Alejandra was not ready for this, but she had to admit the most terrifying part of it wasn’t that she was going with Nick. It surprised her to come to this realization, but it was also true. It still caused her to worry, but for someone who worried about things constantly, it was low on the worry list.

  No, the hardest thing was going to a hair appointment. Mariana was so excited about it, that she went with her. All Alejandra could think about was how much money they were spending on one night. She tried not to think about it, because Mariana came specifically to spend the money. Alejandra tried to remind herself that they were getting their money’s worth, because she was also getting a hair cut out of this, too.

  It was a habit she could not break. Despite the years since the divorce, Alejandra was determined to not waste a penny of her mom’s money. Despite things looking better, the money coming in, the bills getting paid off, and the news that both Rafael and Alejandra would have full ride scholarships for college, Alejandra couldn’t gather the courage to ask for a haircut. Despite the split ends and the damage, Alejandra just lived with it. If they were going to spend sixty dollars on a haircut, she wanted it to be worth it.

  Alejandra’s hair went from her elbows to below her shoulders, and she could already feel lighter. Then came the braid and the curls, before Mariana paid for it. Alejandra stayed in the corner, refusing to know how much it all cost. She didn’t want to know. It would make her feel better about the whole thing.

  Once at home, she got into her dress. It was a very beautiful blue, with colorful flowers at the bottom. On Evelyn it reached her ankles, but on Alejandra, it reached her calves.

  Alejandra felt ridiculous. Moreso when she drove with Rafael to Hazel’s house. It was then that she realized most of the girls in their group were made up of cheerleaders. She tried not to feel self-conscious about it all. This entire group date was formed to make sure everyone stayed close together. With Hazel and Evelyn in the group, it made sense that it’d be composed of mostly cheerleaders. Tyler was already in Elmwood, hanging out with their characters while they went to the dance.

  Alejandra did not feel excited. The entire thing felt like some charade. And it somehow made it worse when they met up at the picture place and she saw Nick standing there.

  All the guilt returned, like a meteor to the chest, leaving her hallow and empty. She didn’t want to wear make up for this very reason, even though she still put some on. Already she felt her eyes grow warm and her hands became claws as they grasped each other. She didn’t dare ruin this dress. It was the fanciest thing she’d ever worn.

  Nick looked good. She spent the moment in the car where she knew he couldn’t see her to look at him. She didn’t know where he got the gray suit, but it worked on him. Really, really worked. He also had a blue tie on, and he had his arms folded, talking with Derek and Annie. His hair was combed, and he looked respectable. Alejandra understood the quiet insult that it was, and promised herself she’d never say that out loud. Around his father he was always glaring, and the past month he was practically a delinquent. But here, with friends, Nick wasn’t glaring. In fact, he had a small, relaxed smile on his face.

  Alejandra blinked, feeling a tear fall. Dammit, how did that tear sneak up on her. She quickly pulled out her phone and used it as a mirror to make sure it didn’t mess up her makeup. Her stomach rolled as she started to panic. She took off her glasses to dab at her eye before hastily putting them back on again.

  “Alejandra?” Rafael asked.

  He had gotten out of the car to open Hazel’s door and saw her.

  “Fine. Fine. I’m fine,” she said, placing her glasses back on. “Completely fine.”

  Rafael raised an eyebrow as Hazel turned around. Hazel reached over and squeezed Alejandra’s hand. “You look fantastic.”

  The tear was gone, and she nodded, trying to believe it. Alejandra told herself that she could take a moment to breathe when Rafael glanced behind his shoulder, which is when Alejandra noticed Nick walking toward them.

  The hallow feeling in her chest burst, and she stifled a gasp as she gripped the edge of the seat. Nick opened her door, smiling. “Hey? I wanted to get the door for you.”

  Alejandra swallowed as she nodded. She scooted over and got out of the car. She stared at Nick’s brown shoes that looked really nice.

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  “I figure now is as good a time as any to ask. I’ve got all the rules memorized. I’m still happy to follow them if you want. I’m just wondering if there’s anything you want to add or remove, now that you know the truth about the past month,” Nick whispered.

  Alejandra couldn’t look at him. She focused hard on the ground, blinking multiple times for the tears to remain in her eyes. “It’s… um…” Her panicked mind couldn’t focus.

  “Think about it and let me know,” Nick said.

  Alejandra nodded.

  They took pictures, and Alejandra couldn’t do it. She couldn’t pretend she was happy. She was nervous, panicky, and she couldn’t even place why.

  They had their dinner, and she was aware she hadn’t answered Nick’s question. At least they were in a group. A group that involved far more social people. If it was just her and Nick, this would be torture. She felt Nick’s gaze on her, but she refused to meet it. Sure, she made progress by being in his vicinity, sitting next to him at the restaurant, but it still hurt.

