The Innocent ↝ ÉLITE ¹

TWELVE

CHAPTER TWELVE
Birthday

          LOOKING INTO THE camera of her phone, Arlo wasn't happy with her appearance. She hadn't slept a wink and bags were forming under her eyes accompanied by a few spots breaking out on her forehead and not only had she forgot to put her concealer on that morning but she had also forgotten to bring it with her.

"Kid, no one will notice." Julio said with a chuckle. "Now get out or you'll be late for school."

"Love you too, Julio." Arlo laughed before she climbed out the car. "I'll see you later."

As she walked into school, Lu fell into step besides her. "Arlo, dear. How are you? Ah, I see you've taken my advice about keeping your hair up."

Arlo inhaled a sharp breath. "I'm fine and you?"

"I'm great. I was wondering if you want to share a ride to Guzmán's birthday party tonight." Lu spoke, twirling a strand of hair around her finger innocently. "Oh, shoot. Were you invited?"

Arlo smiled. "No. No, I wasn't."

"That's weird. I thought that since you two started talking again, you'd definitely be going. I'll give him my love for you." Lu beamed, blowing her a kiss as she walked away.

Arlo raised her eyebrows and shook her head. "Just another day in Las Encinas." The girl walked turned the corner to see Guzmán talking to Nadia before she walked away. Arlo then opened her bag and took out the present she got him. She skipped towards him and smiled as she hugged him, kissing his cheek. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you, Lo." Guzmán beamed before they pulled away.

"Here." Arlo said, handing him the present. "You open this after you open Marina's, okay?" Guzmán reached for the present, but the girl retracted her arm back. "Okay?"

The boy laughed. "Fine, okay!"

"Then here you go." The girl chuckled, giving him the present. "Have fun at your party tonight!"

Guzmán's smile dropped. "Lu told you." He deadpanned. "It's not a party, I swear. It's more of a family meal and she invited herself."

"Guzmán, it's fine."

"I swear, not even Ander or Polo are coming."

"It's fine!" Arlo insisted with a laugh.

"If you want, I can cancel the whole thing and we can celebrate instead." The boy suggested.

"No, don't do that. It's your family, you have to celebrate with them. Besides, I can't. I have plans with the two gremlins tonight."

Guzmán nodded, a look of disappointment washing over his face. "Oh, okay. See you in class."

"Guzmán–" Arlo called, but stopped when he entered a classroom. The girl sighed, closing her eyes as she threw her head back. "Nice job, Arlo."

She followed him into class to see Lu already all over him when he entered. The girl sighed before she made her way to her seat next to Ander who smiled at her.

"Hey, gorgeous." Christian beamed before kissing her cheek, catching Guzmán's attention from the front of the room and he tensed.

Arlo jumped slightly and slyly used the sleeve of her blazer to wipe her cheek. "Christian, hey." She smiled, but he was too busy smirking at Carla as she walked into the room and Arlo laughed. "Things are going well I take it."

Christian turned to Arlo and winked. "Really well. Like chemistry and biologically well."

Ander snorted in laughter while Arlo's eyes widened. Ander then inched forwards so he could see Christian. "That might have been a bit more than we needed to know."