Chapter 34 - Rafael
The spices sit exactly where Kane left them, on the corner shelf above the kitchen console, tucked between half-empty Terra’s seasonings. Rafael doesn’t mean to stop and stare. Even so, the handwritten label pulls his focus the moment he walks in to check on his dinner.
He should move them. Then again, throwing them out seems worse. They’re the last of the real ingredients Kane ever brought over.
Maybe he could put them away. Somewhere he wouldn’t have to look at them every morning and remember.
He wraps his fingers around the shaker and reaches for the cupboard—
A pounding rattles at the front door. He freezes, heart skipping a beat.
“Rafa, open up! It’s Maria!”
A soft laugh escapes him. Of course, his sister would show up unannounced. No doubt she used his emergency access code to get through the lobby first.
After setting the spices down, he rushes to the door and swipes the security panel. The steel barrier slides open with a hiss.
Maria waits on the other side, arms crossed and smirking. As always, she’s a burst of color in his hallway in her patchwork shirt, glowing checkered mini skirt, and synthetic leather boots. Black curls frame her face with color-shifting eyeshadow shimmering with each blink.
“Long time no see!” she greets, stepping forward and folding him into a hug. The door shuts tight behind her.
Warmth floods through him. “Hey, Maria!” He returns her embrace.
“What’re you doing here?” he asks, then winces at himself. “Not that I’m not happy to see you. I just wasn’t expecting you until the next family dinner. Did I miss a message?”
Maria nudges him with her elbow. “Relax, Rafa. Surprise visit, not a corporate crisis.” Her attention drifts past him. She inhales theatrically. “Is that tortilla de patatas?”
“Yeah, good nose. It’s for our monthly staff meeting. Thought I’d make something than bring Terra’s in.” He shrugs. “But honestly, I just followed the console’s directions…”
“Stop selling yourself short,” Maria scolds, smacking the back of his head as she breezes past toward the kitchen. He grimaces, following her.
She hops onto the counter with her boots dangling. “Seriously, Rafa, you keep this up, and you’re gonna start sounding like—” Her cheeks flush, voice lowering. “Like Idris, actually.”
He tilts his head. “Who?”
A blush rises from her neck. “Oh. He’s my…new boyfriend.” Maria straightens, clearly attempting to sound casual. Rafael knows her better than that.
“He’s a writer. Really talented. But, uh…he’s a pessimist.” She waves a hand as if that explains everything. “I met him at a concert with Bailey—remember her from school?”
Rafael nods. She and Maria were professional troublemakers, spending most nights in Smile Services “after-school rehabilitation sessions.”
“Anyway,” she starts again, “I spotted Idris across the bar—one of those underground places Mom would actually die over if she knew I’d been inside…
But I thought he was cute. And then, out of nowhere, he asks me to dance.
We talked, stayed out too late, and…it just snowballed.
One show became three. Then suddenly we were official. ”
His grin widens. “That’s awesome!”
And it is. He can’t remember the last time she sounded genuinely excited about someone. Usually, his sister dated out of curiosity, boredom, or to spite their parents.
“So…he’s a writer? Like screenplays? V-link sessions? I thought Premiere Corp’s AIs handled that.”
Maria snorts. “He’d light himself on fire before writing for Premiere Corp.” She kicks her heels. “It’s underground stuff. Little projects with friends. They post on this weird corner of V-link called the Veil.”
He raises a brow. The name rings a bell. Maybe something Kane or his crew mentioned.
“You probably haven’t seen any. They disappear half the time, anyway. Network glitch, or his friends being dramatic. Who knows?” Her smile turns shy. “But I’m sure I’ll figure it out now that we’re….you know, living together.”
“In South Marina?” Rafael blurts, recalling his mother’s words.
She freezes for a second before chuckling. “Yeah…”
His stomach sinks. South Marina is in the Outer Districts, no doubt as dangerous as Shreveport. Especially without a crew like Kane’s patrolling the streets.
Rafael chooses his next words carefully, “And you…like living with him?”
“I won’t lie.” She exhales slowly. “It’s not easy. I haven’t found work since quitting VitaCorp, and I’m still getting used to everything Idris and his friends get up to…But I love the guy, Rafa.”
Love.
The word lands heavier than expected, unsettling something inside him.
Memories surface before he can stop them, of Kane smirking on his HOV bike and their fingers brushing in Tastebud.
The knot in his chest sharpens.
But he shakes his head.
No, Maria’s situation is different. She and Idris are in love. He simply cared for Kane.
Only the thought doesn’t leave as the man’s words echo in his mind.
“I’m in love with you, Rafael.”
At the time, Rafael froze, too afraid of what could go wrong to consider what he actually felt.
Now, listening to Maria, his mind returns to their rooftop date. He questioned his feelings then.
But was he wrong?
Maria laughs suddenly, snapping him to the present. “I know. You probably think I’m crazy. I’ve never lived in the Outer Districts. I’ve visited—at concerts, anti-corp rallies—don’t tell Mom.” She winks. “And yeah, it’s fast. But sometimes you just know, right?”