  “Shut up! First place salsa winner?” Derek asked.

  “I mean, sixth grade, Derek,” Annie said.

  “That’s sick!” Derek glanced at Rafael. “Do they play salsa music at high school dances?”

  Rafael shrugged. “You’d know better than me.”

  “We’ll just have to request some,” Annie said.

  “Hell yes, we will,” Derek said.

  Alejandra was so full. Disgustingly so. She didn’t want a bite to go to waste, because this restaurant seemed expensive. But she was definitely regretting it when she pushed her empty plate away.

  “Hey, I really like your dress,” Nick said.

  “Thank you,” Alejandra said, focusing on the plate. “It’s your sister’s.” When she thought about what she said, that had to be an insult somehow. It definitely felt weird to say that. “I… I mean…”

  Nick chuckled. “I guess I never saw Evelyn wearing it. Still, it looks nice.”

  Alejandra almost reached up for a lock of hair to play with when she remembered it was beautifully curled and she didn’t want to mess it up. “Um… yeah. Yeah, okay.”

  Her mind was scattered. She needed to think straight. She closed her eyes, because it was easier. “I… would like to dance. But I don’t… think I feel comfortable asking you. Can… you?”

  She did it. Despite her scrambled mind, she got her thoughts across.

  “Yeah. I can do that.”

  She glanced up at him, meeting his gaze. He had that slight smile on his face that caused her heart to race. She swallowed, and even then, she barely managed to get out a, “Thank you.”

  ***

  Evelyn knew she and the other four of them had a rule. No one was allowed to be alone. At the dance floor, two people needed to be by each other’s side at all times.

  Pictures were easy. Dinner was easy. It was the gym she knew would be difficult. Rafael refused to leave Hazel’s side. Rafael and Derek promised to stay close to each other on the dance floor, never letting either one of them out of their sight. Evelyn’s job was to remain in sight of Nick and Alejandra, and the way that both of them remained by the wall would make it a bit harder.

  “So… I don’t want to sound offensive by any means,” her date Jeff said. Evelyn glanced at Derek’s friend, worried about what he might say. Anything that started with that phrase couldn’t be good. “For my own self-preservation, is… there a reason we need to stay so close to your brother?”

  Evelyn’s face relaxed into a smile. True, she didn’t have a good enough answer, but she had heard the rumors swirling around. “My brother is not going to attack you if you do something he doesn’t like.”

  That statement made Evelyn realized just how stressed Jeff had been the entire night. All the tension melted off his body, and he looked like he could walk on air. “That’s good to hear.”

  Evelyn smiled. “I mean, he knows I can hold my own if the situation needs it.”

  Just like that, all the tension returned. Evelyn forgot this was one of Derek’s friends. Someone a bit more prone to the dramatics.

  “I… just want to say that I’m not… never in any way have I…” Jeff started to say.

  Evelyn raised a hand. “It’s okay Jeff. You came highly recommended by Derek. I’m just here to have fun.”

  “Yeah,” Jeff said. He nodded, far more sure. “Yeah. That’s all I want.”

  “Perfect. Do you want to dance?” Evelyn asked.

  “I do, yeah.”

  Evelyn smiled as they went out on the dance floor, doing the high school shuffle as she knew further in, Derek and Annie were tearing up the dance floor. But she remained, well within line of sight of Nick and Alejandra. Alejandra kept looking at her feet, and Nick kept glancing at Alejandra, though she never met his gaze. It was honestly heartbreaking.

  The song ended, and a salsa song came on.

  “God, the showoff,” Jeff said with a smile.

  Evelyn smiled at that, too. “Perfect for Gaston, right?”

  “That friend of mine was born to play that role,” Jeff said. “I want to go watch. Do you want to join?”

  It’d be too far away from Nick and Alejandra. Evelyn’s job was to stay near them. Even the short walk where she was lost between Derek and Rafael’s group and Nick and Alejandra made her too nervous.

  “You go ahead. I’ll be at the refreshment table,” Evelyn said.

  Jeff nodded. “Alright. See you later.”

  Evelyn kept her eye on her brother as she walked to the table. Thankfully that, too, was close.

  “Hello, Evelyn.”

  Despite the friendly and warm tone, her heartrate still skyrocketed, and did not calm down until she stared at Se?ora Florez.

  “Hello, Se?ora,” Evelyn said. “Thank you for being here.”

  Se?ora Florez nodded. “We wouldn’t dare. Especially since neither one of us has seen Akshi in over a month.”

  “Yeah,” Evelyn said, grabbing a store bought cookie and nibbling it. “Neither have we.”

  Se?ora Florez shook her head. “I don’t like any of this.”

  Evelyn glanced again at Nick and Alejandra against the wall. She needed to make sure they were safe.