My breath hitches and I swear my heart collapses.
“Daniel…” I draw my hand away, letting his palm rest on top of my thigh, and place it on top of his. “Please let me teach you.”
His gaze drops to our hands and his throat bobs, before he shifts his attention back on me. “Okay, I’m all yours.”
He gently squeezes my thigh, eliciting goose bumps. Before I act upon my strange thoughts, I pull back and let go of his hand. I’m not going to mistake his kindness for anything more.
After all, he almost witnessed my death, so I know he’s just being nice.
“Well, I’m going to swim a bit.” I add some distance between us and walk over to the deep end.
“I’ll be right here, watching you, Jos.” I hear the smile in his voice before I dive in.
The next morning, I find his room empty. I know the bed was slept on despite it being made but everything is how I showed itto him last night. The only thing that stands out, that wasn’t here last night is a Post-it note lying in the middle of the bed.
When I pick it up and read it, my heart jolts.
I’m so happy you’re here, Jos!
16
DANIEL
La Patrona: Hola mijo como estás? Sé que estás bien ocupado, pero nomás quería saber cómo estás? Te extraño mucho y espero que estés bien
The knotin my throat grows as I reread the message from Mom a few times as I contemplate what I want to say.
I haven’t seen or spoken to her or Dad since Christmas. Ignoring them is a shit thing to do, but I can’t bear to think of what’s going through their minds when they speak or see me. Not that I have to worry much about Dad because he hardly speaks to me, but when he does, we always end up butting heads and our small conversation blows up.
The reminder makes the knot feel like it somehow slipped out of my throat and is now snaking around it like a noose.
A slap on my shoulder startles me. Huffing out a quiet breath, I type out a brief message and set my phone inside my locker.
Angel stands next to me, already dressed for lift this morning. “Don’t think you’re going to get away with not talking about Friday.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” I change into my workout clothes, ignoring his probing stare.
He scoffs with disbelief, crossing his arms against his chest, and leans the side of his body against the locker next to mine. “Nothing to talk about? Does Josie ring a bell?”
“We’re just friends.”
A friend who happens to make me feel a little like my old self anytime I’m around her.
He laughs patronizingly. “You guys were dancing for almost an hour, and don’t act like you didn’t run to her house because sheforgotsomething. What was it that she forgot again?”
In my defense, I thought it was really important to her. I’ve seen Pen freak about little things like that, but now I know Josie didn’t care for it. At least now I know for next time.
My lips lift into a small smile. “Were you keeping track of how long we were dancing?”
“I wasn’t keeping track, but you were bothsuperclose.” He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. “Hey, I’m not judging; you do you and all of that, but didn’t she try to…you know…”
My smile slips, and my molars grind against each other. “Don’t bring that up here, but what does that have to do with anything?”
“Sorry.” He raises his hands in surrender. “I’m not trying to sound like a dick?—”
“You’re tipping close to being one.”
He sharply exhales. “I’m not trying to upset or offend you, but I don’t want you to get hurt. Sometimes you have this savior complex thing and?—”
