“He’s such a mystery, Sel, and he’s related to Asher and Chad. It can’t be good," stated Moonflower. "What if he completely chews up your mega-beating heart? I wouldn’t be able to stand seeing you all destroyed and stuff.”
“I’ll be fine, Moonflower. Just great. You don’t have to worry.”
Selena tried not counting the minutes until lunch where she hoped she'd see him. Finally, she impatiently sat with Moonflower and Saul in the cafeteria. Xavier was nowhere to be found but then the door opened, and a miracle happened. He stepped in.
"Xavier, do you want to sit with us?" Selena asked as he walked to his favorite corner table, her heart beating so fast that she could hear it.
"Sure," he said, smiling his movie star sparkler.
Moonflower eyed him suspiciously. “So, how have you been, Xavier?” she asked with a tight voice, one eyebrow up.
“Fine, Moonflower,” he answered as he sat down next to Selena. “How are you?”
“I saw this very, very old movie the other day called The Blair Witch Project. Have you seen it?”
“Yes, why?”
“Dude, it’s a freaky movie, right?” Saul asked Xavier.
“I guess so.”
“Strange things exist around us—don’t you think?” Moonflower questioned, her eyes boring into him.
“Moonflower,” Selena interjected, “I’m sure that Xavier down’t want to hear about some weird movie.”
“Sorry, Xavier,” Moonflower murmured, not sounding sorry at all. “I just want to make sure you don’t crush my friend,” she blurted.
“Moonflower!” chastised Selena.
“It’s okay, Selena. I’m glad that Moonflower is protective of you. She’s a good friend.”
Moonflower grinned from ear to ear. “See, Sel. I’m being a good friend.”
"A very good friend," expressed Xavier.
The atmosphere at the table relaxed considerably. While Moonflower and Saul continuously chatted about band uniforms and new movies, Xavier and Selena made their own conversation.
“How’s your day going so far?” he asked her.
“Fine. What about yours?”
“Great,” he expressed.
They glanced at each other quietly.
“One hundred percent great,” he finished expressing.
By the time last period came around, Selena was having a difficult time hiding her anxiousness for the school day to draw to a close. She smiled at Xavier, meeting his inviting eyes before sitting down.
"Hi, again," he whispered behind her.
"Hello," Selena answered.
Later, when they finally arrived at Selena’s home, Mrs. Spinoza grinned from ear to ear.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Spinoza," Xavier greeted.
"Nice seeing you, Xavier," she said happily.
"I just wanted to come in and tell you I'm home," said Selena. "We'll be talking outside on the porch."
Xavier and Selena made themselves comfortable on the bench, and she waited patiently for him to start.
"I've never told anyone everything I'm about to tell you, Selena."
“You haven’t?”
“No.”
"Why?"
"I've never trusted anyone,” he stated, his eyes unblinking.
"Not even your family?"
"No."
"You've never had anyone you wanted to talk heart to heart to?"
"No."
"I'm sorry you've been so alone," Selena expressed sadly.
"I'm not alone anymore," he said as he took her hand and caressed it with his fingers.
"No, you're not."
"My family knows bits and pieces, but they don't know everything that's inside of me."
"What's inside of you?"
“You already know that I’m not the average person, right?”
“Right,” Selena said, giving him a warm smile.
“I haven’t had the most normal life.”
“What’s normal anyway?”
“Yeah, what’s normal?” he asked wryly.
“Tell me about yourself, Xavier.”
He sighed. "Let me start from the beginning, so you get a clear picture. When my father met my mother, he fell madly in love.”
“A lovestory,” she blurted.
“A difficult one.”
“Why difficult?”
“My father's family, being jerks, didn't approve of the marriage. She wasn't rich. She didn't come from the 'right' type of people."
Selena took in a nervous breath. "They didn't approve—"
"Hold on, Selena. Don't start being insecure about my family. This is one of the reasons I didn't want to tell you."
