Kingstone & Drama Queens

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***Kingston & Drama Queens*** is the second episode of the series. It introduces characters Sydney Walsh and Lily Blitt. It is written by Sis

**Plot**

It is Andrés' big night, as the Kingstone Party happens, his first big gig. Cecilia gets a visit from someone she wasn't expecting. One character learns just how painful love can be. Nathaniel receives an ultimatum. A character does something that shocks everyone, including themselves.

# Kingstone & Drama Queens

It is all a coincidence, but the three of them stand in front of the mirror, while ‘2 On’ by Tinashe plays on the radio. Cecilia stares into her reflection, wondering if the girl she used to be is still alive in there. The face is a bit different, and she feels different as well, but there are little parts of her there. She isn’t able to remember when the last time she could affirm she loved herself was, but she is able to find little things she likes about herself. Her eyes still spark like they used to, and this tells her that there is still life inside of her, she just doesn’t know how much of it. Emmanuel poses in front of the mirror, feeling awkward, to say the least. He moves his hands gently and checks himself out in front of the mirror. The beat of the song is sexy and hot, and he wants to dance to it, but doing it there, staring at himself, seems like a creepy thing to do. So he starts off slowly, moving one foot at a time. If he is going to break out of his shell and become who he is, break out of his chains, he needs to be confident enough to do things out of feeling, and not overthink them. He dances, and moments later, he is losing himself in the beat. Valentina tries on different dresses for an event. She looks at the pile of clothes on top of her bed and wonders if she could be doing something better with her time. Testing outfits hasn’t ever been one of her favorite things to do, but it wasn’t until recently that it became nearly unbearable. She diverges between appearance and comfort. Her choice of clothing is purely based on comfort, whenever she gets to pick them. Pants, sneakers and a loose shirt sound like her perfect choice of outfit for a lazy Saturday morning. She puts the dresses aside and gets her favorite clothes out of the closet. Wearing a blue shirt with the sleeves twisted up, grey jean pants and her old, but loved, blue Converse shoes, she stands in front of the mirror. Under those clothes, with no makeup on and messy hair, there isn’t much of the glamorous TV princess people know and love, but there *is* the one she truly is. She stares deep into her reflection and asks herself if dressing that way can kill femininity and her image. She is certain people would say that it does, but she thinks she looks just fine. A wild idea takes over her thoughts. She pulls her hair up, wraps it tightly and tucks it under a skater cap, then throws on a sweater over her shirt, and pulls out a forgotten skateboard from under her bed. It has “Sk8tr GRL” printed on it. She doesn’t feel like being Valentina Gutierrez today, so she decides to pretend she is someone completely different. Before she leaves the house, concealed under the best non-Valentina look she can make up, she takes one more look into the mirror. As strange as it may sound, by pretending not to be herself there, she realizes she has never felt more genuine in her life.

It is 9:00 in the morning, but his father is still asleep. “He must have had another late night last night,” he thought. Zachary is having breakfast, when his phone buzzes with a new text message. He can’t contain the smile on his face when he sees who sent it. “VAL” flashes on the screen.

“R we good 4 2nite? Can’t wait 2 c u.”

He feels a wave of excitement when he reads it. Valentina is not just the girl he loves; she is also his best friend in the world. “Y. Pick u up @ 8?” he sends back.

“8 is gr8. What r u doing?”

“Breakfast. U?”

“Just out the house. Gonna call u.”

It takes a few seconds for her the phone to ring. Valentina’s laughter – Zach’s ringtone for his girlfriend – fills the room. He taps ‘accept’.

— Hey, babe. — He says.

— Hey, baby. Did you talk to your dad about the party? Does he know you’re going?

— Not yet. I know I should have. I’m sorry. I think he got home pretty late last night, so he’s still asleep, but I promise I’m gonna talk to him as soon as he wakes up. — He shoves a spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

— You didn’t ask him yet? Zach! What if he says no? — The girl protests. — You said you would last Monday. It’s Saturday.

