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“Mhmmm…” he looked away. “He runs the tequila business from Jalisco, a harvester like me. But much better.”
“Must be pretty good then.”
“He is.”
“You told me before he’s your little brother. How old is he?” I asked.
“He’s probably closer to your age.”
“What do you know about my age?”
“That you’re clearly much younger than I am.” Alejandro was a clever man for not outright asking. It wasn’t like he could Google me and have all my stats right there, like I could for him. Although, I never much bothered to really see all of that. I enjoyed the air of mystery between us.
“Tell me his age, and I’ll tell you if you’re close.”
He smirked, looking upwards, “He’s thirty-two.”
“You’re not wrong, he’s much closer to me in age than you,” I let out a laugh. “I’m twenty-six for another few months… but ask then, and I’ll say twenty-one.”
“Either way you’re young… and that makes me want to show you all the things I’ve learned with time and age.”
“I’m sure it’s a lot.” I teased.
“It’s experience…”
He was luring me in a new direction, a technique I’ve used myself. It was tempting to continue, but I quickly changed the topic. “What about your parents? Are they with him in Mexico?”
“No…” He said, losing the air of playfulness.
“So, they live in California still?” I asked, unsure of his distance and this new reaction. He scratched above his brow, rolling the foil from his hot dog into a ball.
“Not necessarily.” He swallowed, clearing his throat. I watched as he sawed at his lip, digging with the pressure of his striking white teeth. Nervously I pressed, his eyes no longer on me as mine were on him.
“Where then?”
“Nowhere, Gemma…” He hissed. “They aren’t anywhere because they aren’t anything anymore. They’re fucking dead.” His eyes shot back to me, daring and dark. He spoke with a strong pause, his final words defiant, punched like a stamp. I wanted to ask, I wanted to know more, but couldn’t, as my eyes turned around towards the shilling scream of his name.
CHAPTER 24
“Alex Rivers!” A girl with thick glasses dropped a small bag of macaroons, covering her mouth as she screamed. One of the desserts rolled to our feet, alerting the presence of every fan along the block. She was their siren. A man started running across the street, pulling out his phone, struggling to swipe it open. This was the wave, the feeling Alejandro warned of.
“We’ll float.” I announced, gripping onto his hand, yanking him urgently around the corner. His pace quickly mirrored mine as I guided him, but soon found myself being pulled by his hand rather than my own.
“I got you!” He huffed, his arms pumping with each passing sprint. I made the mistake of looking back, realizing that the sudden horde of onlookers began to pursue us, passing the seated guests of an outdoor restaurant. Their cameras flashed with a series of photos, causing our shadows to grow like giants amongst the wall. I tried to signal the passing cabs, but none were wise enough to interpret my running waves for help.
“I know a way!” I commanded, motioning near an alley a street ahead. Our sight was blocked, disrupted suddenly by a pair of gold swinging doors that opened wide. It was a theater, it's showing completed, as guests poured out like eager cattle. Alejandro slipped his shades back on, and our running halted as we pushed our way against their direction. We broke through, collecting angry stares of the people we shoved. This was it, this was our only chance to escape.
“Don’t let go!” He warned, breaching the other end, yanking me along.
The screaming fans became tangled, lost in the mess of theatre junkies who shoved back. We crossed the street, enduring the blaring horn of a passing car who skidded past our path.
“In here,” I exclaimed, pulling Alejandro under the yellow caution tape that blocked an alley.
“Gemma?” He questioned, “Where the hell are we?” We zig-zagged through the dispersed construction equipment, passed the cones and machinery that stood like dark shadows.
“Here.” I instructed, leading him behind the large tire of a crane. We kneeled, watching from the cracks as straggling fans passed the entrance, sprinting towards nothing.
“If they find us, I want you to run,” He demanded. “Nothing is worth the attention.”
