Page 327 of As the Rain Falls
“I did.” Antony snatches the plate from my hands, immediately popping something that looks like a taco into his mouth, swallowing it in a single bite. “God bless Latin America!”
Mateo grimaces. “You’re supposed to chew before you swallow.”
“I don’t care.” Antony waves him off, clutching the plate protectively. “You’re not getting any of myantojitos.”
The brown-haired boy shrugs, utterly unbothered.
“Didn’t want them, anyway.”
Across the room, Kayla leans dramatically over the bar, talking the ear off a bald man who looks like he stopped caring ten minutes ago. She’s wearing a dance costume today, joining us straight from competition.
“And then Alice said that I’m the crazy one. So, you see, I’m a very scary person, sir. I slap people. I do it all the time.”
The man just blinks at her, clearly unimpressed.
She goes on, “But the bitch never told me she had a knife; she just pulled it on me. What was I supposed to do? Not slap her again?”
I debate whether I should go save her, but she seems committed.
“She gets an ounce of sugar in her system, and it’s like every bit of common sense leaves her body.” Antony says to no one in particular, stealing one of myempanadas de carne.
“Kayla has no sense of self-preservation,” Angelina agrees, lighting a cigarette. “But she’ll get us a table. I believe in her.”
“Self-preservation isn’t all she lacks,” Mateo adds with a smirk, following it up with a brilliant observation. “This is how we’re going to end up in jail.”
I frown, not appreciating the foreshadowing.
“Don’t say that!” Antony gasps, face-palming. “It’s bad juju to talk about cops. They can hear you, you know.”
“You guys are overreacting. She’s doing fine,”Cassandra chimes in, a tiny, shy grin stretching across her lips.
Something in my chest lightens at the sight. I want to bottle up that smile and keep it somewhere safe. It’s my favorite one so far.
The past few months have been rough, but she seems more relaxed now, standing close to me.I think Kayla’s presence has a lot to do with it.Cassandra adores her, no matter how conflicted she feels about being honest and telling her the truth about Nathaniel.
Mateo takes another bite, watching Antony’s growing frustration with open amusement.
“Yo, did you see his scar?”
My best friend squeaks.
I snort, “Stop trying to scare him off.”
“Guys like me can’t end up in jail, Beckett. They’ll put me in there, and I’ll become someone’s bitch.”
“I don’t look good in orange,” Angelina adds, like it’s an important piece of information we should all be keeping in mind. “And I don’t think any of you do either besides Kayla, but she looks good in anything.”
“Antony’s shirt is orange, by the way.” Mateo grins, enjoying himself. “Just thought I’d point that out.”
“Shut up, Gabriel!”
We’re pretending to be playing pool while waiting for Kayla to secure a table, but the plates take up the space where the billiard balls should be.
Cassandra hasn’t ordered anything yet.
“I like their burgers,” she muses, trailing a finger down the menu. “Without the extra sauce, of course. It’s my favorite burger in town. But I think I’ll get a salad.”
She slides the menu across the pool table, handing it to me.
