when she carefully made it out the door and across town for the meeting.

Oh what was she doing? It wasn't like this was an official seeing him and date...was it? She didn't know.

Imelda realized suddenly that somehow she was a bit early herself, and wondered if she would force herself to loiter by the fountain when upon getting closer she found Héctor already there! Even earlier than her!

That thought made her feel both touched and concerned.

She was a bit unsure what to say, so waited for him to notice her and say something first. That rule of society was ok to follow, and since Imelda decided it would help her and all.

She then realized that maybe he wouldn't say something first, since he seemed engrossed in his book. Writing melodies, probably, she realized, what with playing the guitar and all.

She frowned, not upset, just...pondering, then smirked a small bit as an idea hit. And there was no one who knew her and her family around to see her be...less than proper (she checked).

Imelda crept up, now trying to keep her boot tread as light as could be, and keeping behind Héctor and away from his peripheral vision, if he ended up tumbling into the fountain she would feel a bit bad, she realized, but still went through with her idea. It was his fault for being distracted anyway. That thought made perfect sense to her somehow.

Quickly Imelda covered Héctor eyes from behind, "Guess who?". She then removed her hands, laughing as she took a seat next to him.

[Deleted]

The young and aspiring guitarista was fully captivated in composing his music. There was a lot more to creating music than Héctor was used to during this time. He and Ernesto never created their own music before; so, this was all new for him. All they did were covers of songs at this point. He'd listen to the music play, then he'd try to copy it on the guitar on his own. Yet this completely engrossed him in his attempts to doing it well because it was such a new challenge for him, but also because he was inspired by how he felt for Imelda.

The sixteen year old Héctor was now working on the chords for the part of the chorus that he wanted to make for his song that Imelda inspired him to play. He just let the guitar play what he felt was inside of him, strumming different chords together to figure out what sounded good together on guitar before jotting them down on his notebook so that he'd be able to play it again next time. Imelda was to blame for that bright smile that formed on his lips as he played how he felt, which was full of excitement for his date!

Speaking of his date, the young musician was so in tune with the composition of what his next lyrics would be, that he blinked and stiffened his back when his brown eyes were suddenly shrouded in darkness. A soft laugh escaped his lips, entertained by this guessing game! "Haha! You like to keep me guessing, eh?!"  Thankfully, the musician didn't need to see in order to continue strumming along to his guitar, quickly strumming an exciting theme for the guessing game, which had notes from songs popular from Spain. He could play with his eyes closed! "Bueno.. (Well..) ...I only know one person that has such a beautiful voice in all of Santa Cecilia!" The musician was actually confident about knowing who it was, too! The self-taught musician had ears for every rise and fall of intonations in lyrics and melody after spending so much of his time trying to learn how to play music just by hearing it! He drew a knowing smile behind his closed eyes, figuring out exactly who it was. "Imelda!" He guessed without a question in his voice, before the hands fled away from his eyes, causing him to blink his brown eyes to adjust to the dimming light of the area before turning his gaze over to Imelda with an adoring smile when she giggled as she sat next to him. Oh, Imelda was so cute! Even her sitting next to him was such a blessing! 

Placing his guitar onto the guitar case, he turned slightly in his sitting posture so that his knees were facing her direction.  "Hola Imeldita!" The teenager greeted his crush enthusiastically with a soft smile on his face. Wait. Oh, that's right! He remembered that Ernesto encouraged him to be smooth and charming. He had to get their hands to touch! That would make it romantic! His eyelids lowered half way over his brown eyes that fixed his gaze on her eyes, with a charming smile that slid across his face. "It's so nice to see you a..gain.." As he leaned against the hand that he placed next to Imelda, his eyebrows rose over his brown eyes that tried so hard to keep it locked on Imelda's eyes when he realized that his hand literally landed in a puddle of the fountain water by where they were sitting at! Ay! No! This was not smooth at all! Now what? Should he shake it off?! No. What if it gets Imelda wet? Maybe Imelda didn't notice, so it was better not to draw attention to it. Just act like it never happened. 

