BODYGAURD

SINGING WITH MY HERMANA.

"C'mon Inez, please. I'm begging you. Please just help me do this." I begged her for the thousandth time today.

"No. No puedo Maria Azul. I just can't. I haven't sung a song in years and I don't know how I'll sound. I'm not doing it." Inez argues.

"Oh por favor Inez. Please. I can't do it alone. I get stage fright and it's not helping. The event is six days from now Inez, six. I need you to be with me up there." I begged. She shook her head, making my heart drop further into my stomach.

"Uh-uh. Lo siento Maria. I can't." she says as she throws a punch at the bag.

"Okay then, you can come to training with me. I talked it over with Queen Auradona and Prince Dario and King Arturo too and they say that if it helps me then they'll accept it. Oh please, please help me here." I tell her.

"Maria..." she trails of and stops punching. "Look, I haven't sung in years. Not since I was five. My parents heeded it when I sang. They always said that it was very stupid." She said and I frowned. What kind of people are they?

"Um no offense to them or you but, what kind of people do you live with?" I asked. Inez gasped and punched my shoulder with a small smile on her face. I raised my hands up in surrender.

"Don't ever say that Maria. They just don't like music for some reason." She said with a laugh. I shook my head then looked at her hopefully.

"So will you do it?" I asked. She sighed about to reject it but I stopped her. "Oh, if you're worried about your parents then I could ask Queen Auradona if we could have masks. You know, so our identities will be kept secret. Will that work?" I asked hopeful.

"Maria Azul i-"

"Oh c'mon Inez, please? For your sister?" I said with a cynical smile. She laughed.

"Eres no mi hermana Maria." She said mid laughter. I laughed alongside. After a while I took in a deep breath and said the words that made me the happiest woman in the world. Well second, the first was Dario telling me that he loves me. I'm so falling for him too. "Okay, fine. I'll do it." I squealed but she cut me off. "But only this one time Maria." She says and I continue to squeal and hug her tightly in the process. She yelps and laughs. After I let go she shakes her head at me. "I swear you were born crazy." I shrug.

"Oh what, I'm nineteen. Let me have my fun and don't tell me you aren't just as crazy as I am." I comment. She chuckled and went back to punching the hell out of that punching bag. I rushed to the throne room and knocked twice before entering. Queen Aura and King Arturo both stared at me hopefully. I faked being sad for a while and their faces just dropped but slowly a smile made its way onto my face and they both smiled with relief. I nodded.

"She'll do it." I affirmed. They both chuckled.

"Great. Then tomorrow you and Senorita Bruno will start training together for the event. Hopefully she'll be as good as you." Queen Aura says. I nod and sigh. This better work. It's the only thing I'm counting on.

***

So today, Inez and I train together. She and I have been up and to tell you that Inez sings well is an understatement. Her voice was a bit rusty at first but then slowly she got a hang of it she sounds amazing. Singing together is going to make everyone's mouth hang open at the event. We're to meet Queen Auradona and Dario at the Music and Dance Institute Of Espaa. it's pretty great there. I've made a couple of friends there too. It's all good. Queen Auradona and Prince Dario are in the first Music room on the music floor. I led Inez there, all the way encouraging her that she was going to be okay. She would occasionally cuss me out for making her do this but I would laugh and tell her she'll be fine. We were finally there and she was in front so she had to open the door. Her breathing was shallow and she kept fidgeting with her fingers. I put a hand on her shoulder.