The Journey

A ray of light

The next day, Mirabel had literature and art classes, so she would be on campus until noon. She had her sketchbook in her arm and her Wizard of Oz book in a tote bag, so she could entertain herself when she wasn't busy in class. She was on her way to her literature class when she saw Camilo, Nayeli, Rocio, and Dolores from a distance. She wanted nothing to do with them, so she just minded her own business and continued on her way only for the cabrones to come up to her.

"Ay, typical Mirabel, always working on schoolwork," Nayeli sneered.

"Well, college is no joke, Nayeli," Mirabel frowned. "You have to attend all your classes if you want to succeed."

"We've already succeeded, Mirabel," Dolores smirked.

"Sí, we succeeded in being the most popular muchachos in high school," Rocio agreed.

"Que bueno," Mirabel scoffed.

"Mirabel, you really need to understand that it's not right for a woman to read or draw," Camilo said. "Soon she starts getting ideas and thinking about certain things. You really need to learn to stop and smell the flowers." He pulled out a huge bouquet of colorful daisy flowers. "Why don't you take these, so you can remember that lesson?"

But there was something about Mirabel that didn't quite occur to Camilo or the muchachas. "Ay, Camilo, you shouldn't have," she said.

"Oh, I did anyway because you're really going to need it," Camilo smirked.

"No, I mean you really shouldn't have," Mirabel said, a little sniffly. "I'm allergic to..." Then she let out a sneeze. "...bush daisies." Then her watch beeped. "Tengo que irme. I've got literature class. Adiós." She went off to her literature class and let out another sneeze.

"Ay, well, she surely didn't fall for our little prank," Nayeli frowned. "I would've loved to see her reaction to the fake bees in the daisies."

But Rocio saw something that was a bit off. "Uh, Camilo, you put fake bees in the bouquet, right?" she asked.

"I don't remember putting any bees in the bouquet," Camilo replied. "¿Por que?"

"Because I think those bees are real," Rocio gulped.

"¿Qué?" Dolores and Nayeli gasped.

It was true—the bouquet had real bees in it, not fake ones. When a few of them came flying out, Camilo and the girls started screaming their heads off. Camilo tried to shoo them away by flinging the bouquet all over, but it just made the bees angry. Camilo threw down the bouquet, and he and the girls ran away with the bees flying after them.

Meanwhile, Mirabel made it to her literature class. Her eyes were a bit itchy, and she was still a little stuffy. As she sat down, she let out a sneeze.

"Salud," the boy next to Mirabel said. He was rather handsome with his dark blue glasses, sun-kissed skin, black hair that was swept on both sides, and facial hair.

"Gracias," Mirabel smiled, a little sniffly.

"¿Alergias, señorita?" the literature professor guessed.

"Bush daisies, to be exact," Mirabel said before taking out a tissue and blowing her nose.

Mirabel looked up to see the professor motioning her to come up, and so she did. The professor gave her a chewable allergy pill and put eye drops in both her eyes.

"Gracias," Mirabel smiled.

"De nada, mija," the professor smiled back.

Mirabel went back to her seat, and the boy smiled at her—and she returned the smile.