After a year and a half of trying to move on from the what-ifs, the tides have pulled Alexandra Rivera and Zachariah Kim back together again.
*****
In the h...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Emmie bent over the hibachi inhaling a deep breath of smoke, somehow without coughing up a lung in the process.
"There's no way that's good for your pores." A heat wave washed over my skin causing beads of sweat to blossom along my neck and chest. I swiped with the back of my hand and grimaced. "Couldn't we have done this for dinner?" I grumbled.
Emmie looked back at me, her hair flicked over one shoulder like she walked straight out of a shampoo commercial. "Aren't you the one that has somewhere to go later?"
"I'm not opposed to canceling on other people if it means not having to sit outside while it's eighty-five degrees." I crossed my arms. "Please make sure you cook all of the zucchini this time."
Anthony walked through the front door at that moment carrying a tray full of meat.
"I feel like the only reason you come over anymore is to eat all of our zucchini."
"Why else would I see you?"
He flicked a piece of my hair into my face. Emmie made space for him in front of the hibachi, the obligatory green bottle of beer already placed on the side.
"Didn't you once tell me you were gonna go vegan?" Emmie asked.
He lifted the bottle to his lips. "That never panned out."
"You should try it," she said, her voice void of judgment. She'd watched a documentary the other week about the effects the meat and dairy industry had on the environment and wanted to incorporate the diet into her lifestyle more. Somehow, she managed to rope me into committing with her. "They have so many more meat alternatives now, I don't think you'd miss it for a few days of the week."
Anthony looked like he'd rather do anything else, but reconsidered after a second thought. "Maybe Kaioh will be down."
"Kaioh?" She exchanged a surprised look with me.
"He says they've only been dating for a couple of months so it's not serious, but I specifically remember eavesdropping on a conversation right after New Year so I know he's full of shit."
Anthony glared at me. "I don't butt in on your personal life."
"That's because I'm smart enough to not get drunk and talk on the phone with my boyfriend while I'm on the patio. You realize the entire house can hear you when you're being loud and obnoxious?"
"You're right; you don't have that problem because you don't have boyfriends."
Our dad made a bunch of unintelligible noises, snapping his fingers at us.
"So when are you bringing him over to meet us?" I asked.
Anthony rolled his lips in concentration. "I'm not trying to jinx it this early."
"It's been six months."
"Exactly. You're gonna scare him off."
Dad turned around, clicking his tongue at my brother. "Stop picking on your sister. She'll never come over again."
