"I was wondering what kind of girl could have botched up a rescue attempt so badly. Now that I know it was you all along, everything makes sense."
"Go away."
Rome runs his nose down the side of my face, smiling at the way I shiver. "After all thes...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
ENCHILADAS, CUT INTO EIGHTS, TOPPED WITH CREAMY SAUCE. Corn on the cobs, roasted with butter and chili powder. Platters of fizzy lime sodas. Rice tossed with over fifteen types of spices. And of course, a taco bar, complete with hand-made guacamole and Pico de Gallo. Since everybody from my mom's side of the family has gone into the cuisine industry, I know I have to make tonight's dinner fantastic.
"Could use more salt," Aunt Mae comments after finishing off a large scoop of fire-red salsa. She takes another chip and chews it thoughtfully. "And maybe some lemon. Could use a little zing. Otherwise, I approve."
"Don't eat before everybody arrives, Mae," Mom scolds. "It's rude."
"Very rude," Says Nick through another mouthful of salsa. Elliot slaps him on the arm.
Tamala laughs. With a smile, I replace the chips. Since Rome and I officially declared our living situation, my little sister has been begging me for a chance to see the penthouse. I asked Rome and he told me to go ahead and invite my entire family.
"You didn't tell me you were going to invite Elliot and Nick," He whispers in my ear. It tickles. I press my lips together so I don't giggle. "Technically, they belong to my side of the family. Not yours."
"Nick is my family," I hold up one finger. "Elliot is yours." I hold up another finger. "Together, they're ours." I bring the fingers together.
"Now that you've given me a comprehensive visual display, how can I argue?" Rome says dryly. Then, his watch beeps twice. The tone belongs to Emergency and Crystalline's team.
"You should get that," I tell him.
"I'll need some privacy. Can you handle everyone all on your lonesome?"
"Sure," I chirp. "I live with you, don't I?"
Rome raises his eyebrows in mock offense. But he's smirking when he duck into his office.
I finish piling up the chips, then take all the bowls to the dining table one by one. They form an arrangement of rainbow-colored flavors and smells. Red salsas, yellow cheeses, green guacamoles and white tortillas in between. Very tempting. I resist the urge for a quick taste and go back to the main room.
Nick and Tamala have pressed themselves against the glass well Their noses make small imprints against the towering row of windows that encloses the entire front side of our apartment. It's terrifying at first. Then, you realize you can see the streets below your feet and the clouds before your head and it becomes exhilarating.
Neither of them notice me, whispering amongst themselves.
"If we fell from here, do you think we'd survive?" Nick asks. Looks like they're friends already.
"Nah," Tamala says. Tonight, she's put glitter in her hair so that it sparkles in the light. "We'd probably splat so hard that our bones would go flying in hundreds different directions. It'd take years to put us back together."
