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“You’re about to meet Emil, the kids' grandfather, my boss, and Rachelle’s stepdad,” Liliana says. “Consider this a crash course. Umm, is your mom coming over too? Fuck, is my dad?”
“Holy crap,” I say under my breath.
“I know, we’re a lot,” Rachelle snorts under her breath. “Like I said, we’re all in each other’s business. My family is very excited to meet you. Let me check, Lili.”
Pulling out her phone, she fires off a text. I had to leave my phone with the group home, but it’s not like I have anyone I need to contact. I’ll only really miss it to read books.
“Noor, I have a new phone for you in your new room,” she continues. “Our numbers are all programmed in, and you’re in the family chat.”
My eyes get wide as she fires off information, and my knees get weak for an entirely different reason. Taking a breath to get control of my emotions, I can feel my usual poker face breaking apart. Something this simple shouldn’t have such an impact on me.
Rachelle is a force of nature as she stands in the room figuring out who’s about to descend on her house. Glancing at me, she looks mildly chagrined.
“We’re a lot,” she repeats. “It’s why I wanted you to meet Jared and I first.”
“I kind of like it,” I confess. “I’m only a little overwhelmed.”
Liliana makes a crude noise, coming over to guide me over to the couch. “Come sit, mija, while we figure out what’s going on. I need to know how much to cook for dinner. Have you had a chance to eat yet?”
“I wasn’t really hungry,” I say with a shrug. “My appetite is all over the place.”
“That’s fine,” she says. “Do you want to go to school tomorrow or are you skipping?”
“Lili,” Rachelle laughs, sitting on the ground with the girls to hang out while they bring her different things to look at. “Can we at least pretend to be good role models?”
“That’s boring,” Liliana groans. “She’s about to meet Emil, I don’t think we’re the ones she needs to worry about.”
“Stop,” Rachelle says, rolling her eyes. “You’re going to scare her. My stepfather is wonderful. He’s a good person to have in your corner, Noor. Trust me.”
Strangely, I think I could. Eventually. Trust needs to be earned, and I don’t have a great track record with it. My own father tried to kill me, after all. That does something to a girl’s ability to trust.
Instead, I sit on the couch and allow the chaos to flow over me. The guy named Elijah drops onto the seat next to me, blowing out a breath. Glancing over, I remember Rachelle said that he sometimes got overstimulated by the craziness.
“Hey,” I offer, watching as Addie messily colors in a unicorn on a sheet nearby.
“Hi,” he chuckles. “It’s always chaotic here. Welcome to the family. I know it might be a little awkward at first, but we are excited that you’re here. I’m not always great with people.”
“I’m not either,” I admit. “I kind of dislike them.”
“Introverts unite,” he says, smirking. “Chesterfield Prep is supposed to be a decent school. I haven’t heard anything too crazy from Rachelle, but it does have its cliques like any other school.”
“It started out as a charter school for kids who wanted better opportunities,” Liliana says. “Some of them have had the shit end of the stick handed to them. It’s an elementary, middle school and high school, so by this point, some of these kids have been together for a few years.”
“Ew,” I say before I can help myself.
“You’re not wrong,” Jared says, sitting next to Rachelle on the ground. “Kids who remember what your voice sounded like when you went through puberty keep you humble.”
“It didn’t affect any of your self confidence,” Liliana says. “I’ve known these punks since I was five. I still only mildly like them.”
Ignacio folds himself onto the sofa next to Liliana, his short sleeves showing off his tattoos.
“You love me,” he smirks. “For the record, Emil is my dad. He’s on the way over with Rachelle’s mom and Lili’s dad. Once we decided we were going to permanently stay in Santa Barbara, our parents decided that was too far from them.”
“That’s sweet though,” I say. I’m trying to process the different relationships that he just told me and I think my brain is broken. Are Ignacio and Rachelle step-siblings?
“It’s confusing as fuck,” Elijah whispers to me. “They aren’t related if that helps.”
“Not my business,” I murmur, deciding that’s my new mantra.