No, he couldn't keep this up too long. Besides, he had to somehow dry it off or else he could forget about hand holding on this date! Oh! He should stand up! In an instant, he stood up and, with a quick glimpse over at his wet hand, he instantly placed his hand behind his back. Now he looked like a gentleman with his hand folded behind him! "..Shall we go?" With a broad, nervous smile exposing his glimmering white teeth, he extended his other hand out to help her to stand up as well, offering his hand to hold for them to walk. He wasn't really sure on the proper mannerisms as far as whether hand holding was appropriate at this point or not, or how to walk next to your date on your first date? He'd never been to one before! All the while, he was surrepticiously rubbing his wet hand against his shirt behind him in attempts to dry it off. 

[Mamá Imelda]

"Haha! You like to keep me guessing, eh?!"

Though she didn't answer, since it would ruin the game and all, Imelda did grin widely as he guessed. She would have tried to not, if it had at all mattered, but given that Héctor was currently faced away from her, and couldn't see, it did not. There was also no one else about to catch her either, so she could be more free with her emotions than her coy act most times allowed for. Not that Héctor was all that fooled either-way.

"Bueno.....I only know one person that has such a beautiful voice in all of Santa Cecilia!"

Further good that she had thought up this game, and he couldn't see her because...even as she told herself she was being silly (like all those girls she criticized!) Imelda felt a blush at that.

Oh, what? she criticized herself nonetheless, He further compliments you and you're going to lose your head?

"Imelda!"

No, it was also just something in hearing him say her name... Imelda realized, though she'd put on a bit more neutral a still warm smile as she removed her hands and he turned to her. And that smile.

"Hola Imeldita!"

"Hola...", she replied simply, not...shyly. Not really. It was really hard to pretend she didn't like him by this point, and honestly...she'd liked him for a lot longer than she'd pretended, and given she still pretended. Since the balcony? Her "challenge"? Well...maybe.

Imelda wished for something to relieve a bit of the tension, and before she gave herself away, and as if Héctor heard this wish, he complied, leaning back with what was possibly the silliest grin in the history of silly grins. She didn't know he was trying to be serious! Even before he seemed to almost start, and his words jolted, not that she saw the cause.

Still, she looked intrigued, and mildly amused, but didn't ask.

Héctor next stood, holding out his hand. Imelda blinked and tried to decide how she wanted to play this instance, right here, as she had been all the others. He...was letting her lead a lot of the way, she realized, and...well she wouldn't say she was making that difficult, everything she did made sense after all...

No...they wouldn't hold hands the whole way there, she decided. As for the way back...well they'd see. With a small smile, Imelda took the hand up, as was just courteous at the time, but then lightly took it back, holding her hands in front of her, and out of his reach, as she walked on still beside him. Especially after this, she should think of something to say so it wasn't too awkward. "So...um, what song were you working on?", she asked. "I assume it was a song anyway".

[Deleted]

Imelda didn’t want to hold hands. Porque?! Héctor parted his lips slightly when she lightly let his hand go after helping her stand up and seeing her hands fold in front of her. Did she find out about his other wet hand from he puddle? Or was it because holding hands wasn’t allowed? The fact that she continued to walk along side of him was sure to have meant that she was still interested in the date though. Héctor gripped his arm shyly with a timid smile before he began faithfully walking along side of her.

"So...um, what song were you working on? I assume it was a song anyway"

Héctor blinked and raised his thick eyebrows over his brown eyes when she mentioned that. Oh no! She heard him trying to work on her song?! How long was she there?! “.. you heard that? Ay, that is so..” The teenager wanted to say embarrassing, but his blushing kept him from saying it as he placed his hand over his face in feeble efforts to cover it. It was fine for a second until he realized that he had used the wrong hand and had wet his forehead. Instantly, he tried to rub it off with the back of his hand casually as if it were just wiping off some sweat from his forehead... you know.. despite it being cooler temperatures with the sun setting. Sunsets could still make the place warm, right?  All the while, he was mentally kicking himself for being so dumb to let himself be distracted like that! Not even Ernesto would let Imelda go unnoticed.  “..Sorry, señorita..It was not really good of me to keep you waiting like that, no?” He apologized with a sheepish smile. Ay, he was already screwing up this date! “But the song..Yes, it’s eh..a new one..” He glimpsed over at her timidly. Was he going to admit that it was a song for her? Well, he didn’t want to. Especially if it wasn’t even finished yet. “Ah, but it’s still a working progress! The melody is just..pfft..all sounding loco, you know?” Héctor smiled shyly, waving it off so that she wouldn't think much of it. In truth, he wasn't lying though. For some reason the melody wasn't a slow, romantic one, so he wasn't sure if it sounded right for Imelda.

