Chapter 5
Luna
“Luna,” my dad calls out.
Papi?
I turn around and run looking for him, but it’s dark. I can’t see clearly. Then, my grandma is there, sitting in her kitchen, rolling pasteles. She grabs my hand, the masa sticking her fingers to my skin. Her touch is comforting, and I miss the warmth of her leathery skin so much. “Go back.”
“Luna!” My name is a scream that jolts me awake, followed by beeps and arguing voices.
“You all need to leave, Mrs. Belmont. My daughter doesn’t need this mess right now. Please go home.”
Mami?
“That's all you have to say, Raquel? Adina is devastated. You’re supposed to love her too.”
Bethany Belmont's tone is angry and loud. What the hell is happening?
“Lulu, wake up and talk to us. I can't fucking believe you did that to me.” Adina's voice cracks, and I fight to open my eyes, but I can't.
“Stop yelling at her, or I’m going to whoop your ass like I should have done a long time ago.”
It’s Sel’s piercing voice and take-no-shit tone. Why is she so angry?
Another voice, one I don't recognize, rises above the loud chatter. “You need to go. This is a hospital, and there are other patients. Only her mother and cousin can stay.”
“Mami,” I force out, prying my eyes open.
“Mariposita, thank God.” My mom is at my side, but I can only see her outline. It's blurry, but I don't need to see her. I feel her hand on my face. “How are you feeling?”
The love in her tone and the warmth in her touch make my eyes fill with tears. “I feel sick.”
“I'm sure you do. And you're going to blame it on the alcohol, aren't you?” Mrs. Belmont says from my mother’s side.
“What are you talking about? What happened?” I ask.
“Oh, don’t bullshit us. We all know. The whole world knows what you did. It’s everywhere. Just make sure you don’t try to throw the blame on someone else.”
My head pounds against my skull so hard my stomach turns. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“You know very well what you did. Stop playing games. The drinks were not even that strong. Too many people saw!” Adina yells.
“Titi Raquel, say the word, and I’ll dog walk this little bitch and her mom,” Sel’s voice rises.
My gut twists violently, and my stomach feels like it’s tearing itself from my body.
The nausea rises fast—so fast I almost have no time to turn my head.
Someone shoves a bedpan in front of me, and I vomit into it.
The bile surges, and there is so much I think I'm about to choke.
My stomach heaves. At times, the panic rises because I can't breathe, and I feel like I'm going to drown in it.
Tears flow just as fast. I can't stop. Then I have nothing else in my stomach, and all that’s left is pain as I fall back into the hospital pillow.
There's no noise in the room except for Mami's humming. Through my half-closed eyes, she wipes my mouth and face with a moist towel.
“It’s okay. I got it,” my mom says when a nurse comes close and presses a cold rag to my forehead.
“They’re gone,” Sel says.
“Thank you. Can you please let the nurse’s station know that they’re not to come in this room without me?” Mami tells the nurse.
“Yes, Mrs. Santos.”
“Thank you. My daughter doesn’t need to talk to them right now. She’s gone through a lot. We need to find out what happened first.”
“I’m pretty sure she was drugged,” Sel says. “Luna doesn’t get drunk with them because they’re weird as shit. We all know that’s how these dummies party. I wish I could have gone with her.”
“Me too. I always feel better when Luna is with you. I hate when she hangs with Adina.”
Everyone must think I'm asleep.
“Honestly, and you didn’t hear this from me…” The nurse leans closer, their backs turned to me. “We think she was drugged as well. But we have to wait for the tests.”
“She’s going to be okay, right?” The crack in Mami's voice is as painful as the cramps curling in my stomach.
What the hell is going on? Why were Adina and her mom screaming like that?
“Luna, can you hear me?”
I barely have any strength left, but I nod.
“Go to sleep. It’s going to be okay.” Mami begins to rub my forehead to the middle of my head, but I'm in so much physical pain.
Worst of all, something happened, and I'm in the hospital. Adina was accusing me of something, but what was it? I’ve never heard her or her mom sound like that. I just don't get it.
Exhaustion wins over my body, and I can't keep my eyes open, so I drift off. Tomorrow. I’ll remember and clear the air with them tomorrow.