— I know! I’m gonna do it, don’t worry. The only thing you should worry about is getting us in.

— I got that covered. Being a celebrity has its perks. — She says. — In the background, people shout, and skateboards make ripping noises, as they scrape the ground and hit the floor.

— I guess. Speaking of being a celebrity… Can I visit you on set this week? — He asks. His voice is slightly higher.

— Um… I don’t think so… I know you were really excited about that, but I don’t think it’s gonna work.

— What do you mean? Didn’t you say there’s a live audience next episode? I could be in there, just get me the tickets. I’ll pay for them. — The boy begs.

— You know that’s not how it works. There’s a lot more behind it than just getting tickets and passes. Renato is gonna be there. I have people with eyes on me– OW! — She cries out, as one of the skaters hits her.

— What is that? What just happened? — Zachary asks. — Val? Are you alright?

— Yeah, I’m fine. Some random guy just bumped into me. I almost dropped my phone.

— Some random guy? Where are you?

— Just taking a walk. It’s a beautiful day out.

— You know, I understand you, and you know I support you, but this whole Renato thing is starting to get to me. This is us on the line, Val. — Zach says. His appetite goes away all of a sudden, and he tosses the bowl of cereal into the sink and turns water on. He blankly watches the soggy cornflakes swirl around and then go down.

— Look, it’s not my fault. I am so grateful for you, you’re amazing. But this is for my career. If you could just wait a couple more months, we are going to be done with this and I’ll be all yours. — Valentina pleads. The doorbell rings and gives Zachary the excuse he needs to finish the call.

— Ugh. Look, I gotta go. Someone’s at the door. I’ll see you tonight, okay? — He says

— Okay. — She responds, in a hushed and low tone. She wants to say more, and her mouth opens a bit, but he hangs up before she can say anything else.

Valentina stares at her phone for a few seconds, registering the talk they just had. Her head was full of things when she left home, and now it was even more confused. She watches the skaters, and then decides to hop on a board herself, hoping to forget things for a while.

Zachary lets out a long and drawn out sigh. In two weeks, it is going to be the four months anniversary of their relationship, and they share such a deep connection, so he can’t understand why she keeps shutting him out for the stupid fake relationship she maintains with co-star Renato Bosse. He isn’t sure if he can talk to his father about it. Not that he doesn’t trust his father, or doesn’t feel comfortable with him, on the contrary; they share a very open relationship. But he doesn’t know if that’s the kind of thing he wants to be talking about or just pretending it isn’t real. The feelings of doubt consume him. He thinks that maybe she doesn’t actually like him, or that she might be using him for something. He thinks that she does love him, she is just afraid to let it grow. Maybe he isn’t being clear enough about his own feelings. One thing *is* clear for him: he can’t take much longer of being stuck in limbo with her. They hang out and they have a great time together, she seems genuinely happy when she’s with him, but in other times, she just seems very distant and like she’s looking for excuses to push him away. His mind is going crazy, but when he opens the door, things stops for a second. Standing in front of him is a gorgeous woman. Her name is Sydney Walsh, and she is a supermodel. She is taller than him, and her hair is the same color as his, only lighter and brighter; she has big and seductive green eyes that suck you in, if you look at them long enough, like a cat’s. For those unbeknownst, they could be mistaken for siblings. She isn’t much older than him, anyway. Her body is fit and her skin bronzed. She also happens to be dating his father. The lady opens a wide grin when she sees him.

— Zachy! I’ve missed you! — She says, in a British accent, as she makes herself at home and enters the apartment. Zach just looks at her, silently. — Where’s your father?

— Hey, Sydney. He’s– — before he can finish his sentence, Zach sees his father coming from the bedroom. He looks as shocked to see her there as his son is.

— I’m here. — Nathaniel says, walking towards his girlfriend, with a confused look on his face. A deep line forms on his forehead. Her smile looks like it could barely fit on her face when she sees the man with disheveled red hair.

— Good. We have a *lot* to talk about.

