Marci Wellington's POV

Monday should have been better after everything, but I'm close friends with a pessimistic aspiring Priest; I was on my top guard today.

Since I walked into school this morning, everything has looked normal. As normal as it can get to the home of Grim stone's Grizzlies.

No one is making sarcastic remarks at my friends and me. Not that I can't dish it out right back. Everyone is practically keeping away from us, and I honestly prefer it.

Only if I can get the basketball jocks to do the same to Nate.

After last night, the confident Nathan Pierce came back.

Nathan gave me a heartwarming kiss when my cousins and I walked into the school this morning. He's been holding my hand all day and making me laugh at any opportunity he got. Now that it's time for my English class and he's walking me towards it.

"I just don't get it," I mutter under my breath for only Nate to hear as we make our way through the sea of the student body.

"What's that?" His interest shifts from bobbing his head to the music from his earphones to me.

"We were supposed to have a series of tests today, but both of our Biology and Mathematics teachers seem to have forgotten," I grumble.

He tweaks my nose with a grin, "Leave it to you to get upset about a late test."

I've always wanted to be the valedictorian of my class; I agree I might be a low-key nerd, but I still have other ambitions.

Even though she was not there for me as much as I had wanted her to be, I also wanted to follow in my mom's footsteps and be a fashion designer, but that dream will wait.

Immediately Nate and I arrive at the door of my English class; he kisses my lips and whispers, "I'll see you later."

He walks away from me, and I can't help but stare at his retreating figure.

I get nudged to the corner, and a note slips into my hand, "If you don't pick your jaw from the floor, the plant laboratory will have a new species of a fly-eating plant." It reads.

With a dirty look, I walk into the class and see the culprit ballsy enough to poke the bear.

His feet were up on my desk with his hands crossed behind his head; a big smile rested on his lips, and was it not for the fact that I am plotting his death in ten different ways; I reluctantly would tell you that he might have made a beautiful picture of an obnoxious child.

"Care to share why you're PMSing early?" I crossed my hands on my torso as I addressed the dumbass right before my eyes.

He cracked open one of his eyes, and his smile grew wider, "I wanted to check in on one of my favourite people," He removed his legs from my desk and put his palms on it, "Is that a crime, Marci?"

"What is a crime is that the condom factory didn't send me an apology letter when your parents brought you here." I huff.

"I come bearing news." He motions for me to step closer.

I narrowed my eyes on him but still complied with his request, "Xena wanted me to ask about the progress of the deal both of you made."

I bend my head towards his ear, "I'm working on it. Tell her thanks for upholding her end. Please do my eyes a favour and scream, would ya?"

I stand up straight and flick my head toward the door. He obliges, but before he finally exits, he hollers for the whole class to hear, "Did you guys catch this weekend's news?"

The whole class burst into a frenzy and started talking about the beef between Leo's dad and mine. The culprit that started this madness throws a wink my way and gracefully walks out.

I facepalm and mutter, "Felix, you're a dead man."

Our English teacher chose this moment to finally walk in and give us a pop quiz. I know I wanted one, but now that my mood is ruined, I might as well face and buy a body bag later.

-

My report was placed face down on my table by my History teacher. She smiled at me before moving to the next person to give them their report. I opened mine.

"A+," It reads, and I feel the smile on my face diminish when I read the note under it, "See me."

"I expected more effort from all of you, and seeing that the final exams for this term are fast approaching, most of you aren't won't be happy when you see your GPA." She plants herself behind her desk and gives us a level gaze.

"I won't be lenient and hand off an easy exam, but I do not want to see any of you in this class next term. For those of you that got a 'C-' and below, I need all of you to remain after school every day."

Groans come from all angles of the classroom. It has me wondering if I'm the only one passing this class.

She holds up one of her hands to silence the class and continues to address them, "I don't know how I'll convince the Principal, but I'll leave the choice to you. You can spend a few extra hours in the school library and put your nose to the grindstone, or you could follow me to the Museum where I could offer some help."

