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Marisol found herself in the cozy confines of the library, seeking solace in her study session. With her headphones snugly in place, she cranked up the volume on Taylor Swift's "Reputation," letting the music fuel her focus as she delved into her history notes. Lost in her own world, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder, causing her to pause and momentarily lift her left headphone. As she turned her head, a warm smile spread across her face when she saw Miguel towering over her, his presence bringing a sense of joy to her study-filled day.

Marisol's eyes widened in sheer astonishment, causing her to gasp in disbelief. In that split second, she swiftly removed her headphones from her ears and draped them around her neck. The surge of emotions overwhelmed her, prompting her to push her chair back and leap into action. With a burst of excitement, she wrapped her arms tightly around Miguel's neck, pulling him into a heartfelt embrace.

A joyous giggle escaped her lips as she eventually released him from the hug, unable to contain her happiness. "How are you? I mean, seriously, you're back on your feet!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine enthusiasm and admiration. It was a moment of pure elation and relief for Marisol to see Miguel in such good spirits after his challenging journey.

Miguel's face lit up with a tight-lipped smile, radiating a sense of contentment. "I'm good," he replied, his voice filled with a mix of relief and joy. "I'm just so happy to be able to walk on my own two feet again, no longer reliant on a wheelchair." His words carried a weight of gratitude for the progress he had made. However, there was a hint of seriousness in his tone as he continued, "But, I really need to talk to you."

Marisol's eyes narrowed as she gave him a piercing look, her curiosity getting the best of her. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice tinged with intrigue. Miguel's expression turned serious, his brows furrowing in concern. "Did Hollis put you in the hospital?" he questioned, his voice filled with worry. The Cervantes girl let out a scoff, her disbelief evident. "Uh, yeah? Why do you ask?" she replied, a hint of confusion lacing her words.

She couldn't help but find his question a little strange, causing her to pause for a moment and wonder about his intentions. He shook his head, his eyes filled with genuine concern. "Are you okay? Hawk told me what happened," he said, his voice laced with worry. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, her mouth slightly agape as she processed his words. "I'm fine," she managed to utter, her voice still tinged with disbelief. As she spoke, she noticed him nodding slowly, his worry not completely dissipated.

They gazed at each other, a moment of silence hanging in the air until she cleared her throat, breaking the tension. "Okay, this is awkward, but... I think I actually saw Eli," she confessed, her expression reflecting her unease. Miguel's brow furrowed, his lips pursed tightly as he looked down at her, his confusion evident. "What do you mean?" he inquired, his voice filled with curiosity and a hint of concern.

Marisol's eyes darted around the library, making sure no one was listening in on their conversation. She then focused her gaze back on Miguel, preparing to divulge the intriguing details. "You won't believe what happened," she began, her voice filled with anticipation. "Hawk actually showed up at the hospital around 2:40 am because he was really worried about me. And here's the crazy part: his hair was down, he was wearing pajamas, which is so unlike him, and he wasn't talking in his usual cocky and raspy tone. Instead, he spoke with a soft and gentle tone," she explained, her excitement evident in her animated gestures and tone of voice.

The Diaz boy's eyes narrowed slightly, his lips moistened as he raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Wait, are you saying that you think Eli is still somewhere deep inside him?" he questioned, his voice filled with curiosity.

Marisol let out a soft hum, her expression thoughtful as she recalled the memories. "Yeah, it's been on my mind lately, especially with all the fights we've been having. But what he did... it brought back memories of when I was eleven. I was really sensitive back then and had a nightmare. So, I called Eli, and he sneaked out to come over," she explained, her voice tinged with a mix of nostalgia and uncertainty.

Miguel's mouth fell open in a perfect 'o' shape, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh my god!" The realization hit him like a ton of bricks - he was head over heels in love with Marisol. It was so obvious to him, and he couldn't contain his excitement. "What?" Marisol asked, her curiosity piqued by Miguel's reaction. A mischievous grin spread across Miguel's face as he waved his hand, trying to play it off. "Nah, it's nothing," he replied, his voice filled with a hint of mischief..

She nodded, her gaze shifting back to her notes. "Well, I should probably get back to hitting the books," she pointed out. Miguel nodded in agreement, turning around and starting to walk away. He couldn't help but steal a quick glance back, and there was Marisol, bopping her head to the rhythm of her music, fully immersed in her studying.

Marisol found herself sitting at the lunch table, still buried in her books. The upcoming test weighed heavily on her mind. With her head resting on the palm of her hand, she glanced up and caught sight of Hollis flirting shamelessly with Miguel. Marisol's eyebrow arched in a questioning manner, and she folded her arms across her chest, shooting Hollis a piercing glare. It was clear that she was not impressed with his behavior.

Hollis could practically feel the intensity of Marisol's glare as he looked over at her. Their eyes met, and Marisol responded with a sly, sarcastic smile. She playfully raised her fist, flipping him off in a lighthearted manner. Meanwhile, across the cafeteria, Miguel shot Marisol a scolding look, clearly disapproving of her gesture. Unfazed, Marisol rolled her eyes, leaning against her hand, and returned her attention to her notes. It seems like she's not letting anything distract her from her studying!

As Marisol sat at the lunch table, fully immersed in her music, she suddenly felt a cold liquid being poured onto her. Startled, she quickly removed her headphones and turned her head to see Kyler standing there, laughing at her.

The frustration bubbled up inside her, and she couldn't hold back her anger. "What the fuck!" she yelled at him, her voice filled with fury. "These headphones cost me a hundred bucks!" But Kyler and his goons didn't seem to care. They continued to laugh, fueling Marisol's irritation even more. With a groan of annoyance, she defiantly flipped them off, grabbed her belongings, and stormed out of the lunchroom, determined not to let their immaturity ruin her day.

