Wildcard [ÉLITE]

―vi.

Daniela leaned against her locker, waiting for Cayetana to arrive. Dani had missed the last two days of school, with a stomach bug. At least, that's what she said. Caye was supposed to be stopping by to let Dani snap a picture of her notes.

When the blonde appeared at the end of the hall, Dani perked up. But Cayetana was alone. She had been counting on Caye and Polo to arrive together, they were almost inseparable. Across the hall, Guzmán had made the same observation.

"Dani!" Caye called as she drew closer. "I'm glad you're feeling better. I brought my notebook." As Cayetana flipped through the pages, Dani glanced over her shoulder. Maybe Polo was only running late.

"Where's Polo?" Dani asked, finally, hoping her tone was casual. Caye glanced up at her. "Not used to seeing you two apart."

Caye stuck out her bottom lip in an exaggerated pout. "I think he caught the same bug you had, he's super sick." It was unlikely, considering Dani's illness had been made up to fabricate this moment. "I took him my mom's special tomato soup last night and he couldn't even take a bite."

"Well, hopefully it clears up quick," Dani told her, with her best sympathetic face. "It was so not fun." Caye held out her notebook and Dani snapped her pictures, and tucked her phone back in her pocket. "Thanks so much. And I hope Polo gets better soon."

Cayetana gave her a bright smile, and headed toward class. Across the hall, Guzmán was giving Daniela a look that said he didn't know whether they were still on. "Do you have something to say to me, Guzmán?" Dani snapped. They had no choice, it was now or never, and Caye was almost to the stairs.

He shook his head. "No, but I'm sure Marina would have something."

Over Guzmán's shoulder, Carla was watching with a practiced look of condescension. Dani's hand drifted to her pocket and gave her phone a wiggle, hoping Carla would take the hint.

"Would she really?" Dani asked, looking back at Guzmán. Behind him, Carla hit Lu in the arm and a moment later the brunette had her phone out, filming. "Because it seems to me like you never knew what your sister was thinking."

They'd practice this, two nights ago, at Samuel's apartment. The two sat cross-legged on the floor across from each other. Samu and Nano had given notes as if they were in an acting course. Carla had barged in looking for Samuel, and stumbled right into the middle of it. She'd sat down on the couch, and after a long uncomfortable pause, Dani and Guzmán had resumed their rehearsal.

Daniela and Carla would never be friends again, but in this, at least, they were on the same page.

"Right, but she told you everything," Guzmán said, not missing a beat. "But you couldn't tell us anything. She needed help, and you just fucking listened. Because god forbid you ever ask for help when you're in over your head."

He'd gone off script and it took Dani half a second to find her words. "She wasn't in trouble, Guzmán, she was happy. She was getting the fuck away from your crazy family, because unlike you, some people know toxic when they see it."

"How many times do I have to apologize for the mistakes I made when I was fifteen? I didn't know any better."

"Maybe not, and maybe we're all stupid teenagers." She threw her arms out to the side. "But if you were allowed to change your mind, then why do you find it so hard to believe that I changed mine about you."

"You didn't change your mind, Dani. You ran. There's a difference."

"Maybe I got scared. Remember when you told me that?" Daniela asked. It had been two years since that night on the fire escape, but she still remembered it like it was yesterday. It had killed her when she told him to leave her alone, but looking back she knew it had been the right thing to do. "So you're allowed to run, but I'm not? Stop being such a fucking hypocrite, Guzmán."