The aspiring musician could have gone on to talk about the one thing he had going for him, but..as he gazed over at her, he smiled, so curious about her.  “So tell me about you! I admit that I don’t know a lot about you,” He confessed honestly with an interested smile. “And I want to learn more about you..tell me something that you like!” He asked her with an enthusiastic smile. “Anything. Like.. eh.. What kind of books you like to read?” He suggested with a fascinated grin, though he was opened about her sharing anything that she liked. True, Héctor learned that he was "supposed" to prove his worth to Imelda but he wasn't really interested in showing how much she deserved him. He was more interested in just learning about her, and felt that she was more important to get to know.  

[Mamá Imelda]

“.. you heard that? Ay, that is so..”

He was cute when he did that...

Imelda shut down her own thoughts quickly and before they showed, too much, on her face. It was hard to remain controlled though, as she found out part of the other problem of before and as he used his wet hand he'd no doubt dipped in the fountain earlier and then wiped the water off his forehead!

“..Sorry, señorita..It was not really good of me to keep you waiting like that, no?"

Oh, well, she hadn't noticed if he maybe took too long in answering, she'd been too busy watching him...well not watching him, but...

Imelda focused her own attention again as Héctor went on.

"But the song..Yes, it’s eh..a new one..Ah, but it’s still a working progress! The melody is just..pfft..all sounding loco, you know?”

She didn't, but she nodded...then decided, suddenly, that it would be alright to show a small chink in her carefully constructed armor of always being in control and knowing things. "I...guess...I don't really know all that much about music", she admitted, "Other than following along with the choir at Mass, and even then...I'm just...blending into the background".

Ok, yes, singing maybe she knew some things, and could read notes enough to follow a hymn guide, but...she wouldn't call that knowledgeable.

Almost like this one fact lead to Héctor wanting to know a whole lot besides, he went on.

“So tell me about you! I admit that I don’t know a lot about you, And I want to learn more about you..tell me something that you like!”

"Well...", Imelda thought, and probably paused too long at trying to pick something interesting, because Héctor went on again, as if he had to reassure to how interesting the facts had to be.

“Anything. Like.. eh.. What kind of books you like to read?”

Well, she did read of course, not as much as some others about town. "Well, both back before, and growing up with two younger brothers, I've probably explored every compilation of kid's tales there is, but recently it's been more embroidery books, to get better". That sounded boring...stop sounding boring Imelda, she told herself, especially to someone as creative as Héctor!

Music! He liked Music. Did she listen to music? Well everyone did.

Imelda wasn't all that confident in the topic switch, and as she pondered over her next words. "I'm...sure it comes as little surprise, catching me singing La Llorona, but...I guess I sort of like the old classic folk songs", she admitted. And their romantic turn, she left out, partly because she didn't want to look any sillier and also...it would be awkward with Héctor there...

[Deleted]

"I...guess...I don't really know all that much about music. Other than following along with the choir at Mass, and even then...I'm just...blending into the background."

"Haha! I bet you know more about music than you think, Imeldita!" There was one key to knowing about music, and he knew Imelda got it ever since he first heard her sing. Héctor couldn't help but smile to himself upon hearing her say that she could blend into the background. If he were the romantic type like Ernesto was, he would have been quick to say that a voice like that would not make it easy for her to blend, and it would have been impossible to think that Imelda would not stand out the way she did for him now even in a crowd of people..but.. honestly, he never paid attention to girls in that way until now. Before that, he was just focused on music to notice.

