My eyes water, and I quickly look away.
“He blames himself,” he tells me.
“He shouldn’t,” I whisper.
Mr. Ayala shrugs. “That may be. But parents often do. Especially when they can’t make sense of something. When they don’t have the full picture.”
I nod, understanding what he means.
“Alright,” I tell him. “They can stay.”
Mr. Ayala leads me back to the living room, and for the next hour, I tell Officer Koch and my parents everything that happened. Everything that’s been happening these past few months. I spill all my secrets. Even those I still believe are too painful for my parents to bear.
36GABRIEL
She’s not answering her phone and Cecilia hasn’t shown up to school for three days now.
I’m losing it.
I’ve taken to getting updates on her well-being from Adriana, of all people, since Cecilia is still takinghercalls.
It’s infuriating. I need to see her. To talk to her and make sure she’s okay.
I’m pissed that she snuck out of my place, but I understand that she’s hurting and overwhelmed. I just wish she’d let me be there for her.
But even her parents—who happen to love me—are helping her dodge my calls, and every time I show up on their porch, they make up some excuse about her resting and turn me away.
Cecilia’s staying safely tucked away—like Rapunzel in her tower—and despite my best efforts, I’ve yet to be granted entry.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I jump to answer it. “Cecilia?” I answer, not bothering to check the caller ID.
Silence.
“Is that you?” I try again.
A man clears his throat. “It’s me,” he says, and I stiffen.
“What do you want?” I ask, recognizing my father’s voice.
“Mijo,”—son—he says. “Podemos hablar?”Can we talk?“Is now a good time?”
“No. It isn’t,” I tell him and hang up my phone.
He calls again, and this time I ignore his call.
I haven’t had anything to say to my father since he and my mother signed over my trust, effectively cutting me out of their lives. He wants something. It’s the only reason he can have for calling, and these days, when it comes to my parents, I’m not in a giving mood.
“Everything okay?” Julio asks, stepping into the room and seeing my expression.
“Peachy,” I tell him.
“Give her some time,” he suggests. “You’re worried, and that’s fair, but give her some space. After what she’s been through, that girl needs it.”
My jaw tightens. I’m getting really sick of Julio suggesting I back off. When is he going to get it through his thick head that I’m not going to give up, not when it comes to her? His bullshit is getting real old.
“My dad called,” I tell him, eager to change the subject.
His eyes widen. “Yeah? What’d he want.”
