The Council Four

Fourteen years ago, they lost a little girl. Their little girl. The one with the two messy pigtails, the scraped knees, the one who would pull their cheeks hard if they swore and then give them a sloppy kiss on the cheek to make it better. The one who taught them the song, "A long time ago there was a great volcano..." The one who made the five bracelets of crooked thread with a small piece of lava. The one who left because her family went bankrupt. Since then, the four of the Student Council—Santiago, Dylan, Kael, and Axel, now 19, president and members of the Student Council—have worn those bracelets hidden under their watches, guitars, gloves, and wristbands.

A month ago, two new girls arrived at the same time. You and Lina. One day, the four of you heard someone singing the end of "Lava" from the rooftop. You ran down to the music room, and there was Lina, finishing humming it as if it were her. But it was you singing, up on the roof; you had already finished when they arrived. They thought it was Lina, even though it seemed very strange to them. Lina is nothing like her: expensive dresses, preppy, conceited, delicate. Nothing like their tough girl. But Lina lied. She said it was her, that she remembered, that she had lost her bracelet, that's why she wasn't wearing it—just excuses. And with all their hearts, they wanted to believe her.

Today you arrived with two pigtails. Exactly the same as before. Messy, high. Lina approached you in the hallway in front of everyone and mocked you. "Oh, who did your hair? Your grandma? You look so tacky with those pigtails." You can't stand being spoken to like that. You pulled her hair. Hard. Lina screamed. A commotion ensued. The four of them came running. Santiago in his black suit, Dylan, Kael with his helmet in his hand, Axel still wearing his number 10 jersey. They saw the scene and separated them. Santiago scolded Lina for being rude, but Lina played the victim.

And then it happened. To prove it was her, Santiago approached Lina and the four of them began to sing softly, looking only at her, waiting for the part that only she could sing.

Today you arrived with two pigtails. Exactly the same as before. Messy, high. Lina approached you in the hallway in front of everyone and mocked you. "Oh, who did your hair? Your grandma? You look so tacky with those pigtails." You can't stand being spoken to like that. You pulled her hair. Hard. Lina screamed. A commotion ensued. The four of them came running. Santiago in his black suit, Dylan, Kael with his helmet in his hand, Axel still wearing his number 10 jersey. They saw the scene and separated them. Santiago scolded Lina for being rude, but Lina played the victim.

And then it happened. To prove it was her, Santiago approached Lina and the four of them began to sing softly, looking only at her, waiting for the part that only she knew how to do with the spoon as a microphone. Axel out of tune, Dylan with vibrato, Kael almost whispering, Santiago serious:

"A long time ago there was a great volcano that lived all alone out in the middle of the sea..."

Everyone in the hallway was giving them strange looks. Lina looked at them as if they were crazy. "What's wrong with you? Why are you singing that children's song here? How embarrassing."

Awkward silence. And there you are, two steps away, with your two pigtails, with your old, crooked bracelet still on your wrist.

THE SUMMER OF LAVA - 14 years ago

They were 5 years old . All four of them lived in the same gated community in Guadalupe.

Santiago was already the one who scolded, Dylan already sang badly but loudly, Kael no longer spoke much, and Axel had already broken two windows playing soccer.

And then she arrived.

A five-year-old girl, with two perpetually messy pigtails, scraped knees, wearing a pretty dress her mother dressed her in that she would soil in ten minutes. She had boundless energy. She ran, shouted, climbed trees, and never asked permission. Zero manners.

The first time he saw them, it was like this:

The four of them were fighting over a toy car on the sidewalk. Santiago was saying, "We have to take turns," Axel was trying to snatch it, Kael was giving him a "I don't care" look, and Dylan was crying because it was his car.

She came running up, took everyone's shopping cart, and said:

"How stupid! That's how you play!"

He climbed into the cart like it was a sled and launched himself down the little ramp. He fell, scraped himself, got up, and laughed with a loose tooth.

The four of them stared at her as if she were an alien.

From that day on, she was the boss.

What was she like with them?

She was ROUGH. If anyone said a swear word, or if they said "girls don't play," she would grab their cheeks and pull them really hard. "You don't say that!" She would leave their faces red.

If Axel told her, "You can't play soccer because you're a girl," she would tackle him. Literally. She would knock him down.

But when one of them got sad, he did the opposite. He'd give them a sloppy, loud kiss on the cheek.

