The Fuentes Family: Yasmin

8

I shouldn't be upset. Jace has always done what he wants, and he always will. Except this time it's different, he's not just making out with the girl – although there is a lot of that – he's holding her chin, smiling as he surveys every feature on her face. The girl smiles ecstatically, probably thinking she's the luckiest girl in the world. Jace doesn't act that with his random hookups.

"You're staring," Santiago tells me.

"At what? I'm just daydreaming."

Santiago shakes his head, seeing right through me as he takes a draw from his cigarette and the strong, thick smoke seems to go straight to my nostrils, determined to inject me with cancer.

"How can he just stand there and do that in the parking lot? And why is she touching his car? She probably has herpes or something. Why is she touching him, for that matter?"

"Probably 'cause she likes him."

"Shut up, Santiago."

"I didn't say he likes her."

"He obviously does," I scoff.

"Remind me why you care?"

"I don't know why I care. I had become an expert at not caring and now it's gone and i'm about to lose my shit."

Pulling open the backseat door of Santi's car, I sit in, pulling my water bottle filled with vodka out of my bag and start forcing it down my throat no matter how disgusting it is and how much it feels like it's burning a whole in my throat. I would rather drown in this alcohol than go to my next class.

"Jace seems to have lost interest in tall blonde now that you are out of sight," Santiago says.

"Don't say shit like that."

"Just stating what I see."

"People see what they wanna see."

"Deep. But seriously, see for yourself."

Sighing, I put the cap on my bottle and get out of the car, looking over the other ones and seeing Jace still being all disgusting with the girl.

"He started again when you got out."

"Sure he did. Let's just go back. I'm getting nauseous watching this."

"It's probably the disgusting vodka you just drank straight that's making you nauseous."

Santi and I start walking to the main building just when, coincidentally, Jace makes his way back too. When we get inside, Jace stops and looks at the girl he's with, but while doing so we meet eyes and I take that opportunity to say something.

"Jace, you're not mad at me about last night, are you?"

"No."

The girl turns around, smiling while taking an interest in our conversation. Why is her smile so damn cute anyway?

"Are you coming over tonight? I'll make up for it." I didn't mean for that to sound so dirty and his girl seems to take it the wrong way.

"Nah, I'd rather hang out with Leah," he slings his arm around the girl and starts walking the other way.

What the fuck?

I'm standing there, a little shocked for a few seconds before I realise who I am.

"What makes you think you can talk to me like that?"

He stops, turning around and letting go of Leah. "You do and say whatever you want, no matter how it makes a person feel. I thought i'd start doing the same."