“Carina, wait.” Sydney jumped up. “Where you going?”
Carina walked out and Sydney followed her.
Sarah stood up and made her way to the window. She peeked out and saw them arguing. Carina appeared to be crying. Sarah couldn’t believe how naive she’d been. Angel would’ve had a much more violent reaction. Just because this was normal to them didn’t mean it was to outsiders. It was like she had a brother, but he really wasn’t. They were out there for quite a while, but he finally convinced Carina to come back in.
Sarah had no idea what to say but knew immediately when they walked in by the look Sydney gave her it was better to not say anything. He got the chance later when Carina was in the restroom to tell Sarah everything was okay. But Sarah knew better. She’d almost ruined Christmas for them.
So, when Valerie called a few days later to convince her to come back to La Jolla for New Year’s Eve she agreed. Originally she planned on staying in Arizona and to spend it with Syd and Carina. Given what had happened though, she had decided to let them enjoy a romantic New Year’s Eve without the third wheel.
Sydney wasn’t happy she was leaving early, but he was glad that she’d decided to stay in California. At least until her mom got out of jail.
CHAPTER 24
Christmas had come and gone, with no feelings of joy for Angel. The restaurant wasn’t nearly as busy the week after Christmas as it had been the week before. His parents were gone for the week visiting family in Mexico. Every year they left the week after Christmas and came back after the New Year. Angel and Alex had covered the morning shift at the restaurant and since Sal was there for the week, he and Sofia covered the afternoon shift.
Angel was in no mood to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Especially knowing Sarah’s birthday was at midnight and it wouldn’t be him kissing her happy birthday. Angel slammed the drawer he’d just pulled a pair of socks out of.
Alex poked his nose in his room. “What’s with you?”
Angel glanced at him but didn’t answer. He sat down to on his bed and began putting the socks on.
“I got people coming over, so get down here and help me clean this place up.”
Angel’s shoulders slumped. “Who’s coming over?”
“None of your high school, rioting, crumby friends, well,” He laughed. “Except for Eric and Romero. But everyone else is grown up. So, try to pretend.”
Angel frowned “What time?”
Alex had already walked away but he yelled, “In about an hour.”
Angel glanced at the clock, it was already close to nine. He had just worked out and showered. He was looking forward to a quiet night of shooting some pool and calling it an early one. Not a damn party.
By the time he got downstairs the kitchen counters had been transformed into a mini bar. The music was blasting and Romero was already there with a beer in his hand.
Sal and Sofia walked in just as Angel grabbed a beer from the fridge.
“What’s going on?” Sal asked.
Alex walked back in from the backyard with an ice chest. “Party time brutha.”
Sal peered and Sofia grinned.
Sal looked back at Angel. Angel raised his hands in the air. “Don’t look at me. This is all him.”
“Yeah,” Alex said. “Don’t worry. It’s not any of his juvenile friends. Except for Eric and Romero.”
Romero pretended to be appalled. “I’m standing right here!”
Alex ignored him as he grabbed a bag of ice from the freezer. “It’s just a few of my more refined friends.”
Sal shook his head. “Good luck. This place better all be in one piece tomorrow, ‘cause I ain’t taking the heat for any of this.”
Sofia ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Alex stopped to watch her. “Where is she going?”
“Yeah, she’s gonna be here around all your refined college friends.” Sal smirked examining the bottles of booze on the counter.
Alex didn’t like that. “Well, no one invited her.”
Angel chuckled, “What are you gonna do? Lock her in her room?”
Alex raised his eyebrow. “Now there’s a thought.”
“Oh, yeah,” Romero smirked. “College boys are what you guys need to be worried about.”
All three brothers stared at him. “What does that mean?” Alex asked.
Romero shook his head and shrugged. “I don’t know. I just felt left out.”
Angel who was closest shoved him.
They finished getting things ready and people started arriving. Angel hung out with Romero in the front room, his thoughts, as usual, miles away. Romero kept nudging him to get his attention. After a few annoying conversations with what Alex referred to as refined college girls, he’d had enough. He headed back to the kitchen for food.
He stopped dead when he walked in the kitchen. Sofia was wearing jeans and heels that made her look way taller, not to mention older, but it was the blouse he couldn’t take his eyes off. It was the same backless one Sarah had worn at that very first party he had talked to her.
Alex walked in after Angel. “Sofia, what are you wearing?”
Sofia looked down at her blouse. “What? Sarah lent it to me a while back. What’s wrong with it?”
“You look…” Alex struggled to find the word.
“Hot?” She teased
Alex’s jaw worked. “You need to change.”
“Why?”
Eric walked in the back door and froze when he saw Sofia.
Alex saw the way he looked at her. “Go change now, Sofia, before anyone else gets here.”
Sofia stomped out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Angel felt bad. He didn’t mind the way she looked but he was glad the blouse would be gone. Just seeing it had brought back memories of holding and kissing Sarah for the first time. It was all too painful and again for as much as he missed her he was glad he wouldn’t have to see her again.