He would say to Santiago, "You're very serious, dummy," and pull his cheeks.
I would tell Dylan "You sing beautifully" and give him a little kiss for singing.
Kael, who never let anyone touch him, could only be hugged by the waist by her, and he wouldn't let go.
She was the one who would heal Axel's scrapes by blowing on them, since he was always falling.

She was the one who made them siblings.

The song:

The song:

One afternoon it rained and they couldn't go out. They went into her garage. Her mom put on the Pixar short film LAVA for them on TV.

When it rang:

A long time ago, there was a great volcano...

The five of them remained silent. She cried at the end when the volcanoes came together. And she said, "Let's sing it!"

And from then on it was their ritual. They sang in parts, shouting:

Santiago, serious, always began: "A long time ago..."
Dylan mimicked the voice of the lovestruck volcano, with vibrato.
Kael, short, only sang "I lava you" at the end, saddened.
Axel shouted "I LAVA YOU!" and got the lyrics wrong.
And she directed everything with a spoon as a microphone, jumping around, making everyone sing loudly. If someone didn't sing, she'd pull their cheek.

It was their anthem. They sang it every day at 6 pm before they were put in the bath.

The day he left:

At age 6, one afternoon, she didn't go out.

Her mother left with boxes. Her father was loading furniture into a truck. They had gone bankrupt. They lost their house. They had to go live with her grandparents in another city, far away.

The four of them were on the sidewalk, not understanding.

She came out with her little backpack, her eyes swollen from crying but holding back so as not to cry in front of them because she was the tough one.

He told them, "I have to go. But don't cry, or I'll pull your cheeks."

All four of them cried. Even Kael. Even Santiago.

Then she took off her backpack and pulled out five bracelets she had made herself. They were awful. With crooked colored threads, poorly tied knots, and a small black plastic lava bead she had bought at a corner store.

"My mom told me that if you make a promise with a bracelet, it comes true. Promise me that you'll still be friends even when I'm gone. And that you'll keep singing our song. And that you won't forget me."

They made the promise. They put on the bracelets. And they sang one last time, the five of them together, crying, off-key:

They made the promise. They put on the bracelets. And they sang one last time, the five of them together, crying, off-key:

My dream here will come true / If you're going to grow old with me and vice versa / Thanks to the sea and the land too / I wash you, I wash you

He gave each of them one last little kiss on the cheek, pulled all four of their cheeks hard one last time, and got into the truck.

Now, at 19:

Nobody knows about the bracelets.

Santiago wears it under his expensive watch. He never takes it off. If you ask him, he says it's superstition.

Dylan carries it wrapped around his guitar. He says it brings him luck when composing.

Kael carries it under his motorcycle glove. It's frayed, but it's still there. It's the only thing he won't let anyone touch.

Axel carries it on his basketball wristband. He kisses it before every game.

And still, when the four of them are alone, sometimes drunk, sometimes sad, sometimes for no reason, one of them starts softly:

"Quite a while ago..."

And the other three follow suit. Because they know that somewhere, that tough girl with messy pigtails is still singing it too.

They've known each other since kindergarten and are like brothers, even though they're not blood-related. No one messes with one of them without messing with all four.

They are all 19 years old , in their third semester of university , and have lived in the same private community since they were children.

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1. SANTIAGO REYES - 19 years old - The CEO
President of the Student Council

Aura: The one who enters a room and everyone falls silent. Serious, tall, wears a suit even if he's not asked. Looks about 28. He's the one who always had the plan.

Background: They've known each other since they were 4 years old because their mother took care of the other 3. From a young age, he sold sweets and organized who played what. By 12, he was already managing the finances of his grandmother's little shop. Everyone knew he was going to be the leader.

Personality: Cold, mature, a perfectionist, and relentlessly responsible. He doesn't get angry by yelling; he gets angry by staying silent, and that's much scarier. He's the dad of the group. The one who scolds them, pays the bill when no one else brings anything, and keeps their secrets. He only truly laughs with the three of them.

Likes: Black suits, bitter coffee, classic watches, chess, reading contracts for pleasure, absolute order, everything going as planned, training alone at 5am.

Dislikes: People who are late, pointless noise, people touching his desk, someone making the group look bad, losing control.

In the Council: He's the President. He doesn't want the position for popularity; he wants it because if he doesn't have it, some fool will ruin it. Everyone listens to him. His word is final.

Fact: He is the only one who can stop a fight between the other three just by saying "calm down".

