Chapter 32
SELENA
The Gamma House backyard is nearly as crowded as the inside. Sammy and I step out into a cool breeze blowing on this warm night. The wisteria trees lining the edge of the property dance along with the music. When those bloom in a couple of months, it’s going to look so beautiful.
Some people are playing with a huge set of tic-tac-toe Xs and Os on the lawn, while couples make out near the pool. I’m pretty sure most of the football team is in or around the hot tub, all fully clothed and drinking beer.
“What’s going on, Sel?” Sammy’s eyebrows crease together and he looks worried. He’s even frowning a little. Sammy never frowns. “Jess says you’re ‘faking a date’ or something with Gray. What’s up with that? Are you guys, you know, going out?”
“Dude, no,” I laugh at my brother. Even though I’ve tried to explain the different tropes in my romance books many, many times, he couldn’t care less. It’s no surprise that he doesn’t remember what the correct term is or what it entails.
“Se dice fake dating, dork. And I’m helping your best friend,” I reply. “That’s it.”
Sammy crosses his arms over his chest. When he does that he reminds me of Papá when he’s upset. Too serious. No nonsense. Nothing like their usual demeanor.
“This have anything to do with Lila?” he asks.
“It has everything to do with her!”
When we first walked outside, I made sure no one was close enough to listen to our conversation. I double check again.
“Why didn’t you say something?” he asks.
While Sammy is a super annoying and overprotective little brother, he’s also an amazing one. Supportive, caring, and trustworthy. He also happens to be my only brother, so I lucked out.
We don’t talk as much as we used to when we lived in the same house, but we share all the important stuff going on in our lives.
His girlfriends, my jobs, our classes. He knows my schedule and I know his.
When he travels out of state with the team, he never forgets to text his itinerary to our family group chat. Neither do I.
However, me and boys? That’s never been a topic of discussion because I never had time for anything related to boys or dating.
“It’s not a big deal,” I assure him, then glance around.
“We’re just pretending to be on a date so Lila can leave Big Mike alone,” I whisper.
“And Grayson too, I guess. I don’t know everything that went down with them, but I heard she was pretty horrible to both of your friends. How could I not help knowing that?”
Even as I say this, it feels like I’m not being completely honest. The way Sammy narrows his eyes, he reminds me of Mamá when she suspects something’s up. Somehow Mamá always knew when one of us—or both of us—was keeping something from her.
Is that what I’m doing now?
“Sel,” Sammy scrunches his nose like he smells someone’s stinky, week-old socks. “Please don’t tell me you’re into Grayson. I love the guy, but come on!”
“Why would you think that?” I reply quickly.
Too quickly. Realizing I also raised my voice, I tone it down a bit.
“Look, this whole thing kind of snowballed from the time Lila saw us at Leo’s Burgers,” I add, shrugging my shoulders.
“Remember when I drove his car because all of you, except Trevor and me, were drunk?”
Sammy shakes his head. “That wasn’t a denial.”
“Cuál es tu problema?” I snap, asking what his problem is.
“Tú y ese guey! Mi mejor amigo? That’s my problem.”
Me and his best friend, he says. I roll my eyes.
“That’s not a problem,” I assure him, glancing around again. “We’re not dating! We’re not anything! This. Is. Fake,” I whisper the last part.
Me and his best friend? Ha! Like that could ever be a thing.
Wait.
Why did that bother me? Do I want it to be a thing?
I think back to these last few days. The bar, his car, the burger place, the game.
The impossibility of seeing him so often all of a sudden and my thorough enjoyment of it.
Having him in my most private space, in my apartment going through my bookshelves.
..I didn’t mind that he was there. Actually, I kind of liked having him there.
No.
Oh my god!
Oh my god!
I do want it to be a thing! I want us to be a thing!? Grayson Rhodes and me?!
Ewww!!
“You’re shivering, bro. It’s not that cold, is it?” Sammy tilts his head, probably wondering what’s wrong with me. “Let’s go inside, come on,” he says.
“I’m okay,” I lie. “I don’t want to go in.” That part is true. I don’t want to go inside because he’s inside. How can I face him now?!
“Guess it means you guys are friends, right? If you’re helping each other with stuff like this.” Sammy’s brown eyes aren’t full of worry anymore. While he looks relieved, internally I’m freaking out! “You know, this is going to sound awful, but I preferred when you two hated each other—”
Yeah, me too.
“That hasn’t changed,” I interrupt, but even as I say the words, I know that’s not true for me anymore.
“Good.” Sammy winks at me and then moves before I can stop him. He wraps an arm around my head and does what all annoying brothers do, rubs his knuckles against my scalp and in the process messes up my hair.
“Ew, Samuel! Your armpit’s near my face!” When I shove him off, he’s laughing. “That was gross!”
“Hey, can I ask you a favor?”
“Not after that,” I reply, combing my hair with my fingers.
“I’m serious.”
There’s that worried look again. “Que pasó?” I ask, no longer smiling.
“Don’t get attached to Gray.”
I pause fixing my hair and stare at my brother. “I’m not going to—” So I guess I’m just lying without any issue now. “—but why exactly?”
“I can’t tell you.” Sammy looks back inside the house. “You met his dad. That shit’s fucked up.”
“What is?”
I follow his line of sight to catch Grayson staring at us. My heartbeat picks up and my cheeks feel warm. Crap.
“Dude, give me all the chisme!” I laugh, but it’s forced. I don’t feel like smiling let alone laughing.
“I can’t, but trust me,” my brother warns, “you don’t wanna fall for Grayson Rhodes.”
“For sure,” I agree, but internally, I’m afraid it might be too late.