“No need. Congratulations on graduating, the other guys mentioned you’re training to be a teacher?”
“That’s the plan, although I’m not sure it was smart to sign up for more years of school.”
“I think you’ll make a great teacher,” El Jefe says.
“Damn straight she will,” I say, “anyway, we’d better go and say hi to everyone else. It was nice to see you, Rosa.”
“You too.”
We leave their table and make our way slowly towards where Donovan is sitting.
“Is El Jefe’s name really Rafael?” Elizabeth whispers, and I chuckle.
“Yes, but nobody calls him that anymore except Rosa. Do you really think you’ve seen her on campus?”
“I dunno, I thought I’d seen her in the library… I know she said she’s got ‘one of those faces’, but she’s stunning. I don’t imagine there are many women who look like her running around Tynerston.”
“I mean, she said it wasn’t her.”
“Yeah, and it’s not our problem I suppose.”
“True,” I say, “come on. Donovan looks like he’s going to combust while he waits for us.”
He’s sitting with my mom, Miguel, Slim, and a girl with a kid I’ve never seen before.
“Hey,” I say, leaning down to kiss my mom on the cheek and shaking Miguel’s hand, before wrapping Donovan in a hug.
Elizabeth follows doing the same; I love how she’s become a part of our family so easily, although it’s not unexpected considering my mom’s been in love with her since day one.
I give Slim a slap on the shoulder and sit next to him.
“Hey,” he says, before pointing to the girl next to him. “This is my neighbor, Daisy, and her son, Jake. This is Diablo, and his girlfriend, Beth.”
“Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” Daisy says.
“Are you a biker too?” Jake asks, appearing beside me.
“Yeah,” I chuckle, “you like bikes?”
“Yeah, they’re the coolest!” he says, “Way better than cars, right Slim?”
“Um… right,” Slim says, looking at me for help, as though I’m any better with kids.
“So how did you all become friends?” I ask.
“Slim fixed our car for us when it broke down,” Jake says, before Daisy has a chance to get a word in. “Next time, he said he’ll show me how to do it too.”
“That’s nice of him,” I say, side-eying Slim and wondering if there’s something going on with him and Daisy, but he avoids my gaze and says nothing.
“Food’s up!” Alejandro’s voice rings out across the lot.
“Come on,” Elizabeth says to Daisy and Jake. “The way these boys eat we’d better get in there quick or there’ll be nothing left.”
They head up to the grill, and I elbow Slim.
“What’s going on with your neighbor?”
“Nothing bro, her car was broken down, that’s all.”