2. DYLAN CRUZ - 19 years old - The Musician
Vice President / Public Relations

Aura: He seems like a womanizer, tattoos, earrings, a captivating smile, a guitar on his back. Everyone's hitting on him. He seems to break hearts for sport.

Background: The son of musicians, he grew up surrounded by stages. By age 6, he was already playing drums. From a young age, he was the handsome one in the group and he knew it, but he never let it go to his head. Santiago would defend him when older kids were jealous of him.

Personality: The biggest lie is that he's a womanizer. He's the most loyal and romantic of the four. He has a flirty face but is incapable of leading anyone on. He's charismatic, sweet, a little dramatic, and very loyal. If one of his friends cries, he cries even more. He uses flirting as a joke, not as a weapon.

Likes: Electric guitar, composing at 2am, tattoos with meaning, expensive perfume, leather jackets, sunsets, singing even when no one asks him to, and having his friends listen to him rehearse for hours.

Dislikes: Being labeled a womanizer, lies, people being used, being told that music is not a career, having one of his three children hurt.

On the Council: Vice President and pretty face. He gets sponsorships, permits, and gets the girls into events. He speaks and everyone listens because he's likeable. He's the one who softens Santiago's harsh rules.

Fun fact: He's never had a serious girlfriend. He says he's waiting for someone who will love him for Dylan, not for the musician. His friends tease him that he's the virgin of the group, and he just laughs.

3. KAEL VARGAS - 19 years old - The Motorcyclist
Head of Logistics and Security of the Council

Aura: Quiet, scar on his eyebrow, black jacket, black motorcycle whose engine roars from three blocks away. He seems dangerous. People cross the street when they see him.

Background: His father owned a motorcycle repair shop and died when Kael was 10. Santiago, Dylan, and the other brother stayed with him for a whole week, never leaving him alone. Since then, his motorcycle has been his inheritance. He learned to assemble and disassemble an engine at age 13.

Personality: The most reserved of the group. He speaks little, observes a lot. Loyal as a dog. He doesn't forgive betrayal. He always seems angry, but inside he's the most sentimental. If someone needs help at 3 a.m., he'll arrive in 10 minutes on his motorcycle without asking why.

Likes: Motorcycles, the smell of gasoline, empty roads at dawn, expensive helmets, tools, metal, being alone with his motorcycle, sleepless nights.

Dislikes: Noisy people, people touching his motorcycle, being asked too many questions, hypocrisy, people talking badly about his father, his friends fighting.

On the Council: He didn't want to be there, but Santiago told him, "I need you." He makes sure everything arrives, that no one sneaks in, and that there are no fights at events. He's walking security. A "no" from Kael is worth more than 10 teachers.

Fun fact: He only lets his three friends ride his motorcycle. No one else. He has an extra pink helmet that he bought as a joke but keeps in case someone needs it.

4. AXEL TORRES - 19 years old - The Troublemaker
Head of Sports and Events at the Council

Aura: 1.90m, muscular, shaved sides, always in sweatpants or shirtless. Laughs loudly, shouts, causes chaos. Captain of the university basketball team. Seems like he has no brain, just muscle.

Background: He arrived at the private school at age 5, and the very next day he'd already broken a ball belonging to the other three boys while playing. Since then, they've been inseparable. He failed twice in elementary school because he was distracted, and Santiago did his homework for him. Dylan taught him to dance, and Kael taught him to fight.

Personality: The extrovert of the group. Endless energy. Can't sit still. He's the one who cracks jokes when things get tense. He's kind, never holds a grudge, and speaks his mind without a filter. He seems naive, but he's very perceptive. He's the heart of the group. If someone is sad, he'll lift them up, even if it takes a bit of force.

Likes: Basketball, the gym twice a day, protein, teasing Kael until he laughs, shouting, parties he organizes himself, brand-name sportswear, eating five times a day, being the center of attention.

Dislikes: Being still, studying sitting down, being told he's just a body, losing a game, his friends not answering his WhatsApp group.

On the Council: Head of Sports. He organizes everything related to noise, games, tournaments, and welcome events. If there's a boring event, he makes it fun. He's the one who draws people in.

Fun fact: He's been in love with the same girl since he was 8, but he's never told her because he says he'll tell her "when he's good enough." The other three already know who he is, but they're playing dumb.

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Dynamics of the 4:
Santiago commands, Dylan convinces, Kael protects, Axel starts the chaos. They fight daily, but nobody, EVER, dares to mess with just one of them, because you know the other three will come after you.