*Who's My Eternal*
The next day, fishing bay, late morning.
Cindy sat alone on an overturned bangka, legs swinging, watching Kael haul nets with the other fishermen. The sun was hot, her dress was too fancy for the docks, and she didn't know what to do with her hands. New York had playgrounds and nannies. Manila had salt water and silence.
Footsteps on wood. She looked up.
It was him. The boy from yesterday. Serious eyes, too-big shirt.
"Aren't you that girl from yesterday?" Elian asked, stopping in front of her.
Cindy nodded. "It's me." She hesitated, then added, "Thank you. For your help."
Elian shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "It's nothing." He glanced at the water, then back at her. "Why are you here again?"
"I'm watching my dad work," Cindy said, pointing at Kael.
Elian followed her finger, watched Kael shout orders at Mang Tomas, then looked back at her. "Have you made any friends yet?"
She shook her head. Her lip wobbled a little before she bit it.
Elian smiled. Small but real. "I have a girlfriend. She can be your friend."
Cindy's eyes went wide. "Girlfriend? Aren't you too young for that?"
Elian froze. Then sighed like his 7-year-old soul was ancient. He shook his head. "Kids these days." He muttered it exactly like Lola Anna did. "That wasn't what I meant."
Cindy tilted her head. "What did you mean?"
"I meant I have a friend who's a girl," Elian said, slow, like he was explaining to Noa.
"Oooh." Cindy let out a long _oh_, understanding dawning. "Can I meet her?"
Elian nodded. Then he cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled across the bay: "Mr. Kael! I'm Elian! Your daughter's friend!"
Kael stopped working. Sweat on his forehead, net in his hands. He saw Elian, then Cindy, then back to Elian. A second passed. Then he smiled. Tired, but real.
Elian waved. "She looks boring. I want to help her make friends."
Kael laughed. That deep, rusty sound Cindy hadn't heard since New York. He nodded. "Fine. But stay out of trouble. Both of you."
"Yes, sir!" Elian nodded, then grabbed Cindy's wrist. "Come on."
He dragged her through the huts, past drying fish and barking dogs, to a narrow alley where a girl in a red ribbon was crouching, drawing in the dirt with a stick.
Cherry looked up. Saw Elian. Then saw Cindy. Her eyes narrowed. "Why is she here?"
Elian stepped between them. "This is Cindy. She's our new friend."
Cindy gave a small wave. "Hi."
Cherry rolled her eyes so hard Cindy thought they'd stick. "She's a girl."
Elian rolled his eyes right back. "So are you, Cherry. Never mind her guy-dressing." He nudged Cherry's shoulder. "Be nice to Cindy."
Cherry sighed, long and dramatic, like the world was ending. She looked at Cindy's clean dress, then at her own fish-scale stained shirt. "Fine. I guess we have a new friend then."
Elian nodded, satisfied. He sat down in the dirt between them.
Cindy hesitated, then sat too. Her dress got dirty instantly. She didn't care.
Cherry huffed, but scooted over to make room. She held out her stick. "You know how to play sungka?"
Cindy shook her head.
"I'll teach you," Cherry said, already digging holes in the dirt.
Elian watched them. Cindy Draven. Cherry Pink. One he pulled from the water. One he bandaged at midnight.
7 years old, fishing bay, Manila.
The three of them, getting along for the first time.
He didn't know it yet. But this was the start of _Who's My Eternal_.