“Don’t thank me yet. I’ve helped out before and it’s no walk in the park. Half the clientele are students and they’re mostly assholes so, just try not to let anything get to you. Okay?”
Despite myself, I chance a glance back at Emilio. The girl is gone but he’s staring at a small piece of paper in his hands, his expression serious. A phone number. Figures.
“No worries. I’m becoming a master at not letting things get to me.”
thirty-two
We’ve beenco-parenting,as Bibiana likes to call it, for three weeks now. Torture is a more accurate term if you ask me. Football season is officially over now that we took state, so I don’t have anything to occupy my free time with. I considered getting a job, but my brothers shut that idea down real quick. They want me focused on school and Luis. When I argued—because hell, we have bills and I’ll be damned if I don’t pay my way around here—they informed me Raul had a life insurance policy. Surprise, surprise. Guess the POS was good for something. I guess he and our mom set something up when things were still good between them, and Roberto’s made it a point to keep up on the monthly premiums. That right there was thinking ahead.
There was a decent chunk of change there that the four of us decided to split five ways. One portion went to living expenses. It paid off the house and will cover the utilities for at least the next few months. The rest we each put into individual bank accounts for later use. I have no clue what Roberto or Antonio will do with theirs. I still don’t really know what Roberto’s plans are now that he’s back stateside. But Sofia says she’s saving for college. Smart girl. And I gave most of mine to Bibiana.
She fought me at first. Didn’t want to take it. She said it was too much. But if you ask me, the ten grand I gave her wasn’t enough. I had to remind her we agreed I’d pay child support. I wasn’t there in the beginning and I didn’t have much to give when she came back. This was the least I could do to make sure she and my boy are taken care of. It took some convincing, but when I threatened to have the janitor open her locker and leave it there, she finally took it.
I don’t need the money. I have a full ride to Suncrest U. I can live here or in the dorms, it makes no difference to me, and my scholarship will cover my day-to-day expenses once school starts. I was worried about supporting Luis before, but this makes it easier, and if she needs more, I’ll give it to her. I’d give that girl anything, even if all it does is make her more comfortable. She’s still living with Jae and who the fuck knows how long that will be for, but I don’t have a say in the matter. Even if I think I should. With any luck the money will help her get her own place sooner rather than later.
She got a job too. Part time at a local diner. I thought she might quit once I gave her the money, but she didn’t, and every chance she gets to pick up a shift, she takes it, not that I can complain. It means more time with my boy, but I can see it wearing on her. She doesn’t smile as much, and there are always dark circles under her eyes.
Because of school she works the closing shift and the diner is open till midnight most nights and then classes start at seven thirty. She isn’t getting enough sleep. Isn’t taking care of herself. And it grates on me that I can’t be the one to take care of her.
I miss seeing her and Luis after school every day. And now, I have nothing but time on my hands to sit and dwell on how much I hate this arrangement.
“You wanna grab a bite to eat?” Antonio asks, poking his head in my room. “Roberto and I are taking Sofia to the station.”
I shake my head. “Nah, man. I’m good. Not hungry.” My stomach decides to call me a liar and rumble.
He frowns. “You sure?”
I nod again. “Yeah, man. I’m good.” I’m not great company right now, and I don’t need to dampen on my family’s good mood. We got the call earlier from social services that they were closing Sofia’s case. Roberto is old enough, responsible enough, and has his shit together as a retired vet to be trusted with the welfare of our baby sister. It’s good news. I should be with them celebrating but I just—I can’t get my mind in the right head space for it.
“Alright. Let us know if you change your mind.” With that he leaves, and I do exactly what I’ve been doing this past week. Think. But no matter how much I analyze my problem, I still can’t find a fucking solution. This isn’t like a mathematical equation with only one answer. There are too many variables and my brain struggles to figure them all out, but three weeks is three weeks too long. Something needs to give.
My phone pings beside me and I check the screen. A somewhat familiar number flashes and against my better judgement, I answer it. “Hello.”
“Hey, E—“ A breathy voice says on the other end of the line.
I roll my eyes at the ceiling and throw myself down on my bed. “What do you want?”
There’s a pause. “It’s me. Kaitlyn.”
“And?” I ask. Is her name supposed to mean something to me? I know at least four Kaitlyns. Five if you count Sofia’s friend, but I’m pretty sure she isn’t the one calling me. There’s a different girl hitting me up damn near every day. At first I played along. I wanted to see if it made Bibiana jealous. I wanted to know if she cared. But all it took was the one time I caught hurt on her face for me to put an end to that. Only now, I can’t get the girls to back off.
“So, I was thinking, umm, there’s this party.”
“Pass,” I say and hang up the phone, dropping it on the comforter beside me. Rolling to my feet I head for the kitchen, ignoring the buzz of my phone as another call comes in. Leave a voicemail, or don’t. Either way, I’m not answering and I’m not calling any of these chicks back.
I’m almost to the refrigerator when there’s a knock at the door that stops me. It sounds again. You’ve got to be kicking me. They’re showing up at my house now? This is going too far. I clench my teeth and storm to the door, jerking it open only to be greeted by the one asshole I definitely do not want to see. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not fucking ever.
“What are you doing here?” I bite out, hands fisted at my sides.
Jae stands there like the smug bastard he is. Dressed in black jeans, a white shirt so long it reaches mid-thigh, and a black beanie he glowers at me, almost like he’s just as unhappy to see me as I am to see him.
I lean against the doorjamb with zero plans to welcome him inside. “Well?”
His lips tighten and a muscle jumps in his jaw. “I’m here for Bibiana,” he says, and I fold my arms over my chest. Right. Because she would totally send this asshole to come find me.
I straighten. Wait. What if she did send him to find me? What if something happened? To her or to Luis. “What happened?” The words barely make it out of my mouth before I’m grabbing my keys off the counter and brushing past him.
He jogs to keep up. “Where are you going?” he asks, irritation in his voice.