As she found herself without any energy to fight back, she rushed into the bathroom, desperately seeking a moment of solace. Locking herself in a stall, she couldn't hold back the overwhelming emotions any longer. Sliding down the wall, she curled up into a ball, tears streaming down her face.

The weight of her pain was so heavy that she couldn't help but let out small sobs, each one a release of the pent-up frustration and sadness she felt. With her eyes clenched shut, she longed for an outlet to scream and release her anger. The sound of her cries filled the bathroom as she allowed herself to cry hard, finding a temporary release in the flood of tears. Remember, I'm here for you if you need someone to talk to.

And just at that moment...her phone went off, breaking the stillness with a sudden jingle. A mix of emotions flooded through her, causing her to let out a sob. Hastily, she reached into her pocket, retrieving her phone with trembling hands. With a glimmer of hope, she unlocked the screen to reveal a text message from Miguel.

Miguel: come to the park at 4:30pm!!

She furrowed her eyebrows, her expression turning into a frown of disbelief. The question lingered in her mind, "Why should I?" she muttered under her breath, her voice filled with frustration. Channeling her anger, she texted back to Miguel, her words dripping with resentment.

Marisol: i'm good.

She took a deep breath, gathering her strength to power off her phone. With a sniffle, she pushed herself up from the ground and slowly unlocked the stall door. As she emerged, she saw Moon standing there, her face twisted in concern with a curled frown. "Hey, are you okay?" Moon asked, her voice filled with genuine worry. "I'm really sorry I had to chase after you. I was so worried about you..." Moon apologized, her nervousness evident in her eyes. Grateful for the concern, she replied, "Thank you. I think I'm okay... at least for now."

Moon tilted her head to the side, her eyes filled with concern as she reached out and held Marisol's hands. "What's wrong, girl?" she asked with a worried tone. Marisol let out a heavy sigh, her voice filled with defeat. "Why are guys so cruel?" she muttered. Moon's lips curled into a frown, her expression deepening with concern. "Is this about Hawk?" she questioned, her voice gentle yet probing.

She let out a dry, bitter laugh, her voice laced with a hint of disbelief. "You know what's surprising? No, this isn't about Hawk," she clarified. "It's actually about my cousin, Hollis. He... he pushed me a few days ago, and it was bad enough that I had to go to the hospital," she explained, her voice filled with a mix of frustration and sadness. Moon nodded sympathetically, her hand gently rubbing Marisol's arm in a comforting and sweet gesture. "I'm so sorry, Mars," she said, her voice filled with genuine empathy.

Marisol gently brushed away her tears, using her sleeve as a makeshift tissue. Her voice quivered as she spoke, "I... I think it's time for me to leave." Moon nodded, her expression filled with understanding. "Alright, take care, Mars. I'll catch you later," she said, her words filled with a mix of reassurance and genuine concern.

As Marisol lay in her cozy bed, engrossed in a TikTok scrolling session, she suddenly caught the sound of voices emanating from Mila's room. Intrigued and slightly puzzled, she furrowed her eyebrows, a curious expression crossing her face. With a mix of caution and excitement, she carefully opened her bedroom door, making sure not to make a sound, and tiptoed down the hallway towards Mila's room, eager to discover the source of the conversation.

Marisol's attention was drawn to Mila's bedroom door, which was slightly cracked open, revealing a three-inch gap. Her curiosity piqued as she noticed Anthony's presence near Mila's window. Frowning with concern, Marisol decided to keep a watchful eye, peering through the cracked door for a few minutes. She couldn't help but worry, knowing that kids as young as twelve were facing unexpected challenges these days.

While she trusted her sister, Marisol believed it was important to ensure her well-being and make sure nothing untoward was happening. After all, it's always better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to family.

Mila's heartwarming goodbye to Anthony consisted of a tight embrace, devoid of any kisses. A joyful smile adorned her face as she eagerly swung open the door moments after Anthony's departure. Intrigued by the interaction,

Marisol couldn't contain her curiosity and playfully questioned, "Hey, Mils, is there something you're keeping from me?" Caught off guard, Mila swiftly turned around, her eyes widening with a mix of surprise and apprehension. "Hiiiii...." she stammered, her voice tinged with nervousness. It was clear that there was more to the story, and Marisol was determined to find out.

Marisol's laughter filled the room as she playfully responded, "Just hugs, right?" Her eyebrow raised in a teasing manner, adding a touch of mischief to her voice. Mila's reaction was priceless.

She gagged, coughing and clutching her chest, clearly taken aback by the suggestion. "Me and Anthony, kissing? We're twelve!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with a mix of surprise and indignation. The idea seemed absurd to Mila, and Marisol couldn't help but join in her friend's amusement, sharing a lighthearted moment together.

The older Cervantes sister raised her hands in surrender, a hint of apology in her voice. "Sorry, sorry... it's just that I hear a lot of news on-" Before she could finish her sentence, Mila interjected with a look of disgust. "Gross! I know, we're not doing anything. We're not even dating. We're just staying friends because middle school relationships never work." Mila reassured her, emphasizing her point.

Marisol smiled warmly at her sister, acknowledging her wise decision. "Smart choice. Love youuuu," she exclaimed dramatically, closing her door. Mila reciprocated the affectionate sentiment, "Love you too." It was a sweet moment shared between sisters, highlighting their bond and understanding.

—

ash speaks!

i apologize for the short chapter! i didn't have much motivation for this chapter.. as this act is coming towards an end with not much ideas left until act four with more things! so, the next few chapter's might be short. i'm not quite sure yet.