"But if your family didn't approve of—"
Xavier put his hand firmly on her shoulder. "I don't care what my family thinks, okay?"
"But—"
"Okay?" he asked with a firmer voice.
"Okay," Selena said, still shaky. Insecurities bubbled inside her like detergent in a fast washing machine.
"Anyway, my dad refused to give my mother up, and he married her. I came along a year later. Then when I was eight, my mother had a car accident . . . she was gone just like that."
"That must've been horrible for you."
"I felt like my mother had abandoned me, and my father was so heart broken that he abandoned me too. He checked out emotionally."
"So you really were left alone.” She ached with the extreme sadness of him being left in isolation.
"Since then my father has taken me from one country to another trying to get over my mother, but he can't.”
“He must’ve really loved your mother.”
“No matter how many places he moved us to, she went with us."
"Is that why you used to live in England?" Selena asked gently, not trying to intrude in his privacy but trying to be a true friend.
Xavier nodded disconcertedly. "Yes, and that's where I got in trouble."
"What do you mean?"
Xavier stared at the deck floor with desolation. "I did the most terrible thing—you can’t imagine what a horrible person I am.”
Chapter 33
"What happened?” Selena asked quietly.
"In England, you drive on the opposite side of the road from the United States, and here is where I learned to drive a car."
"What happened, Xavier?" Selena asked as gently as possible.
"I was on the wrong side of the road, and I hit a family head on."
"My gosh!"
"They were all badly hurt. Their two-year-old was in a comma for three months, and the mother barely made it." He choked as he got the words out.
"What happened to you?" Selena asked, needing to know.
"I was in a coma for a week."
"So you were hurt too."
"It doesn't matter what happened to me. I almost ended their lives. I almost left that family without a mother like I was left without mine.”
"Xavier, it was an accident,” Selena stated as strongly as she could. “It could happen to anyone."
"But it happened to me."
"My Grandmother Chela says that there are tragedies that happen to us human beings that we have to forgive ourselves, so we can move on."
"It's been hard."
"So is that why you live here with your uncle?" Selena asked, still needing to understand the full picture.
"My dad said he didn't want me wandering around the globe with him, getting in trouble, so he dumped me with my uncle,” Xavier answered bitterly.
"I'm sure he didn't mean to 'dump' you. He probably thought you'd be better off."
"He knows I can't stand this side of the family,” he said, angry and hurt. “My uncle Blake was the one who treated my mother the worse."
"Maybe your dad felt you needed more stability than what he could offer you."
Xavier nodded. "Maybe."
"For whatever reason, I'm glad you're here."
Xavier put his
arms around Selena, enveloping her in his warmth. "I'm glad I'm here too."
“You’re very special, Xavier.”
“No, I’m not,” he insisted.
“Yes, you are.”
“Do you really think that?” he asked, perplexed.
“Yes.”
“What else do you think about me? Especially now that I’ve laid my stuff on you?” he questioned.
“I think you’ve had a lot on top of you. Losing your mother has to be one of the worst things ever,” she said, shivering with the thought of her own mother dying. “But even with that tragedy inside of you, you’re still caring and kind along with smart and amazing.”
“Weren’t you the one who once called me strange?” he asked, chuckling.
“Let’s get this straight—I still think you’re strange.”
“You do?”
“How can I not? You’re so totally magnetic.”
“Magnetic?”
“It’s like stuff works weird around you.” Selena only had to look at her watch to make that statement with such assertion. It always speeded up when she was with him.
“Don’t be silly,” Xavier said uncomfortably.
“You’ve got to admit that you’re magnetic.”
“I’m not,” he rushed.
“You are.”
“All of us are electrical, Selena,” he said, annoyed.
‘Not like you.”
“Selena, stop being silly.”
“C’mon, Xavier, admit that you’re special.”
“Let’s drop this conversation, okay?” he asked nervously.
“But—“
“Let’s drop it.”
