Let's make music

The Journey

As you three walked you also talked getting to know each other a bit better. Miguel and you really hit it off once he learned that you liked to sing. He tried convincing you to but that conversation ended rather abruptly.

"Come on just one song." Miguel persuaded walking in front of you slightly.

"No mi amigo. I only sing on special occasions. Since mama didn't want me to sing and my uncle hates my voice. Besides-" you muttered rubbing your arm as you paused. Your brain was trying to explain why. But your heart kept rejecting the explanations it came up with.

"I have this thing." You uttered after a few seconds of silence. "I can't sing in front of people."

"You are no Ernesto nina." Hector said over his shoulder somewhat bitterly. "De la Cruz would always showboat."

You rose a brow. In confusion and slight suspicion. "Why do you sound jealous Hector?" It's not like he did I anything to you." The last statement was more of a question or a prodding statement. Meaning simply that, you wanted to know why Hector had something against your ancestor.

And the statement would coax Hector into telling without you actually asking anything. As you had expected Hector tensed then looked back over his shoulder at you with a glare.

You only met his gaze with a confused one. Hiding away the achievement in your eyes.

"I hate musicians." Hector grumbled quietly. So much so, that only you heard and Miguel hadn't seemed to.

Suddenly you tripped on a rather sharp rock. A pain ripped through your leg and you gasped landing on you knees and biting your lip to keep from yelping as the fresh wound smacked the ground hard and then had your body's pressure on it to keep you up.

"Nina!" Hector shouted kneeling next to you within a second.

Miguel was also by your side in a flash and pulled you off your knees. He was trying to get you to stand but you leg gave out and you let out a hiss. This time Hector caught you.

"Let me handle this chamaco." Hector said gently and he pulled the ascot off from around his neck but he froze seeing it was dirty. "We'll have to use yours nina." You froze at the statement.

Your mind raced back to that morning. You were positive your neck had stopped bleeding but at the same time they would ask questions. And what were you going to say? What would Miguel think of you? He hadn't kept any secrets from you. And here you were hiding everything.

"Nina you're bleeding badly. You can clean it later!" Hector said panickedly his hand outstretched. He had mistaken your hesitance for a fondness of the cloth.

"That's not what I'm worried about." You whispered as you started to untie the ascot. With your head bowed you took off the ascot and handed to hector. You felt Miguel tense next you you and Hector gasped.

Your eyes remained on the ground. But Hector soon snapped from his shock and wrapped the ascot around your leg. When he finished you pushed yourself up, tested your leg, and when you found you would indeed be able to walk on it you continued onward not wanting to give the boys time to ask questions. But Hector caught you by the shoulders.

"Nina, what happened to your neck?" He seemed confused but his eyes seemed to study you for further injury. And he found what he was looking for.

In the tumble your jacket had come off slightly revealing your arms and your collarbone. Your arms were covered in black bruises, your collar bone had scrapes and cuts and your shoulders were practically purple from bruising.

"Nina?" Was all Hector was able to utter. So many questions swarmed in his eyes. You felt guilt smack you as you also saw hurt. Suddenly you felt the tears brimming in your eyes. Squeezing them shut you pulled out of hector's grasp and turned away. You wouldn't cry not now. Not tonight.