“What’d he do now,Ojitos?”
“Nothing,” I say, because Diaz hates Andrew even more than Kaden does and I don’t feel like defending him today.
Diaz narrows his eyes at me for a beat but then he obviously decides to drop it as he cuts in on the cake—not even waiting until everyone’s here, and that’s so classic him I snort a laugh.
“What?” he says, leaning back.
“You’ve got frosting on your chin,” Kaden frowns.
“I’m saving it for later.”
“Disgusting, but okay.”
The back door opens and Kit walks in, dropping down beside Diaz, and cuts a piece for himself. Not saying anything to anyone.
I used to hate that. I never knew what he thought of anything—of me—and it made me anxious. He always just glanced at what I did—sketches, or practice skins in the beginning—before he hummed and walked off.
I was on edge for a month before Kaden told me that a quiet Kit is a happy Kit. It’s when he starts scowling and whisper-shouting that you know shit’s gone sideways.
“Alisha made this?” Diaz says, and cuts himself another piece of the carrot cake. Frosting still on his chin.
“She did,” Kaden says.
“That woman.” Diaz shakes his head with a small smile. “Can’t believe you turned into such amamónwith a mother like that.”
“Shut your face,” Kaden laughs. “I feel sorry for Marisol.”
Diaz laughs as the doorbell chimes and Iggy walks in. Her black ponytail swings behind her and her chunky boots squeak with every other step she takes before she stops in front of us, hands on her hips.
“Oh, you started without me. Shocker.” She rolls her eyes, dumping her bag on the floor and shuffles down between Kit and Diaz. She kicks her knees out, forcing them to shift in their seat and close their legs.
Diaz clicks his tongue, shaking his head.
“Cry me a river, Diaz,” she says, bending forward to cut a piece for herself. “No balls are that big.” She leans back, combing her short bangs down, and takes a big bite of the cake.
“You’re all a bunch of assholes,” Diaz says. “Except you,Muñeco,” he adds, nodding at me.
“Good riddance, then.” Iggy grins at him before she picks up her phone, typing something and the music cuts to some awful, squeaky voice, and Kaden and Diaz both groan loudly.
“I’ll disconnect your phone and play Alice In Chains for a week if you don’t change the music right the fuck now,” Kaden says.
“Chica, I’m leaving,” Diaz says, going for puppy-eyes and a pout. “Don’t make me remember you this way.”
Kit puts in his AirPods and starts playing Candy Crush or something on his phone like he can’t be bothered with the theatrics of the rest of us.
I don’t say anything. I don’t like her taste in music either but I freaking love when we all come together like this, and if that comes with bad music and bleeding ears, then I’ll take it.
8
Seth
“Lookinggood,Avery,”Lougrins from the couch as I walk over, dressed in a beige silk-pajamas and a face mask, holding two glasses and a bottle of red wine. She’s wearing something similar, and her chestnut hair is pulled up in a bun on her head.
Lou Mitchell and I were neighbors turned best friends back in Santa Ana before her dad decided his job was more important than our friendship, and every other thing in Lou’s life, and they moved to Austin, Texas.
They didn’t even stay long enough to let her graduate high school.
I’ve never seen her so angry.