“I just want to say that you should stop hiding from your magnetic side. Yesterday night I thought about what you said—you know, about how we are meant to stay together or else we electrocute each other? Grandmother Chela has always told me that people have different systems moving inside of them, but these systems also move to the outside. You happen to be very electrical and I think it’s awesome! You’re awesome!”
Xavier smiled brightly. “Thanks, Selena. Thanks a lot, but you’re the one who's awesome. You really are.”
As Xavier and Selena waited for Mr. Spinoza to arrive home, Selena felt a closeness to him that she only shared with her family. Now a wall had been torn down but the last obstacle still remained.
When Mr. Spinoza arrived home, he didn't look too pleased to see Xavier. His mouth was drawn in a tight line, and his eyes squinted severely.
"I'd like to talk to you, Mr. Spinoza," Xavier said fearlessly.
Mr. Spinoza crossed his arms across his chest. "What about?"
"I'd like to have your permission to keep seeing your daughter."
"I can't do that. Your uncle and I go way back and not in a good way."
"Selena has told me about what happened with you and Uncle Blake."
"It's probably hard for you understand what your uncle put me through."
"I understand, Mr. Spinoza,” Xavier stated with a voice more mature than his years.
"What do you understand?" asked an angry Mr. Spinoza.
"My Uncle Blake was very ugly towards my mother. I only live with him because I have to. To be honest with you, I don't like him either."
Mr. Spinoza looked surprised. "You don't?"
"He's mean and arrogant, and he thinks these are good things to be."
"He treated your mother badly?"
Xavier’s dark eyes flashed fire. "He said my mother wasn't in the right class."
"So you see, Dad, Xavier does understand," stated Selena.
Mr. Spinoza went deep in thought. "I'm sorry, son. I still can't let you see my daughter. His blood still runs in yours."
Chapter 34
"Dad—"
“You can’t see my daughter anymore, Xavier.”
"Artemio, can I see you privately?" Mrs. Spinoza asked angrily with a strong voice that left no room for dissent.
Mr. Spinoza glanced at his wife and winced nervously. Being in trouble with her was about the worst position to be in. They stepped towards their bedroom as Mrs. Spinoza led the way by marching swiftly while Mr. Spinoza dragged at a snail’s pace.
"What do you mean you're not letting Xavier see Selena?" asked Mrs. Spinoza as soon as Mr. Spinoza shut the door.
"Belinda, don't be so upset."
"I'll be as upset as I want when it comes to my only daughter."
"She'll meet someone else. She doesn't need to get stuck on this one,” insisted Mr. Spinoza.
"She happens to care for this one."
"But he's the nephew of my worst nightmare,” declared Mr. Spinoza.
"I thought that my having had cancer had been your worst nightmare."
"Yes, nothing can ever be as bad as almost losing you."
"Then why are you still letting what happened so long ago affect your family?" Mrs. Spinoza asked, frustrated.
"You don't understand."
"I don't understand racism and discrimination? I don't understand people treating you like trash because of what you look like? Come on! Remember me with cancer?" she asked impatiently.
"I can't forgive Blake Montgomery for what he did to me. That type of humiliation is hard to forget. He treated me as if I wasn't a human being like him, as if I didn't deserve to be treated with respect. What kind of person thinks they're above God?"
"I'm not asking you to be Blake Montgomery’s friend. I'm asking you not to punish his nephew for what happened to you."
"But—"
"Don't 'but' me, Artemio. I've never been so ashamed of you."
"What do you mean?" Mr. Spinoza asked, hurt.
"You're thinking more about your stupid pride than your daughter."
"I'm not," he mumbled, shame in his voice.
"Yes, you are. You're putting your own selfishness above your daughter's happiness. Don't you remember how she took over the family when I had cancer, and you couldn't handle it? She took care of me, but she took care of you too."
"Yes," he said, lowering his eyes.
"And she never complained. She was so worried about us that whatever she felt, she swallowed."
"I remember."
"She's smart, she never gets into trouble, and she respects us. What more can you ask for?"
"I can't ask for more than that."