Zachary and his dad exchange a look, before he leaves the room and gives them privacy. If his father comes out alive of that, he is definitely asking for advice.

Emmanuel enters the coffee shop for the third time since he saw that drag queen. He hopes to find her there again. The place is crowded, as usual, but the pretty boy he saw the other day isn’t there. He orders a latte and picks a chair, figuring that, if he stays there while he drinks his coffee, something interesting might happen again. While he’s there, he thinks of all the people in his life; his father, whom he loves, but watches him kill that feeling every day; his mother, someone he loves even more, and misses just as much, and those feelings only grow with time; his best friend, Cecilia, someone he met under very strange circumstances, but seemed to understand him better than most people in his life; not that he had many of those. He looks around, seeing all those customers and thinks of her, particularly about her ability to understand people. She always finds a way to break down his walls, and he knows that she does that with everyone. Watching that is equally fascinating and intimidating. On one side, he feels deeply about her, and the fact that she can connect with him, even when he doesn’t think others can, is very comforting, but he can’t help but feel small in comparison; not when he has the weight of his insecurities pulling him down. Somehow, that feels necessary: to have someone who can inspire him, but at the same time, challenge him and sometimes work as a rival.

Right now, what is bothering him is the fact that he has nothing to show for. While his friend is moving forward and getting herself back up, he stands just as lost as he was months ago, out of purpose. So he thinks that if he talks to other people, watches the world around, he might just get the inspiration he needs to find himself. The cling of the entrance bell snaps him out of his daze and he watches as a guy walks into the shop; his face looks a bit familiar. It takes several minutes, and by the time he figures it out, the guy has his order in hand and is on his way out, but he gets it: that guy is the girl from the other day. That is his moment, but he doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t even understand what pulls him in, but in a swift move, almost as if his limbs are moving on their own, he gets up and heads for the exit.

— What do you mean you don’t know what I’m doing here? — Sydney shouts at Nathaniel. She looks offended, while he looks utterly confused. — I came to surprise you, that’s why. And I’d expect you to be more enthusiastic about it.

— Oh, you’ve surprised me, alright? And I’m not– You just caught me off guard. — He says.

— It wouldn’t be a surprise if I called you and let you know, now, would it? — Her tone is so incisive and filled with sarcasm that it makes the man want to burst out laughing, but he figures that wouldn’t be the wisest decision under the circumstances.

— I didn’t mean to offend you, I’m sorry. This was a good surprise. — He gives her a kiss and hopes that it’ll soothe her. — I’m sorry. How was your trip?

She gives him a look, but puts down the sword.

— It was fine. And ever so tiring. I was hoping… — She says, grabbing him by the collar of his robe and pulling him closer, bringing them an inch closer every time she spoke. — That you could… take me into the bedroom… and help me relax.

Nathaniel doesn’t have much time to think of what to say. Instead, he lets his body react automatically and lifts Sydney up and carries her into his bedroom. The girl laughs out loud, like a hyena. Having her around could really hurt Nathaniel’s plan. She demands lots of attention throughout the day, whenever she is around, and that could get in the way of completing his job.

Cecilia comes out into her living room to find a brown-haired girl helping herself to a glass of milk. Her first instinct is to shout and grab a potential weapon, but when the girl turns around, she is surprised to see who it is.

— Lilly? — Cecilia asks. The girl wipes her mouth and then speaks.

— Hey there, sister! Happy to see me?

— Hi… Andrés isn’t here.

—  I’m aware. — The other girl says. She takes her glass of milk and walks up to the sofa. — I’m here to see you.

— And to go through my groceries, I see. — Both girls laugh with that. — So, what can I help you with? You know, besides providing wholesome nutrition. — Cecilia says, pointing to the glass.

— I was wondering if you could help me pick out an outfit for the K. — Lilliana’s eyes shift around the room, like she’s looking for something important. Cecilia notices it and tries to follow her while she speaks.

