Y/N POV

I'm Y/N, and a proud member of the Gang sharks, that my cousin, Bernardo started. He was an amazing man, fighting for us in the Puerto Rican neighborhoods. But he treats me as a baby, when I am only 8 months younger than him. But a month ago, me and my other cousin, Maria, arrived in America, hoping we would find ourselves new lives, but we ended up in a tailoring facility.

Tonight was going to be Maria's first dance. I had been shortly to one earlier, but I was just as excited for this one.

Me and Anita had been working like animals on her dress, but she was not very happy about it being white. She said it was a "childish color".

-Well? Anita asks.

-Yes! It is gorgeous! Gracias Anita, gracias Y\N! Me and Anita smile contently, before the door bell rings.

-My ladies, are you ready? Bernardos heavily accented voice asks.

-Almost, I say, before grabbing my own dress and heading behind a curtain so I could change. My dress was f/c, it was cut below my knees and it had a lot of, what the Americans call "tulle". I step out from behind the curtain, showing off my dress.

-What do you think? I ask.

-You all look incredibly gorgeous! Chino insists. I smile.

-Thank you, I say. Bernardo smiles at us.

-Lets go to the dance! Anita says eagerly. She had been hyping us up for this dance all week.

-This is the first night in America as a woman! Maria smiles happily before grabbing Chinos arm, as Anita holds Bernardo's. I smile at Anita and Bernardo. They are fit for each other and nobody could say otherwise, love just radiated off of them. Instead, Bernardo fixed for me so I would dance with another fellow Shark member; Pepe.

-Hola gorgeous, he says as I take his arm.

-Hola yourself, I say and he smirks.

-Are you looking forward to this dance? He asks. I smiles and begins walking with a skip in my step.

-Sure am! I say. Pepe chuckles and we walk rest of the way to the gym in silence.

When we arrive, I spot all of my fellow shark girls. They all shriek when they see my dress.

-You are so pretty! They say and Marvel at the fabric.

-I know! It's so soft! I say and the girls agree.

-Maria, here are some of the fellow shark girls, I introduce my cousin. They walk up to her and showers her in compliments.

-You have quite the people charm, Bernardo says. I smirk.

-I know... I got it from dad, I say. Bernardo chuckles before he stares at the other side of the gym.

-Que es? I ask before following his gaze.

Bernardo pushes me to the side before walking towards their leader, and then following suit.

-What is happening? María asks me, concerned for her brother.

-It is a stupid game they play every time they see each other.... They try to intimidate each other, I sigh in disapproval. My mom and dad scoffs at the gangs and think this is all unnecessary, so do I.

-Ok everybody! The organizer yells, breaking the boys apart. Well, the sight of officer Krupke always helped a bit.

-I know you are all gathered here today to make new friends! She says. The boys all scoff.

-So today we will make a get-along-dance! There will be two circles, the smaller one with the girls, and the larger around them, the boys. The music will play and you will walk around, in opposite directions, and when the music stops, you will stop and you will dance with the person in front of you! She says proudly. Nobody moves.

-C'mon, it wouldn't hurt! She encourages. I yank eagerly at Pepe's arm, wanting to dance.

-C'mon! I say and he hesitantly follows me out on the dance floor. I can see the shocked faces of the Americans, and the terrified ones of the Puerto Rican's. Except for Bernardo, who nods proudly at me before heading to the dance floor with Anita. Following him, the head of jets and his lady, then everybody else. When girls are in the inner circle, and boys in the outer circle, the music starts and we begin walking.

And walking...

And walking...

Until...

The music stops! I stop and turn, just to face the jets leader, who was wearing a yellow jacket on top of his shirt. I was a little shocked to have faced an American, and not a Puerto Rican, but this was the game. I smile and he smiles back, butterflies erupting in my stomach and my cheeks heating up. What are these feelings?

Suddenly, Bernardo reaches out for Anita, and they walk off. The man in front of me snaps out of our gaze and grabs his date, walking to the other side. My stomach lost its butterflies and sinks in disappointment. Suddenly, someone grabs my arm and yanks me to the rest of the sharks. It was Pepe.

A new song turns on and I can feel a dance battle coming along.

We dance for dear life, the leaders challenging each other. Me and Pepe were at the far back, just enjoying to dance. Of course, I would've liked it more if I danced with that American with the yellow jacket.

Suddenly, Pepe lets go of me, and sends me an apologetic smile, before heading to another sharks girl that was standing alone. I knew he had a thing for her, so I only nodded and stand by the wall, looking around the dancing people. Then suddenly, my gaze meets that American, and he notices me too. The rest of the people disappear, cause now it was only us here. He let his date go to someone else as he begins walking towards me. I take that as a cue, and walk towards him. We meet at the middle of the gym. The music slows down and he puts one arm on my waist, and holds out the other one for me to take. I put my hand in his, and the other one on his shoulder.

We begin moving in circles, twirling around.

-I had no chance to say it before, but you look amazing in your dress, he says. I can only feel shock. Didn't he know who I was? But I still smile at him.

-Thank you... I say. We continue to dance around. But did he really not know me? A Puerto Rican? His sworn enemy's cousin?

The questions are all nagging my brain.

-Do you know who I am? I ask. He only smiles.

-Does it really matter? He asks. Suddenly I hear my cousins angry yells.

-Get away from my sister! I hear. I let go of the American, to take a closer look. He follows me.

But when he sees that his brother from another mother was the one being yelled at, he walks through all the people, towards the scene. I sigh.

-Can't you see he is one of them!? Bernardo yells at Maria, I now see. Ai Dios mío.... I sneak around the people, standing a bit behind Bernardo.

-No, I only saw him... Maria says dreamily... she was in trouble. Suddenly Chino and Anita walks past me.

-Chino, make sure she gets home, Bernardo orders.

-Nardo, It's my first dance, please... Maria begs to stay, but the unmovable force in front of her wouldn't budge.

-Please, for me, for the family... go home, Maria, Nardo practically begs her. She sighs and Chino grabs her arm, walking out of the gym. She looks back before they get to the door.

-Come now, Maria, Chino says and she hesitantly walks with him.

-Maria... The American I've learned as Tony, says. Nardo turns back to Tony, but Tony stands his ground... at least until the other American walks inbetween them... the one with the yellow jacket...

-It is not you I want to talk with, Nardo says.

-But I want to talk with you... The American says threateningly. I purse my lips and walk towards them, grabbing Nardos arm.

-Nardo, please... I beg. He looks at me... so does the American. I look towards him, but his eyes are no longer filled with happiness. They were darkening, as if his mind had decided to hate me.

-Not now... he says and grabs my hand to tear it away from his arm. He was mad, and his grip was hard on my wrist.

-Ow... I whimper. The Americans eyes begins showing hate.

-Hey- I he says, charging at my cousin, but is stopped by officer Krupke... thank god for that man...

-What's happening here? He asks.

-Nothing, officer Krupke, absolutely nothing, Nardo fakes a smile. I frown. When officer Krupke walks away, Nardo turns to me.

-Go home... he says calmly.

-What? Nardo I-Please... We'll meet at the rooftop, Nardo interrupts me.

-Are you going to be ok? I ask. He only nods and smirks.

-When am I not? He says, confidently. I shake my head and head out, to hear that Nardo and the American are talking.

But more than that, I cannot hear before I am out on the streets of New York.