"Artemio, don't you ever get on your knees and thank God for her? I do."
"Yes, we couldn't have a better daughter."
"Then why are you doing this to her? If you tell her she can't see this boy, she's going to obey you and her heart will be broken. Is that what you want?"
"No, I don't want her to suffer."
"I remember when my parents told me I couldn't see you. My heart wouldn’t stop hurting."
"So did mine,” he stated.
"Parents get funny ideas in their heads sometimes, like you have right now. Remember why they didn't want me to see you?"
Anger flashed inside Mr. Spinoza. "They thought that I only wanted you so you could fix my papers."
"They thought all you wanted was a ticket into the United States."
“They were wrong,” he blurted angrily.
"It took months before we could convince them that you loved me."
"Those months were horrible,” assured Mr. Spinoza, memories struck him like spiked thorns in the desert,
"How much did you miss me, Artemio?"
"I don't like to even think about how bad that was."
"It's hard being apart when you want to be together."
"Your parents were so unreasonable."
"Like you are being now,” stated Mrs. Spinoza.
"But we were older. Selenita and Xavier are so young. They shouldn't be getting this stuck with each other at this age."
"Artemio," said Mrs. Spinoza impatiently. "This is the first time our daughter brings a boy home. You must never want her to have a boyfriend."
"Boyf
riends are trouble. I should know! I'm a male."
"We can't keep her to ourselves. She has to fall in love sometime."
Mr. Spinoza's eyes were shiny. "I wish she'd never have to leave us, Belinda. Why can't she live with us forever?"
"She has to make her own life."
Mr. Spinoza sighed. "Okay, Belinda. I won't get in the way of Xavier seeing our daughter, but he'd better be good to her."
Mrs. Spinoza nodded. "I think he'll treat our daughter with love.”
"I wish Selenita never had to get hurt."
"But unfortunately, that's life."
Mr. and Mrs. Spinoza stepped back into the living room where Selena and Xavier sat quietly. Xavier tapped his finger on the cocktail table and Selena stared outside the window with concern.
"I've decided that I'm not going to hold your uncle against you," Mr. Spinoza told Xavier.
"Thank you, Mr. Spinoza," said Xavier with a relieved smile.
"Thanks, Dad," gushed Selena.
"Don't make me regret this," said Mr. Spinoza, still speaking to Xavier.
"I won't," stated Xavier.
"Now, can I please have my dinner?" Mr. Spinoza asked.
“Yes, you can have it now,” Mrs. Spinoza said, chuckling.
"Do you think Zac is okay?" Selena asked.
She was showing Xavier how to milk a cow. He had insisted on it, saying he had always wanted to learn. Eleanor glanced at him with patience and tolerance.
"Why do you ask?" Xavier questioned.
"He hasn't squealed at you."
"We have an agreement," stated Xavier as he kept trying to squeeze milk out of Eleanor.
"What kind of an agreement?"
"That I'm your boyfriend, and he's like your brother."
Selena laughed. "He agreed to that?"
Zac gave a tremendous oink.
"I guess that answers that," Selena commented.
But actually she wasn't surprised. Her troop had accepted Xavier. In fact, they were surrounding him, watching him with amusement at how he was trying to milk Eleanor.
"This is harder than I thought," said Xavier with traces of frustration in his voice.
Zac squealed as if he was making fun of Xavier.
"That's not nice, Zac," Selena scolded.
"You try this if you think this is so easy," growled Xavier.
Zac immediately stopped his high pitched shrill.
"It's all about the rhythm of your hands and getting the hang of it," Selena explained.
Milk finally started spraying out, and Xavier looked relieved. The chickens started clucking, and Sor Juana gave a leap.
"Thanks for cheering me on," stated Xavier.
Eleanor looked at him as if saying, "It's about time."
After Xavier and Selena took the milk bucket to the kitchen, Mr. Spinoza loaned them his truck so they could go out. Mrs. Spinoza had convinced him to let them borrow it, and he agreed as long as Selena did the driving.