The girl at the end of my row raises her hand. My teacher nods for her to stand up, "It's kind of you to do that, but why are you doing it?"

I have never bothered to know my teachers by their names, but I know that the woman sitting in front of me should be in her mid-twenties. I might not be that old, but if I had this kind of job. I wouldn't want to spend more time than needed here.

Just saying.

She beams at the girl, "I honestly have no gain in this, and I just want to offer assistance. And honestly, it would save both of us the hassle next term."

The bell rings. Everyone begins to pack their stuff and walk out the door. The teacher and I are the only ones that remain seated as the class quickly empties.

"You wanted to see me?" The question leaves my lips instantly.

She nods, "Correct, I was wondering if I could interest you in an extra credit assignment."

I feel a smirk coming on, but I push it down, "I believe I don't need the extra credit." I reply cockily.

"You don't, but your classmates need it. Frankly, I don't want extra work on my plate. If you don't know, the pay here isn't worth the stress."

Called it!

I take in how worn out she looks and allow my empathy to make an appearance just this once. I think we all know that between us, my plate is less than empty these days.

Right from when I was six, my dad always taught me to stick to my promises. I know it's very hypocritical that the people who instilled morals in me can't keep theirs, but that is not the problem right now.

I stand up from my desk and walk toward her. I place my hand on her shoulder, "I'm not free, Teach. Even if I were, you said it yourself. It's not worth the trouble."

She sighs but nods in agreement. "There isn't a way you could help me out here?"

Apart from offering extra tutoring, I know these people more than her. They would waste no time throwing my name into the gutter. Even though I know that none of them is brave enough to come at me head-on. I'd prefer to keep a low-key profile for now.

Easy to say when your net worth is the same as a small country.

I offer her a sad smile, "There's nothing I can do, Teach. Just hope you have an assistant or an extra teacher by then."

"You're free to go then." She dismisses me.

-

"Mind sharing what's got you, turning Abuela's tomato soup like an upset child forced to eat?" Marci asks.

Her question brings me back to the present. The gang and I sit on the bleachers and have lunch.

I take a sip from the soup and pass it to her, "Felix came to meet me today."

At the mention of his name Giá chokes on the soup in her mouth. Lucas and I simultaneously pat her back while Nate takes the bowl away from her.

When her coughing fit calms down, I pass her a bottle of water and continue. "Felix has a knack for sticking his nose where it does not belong."

Lucas snorts, "I agree with you on that one. Ever since he transferred to my Philosophy class, he's made it a habit of talking to me."

I turned my attention to Giá, "Are you okay?"

She offers me a stiff nod, and I see the little fucker we're talking about across the field talking to the Druggies.

"Since our favourite cheerleader has ruined the soup, is anyone up for some sandwiches?" Nate asks.

"You know your way in the kitchen?" Lucas' usual negative tone makes an appearance. I return a favour and wank him on the head.

He glowers at me, but my interest is already focused on my boyfriend, "Who made them?"

"I did," His cheeks decided to take the colour of his hair, "I just felt like testing out a new skill, I guess."

Thank the Lord above.

Nate begins to pass around the sandwiches he made. I take a bite and can't help the moan that slips out.

"It is a sandwich Prima no need to get so dramatic." Giá nudges me as she swallows a bite.

"So when is our next video?" She asks.

"Between now and Friday, I believe that's plenty of time to learn the routine and pick a location," I answer.

"Is there anything new that we should be aware of?" Nate takes the floor on this one. "I noticed that our names aren't being disregarded anymore."

"So did I. Do you have anything you want to tell us, Marci?" Lucas looks way too happy as the confusing glances of my best friend and boyfriend land on me.

Any ideas of how to tell your friends that you may or may not have signed up for a suicide mission to keep them safe?

I huff and face the awaiting faces, "I went to the Editor's lair a few days back, the exact day that Xena approached us at lunch."

"Wasn't that the day I went to get you and ran into Felix?" Giá seems to have connected the dots because annoyance coasts her tone.

