Lovestruck

Your destiny has come.

Don’t be afraid.

The eerie message echoed through Selena Spinoza’s deep sleep. She bolted upright from her bed and violently shook herself as if to fiercely push away the intense words that turned her skin into sharp bumps. Trying to search her head for the weird dream the bizarre statements must’ve belonged to, she drew a blank. Nothing! Nothing at all came to her. She glanced at the digital clock that flashed it was 6:30 a.m.

What?! How can it be this late? she asked herself as she sprang up. Her disheveled, straight, black hair bounced off her back and her dark chocolate eyes flickered with adrenaline as she shoved the mysterious words away from her. She had too much to do before school started than to focus on what didn’t make sense.

Destiny!

How lame!

Before continuing her conversation with Eleanor, Selena glanced at Zac Efron to make sure he was still asleep. He snored loudly and his bulbous belly rose and fell in perfect synchronization. Satisfied, Selena turned back to Eleanor who looked at her with curiosity.

"Can you believe they call me gordita? Selena asked angrily. The subject helped keep her concentration away from the strange and hectic way her morning had started. Don’t you think that’s rude, Eleanor?"

Eleanor Roosevelt looked at Selena with big, beautiful, long lashed eyes and mooed. Her warm, silky, white milk sprayed into a silver bucket as Selena milked her.

"Calling me ‘little fatty’ is plain mean. Those haters! You don’t see me calling Zac gordito, do you?"

Zac Efron squealed loudly from his corner of the barn.

Sorry, Zac, Selena pleaded with her pig, his pretty brown-pink color giving off more pinkish tones than earth ones. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.

Zac quieted down but Einstein, Selena’s rooster, stood next to her and started crowing. Selena couldn’t help thinking about how the day was completely off. Why was Einstein crowing at this late hour instead of at his usual time? This was why she had woken up late and was scurrying through her morning like a frenzied mouse.

When she checked her watch, Selena told herself to hurry up as she raced to the house. Grabbing her backpack, she rushed out. No time for breakfast today! As was routine, Antonio Banderas ran behind her. Ever since she had found the multi-colored, big-hearted mutt starving on the streets, he usually stayed close.

That’s the ugliest dog I’ve ever seen! guffawed Brad, pointing at Antonio as soon as Selena and her dog arrived at the bus stop. The students around him chuckled darkly.

"And you’re one of the ugliest humans he’s seen," Selena fearlessly retorted.

The crowd roared, but Selena glared challengingly at Brad.

"Don’t you call me ugly, you gorda, you—" Brad started to say when Antonio fiercely growled at him. Antonio’s pointy incisors caught the sun’s light as Brad abruptly clamped his poisonous lips together.

You’re late, Moonflower proclaimed when Selena reached her. I was starting to get worried.

I overslept, Selena told her best friend.

Moonflower’s hazel eyes frowned. But you never oversleep, Sel.

Selena shrugged her shoulders. I feel kind of strange today.

Sick?

Maybe. I think I’m coming down with something.

Moonflower’s mouth pushed out a dramatic breath. "Do you think you might have cholera?"

No!

"How about malaria?"

Of course not.

How about—

Moonflower, I’m just a little off today. I’m sure I don’t have a life threatening disease.

No?

No.

Okay, she said, disappointment in her voice.

Selena smiled and shook her head. She didn’t take her best friend’s theatrical impulses personally. After all, Moonflower had big dreams of being a famous actress someday. In fact, she was the one who had named Selena's pig Zac Efron in hopes of sharing the screen with the actor in the not too distant future. Dreams were important enough to keep alive—even if it meant putting up with certain inconveniences like her friend’s bombastic exaggerations. To Moonflower, the world was her stage as Shakespeare had written. Besides, with a name like hers, what could anyone expect but pure theatrics all the time? Moonflower’s parents were fascinated with the sixties, and it showed.

I hope nothing is seriously wrong—that nothing is devouring your flesh, Moonflower rushed dramatically, or drinking your blood—

I’m fine, assured Selena.

Are you sure?

Yes.

"I hope so but—who is that?" Moonflower brusquely interrupted herself as her perfectly round widened eyes went past her best friend to gawk at whoever was behind and at a distance from Selena.

Who had caught Moonflower’s full attention? Selena asked herself. Why had her non-stop chatterbox BFF suddenly shut up? Fully curious, Selena started to turn around to see who Moonflower flagrantly stared at.

CRASH!

Giant seismic waves violently collided inside her, taking her completely by surprise. What’s happening? she desperately wondered. An intense force of magnetic vibrations pushed through her, savagely pulling at her.

I’m going to hit the ground, Selena thought, her legs the substance of jelly.

I’m going down!

Chapter 2

Are you okay? asked Moonflower, concerned. A pale Selena had grabbed her arm and managed to miraculously steady herself.

I’m fine, she mumbled, trying to get her bearings back. The intensity of the tsunami seemed to be subsiding. She heavily breathed out. The day was getting more peculiar by the minute.

"Are you sure you don’t have elephantitis or something like it?" Moonflower asked suspiciously.

"Elephantitis?—what’s that?"

I don’t know, but it sounds bad, right?

I’m sure I don’t have it. Selena asserted. I just lost my balance.

Moonflower’s attention once again completely absorbed itself into that someone behind Selena. "Who is he?" she murmured, her eyebrows furrowing deeply.

Selena turned around and her eyes finally reached the person Moonflower was talking about. As he calmly walked towards the bus stop by himself, the sunlight hit him with such strength that she had to squint while looking at him. What Selena noticed first was different from what all the other students at the bus stop saw. While they took immediate note of his impossible good looks, she focused on the invisible and impenetrable mask covering his face as if his true self was locked inside. His very deep black eyes gave away nothing, a shield over them. While he stood at an average height, he seemed to inhabit more space than the others, taking over whatever place he was in. His wavy hair, short and dark brown, was without mousse or gel but sat natural and perfect for his overall unkempt but compelling look.

