"Yeah...I think so," Beatriz said, standing up slowly. "Wow. I don't even know how to thank you." She found that she was lost for words. She couldn't even meet his eyes. What was wrong with her? "How did you even...get there in time? Weren't you inside the building?"

"I was coming outside when I saw you" he lied smoothly. He wished he could look into her eyes but she kept looking away

"Oh. Wow," Beatriz said, shaking her head. She still couldn't believe it. Her life could've ended right then and there. She could've died. "Thank you...so much." Finally, finally, she looked up to meet his eyes.

"Your welcome" he said, looking deep into her eyes. He didn't know why but he felt like they were pulling him in or something. She smelled...way too good for her own good. He took a towards the store. "I think you should come back inside for a moment. Don't want you to go into shock" he said worriedly

"Ah! I can't," Beatriz said, shaking her head firmly. "I-I have to head home." She knew she sounded rude, but it couldn't be helped. Her sisters were probably going insane. "Gracias!" she called over her shoulder, hurrying down the street before he could protest.

He watched her go, confused for many reasons, but simply went back inside to try and recover himself. He picked up the books and paid for them then went home. He told his sister, Anna, about what happened. They had only just moved there and didn't know anyone.

"Home!" Beatriz announced, but she hadn't needed to. Her youngest sister, Maria, had crowded around her as soon as the front door opened. Their scrawny labrador retriever trailed after her.
"Bibi!" Maria, Bea's six year old sister, wailed. "Rosi won't give me my Barbie doll back! Make her give it to me!"
"The entire Barbie doll line is just a stupid government conspiracy to get all women to starve themselves, trying to look to sticks, therefore crushing all the accomplishments of the feminist movement," Rosita spouted from her spot in front of the television. For a twelve year old, she had a large vocabulary. "So, no, I'm not handing it back. Play with a Rubix's cube or something."

"Wow. Maybe we'll see her at school or something" Anna said as she printed out a receipt for clothes after shopping online. "I got you some new clothes. The old ones we brought were too dusty"
He looked at it and sighed, "You know, we always stick out because you get the most expensive, name-brand things you can find..."
"I know, I know, you don't like the guys who approach you but it works out. I always get to sit with you. Popular table and all that. It's always fun for me" she reminded him
He rolled his eyes. "That's because you get all the guys. I don't usually date" he reminded her.
"That's got nothing to do with it" she said, looking back at the screen

"Rosi!" Beatriz warned, slipping off her shoes and crossing the room to where she sat. "Give the doll back."

Rosi lounged on the sofa, the doll crushed between her arm and the sofa. She wore baggy jeans with holes in them and a black shirt with a chain on it. "No," she snarled back. "And it's 'Zi.'"

He laughed at her. "As if. At the last town, your 2 years of high school you had a total of 233 boyfriends," he teased, "I had...oh yeah, NONE"
"Oh please! You were SO into that Karen girl" she challenged, glaring daggers at him
He rolled his eyes. "You set me up with her. And I'm a gentlemen so I was nice to her"

There was a thumping sound over head. "What was that?" Beatriz demanded, already dreading the answer. Suddenly, her two younger siblings were silent. "Tell me," she demanded. Rosita and Maria shared a look.
"Dad went loco, that's what happened," Rosita snarled. She stood up. "Too bad you weren't here, huh." With that, Rosita yanked open the front door.
"Rosi!" Beatriz called out, reaching out a hand to stop her. Maria tugged on her arm. Beatriz watched the door slam and sighed.

"Yeah yeah Caspian. But I've got a good feeling about this place though. When you were driving I spotted at LEAST 27 hot guys. This place is rich!" she said smugly. Caspian merely shook his head and headed to watch some TV.

"We're going out, okay?" Beatriz said to Maria. "Go get your jacket." She just didn't want to deal with her father today.
"Okay!" Maria said brightly. "Can we go to the park? I want to see the duckies."
I hate ducks, Beatriz thought. She smiled anyway and said, "Sure. Whatever you want."

"Well I'm going to the park to scout out some other guys. I'll try not to bring them back" she said in her giggly, charming voice.

Caspian sighed. "Seriously, you shouldn't be going around getting everyone you want. Your messing with other girls' destiny"

She scoffed. "Oh whatever. Stupid mortals will get them back eventually" she said as she headed out. "Bye"

Beatriz held Maria's hand as they walked along the porch. She quietly clicked the door shut as her sister went on and on about the park. "The last time I went to the park," she was saying, "I was with my friend Wendy and she had some ducky food so we fed the duckies. They were furry and warm. I liked them." She gazed at Beatriz expectantly.
"Wow," the older sister said, faking enthusiasm. They started down the sidewalk.