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[b]A [@BrutalBx] and [@Melissa] Collab[/b]

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Perhaps it was the adrenaline pumping through his body from having been on stage that was cursing him with the thoughts that were now running through his head? Whatever the cause, Rico couldn’t shake the idea; he wanted to speak to Ellie, he needed to speak to her. Dutch courage was permeating his bones and he just couldn’t help himself. He had come to this party with the intention of avoiding her but the longer the night had gone on, the more it just didn’t feel right doing what he was doing, not without Ellie by his side.

Rico slapped his cheeks in a way to try and hype himself up and knock out some of the drugs. This was his chance, the brunette was alone. He knew if Lilith was there she’d probably put a foot up his ass and she’d be well within her rights to do so. He put a hand on her shoulder and tried to offer as much of a smile  as he could muster.

[color=FF8B00]”Hi El..”[/color]

[hr][i][b]The Not Too Distant Past[/b][/i]

[i][color=FF8B00]If I fall short
If I don't make the grade
If your expectations aren't met in me today
There's always tomorrow or tomorrow night
Hang in there, baby
Sooner or later, I know I'll get it right
Please don't give up on me[/color][/i]

The night had begun as a celebration of love; Yasmin and Isaac had been together through thick and thin and had survived high school together. Now they were in college and home for the weekend to see family and friends. Yet there was another reason, one that involved a hefty diamond ring and a certain situation where one drops to a single knee. Needless to say, the pair needed a soundtrack for their love, one provided by the Latin loverboy; Enrique Suave.

There was a pinch of sadness with every lyric sung as Rico’s own love, Ellie Roberts, was not able to watch him perform on this night as she had to work. Without her there to keep some of his more wild tendencies in check, Rico found himself downing tequila shots and beer between every song and by the end of his set, he was drowning in liquid courage and foolhardiness. 

As the night grew beyond the witching hour, the lovers evening had morphed into a rave and where an air of romance once hung, now stood drunken teenagers fighting, fucking and fucking up. Freako had emerged and like an animal off the leash, he was going for everything. Every drink, he blasted. Every line, he snorted, every beat, he danced. There was no stopping him until the world itself put him to sleep. Passed out on a couch, his once pristine white shirt now covered in a combination of alcohol, saliva and maybe cheese whiz? Rico could just about make out the figure of a friend leaning over him.

[color=CB8DEB]”Hey yo, Suave? Yo, Rico were heading to Quinn’s you coming? Rico?! Fuck man, he ain’t coming nowhere. Queen, go tell Hunter I’ll catch up with ya’ll. Imma make sure this fool gets home”[/color] DeShawn used his mighty strength to pull Rico over his shoulder and carried him out of the party and into a quieter room.

[color=FF8B00]”....Dee...you...you’re...you’re a huge fucker you know that? Like...you must be the best big spoon ever...wait am I flying? Si no te hubieras caído, no te hubiera encontrado ángel volando demasiado cerca del suelo.”[/color]

Dee shook his head. He was missing quality time with Melissa for this clown. Everybody loves Rico...except fucking Rico himself it seemed. [color=CB8DEB]”Motherfucker, I have no idea what you just said but if you just tried to suave me imma whoop your ass. I swear on my beautiful mother’s soul.”[/color] He laid the drunken troubadour down onto his side to prevent him from vomiting into his own mouth and proceeded to pull out his cell; he would stay with the clown until he got him a ride or knew he was safe from himself.

[color=CB8DEB][I]Hey yo Ellie, you might wanna come get your boi. Freako out on form tonight...[/I][/color]

Ellie found herself sweeping the floor of the Yellow Rose Diner, humming along mindlessly to the melodies of Rico’s songs that she had memorized as the last customers departed for the evening. Even though she had wanted to be there in person to watch her boyfriend perform, like most weekend nights she was on the clock. Fridays and Saturdays were some of the best nights to work as they were the busiest, which made it hard for the girl to pass up on. So as much as it hurt her to miss out on the fun she could be having, it was in her best interests (as well as her bank account’s best interest) to pick up those lucrative shifts.

