Discerning that the night is getting deeper, in haste we drive to our next destination, Olvera Street, the last place my father and I have been to.
Despite the lateness of the time, the place is still alive as we overhear live Mexican music and murmuring of people while walking at the Main Street.
Of course, among all of us, the most exciting ones are Luna and William. As soon as they heard the Mexican music, both looked at me with such delight on their faces with eyes twinkling.
“Oh my God, Ellie! Why do I hear home?” Luna asked me ecstatically as she grabbed my hand.
“Well, tada! It’s because this is Olvera Street.” I said to her, and both just gave me a questioning look.
I squint my eyes, confused. As far as I can remember, these two had been here in California first before me. Therefore, I always thought they knew the famous places and tourist attractions here in California, especially Olvera Street, for what’s in here is their home and culture.
“Wait, you two haven’t been here before?” I asked, switching glances between the two of them.
“Nope.” Both said to me and in unison.
I just found out that these two have gone nowhere outside Bakersfield, despite living in California for five years. Turns out the only reason they are here is for them to get trained on how to handle a colossal business while studying high school, for they will be the heirs of the trading company their family is running.
“That’s kind of lonely.” Nico said, looking around the place with his hands in his pockets, “to get stuck in one place and seeing the same thing every day.” He said as we continued walking.
“Guess you can never have all the finest things in life.” William shrugged. ‘
I always dreamed of being rich in the future. Who doesn’t? Meeting the cousins and seeing how wealthy they are and how enormous their house was made me think they had a stress-free ticket to life, a ticket probably all people wish they had before they were born.
But unraveling what I just found out about them. Though it may look like you’ve got every finest thing in your life and stress-free life, sometimes it still feels like something is missing, especially when you feel like you are caged behind bars.
“Well then, welcome to Olvera Street. A Mexican Marketplace that recreates a romantic ‘Old Los Angeles’” I said to both of them as if I am the one who has been living in California for five years.
Just in time, as I finished my introduction to the place, we reached the plaza and wow. The last time I was here; the place was not so alive and packed as it is right now.
“Se siente como en casa,” William and Luna said in unison, as their eyes are painted by the colors of the surroundings.
The Mexican music we were overhearing a while ago became louder, people are dancing dressed in Mexican traditional clothes that are spitting vibrant colors with rainbow linings and are very satisfying to the eyes. Banners with colors red, white, and green were hanging around the place, representing the colors of the Mexican flag.
The entire plaza was packed with people who were dancing, clapping, laughing. The place is literally manifesting its vibrant colors, cheerful and happy.
“Uh... guys, what date is today?” William asked us, still in awe.
Kayden took out his phone and opened it, “It’s May...” Kayden trailed off.
And as if we already knew what Kayden was about to say, we gasp and said in unison, “It’s Cinco de Mayo!”
“Oh, my God! I can’t believe we forgot what date it was today!” William said and with that, the two ran towards the plaza with smiles bright as the colors around us and cheerful like the music we are hearing.
The rest of us followed the two as we saw a woman attached a skirt at Luna’s waist, the same as to the vibrant and flamboyant colors the other dancers were wearing together with a colorful hair ornament. Meanwhile, William has a vest on and a sombrero on his head. And together, the two danced to the rhythm of the music.
William’s hands are at his back and tapping his feet, while Luna is holding the skirt on both sides, spreading her arms, exposing more of the colors tinted on the skirt as she turns around.
The cheering of the people became louder, and we joined in, clapping and Kayden blowing out a whistle and with that, a woman and a man dressed in Mexican clothes walked in our direction and dragged Erin and Damien at the center.
The two have no choice at all. They danced and followed the steps together with Luna and William and though it may seem their dance was a bit off and don’t know what they were doing, both faces were smiling.
Sometimes doing things you do not know what it is about and might end up, you, looking stupid for catching up, makes you happy because at least despite having no idea about it at all, you are trying and that’s what matters.
The music then changed to a slow tempo and the only ones left at the center are two Mexicans dancing intimately with the music.
The four walked back towards us, sweating and out of breath.
“That was fun!” Erin squeal and I agree.
Just by watching the dance, I can tell it was fun, so what more if you dance it? I may not be the best dancer in the world, but heck, I will go to Mexico, wear those colorful clothes, and dance at every festival they have.
We walk our way to the alleyways where everything around you is stalls selling Mexican clothes, ornaments, accessories, and anything that is Mexican and giving flamboyant colors.
William and Luna ran at one stall and tried on some clothes and sombreros, and once again, we found ourselves scattered everywhere.
