The Devil's Sister

Chapter 5

So far, today has been good. Nothing happened during any of my classes, advisory or lunch. I'm on my way to gym right now and I'm looking through my Snapchats.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a pair of baggy jeans and know that it's Jason. I smirk a little, but don't look up. 

Jason walks next to me for about three seconds before running into me.

"See," he says. "You gotta get your head out the damn phone. You runnin' into people."

I look at him and laugh. "I didn't run into you, you ran into me."

"No," he says, "you didn't see me and you ran into me."

"So not true," I laugh. "I saw your baggy jeans. I knew you were there."

"Oh really?" He teases.

"Yes real-" I start but get cut off by my phone ringing.

I look down to see Esperanza, my brothers wife, was calling me.

"Sorry, I have to answer this," I said to Jason, and I notice his face become serious before nodding.

"Hola Esperanza. ¿Todo estas bien?" I ask.

"No," she says, and I then notice that she's crying.

My eyebrows furrow in worry and I go to a quieter part of the hallway, Jason long forgotten.

I lean against the wall and see Jason standing across from me. I look at him, and try to ask why he's here with my face. He still has a straight face and shrugs, coming to stand next to me. My eyebrows furrow but I just roll my eyes and listen to Esperanza.

"Sebastián y tu mamá iban a algún lado y después-" she starts, but a sob cuts her off.

"Esperanza, ¿que pasó?" I urge.

"Un camión. Un camión los golpeó. Sebastián esta en el hospital pero tu mamá-" she says, but is cut off with another sob.

"Esperanza," I snap. "¿Que pasó a mi mama?"

"Tu mamá se murió," she whispers.

I froze. Everything felt surreal.

My mom? The woman I said goodbye to this morning? She died?

"No, no, no," I whisper. I look around frantically for something. I don't know for what, but something. I grab onto Jason's arm and try and control my emotions.

"¿Mercedes sabe?" I ask.

"No," Esperanza says.

"Okay, se lo diré a ella," I told Esperanza. "¿Y tu y el bebe estas bien?"

"Si, no estuvimos allí," she says.

I narrow my eyes and tensing up.

"Si no estabas allí, ¿cómo supiste que paso?" I question a little harshly.

"El hospital me llamó."

"Okay, um, yo le digo a Mercy qué pasó. Yo voy a ver si yo puedo salir temprano," I tell Esperanza. "Yo te veo luego."

"Okay."

I hang up and just when I feel something touching my hand.

"Come with me," Jason says. "Who's your teacher?"

"Ms Brennen," I whisper.

"Ms Brennen," Jason says. "She just got very bad news, is it okay if she sits out?"

"What very bad news did she get?" Ms Brennen asks.

Jason leans closer to Ms Brennen and says lowly, "There was a death in her family."