I raise my hands in defence, "I made a deal with Xena to get her to stop the rumours."

"And what exactly are you doing in exchange for that?" Nate probes with worry.

Here comes the hard part, "I told her that if she stopped them, I'd help her solve an old feud that drove her circle of friends apart."

Giá inhaled deeply, "I'm going to assume that the feud she is referring to has to be the one between my brother, her, Ian and Jade, isn't it?"

"Yep. I don't even know the whole story, so I don't know where to begin. From how things are going, it might not have been a wise idea." I run my hands through my hair as my frustration becomes apparent.

"You don't say?" Lucas says dryly.

Since Diego scolded me about sticking my nose in his business, he hasn't talked to me at home unless necessary. I'm starting to think if my motives were selfish or not.

I know it's none of my concern, and my friends are about to lecture me about it. But I didn't have a choice. I also believe that things might get worse for us if I didn't take matters into my own hands.

"Esto tiene que ser lo más irresponsable que has hecho Marci, a ninguno de nosotros nos importan los rumores porque mientras los cuatro ya sepamos la verdad pues a la mierda lo que piensen esos idiotas." Giá is breathing heavily after her rant.

I don't know if asking her to say it in English would make her any calmer, but my boyfriend bites the bullet for me.

"This has to be the most irresponsible thing you have done, Marci. None of us cares about the rumours because as long as four of us already know the truth, then fuck what those idiots think." Her annoyance level just keeps going higher and higher.

Lucas snorts a laugh which has all of us turning in his direction.

"What's funny?" Nate directs at him.

He gestured with his hands, "What Marci did might have been irresponsible, but her heart was in the right place. Giá, you claim to not care, but it was obvious that you were hurt when people thought that you were the duff to our friend group and trying to snatch Nate away from Marci. I don't know who would end up with your sorry ass, but I owe them a bottle of Tequila."

Giá stares death in his direction and starts to open her mouth to give her opinion about Lucas' choice of words, but Nate must be on a roll today because he stretches from beside me and places a palm on her mouth.

"Sorry, Giá, but I agree with Lucas on this one. What Marci did was clearly stupid," He turns to scowl at me while I offer him a small laugh. "But she had us in mind, so we'll let it slide."

He removes his hand from her mouth and observes her like a wild animal about to attack.

My cousin huffs and turns to look at me, "Next time you want to do something stupid, be a dear and run it by us first."

A cheeky smile covers my face, "You would talk me out of it, and there's no fun in that."

She rolls my eyes and nudges my shoulder with hers, "We were in middle school when they split, and Diego was dating Jade while Ian was with Xena. A normal high school party tore them apart because Jade accidentally slept with Ian while Xena tried to comfort Diego at the time. Hence the whole BJ party we witnessed. That was what Mateo told me when we found Diego drunk of his culo on the roof the next day."

Translation: Ass

I know Mateo obviously left some blanks, but I'll handle that when next I see him.

"So there you have it. I'd tread carefully on this one, Marci. I know you would still try to get your part of that deal done. Be careful, okay?" Giá cautions me as she wraps her hand around my shoulders.

I nod and plan my next move just as the bell signally the end of break sounds in the air. The gang and I stood up to leave the bleachers and head for the halls, but we were stopped by an angry mob of druggies and smokers chasing Felix through the halls.

"How many broken ribs do you think he will have when they are done with him?" I smirk.

Nate replies, "I'd say he wouldn't recognize his skin when they are done with him."

"I'll be happier if he doesn't have any good ribs when next I see him." Lucas the naysayer quips.

We part ways on the corridor. Lucas and I walk into our Economics class, where our teacher greets us with a ledger that needs assembling.

"Remind me to jab my eyes with the ruler the next time we walk into this class," Lucas grumbles from behind me at one point.

"If it means both of us will get excused, then you can count on me," I assure him while I rule out the tables.

After my Economics class, I head over to the home management class. I walk in to see Giá working on one of our many class projects.