The brunette felt her cell phone buzz from the pocket of her apron, and she couldn’t help but get excited thinking that it was her love trying to get a hold of her. But, to her dismay, it wasn’t from him but it was definitely about him. She felt a twang at the pit of her stomach as she read the text, knowing that if someone was telling her to come and get Rico, it was a bad night. Ellie sighed, and within minutes, she was locking up the doors of the Diner and heading out to her car to go and fetch him. As she drove down the quiet streets with the windows down and the music off, she couldn’t help but wonder what kind of trouble Rico had gotten himself into this time- he already knew how she felt about his addictive habits, but he still refused to change his ways which continually frustrated her. 

It was evident where the party was happening as Ellie turned down the road, music pulsating and flooding into the endless night, guiding her path. Parking in front of the house, she sent DeShawn back a text letting him know that she was here to get her boyfriend, much to her own chagrin. 

By the time that Ellie’s message had come through, Rico had all but passed out and Dee was enjoying the silence. With a great sigh, the linebacker gently shook the other boy awake. [color=CB8DEB]”Yo Suave, your girl is here…”[/color]

[color=FB8B00]”ELLIE!”[/color] Enrique emerged from his slumber and clawed at the air, hoping for the warm embrace of one Miss Roberts but finding instead the somewhat hairy tasting carpet of Yasmin Hazel’s spare room. [color=FB8B00]”I didn’t know they had a cat...”[/color]

[color=CB8DEB]”Come on, big guy.”[/color] Once again Dee found himself throwing the mariachi over his large shoulders and carrying him out of the party. He spotted Ellie’s old Toyota Camry in front of the house and swiftly made his way over. Rico was not a small guy but even now, Dee made carrying him look easy. He pulled open the back door and laid Enrique down on the back seat as gently as he could. [color=CB8DEB]”Sorry about this, Roberts. Didn’t want to leave him there, didn’t know who else to call. Good luck. Catch you round the way, Suave.”[/color] DeShawn nodded towards Ellie before closing the door behind him and heading off to go catch up with Melissa and the others.

Rico stirred for a moment before sitting up like the Undertaker and turning towards his love. [color=FB8B00]”Oh, Ellie te extrañé esta noche mi amor, I was on fire tonight. I missed you beautiful.”[/color]

As soon as Dee appeared with her boyfriend hanging over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, Ellie was faced with the unfortunate reality that tonight was [i]worse[/i] than what she was expecting it to be. Part of her had hoped he would have been able to walk to her car on his own, maybe stumbling a bit, but that was wishful thinking. With a berated sigh, she turned to Dee, putting on a brave face for show. [color=FACE75]“It’s okay, you did the right thing by calling me. Thanks, Dee.”[/color] She expressed her genuine appreciation as the boy disappeared towards their peers and she was left to see her boyfriend home. 

Ellie looked up at her rearview mirror and gazed at her love in the reflection.  [color=FACE75]“I missed you too, baby, but I’m going to take you home okay?”[/color] She replied, hiding any indication of worry in her voice as she put the car into drive and headed towards the direction of Rico’s house. She knew the way by heart even in the darkness, and hoped his parents would be preoccupied enough for her to sneak him in the side door without them noticing. As per usual. [color=FACE75]“If you feel like you’re going to be sick, just give me a heads up and I’ll pull over.”[/color] The last thing Ellie needed right now was to have to explain to her father why she needed her car detailed for free again…

[color=FB8B00]”I am never sick!”[/color] Rico projected his confidence at all times, even in a state like he was in. Yet as with most confident people, reality has a way of biting back as it did in this moment when the song and dance man began to feel a churning in his gut. [color=FB8B00]”Just in case though..”[/color] He shuffled to the side and rolled down one of the windows, the cold night breeze hitting him like a much needed slap to the face.

The brunette girl would’ve laughed at her boyfriend’s protest had it not been the same broken record every other time she’s had to collect him from his revelries. 

Watching the street lights roll by like a scene from one of arty Ryan Gosling films, Enrique shifted his gaze to Ellie; a passing car illuminating the look on her face which even in his mess of a state, Rico could not mistake for anything else than what it was. All they needed was a synth wave soundtrack and they would be in an art house movie. [color=FB8B00]”Hang in there, baby. Sooner or later, I know I'll get it right. Please don't give up on me.”[/color] He sang for a moment before stopping. These moments were rare, where a song couldn’t help a situation but they did happen. 

