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“She laughed at your joke. That’s why you think she’s good people.”
“It’s a test. Anyone who laughs at my jokes is good people.”
“Guys. Come on. Theresa, you said you’d give her a chance. That’s why we invited her tonight.”
“I am! God. Both of you just back off. I’m in her house, sitting at her table. What more do you want from me? Can I remind you that I’m not the one who needs friends? Please check yourselves.”
“She’s new.” Gem’s voice was quiet.
Theresa sighed. “Her cousins run the school, and she seems not to have a problem with Cohen and Scout. I think she’s doing just fine. Plus, she’s friendly with Kira.”
“No, she’s not. That’s just Homecoming committee stuff. She did that for me.”
Alred sighed. “But can you imagine being around all those guys? All the time? Scout. Good Gad all glorious. I just want to pull down those sweats an inch. Just an inch. Can you imagine? No. Seriously. Let’s all imagine together. We’ll orgasm.”
“I don’t just meet someone and become instant friends,” Theresa insisted. “That stuff takes time for me.”
“We know, but you said you’d give her a chance,” Gem countered. “Plus, you’ve met her a few times.”
“In class and during a verbal smackdown doesn’t count. And I am trying. I invited her to Mario’s. That’s a family place. Not just anyone gets an invite from me, you know.”
“I know. Just, be nice.”
“I am. She’s upstairs still. Back off, you guys.”
“I luh-ve how feisty you are.”
Theresa started laughing, but I stopped listening.
I reached in, pulled out the necklace from my dad and kissed it, taking a deep breath. For a moment I could imagine my dad standing next to me, giving me a hug and telling me, “Get out there and kick ass.”
I blinked away a tear, put my necklace back under my shirt, and plastered on a fake smile. “I’m ready.”
Alred luh-ved my hair and promptly asked if I could do small braids in his hair too. With ribbon. With glitter. He was almost a walking ball of glitter. It was everywhere. His face. Neck. Chest. He didn’t care that it got all over his sweatshirt and pants.
After leaving my place, we went to Theresa’s for them to get ready where Gem asked me to do her hair.
Theresa’s mom came up when we were almost done and gasped, taking everyone in. “Muy bonita!”
That was when I saw a different side to Theresa. She softened and was all smiles as her mom gave her a hug. Gem and Alred got hugs. When she came to me, she got quiet. Theresa spoke in Spanish to her. She responded before she got a little misty-eyed. It was too fast for me.
“She’d like to give you a hug,” Theresa told me. “Is that okay?”
Gem sidled closer. “We’re a huggy family.”
“Yes. I’d love a hug.”
I stood, and Mrs. Garcia came over and hugged me. For a split second, I pretended I was getting a hug from my dad.
She and Theresa spoke again in Spanish.
I caught most of the words, but Gem translated. That was helpful.
“She’s asking about dinner and our plans,” Gem said. “Theresa’s telling her about Mario’s, the football game, and that we’ll probably go to Kunz’s after.”
“Who’s Kunz?”
“Someone we know. He has a lot of parties at his place.”
Mrs. Garcia’s voice rose.
“She doesn’t approve of Kunz,” Gem explained. “He’s got some friends who drag race and do drugs, but we’ll probably still go. Theresa and he have an on-and-off thing going. She likes bad boys.”
Theresa stopped talking to her mom and said sharply to Gem, “Just tell her all my business.”
Gem shrugged. “She’ll find out anyway when you’re on his lap all night.”
Alred held up a hand to Gem. “Word.”
Gem laughed and slapped it with hers.
Theresa rolled her eyes, but went back to talking with her mom. A moment later, they were hugging. I got a hug again. When we went downstairs, an older man gave Theresa money from his wallet, murmured something to her, and kissed her on the forehead.
My necklace felt like it was burning against my skin.
I reached up, finding it, and I held on to it.
“Love you, Dad.”
Mario’s was a small restaurant set back from the main road in Pine River. There was some room to sit inside, but their main seating area was a back courtyard. I loved it, everything about it. We were surrounded by a tall fence for privacy and there were vines growing all over the courtyard. A duck came through at one point and went to a small fountain area in the corner. It quacked until one of the employees gave it bread. A second duck had joined it by the time we got our drinks.
While we waited, Theresa went back inside. Soon after, we heard a loud wave of voices.
“Theresa has a lot of friends from Pine Valley,” Gem explained. “They’re inside.”