He has got to be a new student, declared Moonflower as she subconsciously ran her hand over her natural caramel curls.

Probably, Selena stated.

Who is that guy? grumbled Saul Escudero as he stepped up to them.

We don’t know, Selena stated.

A new student, said Moonflower, her eyes locked on the stranger and her mouth oddly quiet.

Saul frowned, his light brown eyes in disgust and his sandy hair touching his shoulders as he shook his head. Don’t we have enough dudes at school?

Selena shrugged. Apparently not.

Look at how he stands without saying hello to anybody, Saul snickered.

Maybe he’s shy, Selena offered.

Saul’s face puckered. I doubt if that dude is shy.

You never know, Selena said.

I don’t like him. Do you like him, Moonflower? asked Saul.

I don’t know him. Her eyes still wouldn’t leave him, her untypical subdued form still firmly in place.

Saul’s frown deepened. He seems to think he’s all that. Don’t you think?

I don’t know, Moonflower murmured.

Everyone is acting as if he’s famous or something, snapped Saul.

Selena’s eyes curiously darted around. Saul turned out to be right. The guy seemed to be affecting everyone at the bus stop. The boys glared at him furiously and the girls eyed him with dream-filled eyes.

Well, I don’t like him, Saul stated.

The bus finally arrived, and Selena hugged Antonio before boarding it. He started running home, but he slowed down when he got to the new guy who patted him.

Did you see that? asked Moonflower, her eyes as round as perfect shiny marbles. Antonio let that guy pat him!

Selena shrugged her shoulders as she took a seat. I guess Antonio likes him.

Moonflower sat next to Selena. But Antonio never likes any boys. The new boy must have some kind of a bewitching talent, Moonflower gushed dramatically as she started to sound like herself again.

Right, scoffed Selena. You watch too many movies.

Movies can come true. You never know, Moonflower asserted, letting out a sigh.

Nonetheless, let’s tone down the movie-speak, Moonflower.

Moonflower rolled her eyes. Sel, you’ve got no imagination. Just look at the guy—it’s obvious he’s so mysterious.

Disinterested, Selena gazed out the window and started going over her research paper in her head about the remarkable Science of the Mayas. It was due that week, and she needed to make sure she had covered all her bases.

Guess what? I’ve lost five pounds, whispered Moonflower with proud eyes.

What? Selena asked, coming back to earth.

I’ve lost five pounds. Moonflower’s voice quivered excitedly.

Constantly on some kind of a diet, Selena had a difficult time keeping up with Moonflower’s schemes for fast weight loss. The more bizarre the diet was, the more she wanted to try it. Once Moonflower had heard that if she ate everything fast during a full moon, the pounds would come off. She ended up gaining weight.

Really? Five Pounds? Selena tried to sound interested.

"I’ll be skinny in no time and discovered by Hollywood as I glide to my locker, not having a clue that I’m about to be shot to stardom," she stated in a breathy tone.

A talent scout will be at school?

It could happen, she said dejectedly.

I guess so. You know more about those things than I do.

If not, at least I’ll be so skinny and sexy that I’ll get asked out for sure, Moonflower asserted, glancing at the new guy who had just boarded the bus and was walking towards them. He sat only a seat away.

By the time the bus pulled out, Moonflower’s hands had perspired so much that the fashion magazine she put on her lap every morning to hide her supposed big stomach kept slipping out of her hands.

Are you okay, Moonflower? Selena asked. Her friend was acting odd.

It’s hot in here. Isn’t the air conditioning on?

The temperature seems okay to me.

It’s not okay, Moonflower grumbled nervously. It’s boiling in here.

Maybe you’re getting sick too.

Her face crumbled tragically and breathing grew ragged as she put her right hand to her forehead, the palm facing up. "Oh my gosh! Sel, you don’t think I have elephantitis, do you?"

Even though I have no idea what that is, I’m pretty sure you don’t.

Her face completely relaxed.

But something is definitely in the air, thought Selena as she took the magazine and put it in Moonflower’s backpack.

Thank you, she said, laying her hands on her stomach in a self conscious way.

You’re welcome, Selena answered.

Selena, does my stomach look huge? whispered Moonflower, worried.

Don’t be silly, Moonflower, and stop sucking it in so much, or you’re going to faint, Selena whispered back.

I’m fat; I have to suck it in.

Selena frowned. You’re not fat. It’s all in your head.

No, it’s not.

Yes, it is.

No, it’s not, Moonflower insisted.

Selena rolled her eyes. Okay, whatever.

When they arrived at Gran Estrella High School, a modern sprawling building that looked more like a college than a high school, Moonflower stared painfully at the new guy walking in the opposite direction. Selena went inside her head, making sure she had done her math homework correctly. Moonflower and Selena had first period Pre-Calculus.

He’d probably never look our way, Moonflower said desolately.

Who? Selena asked.

Moonflower let out a frustrated noise. I was saying that the new guy would probably never notice us.

Nope, Selena said, disinterested.

Probably not even a stupid glance, Moonflower sighed dramatically. We’re destined never to be noticed by someone like him.

Who cares? Moonflower, we don’t even know who he is inside. He could turn out to be a serial killer.

Sel, please, he’s not a serial killer.

We don’t know him.

Still, it would be nice to be noticed once in a while.

It would be nice to get out of high school in one piece, Selena stated.

I just want our junior year to be awesome. You’ve got to admit that so far, it’s been one huge, catastrophic re-run of PBS.

Selena rolled her eyes. "Hey, I like PBS and besides, getting through our next to last