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The sun slashes light across my AP Bio textbook. I stare out my window, past these opened blinds that feel a lot like prison bars, as if looking hard enough will help me catch a glimpse of Blossoms. In thirty minutes, they’ll announce the top three, and though I probably won’t place, it would have been the perfect ending to this summer.
My gaze breaks when a blue Mazda that I’ve carpooled in for years parks at the curb of my house. Nora and Mrs. Jimenez step out and head towards the front door. Mrs. Jimenez presses a finger against the doorbell—ding dong!—and I hear my mom walk over with hesitance. I peek through my bedroom door and listen.
“Nora would like to tell you something,” Mrs. Jimenez says.
“Mrs. Padilla, it is from the very, very bottom of my heart that I give you my utmost sincerest apology,” Nora says in a dramatic voice I just know she rehearsed. “I shouldn’t have lied and covered for my dear bestie, your dear daughter Emilyn.”
I slap my hand against my mouth to stifle a laugh, stepping out to watch this scene play out.
“I am truly, truly sorry,” Nora continues as I stand behind my mom. Mrs. Jimenez, whose wavy hair is tied back in a ponytail, arches an eyebrow at Nora. “The truth is always important. It is the key to all of life’s problems, the medicine to heal all wounds.”
I can’t see my mom’s face, but I’m pretty sure she’s giving Nora a quizzical look.
Mrs. Jimenez scolds Nora in Spanish, saying something that Nora once said translates to Be serious! She gives her mom her usual response, which she told me translates to, I’m always serious! Mrs. Jimenez narrows her eyes at Nora, who turns back to my mom.
“As part of my apology, I would like to invite you to lunch with us right now,” Nora says, her voice now serious. “The meal’s on me.”
Hope jingles in my chest. Jimenez’s and Blossoms are both at Golden Marketplace. Nora’s eyes find mine, and a grin spreads across her face. Then it dons on me—she’s offering this “apology lunch” to sneak me into Blossoms. I grin back, giving her a look that says, You’re the best!
“Right now?” my mom says. I can just tell she’s raising her eyebrow.
“Yes,” Nora says politely.
“Um, okay.” My mom turns around, startled that I’m already standing here. “Well, anak, guess we’re getting lunch at Jimenez’s.”
Our moms split off to their cars. I give Nora the tightest hug ever and thank her a million times.
“Sorry I screwed you over,” Nora says.
“Don’t be!” I say, waving her off. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this mess and getting you in trouble.”
Now Nora is waving me off. “I’m just glad you’re having a true summer vacation!”
****
Jimenez’s is packed.
Perfect.
We tell my mom we need to use the bathroom, and Marcos, who’s also in on the plan, peppers my mom with questions about careers in the hospital. When she’s not looking, we head over to Blossoms.
Nora is about to take a selfie by one of the trees sprouting from a circular planter. I look from Blossoms to my best friend.
“Mind if I join?” I ask, peeking my head in the frame.
Nora turns to me, surprised. “You sure?”
“Definitely!”
We smile for the camera and click! We take a few more, varying our faces from smiles to silly expressions. Nora shows me the first selfie we took. In the frame, our smiles flash all our teeth, the trees behind us overexposed in a wash of white.
“Love it!” I say.
“Me too!” Nora says. “See? You don’t always have to hide behind the camera.”
“I could get used to the spotlight.”
She hugs me good luck before I step inside Blossoms. Almost all the tables are occupied except for one in the back, and Don and Michelle, who stand on stage holding microphones, thank everyone for their participation. Jaya, Jian, and Alondra respectively hand me a special Strawberry Blossom Blast, a pin saying I’m a We Need More Jimmy participant, and a Thank You card. I sit down at the table in the back and watch, sipping on my special Strawberry Blossom Blast.
