Page 4 of Hot Touch
It wasn’t that Liz was emotionally stunted or anything; she just wasn’t the touchy-feely type. Not like my other one, who came close and tossed her body on top of mine.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go with us? I have a dress that would look great on you,” Jackie pleaded her case one more time.
“You do?” I snorted. “Jack, if it’s your dress, I’m going to look like a chorizo mal amarado!”A badly tied-up sausage.
“Don’t say that,” Liz stepped in, heat hit her eyes.
“You’re beautiful,” my younger sister said, tipping her head against mine, but I scoffed. The sentiment bounced off me. “You just… you don’t dress up your features.”
“That’s because there are none,” I argued back.
This wasn’t the first time we’d gone through this, but that’s how family was. Always seeing you through rose-colored lenses, like a real-life filter they couldn’t seem to shake off. It was their job to tell me I was pretty. I stepped out of my sister’s hold and walked towards the door, silently making it very clear that their night just might be starting up, while mine was coming to an end.
“You’re beautiful,” Jackie repeated with more force, standing in front of me. “You’re the prettiest of the three of us, but you don’t see it. And if you don’t see it, you won’t let other people see it.” It was sweet because I could see she really believed it, and maybe later, I would tell her to say that very sentence to her followers because people should have a person like Jackie on their side no matter how crazy and messy and chaotic she could be.
“Oh? What other people?” I said instead, trying to act like her words didn’t affect me. It was mean. She meant no harm, but it wasn’t like I had a line of suitors at my door.Suitors? Who even said that anymore? That alone shows you how lame I am.
“I don’t know… guys?”
“Guys,” I repeated and chuckled, all while fighting the excruciating temptation to push her out. “What guys, Jackie? Trust me, no one is pounding down my door or making my phone ring off the hook. Trust me, no one is interested in me.” My voice sounded a little too sarcastic and rough.
“Guys look at you all the time,” Liz argued, but I snorted.Again.Our Tita, what we called our maternal grandmother, would have been horrified.Señoritas no hacen esos ruidos. Proper young women don’t make those noises.
“Sure they do.” I shook my head. “If one shows up, I promise you I’ll let him sweep me off my feet.”
“He’d have to be a fireman or something,” Liz teased me, and I took the bait.
“Why’s that?”
“Because you never go out other than to the bookstore or work. And living here,”—Liz pointed at the place—“I wouldn’t be surprised if the place self-combusted and a fireman had to come save you out of it.”
“Jesus. Aren’t you just full of sunshine,” I huffed.
“Yeah, Liz, that was kinda dark. It’s not good to put that kind of stuff out in the world,” Jackie chastised.
“You know what I mean!” She blushed. “I wasn’t saying Iwantthat to happen, but maybe if you come out to dance with us, have a drink, let your hair down, and try to meet new people, the universe would help you meet someone new? Someone who…”
“Who what?” Jackie and I asked at the same time.
“Someone who values you and sees what an incredibly beautiful person you are inside and out,” Liz said, leaving us speechless. Like I’d mentioned, she wasn’t the sweet touchy-feely one. Something was definitely up with her. Before we could say anything, likeare you feeling okay, she continued. “But you know, go ahead and be an aburdia for all I care.” She looked away from us and at her nails.
Jack and I looked at one another likewhat was that aboutandthere is our sister, for a moment, we thought she’d been abducted by aliens.
“Boring isn’t terrible,” I muttered, “and my books aren’t boring, so…” I stuck my tongue out at her, and she rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Have fun and drink a shot for me.”
“If you came with us, you could have a shot with us,” Jackie said, still pushing me to go out. I shook my head and smirked.
“No thanks. Maybe I’ll have some hot sexy fireman take me away like Liz said instead.”
“Oh! He could show you his hose!” My little sister wagged her brows.
“That’s not what I meant!” Liz shouted as she walked out of my place after hugging me.
I watched from my doorway as my sisters walked down the hall and down one flight of stairs. Longing hit my chest to go with them. Part of me was tempted to rush inside, toss on a dress, no matter how boring it might look, and join them.
But I didn’t.
They’d have a better time without me anyhow.