"Nice gown Prima." I greet Giá as I slide into our work table.

She nods but says nothing more. She might still be a little pissed about how I handled the whole situation, but I know she will get over it.

I pick up the fabric in front of me and examine it. The material is too stiff to make a simple top with it. I decided to grab a few metal buttons and a zip to work on it.

Once I finish joining the last pieces of my masterpiece, I show it to her, "What do you think?"

She presses the safety scissors on her chin and surveys the outfit, "Could you show me how you made it?"

"I'd love to, Cuz," I told her the steps on how I was able to make the jumpsuit.

The last bell for the day rings, and we drop our projects on the machines for our teacher to examine and exit the classroom.

After dropping my backpack in my locker, Giá and I walk towards the parking lot.

I hold her shoulder as I notice Nate and the basketball jocks leading him up the stairs, "Up for an adventure?"

She smirks, and we follow behind them quietly as they take Nate to the senior locker rooms, where their captain is doing layups.

Giá and I creep into the room and hide behind the seats and watch the scene from a safe distance.

"What is this?" Ian raises a brow. He looks at his teammates as if they've all gone mad.

One of them steps forwards and claps his shoulder, "It's been a while since we had some entertainment, don't you agree, Captain."

I narrow my eyes at him, and it's as if he knows I'm here because while his teammates wait for his response, he looks towards the stands that Giá and I hide behind. Giá ducks down to avoid being spotted but I don't back down.

We share eye contact, and he visibly gulps.

Good to know the Wellington glare still has its perks.

"All of you drop and give me fifty!" He orders.

They look taken aback by his change in mood but comply either way, "Not you, Pierce. Get out of here."

Nate bolts away immediately, and I nudge Giá to please go after him.

This explains what happens to his confidence, him being bullied by the team and his useless stepfather. It's no wonder Nate went through a personality change over the years, and I can bet on my black nail polish that these basketball players had a role in it.

I honestly feel horrible that he went through all of this, but if we're being fair, there's only so much that I could have done. I made a mental note to pay him a visit later in his house.

Ian pinches the bridge of his eyebrows and groans, "You people have to get the stick shoved up your asses out. I agree that picking on him was my fault initially, but you guys are taking it too far. I don't want anyone picking on him unless you can kiss your jersey and sorry ass off this team. Am I clear?"

No one answers him at first. It makes him bounce the ball in his hands against the floor. This has his minions flinching; some even fall onto the other.

"I said, am I clear?" The edge of his tone was enough to chill the hottest of hearts.

They began to nod frantically while a murmur of yes went around them.

"Get out." He pointed towards the door, and one by one, his teammates hung their heads low and walked out of the room.

The moment the last one walked out, he turned back to the hoop and did another layup.

"You can come out now, Marci," he says and walks towards the seats.

I come out from behind the seats and lean against the wall with my hands and ankles crossed.

"Is this the part where you state facts, or do I need to beat you at a game first?" I ask.

He sends a smirk in my direction. Something tells me I might be here a while.

Ian practices his dribbling while I plant my behind on one of the front seats and watch him.

He shoots a basket and turns to me, "Now, what exactly has Xena told you?"

I play with the black bracelet on my wrist, "She was trying to keep its surface. I believe you lot were friends a long time ago?"

"That's right, my girlfriend gave my best friend a BJ while we were in ninth grade after I accidentally slept with him. You know I don't get why you are involved in this issue." His face morphs into a frown.

"She's not." The answer comes from the door that leads to the fields. "Xena practically manipulated her to try and bring us back together. The question is, why?"

This is the most decent I have ever seen Jade dress in her Cheer outfit. She's the captain, so y'all should start taking pictures. It might just be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Ian eyes her warily, "How long have you been standing there?"

She flicks her head to the side and walks deeper into the room, "Long enough to know that Diego is going to walk in through those doors any minute now."

Speaking of the devil, my cousin walks in with a crying Xena not too far behind him. He drags her to stand in their middle while he has to physically restrain himself from hitting her because with how fast his breathing is, you could stick a pair of horns on his head and get a red cloth and yell olé.

