Page 96 of Kiss Me, Maybe

She laughs when I climb to the front and stumble downinto the passenger seat. But her laughter quickly turns to panic as she stares down at her shorts soaked from the rain and expresses no desire to ply herself back into them. After making a quick pit stop at her apartment so she can change her clothes and making plans to pick up my car tomorrow, we’re finally off.

Forty-Five

The house is full and buzzing by the time we arrive, a whole two hours late. My dad is standing in the foyer as we’re coming in, his eyes immediately lighting up as they fall to my hand clasped in Krystal’s.

“So this is the non-girlfriend, huh?” His mouth quirks in a grin before he holds out his hand for Krystal. “Nice to finally meet you.”

Krystal raises a brow at me before taking my father’s hand. “Nice meeting you, too, sir.”

“You two should go get something to eat while there’s still some left,” he says before heading back to my mom in the kitchen.

“Thereyou are.” Marcela quickly takes my dad’s place, breaking away from a circle of friends in the living room. Her grin takes up her entire face. “Do I even want to know what took y’all so long?”

“I think I’ll check out what’s left of the food,” Krystal says, kissing my cheek before she saunters away. Once she’s gone, I turn to my best friend.

“I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not.” I grin sheepishly. “If I’m sorry about anything, it’s that I decided to throw this party in the first place when we could be finishing what we started in the car—”

“Please dear lord, don’t let her finish that sentence.” Julianshudders as he appears from behind me. “I’m happy for you and everything, but there are some things a cousin should never know.”

Krystal returns quickly with two full plates of food. I thank her as she hands me a plate of barbecue chicken, roasted peppers, Spanish rice, and a folded tortilla. “Looks like you pulled off a great party without actually being here,” she says. “The food looks delicious.”

“What can I say? My parents know how to host.” I tear into the chicken with one hand while standing. With all the twists and turns this evening took, I barely registered how hungry I was.

When I asked my parents if they’d be willing to help host a party with mostly queer guests, they didn’t so much as bat an eye. As I look around at all our guests laughing and mingling together in the house I grew up in, it heals something in me I never knew needed mending. So many of my blood relations would hate the sight of my living room right now, but none of them matter.

After I finish eating, I make the rounds and thank everyone for coming. Natalia and Stephanie are sitting on the couch, drinks in hand, and that’s where I learn that a woman named Nayeli beat Leti to the scavenger hunt prize by a full three seconds. After rounding with almost everyone, I spend half an hour in the kitchen with Briana, Julian’s mom, and my parents to help with some cleanup. It’s the least I can do after showing up late.

Leti is by the stairs when I finish tidying up. I pull her into a friendly hug as Krystal waits for me by the landing.

“Heard someone else beat you to the prize by a slim margin,” I tell her. “I kinda wish I could’ve seen your reaction.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. I nearly told the security guard to go fuck himself when he asked me to keep it down.” Her nose scrunches the same way it does when she dies in aStardew Valleyplaythrough. “So close, yet so far.”

“You’ll get ’em next time.”

Julian catches my eye over Leti’s shoulder. When he quickly starts backing away from us, I roll my eyes.

“Hey, Leti, have you met my cousin?”

There’s nowhere for Julian to run as she turns around. I’m considering this payback for giving Krystal that embarrassing seventh-grade yearbook photo of me, but the drama I’m expecting doesn’t come. Leti smiles politely at my cousin as she extends her hand to him. The panic on my cousin’s face morphs to something else as he takes in her blank expression with raised brows.

“Nice to meet you,” she says as she takes his hand. “I’m Leti.”

“Leti, hi. I’m…” Her attention is pulled away as someone across the room calls her name. She pulls her hand from Julian’s grasp and waves at the three of us before hurrying away.

I furrow my brows at my cousin once she disappears into the crowd. “I thought you said she hated you?”

“She does, or at least shedid.” He looks more perplexed than I am. “Does she… not remember me?”

“Why would she hate you?” Krystal asks.

“Apparently they went out on areallybad first date,” I explain before turning back to my cousin. “She could be pretending not to remember you because that’s how much shehates you,” I tell him, which only causes another worry line to divot his forehead.

“How long ago was this bad date?” Krystal asks him.

“Three or four years.” He rubs the back of his neck. “And it wasn’tthatbad.”

“Maybe you’re right. It clearly wasn’t bad enough for her to remember you.” I give his shoulder an affectionate pat. “Well, that’s disappointing.”

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