Page 18 of Fostering Chemistry
All heads turned toward me, save Cody’s.
"Are you sure?" Diego asked.
"Yes." I took a quick glance at Cody, but he wasn’t looking at any of us.
“Thank you, Mia,” Diego said. Aaron said thanks as well. Cody didn’t, but it was almost as if I could hear the relief in his mind.
Or maybe I was projecting. One thing was for certain—I was going to spend the whole week bugging Tori and Hailey to help me decide what on earth I could possibly prepare.
“We’re looking forward to it,” Aaron said.
"Yeah, um, please don’t do that. Let’s set that bar pretty low."
Everyone laughed.
Diego cleared his throat. “Unless anyone’s got room for dessert, which I didn’t actually make, I’d say this concludes Mia’s welcome dinner. I’m glad you all?—”
“My what?” I gaped at him. “That’s why you made all this food?”
Aaron nudged me. “We toasted you in the beginning, remember?”
“Yeah but…” I honestly didn’t know what to say. This incredible feast had been in my honor? I’d lived in one foster home where no one had ever mentioned my birthday. Then there was another one where every holiday, the family’s biological kids would be showered with toys, and I’d get a card.
Not everywhere. I’d had a few decent celebrations, but nothing like this. Especially not from fellow students I barely knew. “Thank you.” My voice was quiet, but everyone heard.
“You’re welcome,” Diego said. He hesitated, and then said, “Whatever you’re feeling right now—people in this room have been through it, too. We get it.” Most of the others nodded.
“Thanks,” I repeated again, this time barely audible.
Aaron put his arm around my shoulder and squeezed briefly. “We’re glad you’ve finally joined us.”
“I am too.” That time, my voice was quiet, but steady.
Though I wasn’t on dish duty, I took my plate out to the kitchen. It would’ve felt very wrong not to. When I left, Diego called my name from the hallway.
I stopped, having to look up to meet his gaze. At the party when I’d been writhing on his lap, we’d been eye-to-eye. That memory made my face flush.
“I hope you know that I’m always available if you ever want to talk about anything.”
“Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind.”
He gave a little half smile. “Something tells me you don’t mean that. But just so you know, you can tell me anything.”
Wanna bet, Diego?For a moment, I tried to imagine what he’d say if I told him I was the girl he couldn’t keep his hands off of at that party.
7
MIA
“Wait,why is the blue team in St. Louis?” I asked.
“Because they misunderstood the clue. They’re supposed to be in St. Paul with the other teams,” Aaron said, his eyes glued to the screen.
I laughed. “And here you thought they were going to make it to the finish line.”
“Not at the rate they’re going.” He sighed.
It was Thursday night, and we were on the couch in the living room. Since there wasn’t a new episode ofAmerican Adventuresuntil next week, we’d decided to start a prior season neither of us had seen.