He looks up to the sky to gather inner strength, "Now that we are all complete," His eyes sweep around the room and pin me to my seat. "Xena, is there something you would like to tell Marci?"

She huffs, but her mouth remains unmoving. It made the vein in Diego's neck become more prominent.

Jade walks closer to the head of the Editors with a grin on her face, "I told you that this would come back to bite us in the ass, but you never listen, do you."

Xena shakes her head vigorously, making the dark brown curls with blue highlights in her hair fly around. "Marci, the deal is off."

Am I the only one wondering if that is her actual hair colour?

I feel the weight on my shoulder lessen when those words leave her mouth, but I know better than to get my hopes up.

Diego turns to me, "Mateo is waiting for you in the parking lot."

I know he wants me to scram, and I do just that.

-

Mateo and I have been driving towards the townhouse in silence. He hums to the music from the stereo; he's not trying to make conversation with me anytime soon.

I mull over my thoughts and try to come up with an explanation to say once Diego comes home.

You see, the eldest of the Lealtad spawns is a charming fellow who can talk his way in and out of situations; it has me wondering what story he would whip up should anyone question my sudden disappearance.

We pull up in front of the townhouse. I get down from the car and walk towards the front door. Mateo parks it in the garage behind the house next to that of his parents.

I open the front door and follow the heavenly scent of Paella Valenciana towards the kitchen. The women of this household work simultaneously yet efficiently to prepare dinner; judging by how fast my saliva is leaving my mouth, I can assure you that tonight might be the day my tongue dies and goes to hell.

Abuelo notices my static figure in the doorway, "Buenas tardes mi familia."

She grunts and brings out her trusty roll of newspaper. On reflex, I raise my hand to shield my face.

She points towards my schoolbag, "Go and drop that, Chica. You and Giá should head to the garden and get me some tomatoes."

I follow her orders. Soon Giá and I are quietly picking the tomatoes from the ground.

The last time I checked, the sun sets by around seven or so in Miami. Judging from the shadows above me, I might need to recheck my geography.

Diego flicks his head to the side while referring to his sister but keeps his eyes trained on me, "Could you leave Prima and me to talk for a moment?"

It might have been a request, but his tone showed he wasn't in the mood for games. Giá nods and carries the basket of tomatoes. She walks back into the house.

With arms crossed, he looks at me up and down, "Didn't I tell you to stand down?"

I raise my nose in defiance. "You and I both know I would protect my friends at all costs."

"At the cost of the people who call you their own?" He asks as disbelief coats his tone. "You do know that you were a pawn in Xena's plan? That she was using you to get to me, right? Those rumours would have died down if you didn't do anything."

I gulp but manage to nod to his question. I didn't make that pact dumbly; it was for a good cause.

Or so I thought at the time.

"Look, Marci. I knew the rumours hit too close to home. It was obvious they upset you. but let me allow you in on a little secret." He steps closer to me and lowers his voice, "If you allow your enemy to know your weak points, it becomes their strength and your downfall."

I huff, "You have solid points, but it pissed me off that she could say stuff like that and get away with it."

He sighs and pinches the space between his brows, "And for the record, the reason why the gang and I split up is more than just a mix-up in the sheets. The lack of trust we didn't have in each other to come clean without expecting repercussions. I admire how Xena wants us to be friends again, but the people I knew in ninth grade aren't the same as they once were, and so am I."

I tilt my head to examine him and notice his bruised knuckles, "Did you have to fight Ian while you were at it?"

"Boys will be boys." That's all he tells me and walks away from the garden.

-

Diego and I didn't talk again after that. The tension between us seemed to have dropped a notch.

It's hard to tell what happens in the heads of men sometimes. If you looked to my right; you would see where I drew my conclusions.

Lucas sinks the last striped ball on the table and turns around to give me a haughty look, "You were saying Wellington?"

I roll my eyes and rest on the cue stick in my hand, "A cocky priest is a new one, isn't it?"

