I let out a quiet sigh, thinking about her mom’s reminder about Thanksgiving sinking in. The holiday is meant to be a time of family and feeling cozy, but now it feels like a ticking time bomb.
“Yeah,” I force the words out, my voice sounding fake. “I’ll be home.”
Evelyn’s face lights up with excitement, the corners of her mouth stretching into a wide grin. “Awesome! We should totally plan a girls’ night. Invite Serena too! I haven’t seen her since your graduation.”
“That sounds… great,” I reply, trying to sound enthusiastic despite the knot forming in my gut.
“Everything okay? You sound off.” Evelyn’s brow furrows.
I immediately plaster on a grin, hoping to smooth over the emotional cracks. “I’m fine.”
Her gaze sharpens. “No mientas.” She knows me too well. My fake smile never gets past her.
My shoulders slump slightly, the brown strands slipping through my fingers like a nervous habit I can’t shake. “I’m not,” I lie. “I’m just getting ready to go out tonight.”
Evelyn’s eyes widen in surprise. “You’re going out? Oh my god, let me see your outfit!”
I mentally roll my eyes. She has been convincing me since freshman year to go out and enjoy student life. I always told her I was too busy. Win for her.
I rise from my desk and prop my phone against something to show her my outfit. The hem of my top rides up slightly, and the fit of my high-waisted jeans hugs my curves just right.
Evelyn’s eyes go wide, and she gasps dramatically. “Dios mío, you look amazing! Seriously, you’re killing it tonight.”
A laugh escapes me despite my nerves.
“Thanks,” I say, smoothing down the hem of my blouse. “It’s kind of last minute, but it works.”
“It more than works. You’re going to have so much fun tonight!” She assures with an approving nod, then her gaze mellows. “And hey, I know you’ve got a lot on your plate, but you deserve to have some fun, okay? Don’t overthink it.”
Her words hit deeper than I expected. I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat as I give her a quick smile. “Yeah, I’m excited.” But even as I say it, I know I’m still holding back, trapped between wanting to let go and fearing what will happen if I do.
“And be safe… if you know what I mean.” She says with a wink, her tone playful yet laced with a seriousness that sends a shiver down my spine. “Don’t want you to make mistakes.”
The way she emphasizes “mistakes” sends my heart racing, and suddenly, I feel the weight of my secret hanging heavily between us. A thousand unspoken thoughts swirl in my mind, each one battling for attention. What if I let my guard down tonight? What if I get caught up in the moment with Jared and it all goes sideways? The idea of facing Evelyn’s scrutiny afterwhat’s been happening with me and Jared feels like a tightrope walk over a pit of anxiety.
I love Evelyn, don’t get me wrong. She’s one of my closest cousins out of the bunch, but she has a tendency to act and think just like her mom. When those random moments come, it overwhelms me to no end.
“Alright, alright,” I reply.
Olivia knocks on my door and pops her head in. “Hey, Jared’s here. Good looking boyfriend you locked down.” She winks and turns to leave. “I’m going home for the weekend, take care! Bye!”
I blink, processing what she just did.
The words hang in the air, and I feel my chest tighten.
Hell, I’m not even surewhatJared and I are.
“Hola,Allison Castillo?Boyfriend?JaredCollins? As in Serena’s brother? You’re dating Jared? The guy who broke yo—”
My eyes dart to the screen immediately. “I’ll talk to you later!” My voice is a little too rushed as I end the call and toss my phone onto the bed.
Taking a deep breath, I smooth down the front of my outfit, trying to calm my nerves. I can already hear Jared’s deep voice laughing at something on the TV, which doesn’t help.
Do I even have the energy to pretend everything’s fine?
I step out of my room, the conversation forcing me to dry the sweat on my hands. When Jared turns and sees me, a grin spreads across his face, his eyes lighting up. It catches me off guard, fading the whirlwind of thoughts and doubts away.
“There she is,” he says, leaning back on the couch, totally relaxed like he owns the place. “Thought you were hiding from me.”
