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Chapter One

VICTOR

Being a boy in a Latino familia isn't easy, especially when your papa always expects you to fail and reminds you every day that you're flawed

I wake up to the sound ofat o take care of o, he hasn't figured out that freaking out for every little thing doesn't solve any of our problems I've learned to tune him out

Thisis no different

I'raduate in June, but I'm not one hundred percent convinced it'll happen Listen, I'ht-C student in my core classes, but I take pride in the fact that I've never flunked a class I did get a D in Spanish last semester Senora Suarez expected me to excel in her class because I'h when it co isn't

In the kitchen,a book as she takes spoonfuls of cereal Her hair is in a big brown ponytail on top of her head, and I swear it looks like she ironed her T-shirt and jeans Marissa is an overachiever and that's an understate the approval of Papa that she doesn't notice the world around her Marissa hasn't figured out it's a lost cause to try to make him notice that she's worthy of his attention

It would actually be funny if it weren't so damn pathetic

Papa stor a suit and tie, his Bluetooth headset stuck in his ear "Where were you last night?" he asks me

I would pretend I don't hear him, but that'd just piss him off erator as I answer, "La playa"

"The beach? Victor, look atto you" His voice is like steel wool scratching against raw skin

I stop and turn around to look at hih I'd rather listen to Marissa talk for hours about mathematical equations or her theories about space and matter than be in his presence

Papa narrows his eyes at me

When I was younger, I was afraid of hia football, he'd have a fit if I ainst the e got home as a reminder that I was a failure and an embarrassment

With hi

I'm not afraid of him any So clicked freshman year after one of his rants I walked away and he wasn't strong enough to hold me back anymore

I can sarettes on his breath as he gets right in ht ?Participo? Were you a part of it?"

He obviously hasn't seen my raw knuckles "No," I lie

He steps back and straightens his suit jacket "Bueno I don't need to hear gossip at the office aboutat the kitchen table," Papa bellows to my sister in a loud, authoritative voice as he sits doith a cup of stea-hot coffee

Marissa quickly closes her book and places it beside her, then continues eating in silence

Papa downs the rest of his coffee while reading a bunch of texts and e- in the sink and leaves the house without another word As soon as he's out of sight, the tension in my neck loosens

Dani, Marissa's twin and the extrovert of our fa shorts that practically show her culo and a shirt that's a few sizes too small I shake my head While Marissa excels in school, Dani excels in spendingthe most amount of skin possible

Usually I don't pull rank, but it's the first day of school and mi'a I need is to be threatening half the guys at school ant to stare at my freshman sister's ass

"Dani, are you kiddin' me?" I say

Dani flips her professionally highlighted hair back and shrugs "What?"

"You're not goin' to school wearin' that"

My sister rolls her eyes and puffs out a frustrated breath "Seriously, Vic, you're starting to be a culero Lighten up"

I give her the stare of a big brother who's not about to back down I'm not an asshole As hteen, she's only fourteen Getting attention for her body ain't gonna happen on my watch

"You're not wearin' that skimpy crap to school," I say "Period, end of story"

She tries to stare me down, but she should know that never works

"Fine," she says in a huff, hurrying upstairs and appearing a few ht jeans and a white tank that doesn't hug her body It's practically see-through, but it's better than the other crap she had on

"This good enough for you?" Dani asks,the clothes

"Whatever Que esta bien it's fine"

She grabs a granola bar fro ot a ride frolance "You remember her, Vic Don't you?"

She can't be serious "Cassidy Richards?"

"Yep"

Oh, hell I can tell by the sinister look on her face that she is serious

"Why are you goin' to school with my ex?" I ask

Dani takes a bite of the granola bar "One, because she's a junior and can drive to school Two, she's popular and can introduce me to all the cool people Three, she offered to drive me N

eed I say more?"

Cassidy Richards and I have dated on and off since the beginning of last year We broke up for good before the su shit online about s me in the posts, but everyone at school knows her "breakup quotes" are ais like:

IF YOU'RE AFRAID OF COMMITMENT, YOU DON'T DESERVE ME

NO GIRL WILL TREAT YOU AS GOOD AS I DID

I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING AND YOU SHIT ON ME

I'M BETTER WITHOUT YOU THAN WITH YOU

and my personal favorite

MY EX IS A DOUCHE

Yeah, that's Cassidy Slinging the insults until she decides she wantshow much she et back together Cassidy is the poster child for drama queens I don't do drama At least, not anymore

"What's wrong with our sister?" I ask Marissa after Dani struts out of the house

Marissa shrugs "Don't ask"

Marissa sets her bowl in the sink and follows me outside when I hear a car honk My best friend, Trey, is parked on our driveway, sitting proudly in his old beat-up Honda Civic with over two hundred thousand miles on it

He sticks his head out the carand calls out to my sister, "Hey, Marissa! Want a ride?"

"No thanks, Trey," she says, pushing her glasses up on her nose as she walks away "I want to take the bus"

When I get in the car, Trey giveslook "Let me see if I comprehend this accurately Your freshman sister wants to take the bus?"

"Yep"

"She's excessively bizarre, Vic"

"You mean weird?"

Trey looks at me sideways He tries to sprinkle sophisticated words into our conversations Basically he sounds like a ue scholar and a kid fro dictionary I just use the most amount of simple words possible

"Let's just say Marissa probably considers ridin' the bus a high school social experiy class," I tell him

Trey's engine sputters twice before he backs out of my driveway "As I said, your sister is bizarre"

"What about your sister?" I ask "She walks around like she's soot her that "

"I' thatof eccentric, Cassidy Richards just pulled out of your driveith Dani I thought I had the wrong house Why was she here?"

"I don't knohat Cassidy's up to," I say

Trey laughs "She wants to be your girlfriend again That's what's up"

Just the thought of it onna happen"

"Nextdance," he says "Maybe she wants a date and you're it If you don't have another girl to ask, you , that's for sure"

Hell, hoe the subject,Or acquiesce, whatever that means Talk so normal people can understand you"

"Don't you want to increase your vocab, Vic?"

"No"

He shrugs "Fine So let's talk about the fight you got yourself into last night," Trey says "You okay? I heard it was brutal"