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“Okay,” I said, putting a practiced smile on my face and following them inside.
Their home was just as bright and cheery on the inside as the décor was on the outside. There were big photos of Xi and her sisters, pieces of bright art on the walls, and blooms of flowers on almost every table. It didn’t feel carefully curated and sterile like my home so often did. It felt like everything was meant to be here.
For the first time since last night, I felt my whole body exhale. My shoulders loosen. Everything about this place saidhome.
We walked through their living room and into a kitchen with a blue and orange tiled backsplash. Dee stood by the stove with a spatula, taking little colorful cookies off of wax paper. The sugary smell was just as heavenly as the rest of the house.
“They look great,” I said.
Dee turned and gave me a surprised look. “Kiyana?”
“Hey,” I said. “Long time no see.” We hardly ever saw each other in high school, to be honest, even though she was only a year older than me. We ran in different circles that only rubbed shoulders occasionally—her with the softball team and me with the cheerleaders and football players.
“How’s Stefon?” Dee asked.
“He’s doing great. He actually just came out,” I said, wanting to talk to someone about it who would understand.
Xi didn’t look as surprised like her dad and sister, but Dee had a big grin on her face.
“Good for him! How are you taking it?”
I glanced at Xi. Part of me wanted to admit that I was a lesbian, right then and there. That I’d like nothing more than to take Xi’s hand and weave my fingers through hers. But something held me back. “If I’m being honest, I’ve known for a while.”
“Wow.” Xi’s dad said. “How are his parents taking it? Can you let him know if he needs anything at all, we’re here for him?”
I nodded. “I think they’re going to be okay, but I’ll definitely let him know.”
“Great,” he replied, a kind smile in his eyes. They looked so much like Xi’s. Or Xi’s looked like his. Whichever. They were beautiful.
He reached into a cabinet and pulled out a few small plates, handing them to Dee. “I asked Kiyana and Xiomara to check our work.”
Dee laughed, the sound contagious. “I think we’ve tested enough. But I’m happy to share.” She winked at me.
They handed me a plate of the little cookies first, and I picked one up, the dough still warm under my fingertips. I took a careful bite of the chocolate portion, and the sweet crumbles had the best flavor. “So good,” I said before I even finished chewing.
Xi’s dad smirked. “That’s because Xi didn’t help.”
“Hey!” Xi cried. “It’s not my fault I didn’t get the baking gene. You only have yourself to blame.”
He chuckled, taking a bite of his own cookie. “Three out of four isn’t bad.”
Shaking her head, Xi said, “I’m going to grab my purse. Don’t say anything crazy while I’m gone.” She gave me a quick smile that narrowed the corners of her almond eyes and hurried toward the stairs.
Alone with her dad and sister, I took another bite of the cookie, loving the crumbly texture and sweet flavors. Even though the colors were bright, the flavors were more subtle.
“Any plans for college in the fall?” her dad asked, making conversation. But not in the way that most people did—like they were just trying to fill the quiet. He seemed actually interested.
“I’m going to Elmbrooke, just an hour and a half from here.”
“Ah, they have a great finance program. We get interns from there from time to time.”
A sense of relief swept over me that he recognized the college. Everyone had wanted me to go to an Ivy League school like Stanford, but our guidance counselor had encouraged me to follow my heart and pursue cheerleading instead. She said if I wanted to be a collegiate cheer coach someday, it would be good to have the experience.
“What are you studying?” Dee asked.
“Business,” I replied. It was general enough to give me lots of options, which I definitely needed if cheer coaching didn’t work out right away.
“Nice,” Xi’s dad said. “Are you planning to go to the prom later today?”