The fresh air continued to hit the romancer with waves of sobering clarity. [color=FB8B00]”There's a song in my culture, it’s called Malagueña Salerosa. It tells the story of two lovers and specifically how the man is poor and not good enough for the woman. It’s a legend of a song. My...I...do you know what I mean? I think it’s our song….cause I love you Ellie, I really do, but I’m not sure I’m good enough for you. You deserve better.”[/color]

She glimpsed back at him once more before returning her gaze forward to the road they were currently on, shaking off his lyrics and song merely as a blackout soundtrack. It wasn’t the first time he had broken out into song while intoxicated- in fact, it was quite normal for him to do- so Ellie wholeheartedly ignored his singing as she accelerated. But the following words he spoke seemed to hit her right in the gut, and she dismissed them all too quickly. [color=FACE75]“Shhh, it’s fine. Everything is fine, we’re almost there.”[/color] The girl soothed.

Never had Rico before held any poignant truth in his drunken state, but Ellie couldn’t help but wonder, did he mean that? No, no he didn’t. He couldn’t have; they were a picture perfect couple- well, except for her continually growing disdain for moments like this- and the love they had was [i]real[/i]. Shaking off her anxieties, she clutched the steering wheel just a bit tighter, turning on her blinker to indicate another right turn as they passed by the Rosefell football field.

He could feel his eyes getting heavier and heavier by the second but he didn’t want to stop looking at Ellie; she was his heart and to stop looking at her would be for his heart to stop beating. He was sliding deeper down the back seat and was all but ready to pass out again but quickly Rico pulled himself back up to a seated position as they got closer to his home.

As the world around him span, Enrique envisioned happier moments in his life, most of which involved Ellie. He remembered their early friendship and the night that it blossomed into romance and the last six months. Yet between those fleeting dreams he felt the pang in his chest, the feeling of something not quite right. He could see the tiredness in her eyes, the exhaustion from dealing with his burning candle lifestyle. She did not deserve to be the one to pick up the pieces of his fractured self. She did not deserve to be just another unfinished song. Ellie Roberts was a ballad of love and joy to be shared with the world and not be pulled down, torn up and left on the cutting room floor. Rico resolved to be better for her...tomorrow. 

When the Toyota pulled up outside of La Munica; a gasp of breath escaped from his throat and enough sense returned to Rico’s body that he leaned forward to Ellie’s drivers seat. [color=FB8B00]”Thank you.”[/color]

As she put the car into park, Ellie turned around to meet her boyfriend’s eyes. She could tell just by gazing into them that he was not all there- the ride and the cool evening breeze having resurrected him somewhat, but for the most part he was still gone; just a shell of her love that was hidden underneath alcohol and drugs. It was what she disliked most about nights like these. [color=FACE75]“Let’s get you inside, casanova.”[/color] She tried to smirk and add some humor, but the muscles around her lips refused to cooperate as she emotionlessly unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car, ready to assist Rico stumble into the house and make it to his room in one piece. 

The brunette pulled the boy from the backseat and onto his feet, slugging one of his arms over her shoulder as she began to guide him towards the side door that she had learned his parents didn’t use. It was nearly 2AM, which meant they were fast asleep by now, but she still wanted to be quiet enough as to not to alert them. Man, she could’ve really used Dee’s muscle at this moment. 

It was an ingenious escape route; the kitchen to La Munica had all but become the hub of the home thanks to its central location and link directly into the family restaurant. Little did the Nunez’s know that Enrique had unbolted the side door that led directly into the pantry. No one ever checked and it was perfect for his late evening escapades of sneaking out or sneaking Ellie in. Not that he needed to, Rico’s parents loved Ellie. They loved having her round for dinner, having her taste their new recipes and her general positive presence in their wayward son's life. She was a grounding factor that they appreciated as before her, Rico was a mess.

