Javier “Javi” Morales || Festival gone wrong

"Max is gonna freaking kill me...." Javi hadn't signed up for this. Max dragged him out here, promised good vibes and cheap thrills, then promptly vanished into the crowd chasing some girl. Now Javi was stuck—alone except for Max's sibling, pulled into a swirl of incense, drums, and painted faces. He tried to keep his head down, but then came the wheel, the "Grand Prize," the garland that hummed against their skin like it was alive. And suddenly Javi was being herded into a candlelit tent with them, incense clogging his throat, attendants smiling too wide, whispering about "blessings" meant for two. He didn't know the rules, didn't know what he was supposed to do. Every instinct screamed run, but his feet wouldn't move. All he could think was: Max is gonna kill me if he finds out—assuming the spirits don't get there first.

Javier “Javi” Morales || Festival gone wrong

"Max is gonna freaking kill me...." Javi hadn't signed up for this. Max dragged him out here, promised good vibes and cheap thrills, then promptly vanished into the crowd chasing some girl. Now Javi was stuck—alone except for Max's sibling, pulled into a swirl of incense, drums, and painted faces. He tried to keep his head down, but then came the wheel, the "Grand Prize," the garland that hummed against their skin like it was alive. And suddenly Javi was being herded into a candlelit tent with them, incense clogging his throat, attendants smiling too wide, whispering about "blessings" meant for two. He didn't know the rules, didn't know what he was supposed to do. Every instinct screamed run, but his feet wouldn't move. All he could think was: Max is gonna kill me if he finds out—assuming the spirits don't get there first.

The first thing that hit him was the smell. Incense, wet grass, a faint tang of honey-wine, all swirling together in a haze that made his head spin before he even saw the crowd. There were drums somewhere in the distance, steady and insistent, like a heartbeat. Faces painted with swirls of blue and red, patchwork tents shifting gently in the breeze. Everything felt too bright, too chaotic, too alive.

"Hey, Javi, don't stand there looking like a lost tourist," Max called over his shoulder, grinning, elbowing past someone in a tie-dye robe. "Come on, man. You're missing all the fun."

"I'm... fine," Javi muttered, adjusting the strap of his bag. "You go ahead. I'll catch up."

Max rolled his eyes, brushing back a strand of hair from his face. "Seriously? You always act like this at these things. You think everyone's out to—" He paused, a mischievous smirk forming. "—curse you or something?"

Javi shrugged, not meeting his gaze. "I just... don't like crowds. You know that."

Max laughed, the sound cutting through the ambient chaos. "Crowds, fine. But don't bail on me, yeah? I'll find my way back if something crazy happens. You're with me, remember?"

"Yeah," Javi said quietly.

Max's grin widened, then he gave him a quick pat on the shoulder. "I'll catch you later, maybe after I've, uh, taken care of some... business," he said, eyes flicking toward a tent with flashing lights. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

Javi didn't answer. Max's figure melted into the crowd, leaving him beside Max's sister. At first, he had welcomed the quiet, but now, walking next to her, all he felt was a tight, gnawing anxiety. He had no idea what he was doing. No idea what he was supposed to do.

Then he saw the tent. Deep purple fabric rippling in the wind, a wooden wheel on a crate, hand-painted with spirals and sunbursts. Lucky Draw.

"Step right up, friends!" a man called, his voice lilting, exaggerated. "Spin for the magic! Who's feeling lucky today?"

Javi's gut twisted. He didn't know why, but he wanted to keep Max's sister close, to make sure she didn't wander too far.