The time went by quickly and before long they were counting down. Angel was outside with Sal, Alex, and a couple of the girls. Sofia had gone inside with Eric and Romero to watch the countdown on the big television.
When they were done with the hugs and happy new year’s, Alex took off to bring some more beer from inside. Angel followed, his mind still on Sarah and what she might be doing right at that moment. She was officially eighteen now.
Alex walked in the kitchen. “What the fuck?”
Angel couldn’t see but Alex was livid. He caught up in time to see Alex charge Eric. “You’re kissing my little sister?”
“It was a New Year’s kiss.” Sofia said stepping in front of Eric.
“I don’t give a shit! You don’t kiss my sister like that. What the fucks wrong with you?”
“Like how?” Angel tried holding Alex back.
What the hell had he seen? By then other people were sticking their heads in the kitchen and Sal rushed in from the backyard.
“It was just for New Year’s, Alex. Relax,” Eric said.
Alex reached over Sofia and grabbed Eric by the shirt. “I know what I saw fucker. Sofia move!”
But between Angel, Sal, and Sofia, they held him off. Eric began for the door.
“What the hell, Alex?” Angel asked. “Wait, Eric.”
“No, I want him out,” Alex barked. “I ever see you around my sister again I swear to God I’ll fuck you up!”
Sal winced. “Enough, Alex.”
Alex hadn’t seemed drunk earlier but now Angel could only assume that he was. Eric left in a hurry. Angel turned to Sofia. She looked ready to cry. People had given them their privacy and left the kitchen, except for Romero who stood at the doorway.
Angel didn’t even want to ask. It was too bizarre. But he had to. “How was he kissing you?”
“Your friend had his tongue down her throat!” Alex shouted.
Before Angel could wrap his brain around what he just heard. Sofia spoke up.
“Maybe I had my tongue down his throat, ever think about that?” The tears streamed down her cheeks.
She stunned them all momentarily. “I’m not a baby anymore, Alex. I’m tired of being treated like one!”
“You’re sixteen, Sof,” Alex’s tone was much softer now and Angel knew he wasn’t drunk.
“I’ll see him if I want to, you can’t stop me,” Sofia rushed out pushing Romero as she made her way out the kitchen.
“Like hell you will,” Alex said soft at first and then again louder. “You hear me Sof? Like hell you will!”
Alex turned and glared at Angel. “I don’t want that asshole around her again.”
*
Sarah was tired and her feet ached. The party showed no signs of dying down. Valerie tried to pull her into the circle of girls where she was dancing but Sarah motioned that she was going to the restroom.
Valerie’s friends lived in a gated community. They had a recreation center and that’s where the party was being held. It was about the size of a small banquet room with a pool just outside.
Sarah passed the restroom and went outside. It was chilly but felt good. She sat down on one of the picnic tables by the pool and searched her small clutch for her compact. Her cell phone was lit. She’d just missed a text. Sydney had already called her to wish her a happy birthday.
When she flipped it over she noticed she also had two missed calls. They were both from Sofia. Sarah smiled. Since the break up, Sofia had called her a couple of times once to tell her how sorry she was about them splitting up. And another just after Christmas to tell her she missed her and wished she was still in California. Both times Sarah had choked up.
She didn’t remember if she’d even mentioned her birthday being on New Year’s to Sofia. She clicked the envelope and read the text.
I hate my brothers. I’m so mad I’m crying.
Second:
Call me please. I need to talk to you.
Sarah thought of the cavemen and couldn’t help frowning. What had they done now? She called Sofia and she picked up right away. She was hysterical. Sarah could barely make the words out. The only thing she could make out was that Alex had ruined her life.
“Sofia, slow down. Take a deep breath,” Sarah did her best to speak in a soothing voice. She remembered her mom doing that to her when she was little and she was crying. “I can’t understand you.”
Sofia breathed heavily but Sarah could tell she was trying to calm herself. She sounded like a little girl and Sarah wished she could be there to hug her.
“Alex told Eric to stay away from me.”
Sarah dreaded asking why but she did anyway. She listened quietly while Sofia told her the whole story at times breaking down and crying again. After she’d calmed though she sounded more determined and angry than anything.
“It’s not fair, Sarah. Eric’s been nothing but a gentleman with me. It was all me and I told them.”
“You did?”
“Yes.” She sounded pleased. “I told them it was
my
tongue down
his
throat.”
Sarah let out a gasping laugh. “No, you didn’t?”
Finally Sofia didn’t sound so sad. Sarah even thought she heard her laugh. “It’s the truth. Eric always holds back. He’s so gentle with me.” She sighed. “It drives me crazy. So then I become the aggressor.”
Sarah still couldn’t believe Sofia would say such a thing. In some ways she wished she’d been there, but good God, of all the brothers to catch them it had to be Alex? Knowing she would’ve felt terribly uncomfortable she was relieved she hadn’t been there. “What did Alex say when you said that?”