Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya

Author:Pablo Cartaya
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2018-08-20T16:00:00+00:00

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When the fireworks show is over, Sergio suggests we go to a café to have a snack. We all head down to an area close to Tío Ermenio’s that has a whole bunch of restaurants. Music blasts from a club with bright neon lights. It’s the kind of music Charlie was listening to on his headphones, and he starts grooving in the middle of the street. I try to stop him, but before I can, Angela and Hilda join in and start a dance party. My brother is not a shy kid. Actually, he’s a total ham. The more attention he gets from Angela and Hilda, the more he sways to the music.

Sergio starts clapping along, and I see María smile also. Charlie has captured the attention of some people nearby, and soon they start dancing around my brother. A circle forms with Charlie at the center. More gather around, making it harder to keep an eye on Charlie. I manage to see that he’s holding Angela’s and Hilda’s hands as they twist and shake around. Some guy wearing sunglasses, a really tight shirt, and white pants jumps into the middle of the circle. I start moving through the crowd because I don’t like the way this guy is surrounding my brother in half-dance steps.

The guy skips and jumps around, keeping his eyes on Charlie. Angela and Hilda have made room for the guy, who stops right in front of Charlie and stares at him. I feel my hands clench into fists.

Charlie keeps dancing like nothing’s wrong as the guy lifts his sunglasses. He’s not smiling. He’s going to push my brother. I just know it. I rush over to stop him, but I worry I won’t get there in time. Before I reach Charlie, he strikes a pose and does an impressive dance twirl. The guy nods, smiles, jumps up, and lands in a split. How in the heck can he do the splits with pants so tight?

Everyone takes a step back and I find myself dead center. Everyone cheers.

No way. No way. They’re ridiculous if they think I’m going to dance. Forget it.

I walk back to the edge of the circle, but somebody gently pushes me in again. Charlie takes my hand. I don’t move. I allow him to use my hands and arms to twist around, but my feet stay firmly planted on the ground.

I don’t dance.

The dance circle expands when my mom joins in. The tight-pants guy starts dancing with my mom, and then Angela and Hilda come back in. I see Sergio trying to urge María to join him in the circle. María says no. She’s the only one I relate to in this bizarre situation.

The song ends and people start to disperse. My mom and Sergio find us a table at an outdoor café just steps away. We all make our way over and order some sandwiches. Two other people we don’t know join us at our lopsided table. One of them,

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