— The K? — She asks. — I’m not sure of what that is. — For a reason Cecilia couldn’t fathom, the question makes Lilliana giggle. At that, Cecilia shifts in her seat.

— The Kingstone party. Andrés and I call it “The K” for short. It’s an inside thing. — Lilliana responds.

— Right. — Cecilia responds, with a nod.

— So, will you help me out? I want to give my boyfriend more than just support on his big night. I want to give him incentive to absolutely kill it.

— Okay, I guess. — Cecilia says. — Just take me wherever you wanna go.

— Great! Let's go now, then. Before he gets home. You know... This is great. I can't think when was the list time I've seen you so... Lucid like this. -- Liliana says, while grinning, and walks ahead. Behind her, Cecilia rolls her eyes. The two leave the apartment, on the search for a dress for Andrés’ girlfriend, Lilliana Blitt.

As soon as he exits the shop, the air seems heavier than Emmanuel was accustomed to. His heart races and his feet are hard to move. From a distance, he sees the guy he was looking for. He stands by a mailbox, with a cigarette in one hand and his cup of coffee in the other. Emmanuel wants to go there, and he wants to be bold, and he wants to bust out of his comfort zone, but things are turning out to be a lot harder in practice than they were in theory. His body tenses up, in frustration. He feels foolish and ridiculous, after all, it’s just a random guy. But random as he might be, he’s still subversive, and that scares Emmanuel too.

After a pause, he realizes he’s been staring, like a creep, and his feet start moving. It’s now or never. The guy should be halfway through his cup of coffee by then, and is almost done with his cig, and looks very intimidating. He is tall, lean and has a funny hairdo, with one side shaved and some hair that falls to the other side. He wears colorful clothes that seem to go well with his skin tone; he seems to be Mediterranean or mixed race. With all his awkwardness, Emmanuel manages to speak before the guy has the chance to see him.

— Excuse me. — Emmanuel’s shoulders are pulled in tight, and he walks a bit low. Perhaps that is how he protects himself from what intimidates him. The man turns to him, widens his gaze and tilts his head, as if saying ‘yes?’, without saying a word

“Excuse me. Um… I, uh… You don’t know me, but I’ve seen you the other day and–“

— Honey, what’s your name? Take a breath. I know I prompt a lot of reactions, but starstruck is a first. — The man says, with a laugh. Emmanuel swallows hard.

— I’m Spears. Emmanuel Spears.

— See? That is a FIERCE (the man snaps his finger at the word “fierce”) name, right off the bat! And how may I help you, mister Spears?

— Well, I was here a couple days back, and I saw you come in… except you weren’t you. — Emmanuel feels his breath even and he becomes more at ease. It’s not every day he approaches people to tell them he was fascinated by them in drag. The guy wasn’t particularly super attractive out of drag, and that wasn’t what caught Emmanuel’s attention, anyway, but that didn’t stop the man from giving him an ironic and shady look, with a side smirk.

— Was I in drag? You recognized me pretty quick. Caught a good look, hun? — The guy says, with an affected laughter. — I’m Adam Johnson, by the way. Emmanuel can feel his cheeks heat up.

— No, no. It’s nothing like that! — He says, waving his hands. — I mean, not that you’re not attractive or anything. I just… I don’t know. You looked so confident, so, in control and comfortable.

— Oh. I see it. You’re here for tips on how to come out? How to burst into the drag world? — Adam tosses his empty coffee cup in a trash can.

Emmanuel hadn’t really thought of what he’d say up until “hello”, so he paused, trying to collect his feelings and figure out what exactly he wanted from Adam.

— I… I already came out, but my father isn’t exactly giving me ‘Best Son Ever’ mugs for Christmas after that. — Emmanuel said. — I just liked the way you walked and, I don’t know, I thought that, maybe, if I talked to you about it, I could soak up a bit of it, and yeah, maybe you’d even tell me how do I get to be so comfortable in my own skin.

