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Chapter Two
Marisol
“M
arisol! Can you give me a ride home? Jace’s practice is running over. Coach is pushing them really hard today.”
Jasmine hurries over as I’m walking to my car, still winded from our volleyball practice. She slides her sweaty hair behind her ear. The entire practice, the coach, had us running laps for errors in the last game. We’re both covered in sweat, and stinking like BO.
“Sure, hop in.” The car clicks, signaling it’s unlocked. “Need to stop anywhere else?”
“No. Just home to wash myself off. I may have to use a hose before going into the house,” she laughs, and I can’t help but laugh with her.
“So, what’re your plans for tonight? Alex said he and Jace were heading over to a party.”
“I don’t know. Jace hasn’t mentioned anything yet, but I guess I’ll probably go with them if he asks … unless you wanted to do something?”
“Yeah, I might, but I want to get some reading done after I shower. Is it alright if I call you later?” When I break for the stop sign, I glance at her.
“Yeah, that’ll work.”
We crank the music and continue home. There’s a separation in town?the good side, and the bad. Our side, the wealthier side, is closest to the school. The poorer side, or wrong side, is on the other side of the train tracks, about fifteen miles away. We’re all mixed in the same high school; popular, goth, gang bangers, rich kids, and poor kids. The different diversities have caused problems, forcing the school to take extra security measures by hiring security guards and installing cameras.
We’re home in a handful of minutes, slipping out of the car chatting random girl talk, when Jasmine’s front door opens with a crash, reverberating across the yard. Her mother staggers onto the porch, hands on her hips as she glares daggers, as if Jasmine were an archnemesis instead of her daughter.
I’ve witnessed enough incidents with Jasmine and her mother to know they don’t get along, but I have a feeling there’s more going on that Jasmine doesn’t speak about. We cross the driveway toward my door, Jasmine appearing dismayed by her mother’s sudden appearance.
“When I come out to talk to you, do not ignore me!” The words are accusatory, heavy, and partially slurred.
“Sorry,” Jasmine says, her voice small. Her entire demeanor transforming in front of my eyes.
“Sorry?” Margret glares, sizing Jasmine up and down, scrunching her face in disgust. But then an evil smirk tilts the corner of her lips. “You smell disgusting. At least I know why you’re still single. Who would want to date a dirty pig like you?”
Her words are shocking. I open my mouth, but I don’t know what to say, leaving my mouth gaping like a fish. Glancing at Jasmine, I try to gauge her reaction. Her beautiful face is full of humiliation; cheeks pink and eyes shining. When she meets my gaze, they sparkle like the endless blue waves of the ocean against the sun, but she remains silent, clutching her volleyball equipment to her chest. Not finding words to placate her embarrassment, she pushes past Margret and runs to her house.
Her mother sways in front of me, pleased with Jasmine’s outburst. “Let’s just hope she didn’t stink up your car.” Her high-pitched laughter grates on my nerves. She’s like her own pack of high-pitched hyaenas. I’ve never wanted to bitch-slap another human being as much as their mother in my life.
“She can stink my car up anytime she’d like,” I defend and then present my back and stomp into my house, slamming the door behind me.
Tears burn behind my eyes. “¿Qué diablos?” What the hell?
“Qué pasa, sis?” Alex asks from the kitchen.
“You will not believe what Jasmine’s mom just said to her,” I say, exasperated.
He’s slapping a sandwich together. “You want one?”
“Will you listen? This is serious!” My stern tone makes him pause. He stops making his sandwich, giving me his full attention, so I tell him word for word what she said to Jaz.
His posture tenses and his eyes are blazing pools of chocolate. He’s pissed. My brother and Jace are protective. There’s times where it’s annoying, like when we’re trying to pick up on guys, but then there’s times like now where every extra person in your corner is important, and they’d do anything to make sure we’re safe.
“I don’t think the twins have been honest about what’s going on with Margret. How could she say those things to her? Could you ever imagine Ma saying something like that to us?” That had to have stabbed straight to the heart.
“I don’t know. I mean, Jace makes comments here and there, but I never thought…” He shakes his head. “Eso es una mierda.”
“I know. This is bullshit. I wish there was something I could do or say to make her feel better. She was so embarrassed. I just wanted to wrap her in my arms and hug the shit out of her.”
“I’ll talk to Jace, see what’s up.” He leans over and kisses the top of my head.
