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"Me, too."
She laughed. "Of course you do, silly. It's in our blood."
I guessed she meant Native blood. Like with Rafe, I couldn't really tell her heritage, but I supposed that answered my question. I was going to ask what tribe she was, when her eyes went wide.
"Uh-oh. I'm in trouble now," she said.
I followed her gaze to the back door. Rafe was bearing down on us, his expression set somewhere between annoyance and anxiety.
"I'm going to get a stern talking to," Annie whispered, her tone saying she wasn't the least bit concerned by the prospect. When Rafe got within ten feet, she launched herself at him the same way she had with me. Instead of hugging him, she grabbed him in a headlock and ruffled his hair.
"I didn't break the rules," she said as she danced away. "She came over to me, and she talked to me first."
"She's right," I said.
"Okay, just ..." He took her gently by the wrist. "We have to go, Annie. Say good-bye to Maya."
"She doesn't need to--" I began.
"Yes, she does."
He led Annie off before I could argue. I glowered at his retreating back. Was he embarrassed by Annie? All the hair-styling in the world wouldn't make him a decent brother if he forced her to stay locked in a cabin all day. Maybe that was how he'd bee
n raised, but the next time he came sniffing around, we were definitely having a chat about this.
As I stormed back toward the school, I heard running footsteps behind me.
"Maya!" Rafe called. "Hold up a sec."
Seems we were having that chat sooner than I expected.
"I need to ask you a favor," he said.
I nodded, too pissed off to open my mouth.
"Don't tell anyone about Annie, okay? Please? You saw--Well, you saw she's got some problems, and I'd really appreciate it if--"
"If I let you keep your mentally challenged sister a secret? Kept her from wrecking your street cred? God, you're a piece of work, Rafael Martinez. I thought Sam was being harsh on you this morning, but she wasn't nearly harsh enough."
As I ranted, his face hardened. By the time I finished, it was like granite, his eyes cold chunks of amber.
"Are you done?" he asked, voice as frosty as his eyes.
"No, I haven't even begun. I was planning to talk to you later, offer to take Annie to lunch, let her meet people, but obviously that's not going to work, so I'll move straight to step two. Talk to my parents."
I walked away before I could see his reaction.
He called after me, "How old am I, Maya?"
I turned. "How the hell should I know? Whatever you've told the school, I'm sure it's a lie anyway."
"I'm sixteen, just like you. Or like you will be tomorrow, from what I heard. My birthday was last month."
"Congratulations." I started walking again. "I'll send you a card next year, if you hang around that long, which I doubt."
"You don't need to doubt it. I'll be leaving for sure if you tell anyone about Annie."
I wheeled. "Are you threatening to take her--?"