"Eh, but blending into the background? It's so different to hear you say that, Imelda. Because Ernesto and I.. we do exactly the opposite, you know?" Héctor was all about trying to stand out to make himself heard through music! Here he was, a nobody from Santa Cecilia trying so hard to actually be someone important; To be known to the world. Everything Ernesto said they should be. Hearing all this from Imelda was like an entirely different perspective. It really intrigued the teenager!

The sixteen year old listened attentively to her talk about her family like that. There was something about hearing the way someone talked about family that filled him with warmth. He had to go looking for it in an audience or even Ernesto, but just hearing about it made the orphan edge a little closer to her as they walked, just basking in that warmth. He decided not to talk about family in hopes of not getting her disinterested in being with a nobody from Santa Cecilia. Not just yet. 

"Ohh old classic folk tales.. I like to read those, too! Like.. eh.. Popocatepetl and Iztaccíhuatl. That story..it's very romantic, no?" He grinned, which ended up being more of a shy smile than a confident one at this point. Of course, he loved the Romeo and Juliet version of that Mexican folk tale because it was romantic. "I like to read poems and songs.. anything that inspires me, you know?"  He added to what he liked to read, regardless of whether Imelda was going to ask him or not. "Hey! Someone should do a song about the Cerro de Mariana. That one is a good one to write about!" He suggested with a grin, thinking that perhaps that legend would be a great one to turn into a song, just like La Llorona!  

"So you can also do embroidery?" The tall teenager asked Imelda curiously as they continued to walk along the dirt road towards the hill. "You got a lot of skills, Imeldita! More than me!" Imelda could sing, she could dance, and she could do embroidery! She was capable of doing so much! Needless to say, he was very impressed! "You could really make a living with that!" Héctor didn't realize how open-minded he was in asking about that or even saying that Imelda could make her own income, but he was genuinely interested in learning things that Imelda liked to do. "Ernesto thinks we should start wearing trajes de charro more often to get the "look" of a musician, you know? I saw a really nice white one in a store one time! I think I look good in white, no?" He shot a playful grin at her as he used his thumbs to grab onto his suspenders. It wasn't that he was egotistical, he just had a healthy esteem enough to think he looked good in white. 

[Mamá Imelda]

He all but mocked her claim! Kindly, and in defense of her skills, but still! Imelda glanced back over to Héctor, not sharply, or upset, but just still trying to figure him out.

"Eh, but blending into the background? It's so different to hear you say that, Imelda. Because Ernesto and I.. we do exactly the opposite, you know?"

His friend very much so! She'd already noticed, and it had been part of why she brushed him off. Héctor did as well, of course, but in more of a following way, and even now Imelda could tell the heart of what he played was most important.

She noticed Héctor step a bit closer when she talked about her family. Anyone else would have been chastised for closing such personal space, but Imelda gave him a small smile even as she went on. She realized he was asking all of the questions, and that she should ask some; not that he seemed to mind and eagerly answered to what she'd said.

"Ohh old classic folk tales.. I like to read those, too! Like.. eh.. Popocatepetl and Iztaccíhuatl. That story..it's very romantic, no?"

He brought up the legend surrounding the two volcanoes outside Mexico City. Imelda remembered thinking certain parts of the story didn't make sense, though, when she'd first heard it as a small child. "Sí, though a lot of trouble could have been saved if Iztaccíhuatl had checked up on the story and not just taken the word of another he was dead. Not the point I know", she smiled, but still! Who would just take a rumor at face value and not check up on it? Imelda wondered.

She liked to think she'd be smarter than that!

"I like to read poems and songs.. anything that inspires me, you know?"

Héctor answered to some of his likes, reminding Imelda she hadn't asked as he did so regardless.

"Hey! Someone should do a song about the Cerro de Mariana. That one is a good one to write about!"

Imelda nodded her agreement. "¿alguien como tú?" (Someone like you?), she asked with a small smile, both in genuine question and a bit of encouragement that he probably could, even if he still hadn't shared what he'd been writing before. She'd seen him scribbling, and he'd said it was a song, so she knew he worked at them.

"You got a lot of skills, Imeldita! More than me!"

