right into her eyes.
She smiles.
"Hold that thought," she says.
She stands up and makes her way over to the stage.
When they are sixteen, Luz shows up at Maria's house while Maria is making dinner. She slouches in a chair at the kitchen table and watches Maria cook tortillas in an iron frying pan. When each one is done, Maria puts it in a small quilted-cotton pouch that she keeps in the oven. On the stovetop is a pot of carne seca . Another holds a spicy mixture of beans and rice. Chopped tomatoes and lettuce and a heap of grated cheese wait on a cutting board.
"I'm going away," Luz says.
Maria has known for a long time that this day was coming. The barrio has always been too small to contain the force of nature that is Luz. She just didn't think it would be so soon.
"When?" she asks.
"Tonight."
"Where will you go?"
Luz shrugs. "I don't know. L.A. for starters."
"But what will you do there?"
"What are the two things I care about the most?"
"You mean beside looking good and having fun?"
Luz grins. "Styling and having fun—those are just a given. There's no point in living without them."
She takes out the black pebble that she's carried with her for over a year and shows it to Maria, holding it between her thumb and forefinger.
"I'm talking about magic," she says. "And fighting injustice."
"You can't fight injustice with magic," Maria says.
"Maybe you're right," Luz tells her. "But maybe not. I think it's all we've got left."
"And you're going to find magic in L.A.?"
"Probably not. But I've got to start somewhere. And Adelita has a place in Venice Beach, so I can crash with her for a week or so."
Maria wants to beg her not to throw her life away for something that doesn't exist. Magic's only in stories and there is no justice for brown-skinned girls like them. But she knows Luz too well. She can't be talked out of something like this.
"Good luck," she says.
Maria doesn't see her again until Luz is robbing the banker's house in Desert View.
Maria's not sure what sort of a welcome she can expect from Luz. It's been a few years now and clearly their lives have gone in very different directions. She's a maid working in rich people's homes. Luz robs those same houses. They probably have nothing in common anymore.
But Luz's eyes light up as soon as she catches sight of Maria. She enfolds her in a tight embrace.
She says something, but Maria can't hear her over the band. Maria motions towards the door and mouths, "Let's go outside!"
Luz nods and they leave the center. The desert night is cool and the breeze coming in from the Hierro Madera Mountains feels good on their skin. It's quieter, too, though they can still hear the band. There are people all around, smoking and talking.
"You look amazing," Luz says.
"So do you."
And she does. She's sleek and trim, her hair twisted into a long braid that hangs halfway down her back. Her Capris ride low on shapely hips and a sleeveless T shows off muscular arms.
"How long have you been back?" Maria adds.
"Not long. I wanted to come see you, but…"
Luz's voice trails off.
"You didn't want me to get involved with your gang," Maria finishes for her.
"You know about that?"
Maria nods. "I saw you guys break into that house today."
A big smile spreads across Luz's face.
" You're the hot tamale that Jack's been going on about?" she says.
For a moment Maria allows herself to be distracted. "He called me a hot tamale?"
"He hasn't stopped talking about you. He says you're his missing half." She bumps a fist against Maria's shoulder. "And that's after only one glance."
Maria tilts her head toward the center. "I was just talking to him inside," she says.
Luz studies her for a moment and the big smile comes back. " Ai yi yi . You like him, too!"
Maria feels a hot flush rising up her neck.
"What are you doing?" she says to change the subject. "How can you have joined a gang? We always hated the bandas."
"I didn't join a gang," Luz says. "I started one. And
She smiles.
"Hold that thought," she says.
She stands up and makes her way over to the stage.
When they are sixteen, Luz shows up at Maria's house while Maria is making dinner. She slouches in a chair at the kitchen table and watches Maria cook tortillas in an iron frying pan. When each one is done, Maria puts it in a small quilted-cotton pouch that she keeps in the oven. On the stovetop is a pot of carne seca . Another holds a spicy mixture of beans and rice. Chopped tomatoes and lettuce and a heap of grated cheese wait on a cutting board.
"I'm going away," Luz says.
Maria has known for a long time that this day was coming. The barrio has always been too small to contain the force of nature that is Luz. She just didn't think it would be so soon.
"When?" she asks.
"Tonight."
"Where will you go?"
Luz shrugs. "I don't know. L.A. for starters."
"But what will you do there?"
"What are the two things I care about the most?"
"You mean beside looking good and having fun?"
Luz grins. "Styling and having fun—those are just a given. There's no point in living without them."
She takes out the black pebble that she's carried with her for over a year and shows it to Maria, holding it between her thumb and forefinger.
"I'm talking about magic," she says. "And fighting injustice."
"You can't fight injustice with magic," Maria says.
"Maybe you're right," Luz tells her. "But maybe not. I think it's all we've got left."
"And you're going to find magic in L.A.?"
"Probably not. But I've got to start somewhere. And Adelita has a place in Venice Beach, so I can crash with her for a week or so."
Maria wants to beg her not to throw her life away for something that doesn't exist. Magic's only in stories and there is no justice for brown-skinned girls like them. But she knows Luz too well. She can't be talked out of something like this.
"Good luck," she says.
Maria doesn't see her again until Luz is robbing the banker's house in Desert View.
Maria's not sure what sort of a welcome she can expect from Luz. It's been a few years now and clearly their lives have gone in very different directions. She's a maid working in rich people's homes. Luz robs those same houses. They probably have nothing in common anymore.
But Luz's eyes light up as soon as she catches sight of Maria. She enfolds her in a tight embrace.
She says something, but Maria can't hear her over the band. Maria motions towards the door and mouths, "Let's go outside!"
Luz nods and they leave the center. The desert night is cool and the breeze coming in from the Hierro Madera Mountains feels good on their skin. It's quieter, too, though they can still hear the band. There are people all around, smoking and talking.
"You look amazing," Luz says.
"So do you."
And she does. She's sleek and trim, her hair twisted into a long braid that hangs halfway down her back. Her Capris ride low on shapely hips and a sleeveless T shows off muscular arms.
"How long have you been back?" Maria adds.
"Not long. I wanted to come see you, but…"
Luz's voice trails off.
"You didn't want me to get involved with your gang," Maria finishes for her.
"You know about that?"
Maria nods. "I saw you guys break into that house today."
A big smile spreads across Luz's face.
" You're the hot tamale that Jack's been going on about?" she says.
For a moment Maria allows herself to be distracted. "He called me a hot tamale?"
"He hasn't stopped talking about you. He says you're his missing half." She bumps a fist against Maria's shoulder. "And that's after only one glance."
Maria tilts her head toward the center. "I was just talking to him inside," she says.
Luz studies her for a moment and the big smile comes back. " Ai yi yi . You like him, too!"
Maria feels a hot flush rising up her neck.
"What are you doing?" she says to change the subject. "How can you have joined a gang? We always hated the bandas."
"I didn't join a gang," Luz says. "I started one. And
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