𝐷𝑅𝐸𝐴𝑀𝐼𝑁𝐺 𝑂𝐹 𝑌𝑂𝑈 | 𝐽. 𝑃𝑂𝑂𝐿𝐸

𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝑇𝐻𝑅𝐸𝐸

WASHINGTON, D.C.
PEREZ FAMILY HOUSEHOLD
11:45 P.M

_____________________________________________________

Luna Perez

Saying that I was nervous was an understatement because, in reality, I was sweating like a sinner in church. I had been rummaging through my closet to find something to wear because I didn't know what to wear to sneak out of the house. Did you ever wear anything specific when you're sneaking out to meet a boy? I've never done this before...this was all new to me.

But I knew who this wasn't new to...

I hopped over the pile of clothes that had formed on my floor, peeked my head out of my door, and called out to Xiomara. She peeped her head out of her door and glared at me. The lights in her room were dim, which meant that Julian was asleep. That must be the reason that she's glaring a hole into my skull.

"What." she hissed. "You hollering and my son is sleep."

"I need your help..." I whispered.

Xiomara groaned, quickly walking into my bedroom and shutting the door behind her. She glanced at the clock that was sitting on my nightstand and frowned. "Aren't you supposed to be meeting Jordan in a few minutes?"

I nodded, sorting through the pile of clothes. "Yes! But, I can't find anything to wear. What do you wear when you're sneaking out to meet a boy?"

Xiomara frowned. "Is that what you called me in here to ask?"

I paused. "Well...yeah," I replied. "I figured that you'd know what to do since you used to sneak out to go to parties and to see Javiér all the time.."

"You didn't think to ask the most troublesome sibling you have who happens to be your triplet?" Xiomara asks.

I shook my head. "Uh...because Aria didn't sneak out to see Christian, she used to sneak Christian in."

Xiomara pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a deep sigh. "Why do I get myself into these situations..." she mumbled to herself. "This is what I get for being the oldest..."

"Xio!" I exclaimed. "I am on a time crunch here! I really need your help."

Xiomara looked around and frowned at the mess of a pile of clothes around my bedroom. She shook her head in disregard and grabbed a pair of leggings, a hoodie, and a pair of slides, handing them to me.

"The key is to look lowkey," She says. "Look as if you're just stepping out to take a walk—which technically, you are. That way, if Papá asks where you're going, you don't look suspicious and your storyline adds up."

"Thank you, you're a lifesaver!" I squealed, engulfing my big sister in a hug.

Xiomara being Xiomara, she sighed and patted the top of my head. "Yeah, yeah," she says. "Just don't do anything that I wouldn't do...or that I did do...like get pregnant. Other than that, have fun, kid."

As if they had supersonic hearing, Mariana, Aria, Mateo, and Angelica tiptoed into my bedroom, each of them giving me a proud smile. It was like they were seeing me grow up right before their eyes all over again, and somehow, it felt like that for me, too. Sure, I was twenty-one, but this was the most rebellious thing I had ever done. It added a burst of excitement within me...who knew that this was what it felt like to be...normal.

"Have fun..." Aria says proudly. "Call us if you need anything!"

"What time will you be back?" Angelica asks.