We drop our cue sticks and move towards the foosball machine. I start the game. Vigorously, we switch from lever to lever.

"The dinner is next week. Got any plans on how we should act?" I ask him while I play with the offence.

He struggles between two levers but manages to send the ball closer to my goal. "I walk in with my family. We meet up and ditch the whole party."

I inwardly groan.

If it were that easy, I wouldn't ask for a plan.

There are two things to take into consideration here. If I told Lucas that I planned on convincing his sister to join his father's music industry to protect my dad's image, he would be mighty pissed. And if I told him that his father wants us to pretend to be dating and he would drop the whole issue about both of his kids refusing their inheritance, he might flip the table.

No surprise, my inner turmoil made me lose to Lucas again. He frowns and eyes me warily, "You're not one to lose twice in a row. What's going on, Marci?"

I weigh my options, and none look promising, "Just thinking, that's all."

He scoffs, "And I believe in fucking rainbows. Do I have to get Giá on this one?" He threatens me.

You keep something from them one time, and you can't be trusted with your own thoughts.

I inwardly kick myself because my friends know me well but not too well.

I shrug, "Just thinking of what's been going on."

"Speaking of the present, I spoke to Nate during our English class today. He looked shaken up. He's spilling the same bullshit you're on. I might not be full of hopes and dreams, but I'm not brain dead." He informs me, "Besides, my dad has already filled me in on your supposed pacts."

He spits out the last part, and I feel like I've been backed up in a corner. He goes to open his mouth and continues, but Nate and Giá choose this exact moment to walk into the arcade dressed up for our video.

Lucas gives me a look as if to say, 'We shall continue this later.'

Note to self; Google how to get away with murder.

I probably should have researched this a while ago, but with the way my murder list is increasing by the day, I might as well join the FBI.

"You guys ready?" Giá asks us as she fixes her phone up to the stereo of the arcade.

Lucas and I came in earlier to pay for this place to be all to ourselves for the afternoon. The new guy who happened to be behind the counter looked as if he had seen a ghost the moment we opened our mouths.

We nod at her, and she takes her place between Lucas and Nate while I stand behind her.

The light in the room goes down. The glow sticks around our wrists, necks, waists, and ankles illuminate the room. A trap mix by David Guetta comes on, and that's our cue to start the performance.

It's not the routine that has ballet. It's a combination of krumping and a few tricks, then the music seizes and 'Coño by Jason Derulo' comes into play for Giá and me to start some gymnastic moves.

The routine is very erotic if you ask me. Giá came up with it during practice with the cheer squad, and the theme seemed to fit in well. A few white light bulbs behind us illuminate our figures and hint at what is going on.

While editing the video, I suggested that there should be a red flash of light in the middle of the routine to add effect. We finish by walking away in different directions.

The light comes back on, and the arcade owner walks toward us with an outstretched palm. I roll my eyes and give him the balance of the pay.

We gather our gear and walk towards the nearest ice cream parlour to cool off.

"This should be one of our best videos just yet," Giá says with a bright smile as she replays it for us.

"If you keep smiling like that. I might need glasses later." Lucas shields his eyes.

"Your negative jabs make me go deaf, but I'm not wearing hearing aids." She glowers at him.

While the opposite personality owners bicker, I turn my attention to my boyfriend. He's been quiet all day. I rest my hand on his and squeeze it, "You good?"

He nods but refuses to say anything. I take in his features and see no new bruises, "You sure?" I probe.

"I'm fine, Marci, really." He tells me.

Giá coughs noisily to grab our attention, "If you two love birds are done, we have another issue to address."

"What's up?" I ask her and proceed to finish my ice cream in my cup.

"Our channel is going through the roofs, and Ken from Kentertainment wants to arrange an interview for us." She starts to squeal in excitement but judging from the looks that Lucas and I have, it could only mean one thing.

When you are the kids of some very influential people, everyone wants to get up in your business, which is why Lucas and I say no at the same time.