"Oh, I don't know...", Imelda glanced down as they walked and then back to him, still being coy perhaps, but also unused to compliments she didn't feel were just insincere. Or perhaps unused to compliments from boys she would actually listen too...and cared about what they thought.

"You could really make a living with that!"

Imelda blinked at him. Make a living? Like...aside from just using it in homemaking, as was the reason it was taught and impressed upon her so? Of course Imelda suffered no fools and fought for her own worth when called for, but even she had never considered doing for herself and outside the parameters of their male dominated society.

Could she really make a living off embroidery skills alone?

Well, she'd never need to know, for good or bad.

"Ernesto thinks we should start wearing trajes de charro more often to get the "look" of a musician, you know? I saw a really nice white one in a store one time! I think I look good in white, no?"

Still smiling, Imelda gave a noncommittal shrug, but the smile showing she was teasing.

She glanced forward as they kept walking, then back over to him, still making no moves to distance herself and since he had moved closer.

"I heard about you both before I met either of you", she said. "One of the merchants mentioned you, since you go everywhere in town and play, and...it was like he couldn't bring up one of you without the other. Have you and Ernesto always been such close friends? Did your families live near each-other?", Imelda asked innocently. Of course she could tell Héctor's situation seemed a bit on the poor side, but she didn't know he and Ernesto were orphans. Didn't know she perhaps brought up bad.

[Deleted]

"Sí, though a lot of trouble could have been saved if Iztaccíhuatl had checked up on the story and not just taken the word of another he was dead. Not the point I know",

Imelda had her own opinions that were much different than his, but he liked that! The hopeless romantic boy of sixteen just smiled admiringly at her. "I never thought of it like that!" He mulled on this new perspective for a couple of seconds before making a decision. "Now I want to know what you think of the other stories, Imelda! You know, I got to show you a book that I borrowed the other day," One that he had to remember to give back as promised, "It's called the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. It's about this guy named Dante, who is guided through the afterlife by a bunch of dead poet guys.. and this girl named Beatrice! The girl that he just wanted to be with.." His eyes flickered over to Imelda and then he suddenly formed a shy smile as he rubbed his elbow, realizing that probably talking about dead poet spirit guides was not at all what Ernesto would talk about on a date with a beautiful girl.  "It's a great one to read for the romantic poems, you know?"  The boy said this fearlessly, not afraid to say that he liked romantic things, despite most men not generally being in tune with their emotional side during this time period. 

"¿Alguien como tú?"

"Me?" The humble teenaged musician smiled timidly in surprise, finding it touching to hear that she believed in him like that, before rubbing his elbow as his brown eyes glimpsed off to the side. "Ehhh...Actually? Ernesto and I.. we.. never really wrote music before..” Héctor replied with an awkward grin. “We normally just listen to folk songs on the gramófono..making our own renditions, you know?" He added earnestly, describing the way that they would play their music by listening to the record players that the neighbors would play and then learning how to sing it and play it on their guitars. 

But all that suddenly changed now. 

The young musician's face suddenly lit up in enthusiasm, "But now I want to write the music! I want to write the melody! The lyrics.. everything! Every time that I-!" look at you, he wanted to say when he gazed at her beautiful face just as the sun cast such a beautiful glow on her tanned skin while it was starting to set, but he parted his lips and he was too stunned to speak. "..Every time..." He tried to repeat softly, as if he just meant to say every time originally and not the part that he faltered on. Héctor rubbed his elbow again shyly as he cleared his throat. "The thing is, Ernesto..he doesn't know about this..what I want to do with the music..not yet. You.. think you could keep it a secret? Keep it between us?" He wasn't sure how Ernesto would feel about making his own music when they had always done it Ernesto's way. Either way, he wanted to make sure that his music sounded just right before he would pull something new on Ernesto like that. Besides, he didn't write it for Ernesto, he wrote it for Imelda. He wanted her to be the first to hear it when it was ready. 

As to his comment about her making a living with her skills, he wasn't sure if that was wrong to say? Suddenly, he was filled with insecure thoughts due to her silence as an awkward smile formed on his face while he rubbed the back of his neck. Did he come off as not thinking that she deserved to be treated like the royalty she was? That she didn't deserve to be given everything? Ay. He hoped that she didn't think that! He just saw her as someone very capable of being independent! Something, which he didn't realize was a little ahead of his time..If only Ernesto were here, he'd know what to say! Or at least, he'd say things a lot better than him. 

