Dani gives me a weird look. “Your what?”
“My hand brake . . . like the one that cars have, so you can stop me when I lose my brakes, which in this case would be my self-control—”
“Stop,” Dani interrupts me. “First of all, that’s the worst analogy you’ve ever made and believe me you’ve made some pretty bad ones.” I open my mouth to protest, but she continues. “Second, you want me to stop you every time you want to open your legs for Ares? Got it. Without so much beating around the bush and meaningless analogies.”
“My analogies are the best.”
It’s after school, and we’re in her room. It’s Monday, and the beginning of the week has hit me hard. I feel so exhausted. Why do I have to study?
Because you need a future, my mom’s grumpy voice lectures in my head. Dani returns with her phone in her hand.
“I already know the whole Ares story, but there’s something I don’t understand.”
“What?”
“Today you were avoiding Yoshi at school as if he had the plague. Why?”
I let myself fall on the bed, hugging a pillow. “I may have skipped telling you that part of the weekend,” I answer.
Dani lets herself fall on the bed next to me and turns her face to see me.
“What happened?”
I stare at the ceiling for a moment, saying nothing, and Dani seems to understand everything.
“He finally told you that he likes you?”
I turn my head toward her so fast that my neck hurts. “You knew it?”
“Everyone knew but you.”
I hit her with the pillow. “But what . . . ? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It wasn’t my secret to tell.”
I look at the ceiling again. “Well, that night he told me, and he . . . kissed me.”
“Ohhh!” Dani sits up abruptly. “I didn’t expect that! How was it? Did you like it? Did you kiss him back? Did he use tongue? What did you feel? Details, Raquel, details!”
I roll my eyes, sitting up as well. “It was . . . good.”
Dani raises an eyebrow.
“Well? That’s it?”
“What do you want me to tell you? He . . . he’s always been there and I had come to feel things for him in a platonic way. I never expected him to like me. Kissing him was nice, but it was . . . unreal. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“You liked it, but it wasn’t as mind-blowing as when you kiss Ares.”
“It was different.”
“You’re lost, Raquel. You are so in love with Ares.”
I lower my head, unable to deny it. Dani puts her arm around my shoulders to give me a side hug.
“It’s okay. I know it’s scary to feel so much for someone, but it’s going to be okay.”
“I don’t know what to say to Yoshi.”
“The truth. Tell him that you’re not ready to try anything with anyone right now. You have feelings for someone else, and they may not be reciprocated, but that doesn’t mean you can suddenly stop feeling. Tell him you don’t want to use him.”
“I shouldn’t have kissed him back.”
“And I shouldn’t have eaten that hamburger so late, but we all make mistakes.”
I burst out laughing, pulling away from her.
“Did you eat a hamburger without me?” I ask. Her phone rings with a message. She excitedly checks it, and a goofy smile fills her lips. “Okay, that smile is suspicious.”
She clears her throat. “Of course not.”
“Who are you talking to?”
She puts her phone, with the screen facing down, in her lap.
“Just a friend.”
I wrestle with her and snatch the cell phone out of her hands. I try to read the messages, but she attacks me, so I run out of the room. Barefoot, I run down the hallway and almost crash into Dean. He’s still in his school uniform.
“Raquel, what—”
“Dean! Stop her!” I hear Dani’s voice far down the hall. I run even faster toward the stairs. As I reach the top, I stop so abruptly that I almost fall forward.
Ares.
He’s just as surprised to see me. Like Dean, he’s wearing his black school uniform.
React, Raquel.
I regain my composure and give him a friendly smile.
“Hello.”
He smiles back at me, but it’s not just friendly, it’s that charming smile he has. “Hello, Witch.”
And there goes my heart, beating like crazy. His mere presence is wreaking havoc on me.
“Raquel!” Dani appears behind me and freezes when she sees the unexpected visitor. “Oh, hey, Ares.”
Ares just smiles at her. Dean returns just in time to save the awkward situation.
“Here are the notes,” Dean says, handing Ares a notebook.
“Thank you,” Ares says, turning his gaze back to me. “Are you leaving, Raquel?”
“Me?”
“I could give you a ride if you want.”
Those beautiful eyes . . .
Those lips . . .
I want to shout no and reject him, but the words don’t come out. Dani stands in front of me. “No, she’s not leaving yet. We’re going to finish some things.” I give her a confused look and she whispers, “Hand brake.”
Ares gives me one last look before disappearing out the front door.
“Wow, that was interesting,” Dean comments, turning to us.
“So much tension,” Dani agrees.
“Strong sexual tension, man. I think we all got pregnant,” Dean laughs, and I give them both a murderous look.
The cell phone in my hand rings with a message, and I remember what I was doing before the Greek god appeared. I run, with Dani chasing me, and lock myself in the bathroom in her room, which makes me feel stupid because I should have done that in the first place. Checking the messages, my mouth almost drops to the floor. They’re all from Apolo. Apparently, they’ve been talking for some time; they say good morning and good night to each other. I laugh out loud as I exit the bathroom.
“I can explain.”
“Apolo? Oh God, I really love karma.”
Dani crosses her arms over her chest. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong.”
“You’re flirting with him! You like him!”
“Of course not! See, that’s why I didn’t want to tell you, because I knew you’d get the wrong idea. He’s a sophomore and we’re seniors.”
“So? Oh, come on,” I say, grabbing her by the shoulders. She averts her gaze. “You’re crazy about him!”
She slaps my hands, removing them from her shoulders. “Stop making things up. I don’t like him, end of story.”
“One month.”
“What?”
“I’ll give you a month to come back with your head down and tell me you fell for him. It’s not easy to say no to the Hidalgos, believe me.”
“I refuse to talk about this anymore.”
“Well, don’t talk, just listen,” I tell her, putting my hands on her waist. “You’re only two years older than Apolo. And he’s very mature for his age. If you like him, why worry? Haven’t you heard that there is no age in love?”
“Yeah. You know who I heard say that? The pedo in the corner.”
“Don’t exaggerate.”
“Let’s just . . . forget about it.”
“You don’t have to lie to me. You know that, don’t you? I can see through you.”
“I know, I just don’t want to say it. I don’t want to make it real.”
“Oh, my dear hand brake, it’s already real.”
Dani throws a pillow at me and then seems to remember something. “Oh! Look, I found the old phone I told you about.” She hands me a small phone. The screen is green, and you can only see the time. Dani gives a nervous smile. “It’s only good for calls and messages, but it’s something.”
“It’s perfect!”
At least I’ll be able to communicate, although a part of me still feels sad about my iPhone. I worked so hard, and so many extra hours, to save up and buy it. I remember Ares’s words when I went to return the phone to him: I know you bought it yourself, with your money, with your hard work. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop them from taking it away from you, but I can give you another one. Let me give it to you. Don’t be proud.
His gesture was so nice. And then he was such an idiot. I never thought there could be someone who could be both at the same time, but Ares exceeds expectations.
I say good-bye to Dani and walk to the phone store to put my old number on this one. It bores me to do all those tedious tasks, but I have no choice. I want my old number back. Everyone I know has that number.