— Normally, I wouldn’t foster stray gays, but I like you, kid. — Adam responds. — Besides, I can kinda see a lot of myself in you. I was once afraid too. Even after I was out for a while. But one night a friend drags me into this shitty gay bar that smelled like old fart and cheap tequila aaaaall over the place. I might have had an outer-body experience three of four times, just so I could go out and breathe. I later came to find out that was just what a bunch of men smelled like when put together in a tight and room. Anyway.

“It was my first time going to a gay bar, right? I was out of my mind with fear. There I was, in a room full of people that were just like me, and yet, I felt dislocated, intimidated; like I could break at any second. So I glued myself to the bar and wouldn’t leave unless Madonna herself came and dragged me out into the floor. Perhaps not even then.”

— I haven’t been to a gay… anything, ever. — Emmanuel confesses.

— No kidding, queen! — Adam teases. Emmanuel smiles shyly. He thinks it’s funny to be called “queen” by another man.

— So, what happened then? — The boy asks.

— Well, I was pretty much set on spending the rest of the night sitting there. But then it happened. The lights on a little stage light up and this shimmery goddess comes out, and everyone cheers for her. Her name was Tanya Skyrocket. Not one of my favorite names, but the queen herself was fabulous. After watching her perform, something changed for me. I got up and I told my friend I wanted to do it.

— Performing in drag?

— Yass! Haven’t you been listening, girl? — Adam snaps, pulling his body back and making a face. — Anyway… I got to meet Tanya some time later. We became good friends, and even ended up fucking. Oh shit! Sorry, how old are you, kid?

— I’m eighteen.  — Emmanuel said, laughing.

— Legal. PHEW, queen! — The man says, wiping his forehead. — My drag was ABYSMAL when I started. Oh! But I learned a lot, from Tanya and from others. It was after performing that I realized that my fear wasn’t anyone’s fault. People weren’t actively trying to intimidate me by being themselves fully. I just wasn’t accepting of who I was. ‘Cause once people say “I’m gay” out loud, they think that’s all there is to it, but accepting and loving yourself go deeper than that. Telling people you’re gay doesn’t necessarily means you’ve accepted yourself fully, it just means you realized it is something you can’t fight, so you might as well live with it.

— I never thought of it like that… — Emmanuel says, looking down. His silence doesn’t bother him, because he wants to hear everything Adam has to say.

— Well, we usually never do; until we do. So, slowly. I started to come out of my shell and show my true self to the world. I know it sounds a bit ironic that your true self would be covered in pounds of female clothing, hair and makeup, but it is about completely putting yourself out there and losing all fear and shame. Tell you what, kid! Why don’t you tag along for the day? I mean, if that interests you.

Emmanuel’s face lights up. He nods and Adam says “great”, and the two walk off.

— But she doesn’t seem that into it. — Zachary says, explaining his situation to his father. Nathaniel gives him a caring look and tries to put things into perspective for his son. The two have an odd, but very reliable relationship.

— Well, have you considered her side of things? — The father asks, being careful not to set off his already dramatic teenage son.

— Of course I have! I do it every day!

— I know… I’m just asking to bring your attention to it. ‘Cause the thing with girls is that they can always find a way to blame you. So you need to be aware that, sometimes, you’re gonna be mistaken, even if– no, let me speak. Hear me out – Even if we’re very sure that we’re right.

— Well, maybe that’s how they did when you were a kid, in the old men times, but nowadays, I don’t think I can see a relationship in which I’ll always be second to a girl’s wishes and desires; a subject. — The boy says, throwing himself on the couch and covering his eyes with his hands.

— She does have a lot at stake. Having you around the place she works could really put her in trouble, son. — Nathaniel says. — You might not be able to see it, but enduring this now can really pay off in the future.

— That’s not fair… Besides, I wasn’t even going there for her! I just wanted an opportunity to be around the studio and see how things happen on the inside. You know, I met her *because* I enrolled in a performing arts school. My dreams go beyond the high and mighty Valentina Gutierrez. — The boy puts a pillow over his head.

