between two triggers } elena + esmeralda

White-blue smoke plumes out from her cigarette, which is resting at the end of the elegant black cigarette holder in her hand. She always uses it rather than hold the cigarette with her fingers, as her nails would yellow over time. Esmeralda could never bear to ruin her perfect manicure; she keeps her fingernails polished, pointed, and painted black or dark red. Right now, they are the former.

She is lounging on the luxurious dark green velvet sofas of her brother's living room. It is still rather cold outside, as the winter has only begun to wane. Esmeralda is wearing a shawl of black fur over a forest green dress that almost matches the couch. Underneath, she wears semitransparent black tights with black suede block heels. Her long dark hair is carefully curled into classic waves that fall down past her chest.

Her niece, Elena, is sitting in the armchair beside her. Esmeralda is visiting today with Valentino, but he is not home yet, so she is spending time with her niece instead. Elena is one of her favorites, not because she is strong, vicious, or bold, but because Elena's middle name is Esmeralda.

She was disappointed to hear from Valentino that Elena had run away in the middle of the day to live with Jacinta Salazar, the disgrace of the family — if she can even be called that now. Jacinta may be blood, but she is not family. Not to Esmeralda.

"Your father tells me that you ran off to Jacinta's," she says casually, taking a puff from her cigarette. "What was that all about?"