Page 36 of Wishing for La Luna
Did he mean that? Wait, what did he mean?
The car plunges into a thick silence, and just when I’m ready to ask him, there’s a cough from the front of the car.
“We’re here,” Tito says. I tear my gaze from the back of Rio’s head to look at him.
He ducks his head, but I see the small smile.
Rio turns his head in my direction but doesn’t look straight at me. “Are you ready?”
“Yeah.” I don’t know why I whisper it.
The next second, Tito opens the door, and Rio steps out first and then helps me out. We rush through the entrance.
“Rio brought her to the game?” someone yells.
“Yooo, that shit is on and popping. Way to land on your feet, Luna,” a woman yells.
I stop dead in my tracks and am about to turn around and give her a piece of my mind, but Rio’s hand clamps on the small of my back and keeps me moving.
It’s not until we’re at our seats that he leans to whisper in my ear, “What were you about to do?”
I give him a pointed look. “It’s the Bronx. Youknowwhat I was about to do.”
He smiles, and before he looks away, I reach to place my hand on his cheek.
“Thank you for saving me from myself.” His smile deepens, and I can’t help but look at his lips, and the words are out of my mouth before I can fully think them. “I’m curious too.”
He opens his mouth.
“Rio!” someone calls out from behind him. I look up as two girls stand there smiling a little nervously at him. “Can we get your autograph?”
He nods. “Yeah.”
Their faces light up. I look away and exhale.
* * *
Rio
I’m curious too.
Her words keep repeating themselves in my ear as I sign the autographs and stand and pose with the two girls.
“Let me take your photo so the three of you are together,” Luna says, and I get to gaze at her and smile as she angles the camera to snap a couple of photos. She’s beaming too, stretching those glossy rose lips. I wish I could see her eyes. I want to know if, behind the shades, she’s affected like I am.
When she hands the phone back, one of the girls asks, “Can we take a photo with you too?”
And now it’s my turn to take their photo, and we snap a group selfie of all of us together.
“Thank you,” they say, and the other girls lean in and whisper to Luna, “Fuck those bitches online. And way to go.” She tilts her head toward me when she says it.
Luna laughs, and we take our seats again.
“They’re sweet.”
“Yeah,” I say, wanting to get back to our conversation.
“I’m surprised they didn’t want to snatch my face off. TheSirenasare super protective of you.”