Speaking of Ernesto, Imelda brought him up in a question as to how they knew each other. "Ha ha, yes! I've been with Ernesto ever since I can remember!" His eyebrows rose with a slight parting of his lips when she mentioned that he had a family and instantly he was filled with desperation. The moment he would say that he didn't have a family, there was a chance that she would stop walking with him and end this date before it even began! What were the chances that would want to go out with a nobody from Santa Cecilia? "Oh, yes, yes..our families.. they lived near each other! You know the park by the Church? We used to meet up at the park all the time!" Héctor grinned widely while lying out of desperation, hoping and silently praying that she would believe him. Technically, he wasn't lying if he counted the kids in the orphanage as his family - which he did! Either way, later on, if there WAS a later on, he hoped to tell her the truth. Maybe.. much later. At least, until she felt the same way? Or at least until he knew that he had even a slim chance to be with her?  

[Mamá Imelda]

"I never thought of it like that!"

And here it came...the criticism that she was in some way wrong for thinking like that. Imelda was used to her ideas being different than the social norm around her. She was too outspoken, too opinionated. It was why she didn't tell them to just anybody, yet somehow Héctor had got her to tell him. She was going to chase off every boy who tried to court her, her mother said.

Well, she didn't seem to be chasing Héctor off...

"Now I want to know what you think of the other stories, Imelda!"

She merely glanced over and gave a small smile, but Imelda was pleasantly surprised by his reaction, and at the same time, given what else she'd seen of how Héctor was, she wasn't. No, he wasn't chased off at all.

"You know, I got to show you a book that I borrowed the other day, It's called the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. It's about this guy named Dante, who is guided through the afterlife by a bunch of dead poet guys.. and this girl named Beatrice! The girl that he just wanted to be with.."

She apparently also wasn't the only one with perhaps strange ideas...

No other boy, in the history of those who had tried to get her attention, would have brought this topic up...

Though Héctor's smile seemed to indicate that he realized this also and he went on to try to fix the statement, probably.

"It's a great one to read for the romantic poems, you know?"

"Hmm...yeah, I...guess it would be", she answered vaguely, but couldn't hide a small smile, and it didn't have to be amusement, and even if it was, she meant it kindly.

"Ehhh...Actually? Ernesto and I.. we.. never really wrote music before..We normally just listen to folk songs on the gramófono..making our own renditions, you know?"

It was just a typical way to end a sentence, but still Imelda nodded her understanding, as she thought on that. Well, she didn't say she thought Ernesto could write songs...

But Imelda kept this thought to herself, realizing that he and Héctor were close friends and...not wanting to chase off the odd...cute...boy just yet. She'd gone through the trouble of agreeing to this, after all. And the dance. And invited him up to her room.

She couldn't help it, as Héctor went on, almost like an excited puppy, at the thought of writing music, Imelda grinned; she was happy if her suggestion made him so happy.

He broke off oddly, and Imelda blinked, but then smiled again as he answered he just wanted to write all the time. "Well, I think you should try"

Héctor seemed to give his friend a lot of control over what they did, or that was how it sounded when Héctor said he hadn't told Ernesto he wanted to write music yet. Because he wouldn't let him?

If the boy was being squandered by such a pompous, arrogant, windbag (as Imelda had pegged Ernesto out to be from what she saw and his brief words) then it was a shame!

And...if Héctor became someone Imelda felt could be called 'hers' in the sense...well of love-interests, then she would make sure it didn't happen!

"You.. think you could keep it a secret? Keep it between us?"

Outwardly Imelda remained calm, though inwardly...her heart seemed to flip within her chest at the idea of keeping a secret for Héctor! From his close friend even. He didn't want to tell him, he wanted to tell her, and trust her with it.

