I wake up startled by the smack my brother just gave my backside, and to top it off, he’s flopped right on top of me.
"So, you're actually around here," I whisper.
"That’s none of your business," I mutter.
I shove him to the side of the bed and ask:
"What did you come to wake me up for?"
"Get up—we’re going out!"
"Alright, fine, but give me a little while to get ready."
"Okay, I’ll wait for you," he murmurs as he leaves the room.
I get up and go take a shower; the water is cold, but I like it. I step out and put on the most comfortable clothes I own, since I know my brother well and he’s always in a rush whenever he visits.
Once I’m ready, I go to put my phone in my bag and spot the keys; I remember Alejandro’s car, which is parked out front. I leave the room and hurry down the stairs. I pretend to open the door and take a look, but the car isn't there; I get a scare—could it have been stolen? But if it had been stolen, they would have taken the other one too. I snap out of it and try to calm myself down.
I go inside to have breakfast; I see my brother chatting with my parents about his adventures. Just then, I hear, "Hurry up, *Negro*," and I reply, "Give me a sec, *Pote de Leche*." My mom steps in, glaring at us: "Stop with the nicknames already." "Let me wash my plate and we’ll go." I ask if we’re taking the car or a taxi, and she confirms we’re taking the car.
I got into the passenger seat, and off we went. I asked him what we were going to buy, but he just said we’d see. Before long, we arrived at the La Cascada shopping mall. He parked, and we got out of the car. I walked beside him, since he didn't like me riding in the back. Still, I wasn't too fond of the situation because people always mistook us for a couple—just because he’s white and I’m dark-skinned. But oh well, what can you do?
Next, we went into a men's clothing store, where he bought some shirts and a pair of shorts. We kept walking and stepped into a shoe store. There, he bought two pairs of shoes for himself and also treated me to a pair of sandals and a pair of shoes. We continued our outing, and he asked if I wanted ice cream, so we went to get some; he had chocolate, and I had strawberry.
As we were walking, I ran into Cloe.
"Hi, Celeste!" she said, giving me a hug. Then she stepped back.
"Hi, sweetie. I’d like you to meet my brother, Bryan."
She greeted him, and he returned the greeting very warmly. We said goodbye and continued looking at the shop windows. Suddenly, Bryan spotted a makeup store and ushered me inside. He started buying me various things, which made me feel incredibly awkward. At one point, he looked at the saleswoman and asked:
"Do you work here?"
"Yes," she replied.
"Well, it doesn't look like it," he declared.
I was taken aback by his attitude. He paid, and we left the shop. I immediately asked him why he had said that to the girl, and he replied that she wasn't doing her job properly. I simply nodded and didn't ask anything else.
We finished our shopping and headed to the car. We loaded everything into the trunk and set off. I put on my headphones while he talked on the phone. That’s when worry washed over me: What had happened to Alejandro’s car? How was I going to tell my dad that I’d lost his business partner’s car—and that I’d driven it to our house? To make matters worse, someone had brought a rifle to the party I’d attended, and—to top off my bad luck—I didn’t even have Alejandro’s number.
Just as we were turning the corner, I saw Alejandro’s SUV parked in front of the house. I relaxed a little and waited to see what would happen. My brother parked, and we got out with all the bags. We went inside, and Mom asked if we’d had lunch yet. We told her no, so she asked us to put the groceries away and come right back down to eat. I glanced around but didn’t see anyone. I went up to my room, left the shopping on the bed, and came back downstairs.
I went to the kitchen and asked for my father; I was told he was in the office with Alejandro. I served myself some food and went to the living room with Bryan. Just then, my father walked out, accompanied by Alejandro.
"Let me introduce you to my other son, Bryan," my dad said.
They greeted each other, but I didn't look up from my plate. I didn't know what they were talking about, but I had a strong suspicion I was going to get scolded as soon as Alejandro left. Suddenly, I heard his voice addressing me:
"Hi, Celeste. How have you been?"
I didn't know how to react. Feeling very nervous, I replied:
"Fine, fine... and you?" I immediately took a sip of juice.
He looked at me intently, as if searching for something more in my eyes. At that moment, my cell phone started to vibrate. I answered:
"Hi, baby. What's up?"
I got up from the living room and went upstairs to my bedroom, leaving my plate on the table. It was Chris, calling to see if we could meet up later. I said yes, hung up, and put the phone on the bed so I could finish eating. Just as I was about to open the door to leave, Alejandro suddenly walked into the room...