Romeo and Juliet is a Toxic Love Story [Miguel Diaz x OC]

10 - Snakes and Soapboxes

Mig

-good news!!

-Sam and i are going on a date!

-well, not a date, but like, a hangout,

but yknow, it's kinda like a date

-don't tell her i said that

you can rest assured that i won't say-

a word to her abt it

-you're the best Renée

-see you at training!

see you at training-

"Por supuesto que fue a por ella con su cabello perfecto y sus bonitos ojos azules y no siendo de cinco pies y ocho pulgadas y- (of course he went for her with her perfect hair and her pretty blue eyes and not being five foot eight inches and-)" I pause, looking back at my Poe Dameron poster, "I sound crazy, don't I? I mean, I don't even like him like that. You believe me, don't you?"

Silence.

"Thank you. You know, I bet if I was full French he'd like me more," I continue nonchalantly. Poe just stares, as posters do. My heart pangs.

"You're right, I should be proud to be Latina, I know, I know."

More silence.

"I'll take your ever piercing gaze to mean that you agree with me. You understand how I feel, right? Like Finn went after Rey and Rose and you were right there, right there. Except I don't actually like Miguel. Say something if you think otherwise,"

Again, silence.

"¡Bueno! Glad to know you're with me here," I say, "mierda... I should get ready for karate. Great talk."

I'm trying to get there before Xalvador gets home from work. I've been avoiding him, for the most part. Leaving early for school, not coming home until after karate with Mr LaRusso, rushing to the shower, and then running to my room and locking the door... I don't hate my brother. It's nothing like that, it's never anything like that... but I hate when he tries to act less like my protective older brother and more like my dad... I haven't had good experiences with fathers, or "fathers", I should say... and usually Xalvador is just fine at being my older brother and nothing more... I get it... it's hard for him... he can't live a normal life because he's stuck taking care of me. It's not like Colette is doing anything... I just... can't deal with him when he treats me like that. Not right now. Not with everything that's going on with Miguel and starting to train with Robby and working out how that boy feels about me and trying not to let down Sensei and Mr LaRusso and... it's just a lot right now, and I just... I'll fix it. I always do. I just... need some time, just a little more time. That's all. That's all.

—

Miguel, Hawk, Aisha, and I all stretch in a circle, doing various things to ensure we don't pull anything during class. Aisha and I have gotten to know each other better. She's cool, and she understands what it's like to be bullied- we all do. It's nice to have another friend.