Imelda's smile softened in a way it rarely did, "Sí...", she agreed, and perhaps boldly reached back over to take his hand, giving it a squeeze of reassurance. "You can trust me, I won't say a word...if you promise to let me see the first thing you write", she smiled, before glancing aside again, as well as lightly taking her hand back, almost embarrassed by her own request. She wouldn't say a word either-way, and so didn't mean to make it sound like an ultimatum, still...she would like it very much so if Héctor would. Show her.

"Oh, yes, yes..our families.. they lived near each other! You know the park by the Church? We used to meet up at the park all the time!"

That didn't exactly tell where he lived...and not that Imelda needed such information. It wasn't like she was going to...visit...or maybe she would...to follow the progress of these songs he would hopefully write.

She didn't connect his mention of the church as a landmark with any church run orphanages, and believed his words that their block of houses was just beyond that or such. For the moment, she just nodded, and let the matter drop, and especially as they reached the hill that was no doubt their destination.

Imelda took in the view, and with the sun already on its way down, but with plenty of time left to track its progress no doubt. "Well, we're at a spot with quite the view for inspiration for a budding Compositor", she smiled back over to Héctor, and of course meant the sunset.

[Deleted]

"Well, I think you should try"

Even Imelda's tiny smiles were tiny victories in the love struck 16 year old's eyes. The lanky, young guitarist couldn't help but smile a tiny smile of his own back at her in such an endearing way. That smile underneath his birthmark only grew in surprise and amazement to hear her encouraging words, causing his eyebrows to raise over his brown eyes upon hearing her asking him to promise to show her the first thing he'd write. Up until now, only Ernesto had ever shown such faith in his music, but now Imelda was the only one that knew that he was starting to stray from Ernesto's idea of doing cover songs and wanting to do his own music. Héctor was so drawn by this, that he didn't realize how closely he walked beside her until his arm brushed against hers and he shyly and apologetically drew an inch away. 

"You can trust me, I won't say a word...if you promise to let me see the first thing you write"

So inspired by this new source of encouragement, the young musician found himself wanting to fulfill every one of his promises to Imelda. He wanted to prove himself to her in any way that he could! "Actually...I.. wanted you to be the first to hear it, Imelda.." The teen replied truthfully as he turned to gaze at her with a sheepish clutch of his wrist and a humble smile. It was more than a promise. He actually wanted Imelda to be the first the first to see and hear what he would write about, for the music that he only felt like writing was about her; and what better way to have the girl of your dreams be the first audience to hearing the music only meant for her?

The scrawny orphan breathed a sigh of relief that Imelda appeared to believe him that he actually came from a family. Even if it was a half-lie, given that he considered the orphanage his fake family, the last thing he wanted to do was lie even a little bit to Imelda. After the way it made him feel a little sick to his stomach afterwards, perhaps from the Catholic guilt, he promised himself that this would be the only lie that he would ever tell Imelda. Unfortunately, Héctor merely dreaded to think what would have happened if he had told the truth and this first date would end before it would even begin. He couldn't risk that. Not yet. Every moment he talked and learned about Imelda, the more he fell more and more in love with her. For the first time, the young musician didn't even open his guitar briefcase as he sat on the hill next to Imelda. Ernesto would probably say that this was the moment to tell her words to woo her, but he didn't. He was content in admiring the way the sunset hit her beautiful skin off her face and her shoulders. He smiled impressively as the sun's remaining gleams even seemed to almost light up that cactus flower in her raven hair. She appeared so ethereal, even her brown eyes took on a purple hue. The musician was far too enamored by her presence and how close her hand was next to his to even think about music. 

"Well, we're at a spot with quite the view for inspiration for a budding Compositor"

Héctor's heart skipped a few beats at the way Imelda supported him all the more, and he found himself silently sighing affectionately to himself as he drew a smile and turned to open his brief case to please Imelda with playing a song on his guitar. "You want to hear a song that is only meant for you?"  He asked with a smile, then instantly played a guitar riff that he never knew would one day be made famous by someone else. It was just what his heart told him to play by Imelda's mere presence. With that, he pulled out this old notebook as his songbook, then played the song that he played for Imelda yesterday, though the words might've been tweaked given that he tried to write the words that he remembered only after he sang it to her by heart. With a romantic melody playing on his guitar, he sang with a soft tone of voice: 

