word, grabs Carlos’s exposed boxers and pulls. Carlos lets out a yelp, and everyone laughs save Bea’s mom, who shakes her head. “I’m so sorry, Fiona,” she says. “I tried to teach them manners.”
I smile. “I have two brothers. Don’t worry about it.”
“Then you’ll fit right in.” Bea’s dad smiles as he raises his glass to me. I raise mine to him, touched that he could be so kind and welcoming to someone like me.
“Come sit over here, Fi, before Carlos gets sent to confession all week.” Brady scoots over, giving me just enough room between him and Seth. It’s scary that sitting by Seth is the better option, but being next to Brady makes up for it.
After the first prayer of my life, we dig in. The burgers are amazing, mostly because Bea’s mom prepared a full spread of toppings. Everyone likes theirs differently. Carlos piles his with salsa, while Hector tops his with more bacon than patty. Seth adds a mound of pickles and peppers. Brady just puts cheese and ketchup on his.
I opt for a BLT style for my first one, with ranch dressing. Then something more traditional for my second. Bea gets me to try my last one with a cheese called
cotija
. It’s salty and strong, almost like feta or goat cheese but not quite so soft. I wish I had room for more.
After dinner, her parents disappear into the house, and the guys set up a projector and screen on the lawn. We spread out blankets while Joey and Hector fight over which movie to watch. Carlos tries to sit next to me again, but Brady picks him up and moves him. My heart jumps as he takes Carlos’s spot.
He smiles, almost catching my eyes. “Having fun?”
“Yeah. I really am.” I’m surprised how much truth there is in my words. Not much has happened, but maybe that’s why it’s so nice. For a while I forgot I don’t belong here.
“Good.” Brady leans back on one arm, facing me. His face is serious, though the smile is still there. “It’s hard being on the outside, isn’t it?”
I bite my lip. “Yeah, it is. I’m a freak among freaks.”
“Even your friends are afraid of you.”
I sigh. “You mean if you have any.”
“Right.” He smiles wider, and I know he understands how I feel better than anyone else could. “I’ve been there. As a kid, I couldn’t control my power like I can now. My tantrums were more like war zones. I once threw a beanbag in kindergarten and it went straight through the wall and knocked out the teacher in the other room. Everyone has always been afraid that I’d snap them in half—everyone but Trixy.”
Bea sits on my other side. “I sure put up with a lot of bruises, though, to earn his trust.”
Brady winces. “It’s hard to believe that anyone could actually want you around.”
I know he can’t read my mind, but sometimes it feels like it. “You guys have so much history. I wasn’t sure if I belonged here.”
“Well, stop worrying,” Bea says. “You’re stuck with us.”
Brady nudges me. “We need a new chapter anyway.”
I smile, a wave of flutters rushing through me, and I force myself to watch the movie instead of Brady’s face.
Chapter 15
It’s warm, almost too hot with his arms around me from behind, but I don’t want to move. I want to stay right here forever, watching the sunrise. It glows pink and orange as it hits the spattered desert clouds. I lean into him, sighing at the beauty. I’ve never felt like this before, and yet I recognize it all the same.
I’m visible. If I look down I’ll see my skin, but I don’t because I feel real already. I am myself—the one I want to be.
“You’re beautiful,” he says.
I smile as his lips touch my ear. “How do you know?”
“Because I can see you, inside and out.”
My heart warms. As hard as it is for me to believe, it’s true. I can feel it in every cell of my body. “What do you see?”
Instead of answering, he shakes me. Then the sunrise fades to blackness, and I shoot up from bed, gasping. I’ve had
I smile. “I have two brothers. Don’t worry about it.”
“Then you’ll fit right in.” Bea’s dad smiles as he raises his glass to me. I raise mine to him, touched that he could be so kind and welcoming to someone like me.
“Come sit over here, Fi, before Carlos gets sent to confession all week.” Brady scoots over, giving me just enough room between him and Seth. It’s scary that sitting by Seth is the better option, but being next to Brady makes up for it.
After the first prayer of my life, we dig in. The burgers are amazing, mostly because Bea’s mom prepared a full spread of toppings. Everyone likes theirs differently. Carlos piles his with salsa, while Hector tops his with more bacon than patty. Seth adds a mound of pickles and peppers. Brady just puts cheese and ketchup on his.
I opt for a BLT style for my first one, with ranch dressing. Then something more traditional for my second. Bea gets me to try my last one with a cheese called
cotija
. It’s salty and strong, almost like feta or goat cheese but not quite so soft. I wish I had room for more.
After dinner, her parents disappear into the house, and the guys set up a projector and screen on the lawn. We spread out blankets while Joey and Hector fight over which movie to watch. Carlos tries to sit next to me again, but Brady picks him up and moves him. My heart jumps as he takes Carlos’s spot.
He smiles, almost catching my eyes. “Having fun?”
“Yeah. I really am.” I’m surprised how much truth there is in my words. Not much has happened, but maybe that’s why it’s so nice. For a while I forgot I don’t belong here.
“Good.” Brady leans back on one arm, facing me. His face is serious, though the smile is still there. “It’s hard being on the outside, isn’t it?”
I bite my lip. “Yeah, it is. I’m a freak among freaks.”
“Even your friends are afraid of you.”
I sigh. “You mean if you have any.”
“Right.” He smiles wider, and I know he understands how I feel better than anyone else could. “I’ve been there. As a kid, I couldn’t control my power like I can now. My tantrums were more like war zones. I once threw a beanbag in kindergarten and it went straight through the wall and knocked out the teacher in the other room. Everyone has always been afraid that I’d snap them in half—everyone but Trixy.”
Bea sits on my other side. “I sure put up with a lot of bruises, though, to earn his trust.”
Brady winces. “It’s hard to believe that anyone could actually want you around.”
I know he can’t read my mind, but sometimes it feels like it. “You guys have so much history. I wasn’t sure if I belonged here.”
“Well, stop worrying,” Bea says. “You’re stuck with us.”
Brady nudges me. “We need a new chapter anyway.”
I smile, a wave of flutters rushing through me, and I force myself to watch the movie instead of Brady’s face.
Chapter 15
It’s warm, almost too hot with his arms around me from behind, but I don’t want to move. I want to stay right here forever, watching the sunrise. It glows pink and orange as it hits the spattered desert clouds. I lean into him, sighing at the beauty. I’ve never felt like this before, and yet I recognize it all the same.
I’m visible. If I look down I’ll see my skin, but I don’t because I feel real already. I am myself—the one I want to be.
“You’re beautiful,” he says.
I smile as his lips touch my ear. “How do you know?”
“Because I can see you, inside and out.”
My heart warms. As hard as it is for me to believe, it’s true. I can feel it in every cell of my body. “What do you see?”
Instead of answering, he shakes me. Then the sunrise fades to blackness, and I shoot up from bed, gasping. I’ve had
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