“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Randi said. “Your dad has told us all about you. He also mentioned you just had your seventh birthday, is that right?”
I nodded.
She smiled. It was warm and inviting, like a friend greeting someone they hadn’t seen in a long time. “Well, we baked you a special cake to celebrate.”
My back straightened. A cake? “I like cake.”
She clapped her hands together. “Wonderful. Why don’t we—”
A truck engine rumbled, and we turned to see a large one like my dad’s roll up the driveway. This one was blue, unlike my dad’s black truck.
“Ah, Xavier and Diego have returned just in time,” Pete said.
Randi smiled at me. “You’ll like Diego.”
I merely blinked. I didn’t know who they were talking about, or why I’d like them.
The truck parked and a man with a little darker skin hopped out. He had short brown hair and some hair on his face. He gazed up at us with dark eyes. “Ah, new arrivals.”
This man spoke with an accent.
His eyes flicked to me, and I ducked back around my dad’s legs. He smirked. “Diego, get out here. You have a new friend.”
New friend? Does this man mean me?
The other truck door opened and someone dropped to the ground. It shut and a boy that looked a lot like the older man walked around the truck. He was my age.
The two of us stared at each other for a long moment before he smiled and ran up the steps. I ducked behind my dad. I didn’t do well around people, even kids my age. It made it hard to make friends.
“I’m Diego,” he said. “What’s your name?”
I clung to my dad. “Um… Astrid.”
Diego smiled wider, revealing a missing tooth. It made him a little goofy-looking. His smile was contagious.
He held his hands out. “We’re now best friends forever.”
Best friends? I tentatively took his hand. His warmth seeped into my skin and my apprehension slipped away. I believed him.
“Best friends forever.”
