*•.Beauty Queen.•*

Fun?

     He shakes his head, "This is going to be like starting over entirely, isn't it? Well, I guess you are just going to have to get used to it." I nod cautiously. He smiles, "Eat up babygirl." I smile and grab the fork and cut into my pancakes.
    
     "It's around noon, Mr.Sal."
     "Essie, my dear, why do you look so sad? Are you hungry? Do you need a nap? Or snuggles?" He smiles at me, "Essie. If you don't tell me what you need, you will be taking a nap. No take backs."
     I look up from sitting on the ground, "Mr.Sal, I wanna go somewhere." I shuffle where I am sitting to get into a less restricting position, "Like the BEACH!!"
     He looks at me sternly, "Do, Not, Yell, At, Me. Now, where do you want to go?"   
     He notices me pouting and takes my arm, he is basically dragging me.

SOMETHING CLICKS
     "ESSIE! NO, WHY?" I hear someone sobbing in the background.
     "Luna?" I don't recognize the name that just rolled off my tongue, "I love you, Luna. Give Mom and Dad my best wishes."
     That's when I am grabbed and dragged away, "DO NOT GRAB ME."
     The man just looked at me, "Thank you very much Sir, but I will walk out of here with my dignity intact." I begin to walk and the man just walks along side me.
     "Why do you resist like that?" The man looks at me as though I hurt his pride.
     "My sister is here, I don't want her to think I am helpless, and a rag doll. But, since I'm here, you must know that's what I am...
     I know it seems odd for someone like me to want to act strong for someone, but she will only come looking for me if she thinks I'm not okay." I look back at her and smile, "she is giving me a quizzical look and a thumbs up, how would you like me to respond, Sir?"
      He smiles, "Send her your best, we will be just fine."

SAL'S POV IN FLASHBACK
     I like this one, she seems very, proud. I can break that, but I don't know if she will ever truly be comfortable around me. That's really sad, she seems so kind, I think I might even keep this one for myself.
     "Essie? Is that what your sister said your name was?" She smiles and nods.
     "You can call me that too. You can call me whatever you want."
     I really like this one.

SALS POV IRL
     "Oh my god, MIIIIIIKKKKEEEE!!" I've been screaming for Mike for like 5 minutes.
      Essie is so light, I wonder if she's been eating properly. I'll make sure to feed her after she wakes up.
      "Oh, Essie, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen. I was just going to take you to the garden then down for a nap.  Oh, lord, I'll take you to the beach, just wake up!"
ESSIE POV
I can hear Sal yelling, but I can't do anything, I'm still in the past.
"SALLLLL! I CANT WAKE UP! HELP ME!"
I hear him yell from a distance, "Tell me what you need! I will get it!!!"
He heard me? He heard me!!!!!
"SAL, DUMP ME IN WATER!"
He groans and picks me up. I can hear him cursing under his breath in another language.
     Why did I understand him? I don't speak anything more than Spanish and English. That was neither.

I feel a cold splash and my eyes open automatically. I move my arms to go up, but then I am held still by strong arms.
He holds me there for a second then sees my eyes are open and lifts me out.
     I shove my head into the crook of his neck and sob, "After I saw her, the world went dark, I couldn't find you! Not real you!" I cry for a while and Sal lifts us up and out of the water.
      He takes us in the direction of his room.
He lays me down on the bed, still sobbing and brings me a new dress. He helps me remove my clothes, then puts the new dress on me. He gets  dry clothes on and lies down with me.
I crumble up into a ball and push myself against his chest.
"S-Sal? Th-thank you."
     He smiles at me, "Anything for my Star."
"Th-that was fu-fun, wasn't i-it?"
He looks down at my tear stricken face and pats my head, "Whatever you wanna call it, Love."
We stay like that for a while.