I noticed that we always scatter once we get to our destination. Nevertheless, that’s fine because we always find each other on our way back.
As I walked by the alleyways, I saw a stall selling a turban headband. I walk towards it and try on some, taking my time to choose what color I should buy.
Out of nowhere, a person wearing a mask pop out in front of me, “BOO!” I squeal in shock, making the vendor look at me.
A laugh came from the inside of the mask, revealing Nico. “Oh God! You scared the shit out of me!” I smack him on his shoulder.
My eyes landed on the mask he was holding. Despite its skull-like design, it was beautiful as the sides of the mask, decorated with flowers that make such a death symbol so alive. The details were so intricate, and the colors are so alluring.
“Oh, that’s beautiful. Where’d you get that?” I asked him, still looking for a turban headband.
“Oh, there’s a stall somewhere, wherein you can buy a mask and you decorate it.” He said casually. I looked at him.
“So, you did that? That’s beautiful. There are a lot of colors. I love it. You should be a painter someday.” I told him.
“That’s a lot of colors too,” he said, pointing at my other hand. I looked at my hand where he was pointing at.
I barely noticed that I took so many turban headbands in me and still haven’t yet decided which color I should buy.
“Yeah, which one do you think fits me?” I said, putting on the green ones and pose random gestures in front of him. He smiled.
“You look stupid.” He laughed, and I rolled my eyes.
“C’mon, help me out. I don’t know which compliments my hair. Shouldn’t have dyed it.” I said, still trying on some turban headband.
“It’s beautiful...” Nico trailed off.
“The what?” I replied to him, now looking at the mirror trying on the yellow ones.
“Your hair, I mean.”
“Uh... thanks,” I muttered as I take off yet another turban headband on my head, “I like your curly hair too.” I continued, and I saw a faint smile on his face when I caught his reflection in the mirror.
Nico didn’t help me much. Instead of helping me pick a color, he ended up annoying me by trying on hairpins on my head, as I am still busy looking for a turban headband. I smack his hands from time to time while he is grinning and laughing, having fun, annoying me.
“Hey guys, do you have extra money with you?” Erin appeared.
“Why? You’re going to buy something? C’mon, I’ll buy it for you. I’ll be back.” Nico said to me, and I just nodded.
As soon as the two disappeared beside me, I heard Nico called my name. I peered through the stall and saw him standing not far away.
“By the way, I think the red ones or orange one fits you better, nevertheless everything suits you!” he winked and walked out.
I smiled at what he said and ended up buying both colors. When I finished paying the vendor, I heard Luna’s voice. I looked toward her voice and damn; she has a handful of things in her hands, so is William.
“Wow, Luna, that’s a lot,” I said, blinking my eyes.
“I know! This is the best place I’ve been to. Thank you, Ellie.” I smiled at her, and behind her, I saw William wiping his sweat off. I walked towards him as Luna again, distracted by the stall in front of her.
“That’s also hers, isn’t it?” I asked him.
“Of course. I only bought a guitar and this sombrero,” he said, pointing at a sombrero he was wearing and shaking his head, a little pissed.
“Anyway, nothing new to that. It always ends up me carrying all the things she buys whenever we go shopping, even if I only bought one thing for me. Sometimes I wish she was never been my cousin, but I realized that’s also the last thing I wanted to happen in my life. I mean, we’re the only ones who got each other’s back in our oh so wealthy family.” He continued.
I smiled at him and tapped his back.
Oh, the things we do and endure for the people we love.
Finally, we found each other along the way and ate somewhere since up to this time people still crowded Olvera Street and the restaurants had lengthy lines.
“Hey, Ellie. You think my sister will love this?” Damien asked as he walked beside me. He bought her sister a pair of sandals.
“Of course she will. It came from you!” I told him. He just smiled at me and ran beside William and started talking.
When we got back to the car, we waited outside as Kayden, simultaneously hisses and complaining, whilst everything Luna bought at a compartment underneath the white carpet that was laying at the back of the car. This car is indeed big.
“Hey Luna, you said you wanted to be a fashion designer. How is that going to happen if being the heir to your family’s company is what’s waiting ahead of the two of you?” I asked Luna.
“About that, I don’t have any problem. The family wants a man to take care of the company. I was only doing it together with William to help him. Damn, his parents pressure him with the business.” Luna said.
Kayden finally had put everything inside the compartment and once again we were on the run.
Luna, seated at the passenger seat with Kayden at the drivers whilst Damien and William were in the second backseat playing with each other through a game on their phone and me together with Erin and Nico at the back part of the car.
