For Shits and Giggles [2024]

Chapter 07

Santiago and Camilo were waiting patiently for Gracie outside of her room. They could hear Paola laughing through the door as she helped her dress.

Camilo leaned back onto his hands, resting against the wall next to Gracie's bedroom door. Santiago sat on the railing, holding on with both hands so he wouldn't fall backward. Not that it would matter anyway, being that he was able to fly and all.

After a few long moments of avoiding eye contact, Santiago spoke.

"Y'know, she doesn't need your permission to go see Fior. She can go wherever she wants."

"I know she can, but she won't."

Santiago didn't say anything. Camilo was right after all, just not for the reason he believed.

Camilo looked up from his shoes, "Look. She's my girlfriend, she's my responsibility to look after. Not yours."

"Except it is my responsibility," Santiago glared at him. He tugged at the red mask over his eyes. "It's kind of my job."

Camilo knew better than that.

"It's your job to look after everyone," Camilo matched his glare, "And yet... you're always on my girlfriend's ass."

Santiago hopped off of the rail, balling his hands into fists; fists that would have undoubtedly killed Camilo quickly and painlessly, had Paola not opened the door. She quickly hopped out of his way. Santiago shoved past Camilo, clipping him roughly with his shoulder.

And there she was, Gracie. She wore a pink summer dress, red mary-janes, and large, brown eyes. She smiled warmly at the sight of Santiago approaching.

"Welcome back," she said.

"Are you ready to go," Santiago asked as his anger continued to evaporate with each word she spoke.

"I sure am," Gracie nodded.

"See you soon my love, okay?" Camilo maneuvered around Santiago and went in for a hug, but Santiago scooped Gracie off the ground before he could get his arms around her.

"Watch your hands, fucker!" Camilo shouted as Santiago shot out through the window, carrying Gracie bridal-style in his arms. She gripped his jumpsuit tightly, burying her head into his shoulder to hide from the sudden gust of wind.

Checking on Fior's well-being was the last thing on her mind. She wanted her friend to be okay of course, but Gracie knew she would be. Physically at least. Everyone was always okay physically, but mental resilience wasn't one of Fior's strengths. Regardless, Gracie had ulterior motives.

The truth was, she needed to be alone with Santiago. Despite what Camilo believed, she and Santiago were only friends. If they had wanted to be more than that, they would have been a long time ago. Gracie's enormous crush on Santiago hadn't exactly been a secret in college. Santiago had to have known. So if he hadn't asked her out then, it was because the feelings weren't mutual. It's true that Santiago flirted with her constantly and consistently, even now, but that was just flirting. He flirted with everyone, didn't he? There was nothing there. Nothing.

Besides, she had too many questions to stay away from him, not matter how much it might upset Camilo.

Somehow, Santiago could read Gracie like a book. Sometimes she felt he understood her more than she understood herself. There was only one word to describe what she was feeling at this moment. Relief. She was relieved that at least there was one—one person who understood her—who could see the world through her eyes.

Who could see her.

So as they flew through the cool clouds, with the warm, morning sun kissing their cheeks, sweet tears of relief began to bubble up.

"Gigi?" Santiago stopped flying, hovering mid-air above the town. He looked down at her with obvious concern, holding her closer to his chest, "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head and smiled, "Thank you, Santi."

He took a second to examine her face, her eyes specifically. It drove her crazy wondering why he always did that—simply gazed at her for seconds, sometimes minutes, at a time. When he was done, he smiled warmly and wiped her cheek with his thumb. He didn't say a word, but continued to fly. They were almost to Fior's house, which meant Gracie was running out of time.

Gracie could tell exactly where they were by the rows and rows of perfect, suburban blocks, with pristine lawns and evenly white-coated fences. There were no untrimmed bushes in sight. In this neighborhood dead bodies were made to disappear instantly, with streets cleaned and sanitized before anyone could notice. Blood was scrubbed off of the sidewalks, murder scenes were polished and covered up. It was the HOA's top priority.

The streets lined up evenly, and at the end of the longest road, with the biggest lawn and brightest flowers, was the home Felix and Fior shared. It was the biggest house by far, Gracie could see it even through the low clouds.

"Please fly slower Santi," Gracie said.

He stopped again, "Why, does something hurt?"

"No, it's just." Gracie continued. "How do you always know?"

"How do I know what?"

"How I feel. What I need to say."

Santiago hesitated, "Well... I just do."

"But how?"

"How could I not?"

Gracie tried not to blush. That wasn't a real answer she knew, but damn did he know just how to make her heart flutter. She always enjoyed this flirting from Santiago. After all, that's been the nature of their relationship since the very beginning. They even shared a meaningless kiss once at a party—the kind of party where you get so drunk that you can't remember a thing the next day, yet it's still somehow the most unforgettable night of your life. They were both very drunk that evening, and Gracie was too embarrassed to ever bring it up again. But she never did forget how his lips felt that night.

Had the Tree not appeared, Gracie would sometimes wonder, how different would my love life be?

Because the truth was, romance for Gracie had always been confusing. She felt a lot of different things, for a lot of different people, and she couldn't always differentiate between the wants of her heart, and the needs of her body—much less let her brain decide instead of her emotions.

In fact, Gracie and Camilo would never have gotten together before the Tree. Camilo would have never gotten the courage to ask. He asked her out a few days after the Tree appeared, with a new gained confidence, to then which Gracie happily said yes. But that wasn't the full story. She'd always known Camilo had a thing for her; maybe she'd had a thing for him too. He was shy, playful, and quiet—endearing for sure, but definitely not her usual type. She was happy with him now, sure. But there was one little thought that circled her mind like an annoying mosquito with a vendetta. A thought that came back angrier and more incessant each time, as if Gracie had killed its entire family and it was back for revenge. It buzzed and thrashed around her skull, leaving speckles of doubt like tiny piles of mosquito shit all over her brain.

The shit read, was it really you, Gracie, that said yes to Camilo that day underneath the Tree?

Gracie swatted the thought away; Santiago was still beating around the bush.

"No one has been able to tell, not even Camil–"

"Camilo doesn't know you like I do," he snapped.

Gracie blinked, taken aback. Flirting was one thing, but this was another. She had never seen him look so serious.

"Santi, Camilo is my boyfriend and– "

"Look," he cut her off. "I'm a superhero, okay? Maybe it's just another one of those powers or something."

"Santi..."

But Santiago was done listening. They finished their route to Fior's house in silence, giving Gracie just enough time to wonder.

Why did those words taste so bitter on her tongue—why did calling Camilo her boyfriend suddenly feel so deeply uncomfortable, and profoundly wrong?