— Well, my dear. If that’s the kind of line you’re leading with, you’re gonna do a fine job at driving this girl away. Fast & Furious style. — Sydney interjects from the kitchen. She holds a glass of whisky.

— Sydney! — Nathaniel protests. — Take it easy.

— No, sweetheart. I love you both, but you and your son have the same problem: you want us girls to carry the relationships on our backs. We can’t be making all the decisions for you. Zachy, you’re serious about this girl, right? Well, you’re gonna have to wait backstage until the coast is clear for the two of you. Make sure she sees that every day and she’ll start giving back, if you know what I mean. — Nathaniel jumps out of his chair at that comment. Sydney shoots “oh, grow up!” at him.

— And what about dad? — Zach says, removing the pillow from his face.

— Your dad wants me to chain him up and force him to set a wedding date. — Sydney says, shooting Nathaniel a piercing look.

— Ok, that’s enough! — Nathaniel says, as Sydney and Zach burst out laughing. — You, we’ll talk about the wedding later. And you, go out there support your girlfriend with whatever she needs. That’s what love is.

Nathaniel pulls Sydney by the wrist and they leave for a dinner date. Zach goes to his room to get ready for the party.

At home, while she gets ready, Valentina’s phone rings. It’s her agent. She has a big smile on her face, anticipating the night with her boyfriend, but as soon as she’s done with the call, the smile fades into a distress expression. She throws the phone at the bed, forcefully.

Emmanuel looks into a big dressing room mirror. Adam comes out the back, full face and attire on. Emmanuel lights up at the sight. She is dazzling in a ruby red gown, a teal wavy wig, with a big hive on top, her face all dolled up, with purple lipstick and blue contact lenses.

— I present to you, Princess Buffy Blake. — The Queen says. Emmanuel stands up and bows down to her. She giggles. — Thank you, thank you. Don’t break your back.

— You look amazing. I could never tell… — Emmanuel says.

— That I’m a dude? — Princess says, in a very deep and low voice, which makes Emmanuel chuckle. — Yeah, well, I’m what they call “fishy”, which is a drag queen who serves you femininity, even when she’s out of drag. We’re not better or worse than the other queens, we’re just more feminine. — She checks her wig in the mirror. Now that she’s wearing heels, she looks like she’s 20 feet tall.

— Look at you! I have a party to be at tonight, to support a friend who’s doing a performance of his own, and I’m shaking. You go out onstage every night and you do it with so much certainty. — Emmanuel confesses.

—Well, it’s called years of experience and loooots of tuck-tape and glue. But don’t be so shaken up about it. You don’t go out very often, do you?

— Well, not really. I mean… — Emmanuel sighs. — I was in rehab for a while, you know? Was in pretty bad shape before that. And when I came out… my relationship with my dad was always rocky, if there was even one, but it hit a new low when I came out to him.

— That is rough. But you can’t let that drag you into the hole. You need to put yourself out there and find out what the world has to offer besides your homophobic father. Do it for yourself. Prove it to him that you can survive. That *is* the gay anthem, after all. — Buffy says. Emmanuel cheers up.

— You know, my best friend, Cecilia, she kind of told me the same thing. She said I should dress up for this party and come out in a way I never did before, to show my dad that I am who I am and I’m not afraid of it.

— Ain’t nothing better than that, child! — Buffy says. — When I paint myself and when I perform, I’m not doing it for anybody else. Family, friends, fans… I do it for myself. It’s glamour, it’s fabulous it’s a fantasy, and all of that lives inside me. Princess Buffy is how I present it to the world. Because, whether you want it or not, honey, she WILL come. Crazy idea! Would you be interested in coming onstage with me tonight? For a quick hello.

Emmanuel looks blankly at her, shocked by the invite and unsure of what to respond.

Lilly watches from the sidelines at the backstage while Andrés and Cecilia talk. She has her arms folded and a nasty look on her face, analyzing everything, like a wild animal before the pounce.

— Oh, God. I am so nervous! — Andrés announces, pacing.