"Yo quiero solo una canción, una canción que llege hasta el corazón (I want to make a song, only a song that could even reach the heart)
Y que mis acordes vibra el alma con sensación y te-encordes (That my strings, just a string can reverberate your soul with sensation/feeling and entwine you)
Que un ritmo, de mis ritmos sea el latido que seguimos (That a rhythm, from my rhythms can be the heartbeat that we follow)
Es que quiero un baile, solo un baile que te envuelve conmigo (It's just that I want a dance, just a dance that will envelope/involve you with me)
Y lo que yo canto, que mi canto te lleva al cielo rojo y da encanto (And that what I sing, that my singing can lift you into the red skies and enchant you)."

The musician tossed her a playful smile when he corrected the blue skies to red skies, given that she insisted that the "sky was red" yesterday due to the sunset. Then, with a melodious version of his guitar riff using similar chords to harmonize the solo guitar riff, he continued to play and sing gently:

"Ay, que una canción, una canción llega hasta el corazón (Oh, that just a song, just a song that could even reach the heart)
Que la melodía, sea una melodía que te llene de pasión y alegría (That the melody, is a melody that fills you with passion and happiness)
De las cuerdas, que cada cuerda realiza un sueño que recuerdas (From the chords, that every chord fulfills a dream that you remember)
Y que mis letras, solo unas letras que un día me abren tus puertas (And that my lyrics, just some lyrics that can one day open your doors to me)."

Y entonces una canción, una canción llega hasta el corazón.." (And then can only a song, only a song could ever reach the heart)

With any hope, if Imelda could one day open the doors to her heart for him, he'd be the luckiest guy in the world. 

(I'll eventually come up with better english translations that would actually rhyme. I tend to rhyme my made up songs in Spanish for some reason sorry D:)

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda also should have noticed how close she was allowing Héctor to get, but she was genuinely interested in his answer, so that when she noticed his arm brush hers she did not snap at or hit him. She didn't comment to it either, and thankfully Héctor kept talking helping them both move past it.

"Actually...I.. wanted you to be the first to hear it, Imelda.."

She blinked, thinking over that and then gave a small smile. "I...would like that...", she admitted, not trying to hide that she actually would and being honest and forthcoming for once. That awareness that she was letting a lot of her walls crumble for this boy came back to Imelda, though outwardly she didn't show it so much.

She could still pull out if she wanted to, she told herself, if this didn't go well. She hadn't allowed too much to show. Yet just because Héctor didn't know how far she'd fallen didn't mean she didn't realize she was already too deeply in, whatever she allowed to show or not.

"You want to hear a song that is only meant for you?"

Again, it would have been sentimental drivel from anyone else and wouldn't have worked on her for one moment...but Héctor was so sincere about all of it. So she merely gave a small smile, "Sure", but instead of looking like the swooning other girls no doubt did around Ernesto, just batting their eyelashes and taking in every note, Imelda's smile still held a sort of half-amused expectation in it, like she was going to judge every note that came out!

She didn't really mean to look like that, and so pressuring, it was just that no-nonsense nature of hers. Even for a boy she was falling for.

Imelda recognized the song as sort of the same one he had sung before, but different.

He had just enough cheek of his own with that line about cielo rojo, taken from their discussion earlier, or her teasing toss out. Imelda narrowed her eyes playfully, but still with a smile to show she wasn't offended, more calling him out.

As she listened, she realized her own swirling thoughts might be close to revealing themselves, in admiration of the song, so she glanced down in an effort to still try to hide the effect this chico loco was having on her. Of course, once the song ended, she had to say something...

Tucking a strand of hair back behind her ear again, on the side with the cactus flower, though not intentionally, she faced Héctor again. "Well that settles it", she let that statement hang in the air a bit, and actually wasn't trying to string him along as much as it seemed before she went on, "You definitely should write your own music if that's the sort of thing you come up with".

While she might not have meant to tease as far as this statement did, Imelda did mean to veer the conversation a bit and actively avoid answering the not so hidden implications in the song of how she might feel about him.