The pair stumbled into the house as quietly as they could; at least in Ellie’s case, the drunken boy was too busy smelling whatever his chef father had cooked up that evening. [color=FB8B00]”Oh...oh babe let’s go to the kitchen! It smells so good!”[/color] He began to pull towards the cooking area, only for Ellie to act as resistance and pull him the other way towards the stairs. In his current state, Rico could not fight back. She had covered his mouth with her hand as they crept onwards; part of him thought maybe this was some new kink she had learned, which of course he’d be down for, Suave would try anything once but alas it was not the case as a small slither of logic slipped into his brain and told him he was probably just being too loud.

Once the hand reached the top of the stairs, Rico’s eyes were drawn to a photo of [url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EB_9-BYWsAAJ6mo.jpg]his parents.[/url] It was one taken when Enrique was but a babe. A passerby snapped a young couple in love and gave them a gift for life. Pedro and Monica’s love story burned bright from the moment their eyes first met on Playa Chac-Mool beach; her, a sun kissed Goddess and him, a struggling food cart assistant. The way they told it, it was like a bolt of lightning permeating their bodies and binding them together forever. Rico was enamoured with their story and how for them, love made the world go round. It was why he would constantly seek it; it was what led him to ask Ellie out to begin with. He couldn’t help but wonder if that dread feeling that hung between him and the brunette now once also separated his parents.

By the time the young lovers had made it to Rico’s bedroom, it had felt like an eternity had passed from the moment Ellie had picked him up. There was a tension, it was sharp and cutting and it was not a nice feeling. He flopped onto the bed but managed to pull himself up to face her. Truly if angels walked among them, Eleanor Roberts was one. Enrique placed his hands upon her hips and rested his head against her midsection.

[color=FB8B00]”Are you gonna stay tonight?”[/color]

As the girl stood there, relieved that they had made it to their destination without much hassle, she sighed as her boyfriend’s touch calmed her. She let her hands find their way to his head almost on instinct, running her fingers through his hair as she decided what her next move was. At this point, she was too concerned about his well-being to leave him, and not to mention she was exhausted from the tiring shift she had just worked at the Yellow Rose and didn’t want to get behind the wheel again. [color=FACE75]“Yeah. Yeah, I’ll stay.”[/color] Ellie replied quietly. She kept one hand on his head and took out her phone with the other, texting her mother saying that she was crashing at Lil’s, and texting Lil asking her to cover for her.

With the minor details taken care of, the brunette sighed as she helped Rico get out of the stained and dirtied clothes that he had found himself in. She took advantage of the placement of his arms and grasped the bottom hem of his shirt, pulling the fabric over his head. What the hell did he get on himself this time? Not even wanting to ask, she moved to take off his shoes, socks, and pants, tossing the garments into the half-full laundry basket that sat in the corner of his room. Only then did Ellie slip off her own shoes and peel off her uniform from work, finding an oversized tee shirt in her boyfriend’s dresser to throw over her head and wear to sleep. Walking back to the bed, she sat down on the edge and looked over at Rico, who’s eyes were glazing over. [color=FACE75]“Let’s get some sleep, I think we both need it.”[/color] The girl stated, her words mostly falling on deaf ears as she hid the conflicted emotions that she felt inside.

The weight of the world, the cocaine and the booze pulled Rico down to the mattress like a ton of bricks and he grumbled in compliance with his girlfriend. He put his hand on Ellie’s and guided her down next to him, wrapping her up tightly in his arms. [color=FB8B00]”I love you.”[/color] He kissed her in habit as he began to fall into lucid champagne dreams.

As the snoring began, Rico’s bedroom door opened and the head of his mother Monica poked around the frame. Ellie jumped, surprised that she was still awake, but her boyfriend didn’t budge as he was already knocked out cold.

“Thank you for taking care of him, Eleanor.” She whispered. “But it’s time to start thinking about taking care of yourself, mi amor. Goodnight.” She blew a kiss to the young girl before softly closing the door to the lover’s room behind her.

Ellie's eyes remained wide open as her head rested on Rico’s bare chest, feeling the rhythmic pattern of his breathing which normally would have lulled her right to sleep. But her boyfriend’s drunken words from earlier in the car, as well as his mother’s shocking advice, repeated over and over in her head, keeping her awake for god knows how long. One question remained in the brunette’s head as she finally let sleep come over her.

Were they both right?[/center]