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chapter 2 | the debate
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OLIVIA SWUNG THE DOOR TO THE ALVAREZ APARTMENT and stepped into a middle of a lively scene. Lydia was flipping through old photos with Elena. The pictures had Penelope in full quinceañera glory, big dress, awkward smile and all.
"Hey guys." Olivia smiled. "Ay,pelliroja. I'm showing Elena her mother's quinces pictures. Look." Lydia pulled her beside her with a grin.
"Ay mami, please, put those away. I hate those pictures, burn it!" Penelope argued. Olivia smiled at Alex as she saw him walking to the couch and sat beside her.
"Hello papito." Olivia said teasingly. "Hello pelliroja." Alex joked causing her to roll her eyes. He sat beside her on the couch and rested his chin on Olivia's shoulder as Schneider started a conversation with Elena, her face filled with disbelief.
"Schneider, she's gonna do it. I got this. You know what, captain debater? Let's debate this. But we're not doing a regular debate. It's gotta be that thing I saw you do where we argue the opposite side to better understand each other." Penelope said.
"You mean a Lincoln-Douglas debate.? My specialty? I once successfully argued against gravity, so..." Elena smirked.
"Ohh, I'ma take my earrings off....cause' it's about to go down!" Penelope exclaimed.
Lydia, Schneider, Alex and Olivia all squeezed onto the couch, settling in to watch the debate that was about to go down.
"The issue before us is quinces or no quinces. Okay....so I'm you." Elena said as she took off her glasses and everyone watched in amusement.
"Mmm, listen kid. A quinces is just about the village celebrating that you're a woman , which I know you know 'cause you're the smartest one in the family!" Elena snapped, acting as Penelope.
"Oh, I got better moves than that, right?" Penelope looked at the people on the couch but they just shrugged.
"But village isn't literal. It just means your family and your friends. So, what's so bad about this modern village coming together to celebrate you?" Elena continued as she acted out as Penelope.
"Oh yeah , she's good!" Olivia chuckle causing the rest to nod and cheer.
"Oh my money's on her. You guys wanna start taking bets? Actually scratch that, I'm addicted to gambling." Schneider plopped back on to the couch.
"Okay, now I'll be you." Penelope said and took Elena's glasses and beanie as she put them on herself.
"Oh my god! Do you even hear yourself? Seriously! Your argument is that my adulthood has to be approved by your friends? Pass!"
Everyone looked at her with no expression on their face. "I'm not gonna clap for that." Lydia said blankly causing Penelope to roll her eyes.
"So you want to crush my heart into pieces...after I worked so hard to give you an opportunity in this land of the free and home of the brave?" Elena mimicked Penelope with a thick Spanish accent, as Alex and Olivia burst into laughter.
"That's not me, that's her." Penelope pointed to Lydia. "You make me sound like I have an accent." Lydia argued.
"Let's end this. Elena, you wrecked your first communion because, as a vegetarian, you wouldn't eat the body of Christ. You even refused to take picture with santa, because your abuelita wouldn't admit that Christmas is a pagan ritual." Elena sighed dramatically.
"Jesus and Santa were cousins. Everyone knows this." Lydia sighed.
"So, when it comes to your quinces, I'm pleading with you. Can't you do this one thing for your mother who loves you?" Elena continued.
"Okay mom, I'll do it." Everyone gasped in shock.
"Wait what?!" Elena blinked.
"I'm saying you win. You should have a quinces like you just proved." Penelope shrugged as everyone laughed.
"Dang mami set you up!" Alex laughed, clapping his hands with Olivia and Schneider. Elena just sat there, disbelief.
"I didn't realise how right I was. She said a bunch of stuff I didn't think of!" Penelope clapped both Alex and Olivia's hands as the others continued to cheer and laugh.
"Okay, this is stupid! I'm still not having a quinces." Elena argued.
"Oh god, just accept it. You're Cuban, you're 15, you're gonna have a big party, with a poofy dress and a bad photo. It's what we do." Penelope argued back.
Elena started yelling in Spanish as she stormed off to her room, slamming her door in the process, making everyone go silent. "She can speak Spanish." Lydia raised her brows.
♡︎
Later, Olivia and Alex were back on the couch, watching some YouTube videos, Alex's head comfortably resting on Olivia's shoulder.
Penelope started yelling for Alex's name as Olivia looked over, seeing her struggling to hold an armload of boxes before quickly going over to help her.
"Need a hand?" Olivia asked with a smile.
"Thank you sweetie." Penelope sighed in relief, then yelled again. "Alex!"
"He can't hear you. He's possessed by the YouTube." Lydia remarked.
"She's not wrong." Olivia shrugged.
"I can explain!" Alex finally notice, slamming his laptop shut, as he caught sight of the boxes.
"Really? You can explain how one pair of sneakers magically became five? Because that is some Jesus crap right there." Penelope exclaimed. Olivia raised her brows at her.
"Sorry I said Jesus so close to the word crap." Penelope apologised as Lydia did the sign.
"Okay, I'm out of here. " Olivia grinned, giving Alex a wave. "Catch you later, sneaker hoarder."
Alex gave her a sheepish smile as she closed the door behind her, making her way back to her apartment. She stepped inside to see her parents relaxing on the couch.
"Hey honey! How was the Alvarez?" Marcelina asked, with a warm smile.
"Oh, you know. The usual," Olivia shrugged with a grin.
She headed down the hall to find her little brother , Lucas, playing with his toys in his room. "Hey, Luc!" She ruffled his hair, marvelling at how fast he was growing up.
After a little while, she slipped back into her room, burrowing herself under her covers, and drifted to sleep.