“So, where’s next?” Kayden asked.
I looked at the dark yellow paper. The next destination will be a long way to go.
“Havasu Falls,” I answered his question.
“Isn’t that in Arizona?” Erin asked and I nod.
“Well, then we have a long way to go. We need to fill up ourselves and my car.”
~~~
William, through the internet on his phone, found us a place to eat in Arcadia, a twenty-five-minute drive from Olvera Street.
It was the 626 Night Market, the largest Asian- inspired night market in the US.
According to Nico, Erin is a half Korean and a half Filipino girl. With that, it was Erin’s time to shine. As soon as we stepped inside the night market, Erin immediately ran to a stall selling Filipino barbeques.
Though this place was also crowded like Olvera Street, it’s our last choice since probably anywhere might also be crowded because it is Cinco de Mayo.
It’s kind of foggy in here, that explains the smell of grilled seafood lingering in my nose, sending an immediate growl on my stomach. This place can make you hungry without even seeing its foods.
“Guys, can you smell that? That is the smell of food that will fill up this,” Kayden tapped his stomach “for our next long drive,” he continued and ran to the stall where a vendor was grilling a fresh squid, and ladies and gentlemen, once again we were scattered.
I got myself some Takoyaki, rice balls, and some barbeques Erin bought a while ago.
Truly, this place can fill your stomach just as how the people and the stalls filled the place.
When I’ve had enough in my stomach until tomorrow, I couldn’t find anyone, so I went to the car and waited for them as I ate the strawberry rolled ice cream I bought.
One by one they appeared by the car with their stomachs protruded, must have eaten a lot inside the market.
It was eleven at night when we got to Victorville and Kayden stopped at the nearest gas station.
“Guys, I can’t take it anymore. Call of nature,” he blurted, unbuckling his seatbelts. and ran to the comfort room. “Fill up the car!” he screamed before he shut the door to the bathroom.
We finished filling up the car, yet Kayden was still not yet finished, and out of boredom, we do random things while waiting for him.
Luna and William, who can’t get enough of Olvera Street, danced with Erin and Damien as William strummed Mexican melody from the guitar he bought, whilst Nico and I threw chips in the air to each other and catching it with our mouths.
We must have caused enough of a scene, as we didn’t notice that Kayden was finished with his business and overheard him say to someone.
“I don’t know them. Just picked them off the streets.”
~~~
Along our way to Barstow, Kayden halted to like a cliff but a safe cliff, wherein you can see the nightlights from below.
He called it a night and parked the car and spent the night here. The three of us girls slept at the back part of the car whilst Damien and Kayden at the second backseat with Kayden at the floor and Nico and William in the front seats.
I’ve always had sleepless nights in my life and even if I want to sleep, I cannot do it because I was always reminded of my dad’s face, especially in the deep silence of the night, and that depresses me. But today, I am tired and my eyes want to shut down yet this time I don’t wish to sleep because I don’t want to miss even a single, smallest circumstance of this trip.
I want to savor every inch of the moments.
I crawled the little ladder at the side of the car that leads to the roof of and sat on it, looking at the nightlights.
“Hey, mind if I join?” I looked below and saw William.
“No, not at all.”
William climbed up onto the roof with his guitar.
Looking back at the conversation Luna and I had, she mentioned that William’s parents pressured him with the business; it made me curious. What does William want to be in the future?
“Hey, William, why did you come here? I know it’s not just because you wanted to do it,” I said to him as the nightlights twinkled below us.
He laid back a little and asked me out of nowhere, “What do you want to be in the future, Ellie?”
I never thought if that, but I blurted out the first thing that came into my mind “A writer, maybe?”
“Me, I want to be a musician. That is why Luna and I came here. Since we can’t go anywhere aside from Bakersfield, I told Luna to take this as an opportunity for us to go to our grandma in Mexico to convince my dad that I don’t want to take over the company, instead I want to be a musician. My dad listens to his mom.”
“So, somewhere along the way, you two will go your separate ways?” I asked him.
“Yeah, and I will forever thank you for making this possible. From here on I will look forward to being a musician one day. How about you? What are you looking forward to this trip?” he asked me and that made me think.
Why am I doing this, anyway?
“I am looking forward to home, I guess.” I shrugged.
“Here, I know a song wherein I always listen to it when I get homesick.”
With that, William strung the chords of the guitar, and his voice, so pleasing to the ears, pronounces the lyrics of the song so clearly that it feels so real.
“I think you’re going to be a great musician, William,” I told him as he finished singing.
“I think you’re going to be a great writer too.”