His mouth opens, then snaps shut.
She hops off the counter, expression tensing. “Okay, what? Are you judging me like Mom and Dad? You think he’s dangerous?”
“Maria—”
“Yeah, all right. He and his friends do some risky stuff. They’re always up stupid-late, running around for their projects or whatever. Most nights, I don’t even know where Idris is until morning. That’s…artists, you know? They get obsessed. It doesn’t mean he’s some criminal.”
“No, that’s not it!” Rafael blurts before correcting himself. “I…I understand more than you know.”
Maria stares at him.
Whatever he meant to say dissolves. Another question arises, one that’s been circling his mind since she first said love.
“How did you know? That you were…in love?”
Her face softens. “It’s not always fireworks like those V-link dramas.” She leans against the counter. “Sometimes it’s just…feeling like someone really has your back. Like they see you—even the parts you didn’t see yourself.”
Rafael swallows, nodding before he really means to. The comparison hits a bit too close to home.
“And yeah, I worry sometimes,” she goes on.
“What if it doesn’t work out? What if something happens?
What if Mom’s right and I’m gonna end up dead in the streets?
” Her stance loosens. “But with him, those fears feel…far away. And honestly, I never felt like I fit in Midtown, anyway. Being with Idris just made that obvious…Does that make sense?”
He wants to say no. His throat tightens, gaze falling to the floor.
What she’s describing is exactly how he felt with Kane. Not confusion. Not attraction.
Love.
His chest constricts.
The truth’s been there for weeks, long before he ever looked. Now that it’s finally cornered him, there’s nowhere left to run. This time, when the memories flood in, Rafael doesn’t fight them.
Kane’s hand on his back. Their fingers laced on the rooftop. That low, steady voice in his ear, always offering what he needs to hear.
Their time together wasn’t just exciting. It felt grounding and real. Like he had found exactly where he was supposed to be.
A burn rises behind his eyes. He blinks them, trying to clear his vision.
“Rafael,” Maria whispers.
The seriousness in her tone draws his head up.
Her eyes are wide. “You’re crying.” She steps closer. “Wait. You’re in love with someone, aren’t you?”
He drags a hand across his cheek. “I’m not. I—”
The dam is broken now. Why hold anything back?
“Yes,” Rafael says, the word dragging on a breath. “I guess—I guess…I am.”
Maria’s expression eases instantly. “Oh, Rafa.” She doesn’t hesitate, wrapping her arms around him.
His composure shatters. He buries his face in her shoulder, clinging to her.
For a long moment, there’s only his sister and her unwavering support.
When she eventually pulls away, her hands linger on his shoulders before letting go. Rafael moves into the kitchen, avoiding her gaze.
As he busies himself checking his dinner, he drags his sleeve across his cheek to clean off the tears.
Her voice follows him. “What happened? Do Mom and Dad know? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Mom and Dad don’t know.” He turns around. “And I didn’t tell you because—well, even my friends don’t know most of it.” His feet shift on the ground.
But can he trust Maria with the truth? Her boyfriend writes stories on whatever the Veil is, and seems to have ties to the anti-corps crowd.
What do they think of street gangs? And what will Maria do when she finds out how they met?
Would she go after Kane for kidnapping him? She’s always been protective of him.
In the end, discretion seems safest.
He forces himself to meet her eyes. “It’s…complicated…We’re from different worlds. So I ended it.”
“Okay…” Maria’s quirked brow suggests she doesn’t believe him. “But I get it. We’re not the same. You’ve always wanted something stable, or as close as you can get in Nova City. A steady job, a decent apartment, friends. But is all that really worth not being with someone you love?”
Her hand settles on his shoulder. “Cause, Rafa. I know you, and you don’t have to tell me everything. It’s okay to keep your secrets.” She offers a soft smile. “But out of all the guys you’ve dated, not once have you ever cried and told me you loved any of them.”
She’s right.
None of his past relationships came close to this. But her words only deepen the ache he’s been trying to ignore.
Is the stability he fought for really worth giving up love? And even if he were willing to leave Midtown, quit VitaCorp, risk losing his friends and the rest of his family, would Kane take him back?
When he finally speaks, his answer is shaky. “I don’t know…”
Maria’s hand squeezes once more before slipping away. “It’s okay.” She smiles and nudges him in the ribs. “I get it. You’re not a wild card like me. I didn’t even put in my notice. Just tossed my uniform on my boss’s desk and rode off with Idris on his HOV bike.”
A snort escapes Rafael. If only she knew the truth.
“Just—remember you deserve real happiness, Rafa. Not just something safe.” Her tone shifts. “You get one life. Live it for yourself, okay? Not our parents, or the mega corps, or even me. For you.”
He nods slowly.
She claps her hands together. “Okay! Enough heavy stuff. ’Cause it’s been forever since I’ve had your cooking, so please tell me I can steal a bite before you head to work.”
He blinks at the sudden pivot. “Yeah—yeah, of course.” Rafael crosses over to the kitchen station, grateful for the distraction as Maria hums behind him.