"But why?" She pouts.

"We want to do this the right way. Which is no backup from our parents and certainly no interviews till the world knows this isn't a collaboration which involves them." I explained, "Besides, no one knows our dear exchange student here." I throw my hand around Nate's shoulder.

"What do you say, Nate?" Giá asks him, hopefully

He scratches his neck, "Sorry, Giá, you know how much I like my privacy."

She huffs and faces her phone screen down onto the table and decides to sulk and lick her ice cream.

"Don't worry, Giá," Our attention shifts to the cynic in our midst, "You could use that smile of yours to kill puppies if it makes you feel any better."

She goes to lunge for him across the table, but I hold her down. Nate shakes his head in amusement while I hold down my laugh in vain.

"You people sicken me." She mutters after she gives up struggling.

"We wove you too, Prima," I shot her a grin.

"Now that the rumours are out of the way, we have an away game coming up," Nate speaks up for the first time since we arrived. "The coach has agreed not to bench me for it, and I get to play in the first half."

Lucas raises a brow, "What's the catch?"

"Since the game is happening in our sister school across town, he wants you and Marci to perform." Nate clarifies.

I'll translate this one; Get your friends to perform, or I will bench your ass till you graduate.

The list just keeps growing longer and longer.

"I'm assuming you'd be with the cheer squad?" Lucas states rather than asks as he surveys Giá.

"Yup, Jade would never let me perform while in a team uniform." She snorts in distaste.

"We'll do it, but I want to have a talk with your coach first." I feel my features morph into a glare. It has Nate shifting in his seat.

"Easy Wellington, are we preparing a bail for you or an expulsion gift basket when you're done?" Lucas baits me.

I raise one of my shoulders and drop it, "How about both."

"My teammates have calmed down with how they treat me recently; I don't know whether to be relieved or take a leaf out of Negative Nancy's book over here and be sceptical about it," Nate confesses.

I place my hand on his again, "If they give you trouble, just let me know."

My best friend and I had matching glares as we assured him, "Besides, the worst thing that could happen is if we could get expelled for the end of the basketball team in Grim stone high."

"Should we be worried that you speak about it as if talking about the weather?" Lucas asks.

"Sometimes you just need to know how much energy you would be willing to channel," Giá interjects.

"Right," He drawls.

She squints at him, "How much do you think we can make if we dump a ransom note for his dad?" She asks me.

"I'm not sure you want to know," I sigh and turn my attention back to Nate and continue to observe him.

I know something off about him today, and it's bugging me that I can't figure it out. It might be just his teammates, but I know it's not.

-

Friday football.

It was a school night until the moment I come downstairs for dinner. The whole family who sat at the dinner table to have dinner were scattered around the main living room watching football.

It was Celta Vigo against Deportivo La Coruña.

Diego turned away from the television to catch me cocking my head to the side and watching the view right in front of me.

This family is all I've ever wanted of mine, and I feel my fight-or-flight instinct pick up. I turned away, ready to bolt back into my room, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me.

With a sincere smile, Diego advises me, "I'll tell you once again. You're one of us, and you are a part of this family, whether you lock yourself in your room all day or join us for chores."

He moves me closer to the empty chair beside his, "It might not be what you wanted, but it might be better. No hay tal cosa como diversión para toda la familia."

Translation: There is no such thing as fun for the whole family.

Mateo and Giá share a bowl of popcorn while seated on the bean bag chairs. Abuelo's head is stuck in one of his famous novels, most likely trying to draw inspiration for a new one. Abuela has her no-nonsense face as she barks commands at the players who she thinks can hear her. As for Santiago and Maya -Giá's parents- take turns betting on which player will make the whole team lose the game.

"Hey Diego," I say quietly, "I think you might be right."

I settle more into the chair and try to make sense of the game. I'm not familiar with most of the rules, but judging from the scoreboard and the teams they are rooting for, it will be one long night.

Who loves Marci like me?

This chapter was very hard to write, but I hope I nailed it. Please let me know what you think.