The medicine man starts doing things to my nose. I don't feel anything because my nose is already in so much pain. I drift off to sleep.
I wake up hours later. It is still raining, and I feel much better. My nose feels normal. The medicine man motions for me to go, that I'm okay. I walk outside and find a puddle.
I look horrible. My nose is covered in odd things, plants and things stick through it. I didn't know this was to reset my nose.
"What happened to your nose?!" Izel walks out and puts her hand on my shoulder.
"It's that bad?" I whimper.
"Yes. Honestly, it is." Izel laughs.
"Aw. Well, have you found anyone you liked?" I ask. Izel is supposed to get married soon.
"Um, yeah, actually." she giggles.
"Oh my gosh! Who is the poor guy!?" I mock.
"Hey!" Izel says. She grimaces.
"Oh, you know I'm kidding. I'm related to you.. so technically I'm supposed to look a little like you." I snicker.
"Well, do you want to know about him?!" Izel is getting impatient.
"Sure. Chatter on about him." I said, rubbing my eyes. I am exhausted.
"Okay.. so his name is Quauhtli." she begins.
"Oh, so you like an eagle?" I joke. 'Quauhtli' means "eagle" in our language.
"Oh, shut up." Izel continues. "He's really nice. He brings me flowers."
An idea pops in my head. I smile at Izel and run. "WHAT IF HE HAS BEEN CUTTING DOWN THE FLOWERS IN THE GARDEN?!" I thought. I am in a hurry. I go full sprint to the garden. There is a boy, cutting flowers. My heart fills with anger. I run over to him, daintily making sure I do not crush my flowers.
Trying to sound nice, I ask, "What is your name?"
The boy replies, "Quauhtli. Why?"
I go up to him closer, and slap him. "I know my sister is important to you, but STOP PICKING THE FLOWERS! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE! I WORKED EXTREMELY HARD ON THIS!" I sound like a demon, but I am furious.
Surprised I showed so much anger, he nods and says, "I like your sister. A lot."
I interrupt him. "Yeah, well she likes you too. Go away and do whatever you like, just stay away from the garden." I am extremely mad.
He leaves. I sit down in a patch he has pulled out. I go back to my 'house' and grab some water pouches and a fruit. I take off looking for more flowers. I hop around the land and find some flowers. I put it in a basket and go back to the garden. Quauhtli is there, picking flowers again.
Yet again, I run up to him. I hit his head on the basket. "Do you have NO. COMMON. SENSE. AT. ALL?!"
He gets up and runs. "Stay away!" I yell. I plant all the flowers I collected. I feel hostile and cold.
After the garden is finished, I walk over back home and see Izel and eagle boy. He is surprising her with flowers. She giggles.
My nose is getting better. I am extremely happy. My garden is fixed. One day, I walk home for the night and I see Mama happy and Izel beaming.
"What is going on?" I asked.
"Izel is getting married!" Mama screeches, almost unbearably.
"You guys organized it?" I question.
Izel nods her head quickly and screams, "I love Quauhtli!"
I almost roll my eyes. "You guys are so perfect for each other!" I say through gritted teeth.
That boy tried to ruin my garden. It is very late, and I head off to bed.
The next morning, I wake up late. I get my things and jog to the garden. Sacrification goes on, like usual, but I do not watch. I make sure eagle boy is not there. I arrive and I am in shock.
Izel and eagle boy are in the middle. Almost stepping on my prickly pear. Kissing. I cough loudly. Izel notices and gives me a glare.
"Excuse me, that cactus is kinda priceless there." I say.
Quauhtli grins at me rudely and steps on it. Instead of me screaming, I laugh.
Quauhtli screams in agony as the prickly pear goes into his foot. I begin laughing so much I can't hold it in.
"You actually fell for it! PRICKLY pear!" I cackle.
Izel helps eagle boy up and the hobble out of the garden. He gives me a grimace.
I sit in my garden, right by my beloved prickly pear. As a 'woman,' I am expected to sew and make things. I have started a basket a while ago.
I weave with reeds. In out, out in. An endless loop. I get lost in my weaving. I don't notice when it becomes dark yet again. When it DOES become too dark to see, I walk back home.
Dinner is served. Delicious lamb tonight. Because of Izel's engagement, of course. We normally just eat plant or leftovers. Leftover meat is disgusting. Eyes, brain, that gross stuff. Dinner is going nicely until Izel brings something up.
"Zyanya made my fiancee fall into a cactus."
"No! He STEPPED in it!" I argue, and almost laugh.
Mama intervenes. "Okay, so he stepped in Zyanya's cactus?"
"Yes." we both respond.
"With intention?" Mama asks.
"Yes." we both respond.
"Well, that's rude. Zyanya loves that cactus." Mama said.
"It's a plant! At least I have a boyfriend!" Izel glares.
"I'm just glad I'm not engaged to an eagle." I mumble.
