She tilts her head. “Okay. So tell me, what is Kamila Morales’s type?”
And there it is. “Honestly, I have no idea anymore.”
Her confusion is clear. Before she’s able to ask me something else, Mateo interrupts us. “Hey, Kami and Kami’s new friend. What can I get for you ladies?”
“Well, Mateo, before we order, I wanted to ask you for a favor.” I shoot him a shy smile.
He exhales heavily, knowing my favors are never tiny. “What’s up?” He puts his rag over his right shoulder and leans forward to hear me better.
Here goes nothing. “I saw the flier for the internship, and I’m going to apply. I was wondering if you could put in a good word for me with whoever’s in charge of that.”
He shrugs. “Yeah, sure. The owner is friends with my mom. I’ll let her know.”
Containing my excitement at the possibility of getting an internship my junior year, I reply casually. “Thank you, Mateo.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Tara might be nice, but she always plays fair. She’ll end up picking the best candidate no matter what I tell her.”
Good, I want to be the best damn candidate, and I want to be pushed and taught as much as possible.
“That’s fine with me. I respect that.”
“And now, if you don’t mind, ladies, I have a lot of people waiting and only one other person working tonight.”
“Sorry about that. Here.” I lean over the counter and put some cash into the tip jar they keep hidden. “I’ll get two amaretto sours and Zoey?”
“Two vodka cranberries, please.”
“Coming right up.” He salutes us and goes to work
“Put it in on my tab!” I yell out. He throws me a thumbs up.
“You don’t have to do that.” Zo gets pushed closer to me by a guy walking past. Some of these people are animals.
“Yes, I did. You accompanied me here for work-related shit, it’s the least I can do.”
“Don’t forget who needed a girl’s night out.” She points a finger at herself.
“In that case, the next round is on you.” Zo nods her head, content with my answer.
After Mateo returns with our drinks, Zo and I search for a table. We look for fifteen minutes till a booth for two opens up. Zoey tells me about herself since I basically know nothing. She’s from Boston, she’s a biology major planning to go pre-med, her parents are both teachers who met during their senior year of college, and they’ve been together ever since.
I quickly tell her about my family situation, including how my biological dad ran out on us when Ana and I were babies. However, it wasn’t hard on me and my sister since we don’t remember a thing. Mom was more than enough, and my stepdad is an amazing male role model for both me and my sister, even if he hasn’t been around for an extremely long amount of time.
Zo shifts uncomfortably at Ana’s name and doesn’t press for any more information. Why is she reacting this way?
Then, the thought of what Will asked at the party comes to the forefront of my mind. Which reminds me…I open my mouth to ask why her boyfriend pulled that little stunt at the party when the music gets even louder and more people join the dance floor.
My ears are going to be doing a number on me tonight after we leave.
“You want to dance?” I say, hoping she’ll oblige. It’s too loud for us to talk now.
“What?”
I make pointing gestures to the dance floor. She chugs her drink and nods emphatically.
Hand in hand, we push through the crowd and find a spot. We start dancing and singing with everyone else as I shut my eyes and lose myself to the music.
Halfway through the next song, right when I’m doing a slow spin, Zoey jumps. I turn, worried that somebody hurt her, but nope, she’s now in Will’s arms.
