I enter the living room, and Rafael’s eyes meet mine. He grins—a strength-infusing expression—like he’s telling me I’ve got this.
“What are you guys playing?” I grab a cushion and settle next to Ethan on the floor.
Rafael hesitates, as if giving my brother space to answer. When he doesn’t, Rafael says, “GTA. Have you ever played?”
“Uh…” I check the screen. “I don’t think so.”
Ethan scoffs, then hands Rafael the controller with a glare. “I’m gonna grab a smoke.”
A smoke? Hesmokes?
“Oh, and we playedGTAall the time when we were kids,” hesays, his green eyes glaring at me before he opens the door, then slams it behind him.
My shoulders slump, and heat creeps up my face. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked Rafael to stay for this. It’s embarrassing enough without an audience.
Did we really play this game? I can’t remember it. How can I not remember it?
“Come here.” Rafael tugs at my cushion, pulling me closer, then adjusts me between his thighs. Holding the controller in front of me, he shows me the buttons to the right. “This is to run. Jump. Fight.”
I cock a brow. “I’m not much of a fighter.”
“Okay. Then how about this?” He presses a few buttons until the character in the game hijacks a car. “This is the accelerator. Brakes. Control the direction with this one.”
I pout. What’s the point? It took less than a minute for Ethan to get pissed off at me.
“You know,” Rafael says, chin brushing my shoulder, “if you learn how to play, maybe you can invite him over when I’m not around, too.” When I twist around to look at him, he winks. “Huh? Try it out.”
“Fine.” I grab the controller, then speed up and stop, testing it out. I try again, crashing against the car in front of me until its taillight shatters. “Shit—sorry.”
“Insurance will cover that. Just keep going.”
I try again, nervously driving around the other car and entering traffic. “Where am I supposed to go?”
“Wherever you want.”
I turn right but end up in a congested intersection. Settling behind a bus, I exhale. “All right. It’s not too bad.”
“What are you doing?”
“Hmm?”
“Keep going.”
I point at the TV. “The light’s red.”
“You’re playingGrand Theft Auto, Scarlett.”
“The theft has occurred already,Rafael. No need to cause another accident.”
He grumbles something, and when I look to the side for a second, I find him watching me. “What’s that look for?”
“Nothing.”
“Really?” I click my tongue. “You stare at me a little too much fornothing, Rafael.”
“You’re right.” He tucks some hair behind my ear. “Everything.”
“Everything?” I echo, dazed.