— Relax, Andrés. You’ll do great. You’ve done this several times before. — Cecilia reassures him, rubbing his back. To support and help him is the least she can do, after all the times he cleaned her up, metaphorically and even literally.

— But never something this big. This is a high profile gig. There’s celebrities here tonight. What if I mess it up?

— You won’t, buddy! This is the night in which your life begins. You’re gonna kill it, I’m sure of it. — The girl gives him a reassuring smile and a warm hug.

Lilliana interrupts the two and gives Andrés a very big kiss, that lasts for a few seconds, and only breaks when Andrés is called up to play. He has no time to say anything else to Cecilia, so he just smiles as he walks. Lilliana also gives Cecilia a crooked smile and walks away. Out there, the crowd goes wild for Andrés.

Outside, at the back, Valentina meets with Zachary. She rubs her hands nervously and paces.

— Hey, babe! — Zachary says, as he approaches her, and gives her a kiss on the cheek. She gives a faint smile. — Sorry to keep you waiting, but my dad was on the phone, telling me he’s gonna be out a little later and blah-blah-blah. But I’m all yours now. — She opens her mouth to say something, but he interrupts her.

“Before you say anything, I just want to say I’m so sorry if I made you feel like you’re not enough for me. You are. I’m just having a hard time not having you with me every moment of the day.”

— It’s okay… — She says, trying to smile. Her voice breaks. — Here’s your pass. Um… I have to talk to you about something. — She looks down.

— Yeah?

— Remember how much this party blew up in the past few weeks? Well, my agent called me earlier, just as I was getting ready to leave, and told me that I have to stay at the VIP section, so I won’t be able to be down there. I don’t know how she found out I was coming, but she did, and now, shocker, I have to work.

— That’s alright! — Zachary says. He looks like a happy puppy who is excited just to have her there, and that breaks her heart. — We can stay there. I’ll even be as discreet as possible. Pretend we met there.

— That’s the thing… I… — Her voice breaks some more. — Renato is going to be here and…

Zachary’s expression sinks. — What? What are you saying?

— I’m so sorry, baby! — She says, through sobs. — I have to stay with him. It’s for the pictures and, believe me, if I could I would be anywhere, as long as I could be with you, but I can’t and—

— Save it, Val! I can’t believe this! — He shouts. — You go on and enjoy your evening. I don’t really feel like partying anymore.

He throws the pass to the ground and storms off, leaving a crying Valentina behind. A few moments later, the girl has wiped the tears and is now posing with her fake boyfriend for the cameras. She puts on a fake smile and tries to choke down the tears.

Andrés is still blowing it up onstage, while Cecilia and Lilliana watch, mesmerized. The loud beat doesn’t allow them to notice a certain someone approach them.

— Good evening, ladies! — Someone shouts, trying to be heard over the music. Cecilia turns around, to find Emmanuel, in full drag costume. He wears a shimmery mini black dress and a blonde wig with lots of volume.

— Oh. My. God! Manny? Is that you? What happened to you? — Cecilia asks, excitedly.

— Courtesy of a new friend I made. You said I had to do something different, that I had to show myself like I never did before. Well… This is it. Meet Alison Jean.

— Well, nice to meet you, miss Jean! I’m delighted. You look smashing! — Cecilia says, giving her friend a hug. — I’m very proud of you.

— I’m learning. — Emmanuel gives Cecilia a wink.

— Fabulous dress, dear. Goes with your Adam’s apple. — Lilly says, from the back. This sets Cecilia off. — I’m kidding.

— That’s alright, honey. I got this. — Emmanuel tells Cecilia. — Thank you, girl. I like yours too, it’s very *hopeful*. Thrift shops have stepped up their game, I see. — Lilliana makes a funny face and sticks out her tongue, but goes back to her corner. Emmanuel turns back to Cecilia, and the girl just laughs.

Sometime later, Andrés comes down and offers a round of drinks, to celebrate the night, but Cecilia refuses it, and informs them that she’s been drinking juice all night. Emmanuel doesn’t drink alcohol either.

