The Last Candle

Market Meeting

And she was not going to scream bloody murder at the sky, hoping her tia or primo heard her. That would be... that would be a very bad idea. It would fuel all the rumours that the people from the outskirts were crazy, deranged, and sociopathic.

When she finally turned a corner, Valeria's breath caught up in her throat.

The market was full, the people bustling around and calling greetings to one another. The rain had lessened to a light sprinkle, and already people were milling around, calling greetings and discussing the gifting ceremony that night. Valeria made a face. The poor kid who was getting the gift. He was going to be trapped by this suffocating town for the rest of his life.

She would never envy someone like him.

Any of the Madrigals, really. They had to actually talk to people that weren't from their immediate family or close neighbors.

That was one of Valeria's nightmares.

"Twelve eggs for sale! Twelve eggs for sale!" A man called out from beneath a green and yellow tarp, his voice loud with a squeak at the end.

"Beaded necklaces for 4000 pesos!"

"A full portrait of the Madrigal family to hang in your room- with a miracle candle replica!"

Valeria bypassed the people, smiling at those who looked at her and trying to keep the apprehension off of her face. She didn't want to be rude, sands, they all probably thought she was a hermit who hated people.

Which wasn't really untrue. She didn't like these people. Or these people. 

But she hated the thought of people thinking little of her more, of being labelled something rude. It ticked her off.

Stupid cloth. Cisco couldn't have gone himself to get the roll? Why did he have to be hanging out with his oh-so-awesome friends today, of all days? The market was more busy than usual because of the upcoming ceremony. Perhaps he had an ulterior motive. Cisco had been bugging her to get out of their barrio for a while now, and this was one of the busiest days he could have picked for the errand.

Devious cousin. I'm going to kill him.

Just because he could make friends anywhere and everywhere didn't mean the Valeria wanted to.

Ahh, there was a cute shop that had cloth. Valeria shouldered her way through the crowd, trying not to bump into anybody. She mumbled an apology for the people she so much as brushed, ducking her head and avoiding their gaze. Please don't start a conversation with, please don't start a conversation with me, please-

She reached the shop's door, yanking it open and darting inside so fast that the world blurred around her for a few seconds. It was warm, much warmer than outside. Valeria breathed a sigh of relief, looking around the small space. There were tons of racks, even shelves with needles and threads, everything one would need to sew practically anything.

It made her wish she could sew. But that was Cisco's pasatiempo, not hers.

And bloody fingers weren't something on her wish list.

"Can I help you?" A pretty lady asked from behind the counter. She was short, her face round and her eyes wide. Her hair was a fiery orange that was pulled back in a loose braid that had strands falling around her ears and forehead. Wisps of grey were starting to show, and there were sweet laugh lines around her eyes and mouth.

She looked like someone who had a life full of joy and happiness.

And ease. Was she one of the people who couldn't use her brains to fix her own problems? Valeria shoved the thought away.