The Key of Hearts by Mia Rodriguez
Chapter 12
“Your mother?’ Selena asked with disbelief, barely being able to get the words out.
“Yes, my mother,” he said, sounding even more distant.
“I don’t understand.”
“I don’t either,” he asserted, gazing deep into the stars.
“How could we have the same dream, and how is it possible that your mother showed up in my dreams?”
“I don’t know,” he said, out of breath with his eyes turning more fluid than usual.
“It can’t be her,” Selena insisted. “This woman is too young to be your mother and—“ But she broke off her own sentence having made a realization. “What age was she when she died, Xavier?”
“Early thirties,” he mumbled.
“It’s her,” Selena declared, completely dumbfounded.
“I might have a second chance at being with my mother,” murmured Xavier, his eyes full of liquid.
In her desperate attempt to figure out the odd situation, she had overlooked the obvious—a gift for Xavier. “If you could see your mother again, wouldn’t that be wonderful?” she murmured.
“It would be beyond words.”
Because Mr. Spinoza had called out to Selena and Xavier, telling them it was time for Xavier to go home since the next day was Monday and the start of a new work and school week, they didn’t have enough time to make heads or tails out of the situation. Xavier did, however, make Selena promise that she would not call Grandmother Chela until he was with her and since neither of them had cell phones, they had to wait until after school the next day.
From the onset of Monday, Selena could feel Xavier’s jitteriness. She could sense his anxiousness to talk to her grandmother, but all they could do was wait patiently until school was over.
“He’ll notice me again,” Moonflower said bitterly while the three of them were at lunch. Xavier quietly ate his food.
“You’re talking about Saul?” Selena asked.
“Who else would I be talking about?” she frowned as she glanced at the ugly table where he sat happily with Julia Gutierrez. “Why are you two so out-of-it?”
“It’s nothing,” Selena said, hoping she’d drop the subject. “Why are you trying to get Saul’s attention?”
Moonflower rolled her eyes as if she couldn’t believe Selena had asked such a dumb question. “The guy made a fool out of me.”
“He makes a fool out of himself by acting like a jerk,” Selena stated.
“I’ll show him,” Moonflower retorted. “I’ll lose weight and let's see how sorry he'll be for losing me.”
“Moonflower, stop that. You need to forget him.”
“Stop telling me how I should feel,” she cried, her feelings hurt. “You don’t know what I’ve been going through. You’ve been lost in your own world.”
Selena’s heart started aching. “I’m sorry, Moonflower. I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you.”
“Just please try to understand.”
“Okay.”
A mocking laughter echoed through the cafeteria and when Selena looked to see where it came from, she wasn’t surprised that it had originated from the ugly table.
“They’re laughing at us,” Moonflower whispered, horrified.
“No, I don’t think so. They’re—“
“Selena, they’re laughing at us,” Moonflower repeated with a breaking voice.
Selena examined them with more than a passing glance this time and realized with disgust and fury that Moonflower was right. While Sebastian and Steve were in a discussion and seemed oblivious to what was going on around them, the rest of the mega-uglies pointed at Moonflower, Selena, and Xavier and cackled. Saul and Julia seemed to be talking about Moonflower but Cherise, Asher, and Brad were ridiculing Selena and Xavier. Words such as fat, stupid, and hideous hit the air. Ever since the fight between Brad and Xavier, Brad had stayed away but now with him cradled within the mega-uglies, his fear of Xavier was less than his need to keep being a part of what had become the in group.
“This is so embarrassing,” cried Moonflower.
“Don’t worry about what they think,” remarked Xavier, getting out of his introvert stance and glaring at the ugly table.
“But they’re humiliating us,” Moonflower rushed, a trail of shiny tears falling from her eyes.
“Don’t cry, Moonflower,” Selena said, trying to soothe her. “They’re not worth it.”
Selena then saw it, saw the tremendous power inside of Xavier as his eyes shifted to the mega-uglies with a steely glance that didn’t waiver at all. It was a straight arrow that surprised her in its intensity. Her stunned realization at being able to see into Xavier’s gift didn’t stop her fascination and curiosity at what was about to happen.
A noisy clatter sounded from above the ugly table just before a thick flood of water rushed down as the pipes from the fire prevention system in the ceiling broke with heavy clangs. Screams and shrieks permeated the cafeteria as the mega-uglies quickly tried to desperately get away from the water and ungracefully slipped and fell in the process.
The janitor, who was eating at the time, quickly reacted by shutting off the water to that sprinkler system. The mega-uglies, some on the floor and others barely standing but all completely soaked, stared at each other in disbelief. Their once carefully styled hair was matted on their heads, make-up slid off with dark mascara splotching itself under their eyes, and water dripped from designer, dry clean only clothes.
Dark chuckles erupted from all sides as the astonishment wore off. It was like a nervous release but also a sharp poke at the mega-uglies who looked like wet baby chicks.
“Stop laughing at us,” shrieked Cherise.
But the problem was that she and her cohorts had ridiculed many in the crowd and they were returning the favor.
The principal, who had just stepped into the cafeteria for his lunch, stopped dead in his tracks. “What happened here?” he roared.
“An overhead pipe broke,” answered the janitor.
“Why did it break?” he asked suspiciously, glancing at some of the usual troublemakers.”
“I think it was just a malfunction.”
As the janitor said malfunction, Selena noticed Sebastian Crawley’s eyes shoot to Xavier. Did he suspect?—or was it her imagination that he was staring at Xavier with curiosity?
“Sorry about today,” stated Xavier as he and Selena walked to her house from the bus stop. “I have too much on my mind today to put up with those jerks.”
“I know,” Selena said quietly, squeezing his hand.
“Moonflower’s really got a problem,” muttered Xavier. “She needs to let Saul go.”
“I feel bad that I haven’t been there for her. I’ve been too into our stuff.”
“Don’t feel bad, Selena. We’ve got a lot on our plate.”
“Yeah, but I shouldn’t be neglecting her.”
They stepped into her house where her mom had caldo prepared for them. Selena’s heart expanded as she watched Xavier, who she knew was much more anxious to talk to Grandmother Chela than she was, patiently eat the beef soup and pleasantly converse with her mother as if he didn’t have anything pressing to do.
After they finished, Selena and Xavier sat outside on the bench. He stared at his hands in deep thought as she dialed Grandmother Chela’s number. When she answered, he put his ear close to Selena so they could share the phone.
“Hi, Grandmother Chela. How are you?” Selena asked.
“Great, but how are you?” she asked suspiciously.
“Xavier’s right here with me and we wanted to know . . .”
“Yes?” Grandmother Chela asked.
“We had a dream yesterday.”
“Yes?”
“Grandmother Chela,” Selena said, letting out a deep breath, “Xavier and I actually had the same dream.”
“Yes, and?”
“Grandmother, you make it sound as if this isn’t str
“It’s not,” Grandmother Chela said with certain impatience. “You two need to stop forgetting who you are. You're special, and you’re going to have out-of-the-ordinary things happen from now on. In fact, you’ve had a taste of the this all your lives and you chose not to notice but now you have to pay attention.”
“My mother,” Xavier muttered. “Please ask her about my mother.”
“Grandmother Chela—“
“I heard,” she said quietly. “Xavier, can you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Your mother has been waiting to see you for a long time, Xavier,” Grandmother Chela murmured softly. "A long time."