— Looks like I’m not the only one who’s made progress tonight, honey. — Emmanuel says, and pulls Cecilia into a hug.

[...]

A few hours later, Cecilia walks Emmanuel home.

— Well, the night was a complete success. They loved Andrés, and we loved you. — Cecilia says.

— Cheers, girl! And even with miss Witchy Boo there. — They both laugh.

— I like this newfound confidence you got going on, miss Jean. — Cecilia. When they arrive at Emmanuel’s place, his father awaits by the entrance. The two stop on their track, and the boy swallows the biggest throat lump of his life. His father looks frightening. “We need to talk,” is all he says.

Nathaniel and Sydney walk home, after spending the night out on a date. In addition to having dinner, they visited a museum and walked through the park. And although he was expecting protests from his girlfriend, Nathaniel was surprised to see that she wanted to walk back home. The night had been delightful, and Nathaniel had long learned to appreciate Sydney’s company. Despite her forward personality, she could be really fun to be around, and she had the ability to charm anyone through any conversation. The pleasant night takes a turn when the girl, once again, brings up the topic of a wedding.

— I’m just saying, you keep running from it! — She protests.

— I’m not running from anything! — He rebuts. — I’ve told you a billion times, I’m in a moment of transition, and there are just too many things I should be doing right now. This is not the optimal moment for us to get married. Which doesn’t, in any way, say that I don’t want to?

— I need commitment. — She demands.

— You’re my girlfriend, for crying out loud. You have a ring.

— A stronger one. I need a date. You go days without calling or sending a message, and when I get here, you treat me like I’m trying to break into your house and rob you.

— You caught me off guard, sweetie. I wasn’t expecting you. I had nothing planned. You’re not exactly the sweats-and-Cheeto’s girl, are you? — He says smugly.

— Then, tell me this: If we could elope right now – forget the world behind – would you? — She asks, looking directly into his eyes, roping him in. But before he can give her an answer, Zachary rushes past them, without saying a word, which alarms both.

— Oh, no… — Nathaniel begins. Sydney shakes her head, for not getting her answer, but compromises.

— I’ll go talk to him. — She says.

Nathaniel sees an upset Cecilia coming into the building and he decides to stop her and have a little chat. The girl looks like she hasn’t had anything to eat in days.

— Cecilia, hello! — He initiates. She almost bumps into him, because she hadn’t seen him.

— Oh! Hi… Hi! I’m sorry. Hi. How are you tonight? — She responds.

— Lovely, thank you. Are you alright, though? You seem a bit… uneasy.

— Oh, Yes, I am fine, thank you. Just worried about a friend who won’t call me back.

— Ah, I’m sure they’ll get back to you soon enough. It’s lovely seeing you here. In addition to staying up through the day, are you also going to bed early at night now? — He jokes, but realizes it isn’t the right moment for that. — I’m sorry. I apologize. That was rude and insensitive of me.

— That’s okay. I guess I kinda deserve it, after what happened the other day. — She says.

— Nah. I don’t hold much against people. — He says, with a grin, just before Sydney puts her hand on his shoulder and introduces herself. — Oh, hey. Cecilia, this is Sydney Walsh–

— His fiancée. — Sydney interjects. — I’m sorry, but don’t I know you from somewhere?

— Cecilia is actually a famous singer. — Nathaniel says.

— Right! You’re that girl who passed out onstage at a music festival. I saw that all over the news. — Sydney says.

— Sydney! — Nathaniel reprimands. — Cecilia, I’m so sorry, she didn’t mean to–

— That’s okay, mister Rowland. If you’ll excuse me, I have to call that friend. But it was great running into you. And it was nice meeting you, miss Walsh.

— You too, darling. Take care. — Sydney replies.

Cecilia leaves the couple arguing behind. The elevator goes up, as she feels defeated.

At home, Zach takes a shower, thinking about his relationship, if there is even one left. As the water pours down on his head, he cries, hoping it can wash away the tears.