For Just a Moment

7

"These cookies are.....mmmmm.....oh my god...." was what my brother said the next morning, as he tried Rubi's Abuela's cookies for the first time.

"I know, right?" I grinned at him over my bowl of cereal.

"Where did you say you got these?" He smiled, and I motioned for him to wipe off the little stain of chocolate above his lip.

"My friend Rubi's grandma made them," I answered, as he groaned again.  It dawned on me how isolated the two of us were.  It felt a bit lonely sometimes, just the two of us in an apartment; like we were marooned on a desert island, away from the rest of civilization, or something.  Homemade chocolate chip cookies should not be as momentous as they were, but then again, these were no ordinary cookies.

"I'm glad you're making friends," he looked into my eyes carefully.  "You um....pretty much seem like you've cut ties with your old friends.  That right?"

I focused hard on my spoon.  "They're team Aaron," I shrugged, thinking about the kids I had known my whole life.  Not one of them had believed me.  Not that I cared anymore.  "Just like Dad," I said in a low voice.  I looked back into his eyes.  The smile had been erased.  "You're the only one who picked team Molly."  I tried to smile at him, tried to bring the lightness back, but his eyes looked tortured, and once again guilt washed over me.  He was only letting me live with him now because I refused to go back to my Dad's house.  He felt like he had no choice.  This wasn't fair to him.  I looked back down at my spoon.  The cereal looked soggy and unappealing.

I could hardly follow Rubi's line of conversation, still lost in thought over the look on my brother's face, when Fernando surprised me into attention by, well....speaking.

"You should come to my soccer game after school," He said, concentrating hard on the rock he was kicking between his feet as we waited for the bus stop.

"Oooh, YEAH!" Rubi exclaimed.  "Let's go and take the late bus home together, huh Molly?"

"Sure," I shrugged.  "I hear the team is pretty good this year."

It may have been my imagination, but I think that Fernando's ears pinkened a little bit.

"Hey so wanna eat lunch together today?  I think I know where to find Ali, too.  No more bathroom stall for you, baby!" Rubi looped her arm through mine.  I laughed and followed Fernando onto the bus.

When lunch time rolled around, Rubi, Ali and I found an empty table in the quietest corner (if there was such a thing) of the cafeteria. Though Trinity sat with a table of friends at one end of the cafeteria, she nodded at us as we walked by.  Rubi grinned at her broadly, but for once managed to keep her thoughts inside her head.  Being around Rubi made the cafeteria almost bearable.  She was constantly smiling, happily waving at kids she knew from various classes and clubs.  She was even chummy with the lunch supervisors.

I spotted Layla, holding court in the center of the cafeteria with a group of equally gorgeous girls and boys, including Noah Nazarian.  I don't know why it surprised me.  He certainly looked like he belonged at their table.  He laughed and smiled at Layla and her similarly gorgeous friends, just as he did with everyone.  Even me.  There was nothing special about Noah asking me if I wanted to study with him, or taking the time to run with me.  He was just a friendly, funny, popular guy.  And I was just another girl to him.

I had to grudgingly admit, though, he had some serious soccer skills.  Fernando played well.  But Noah scored three times, winning the game in overtime.  It was fun to watch him holler in triumph, and pump his fist in the air, but then everyone crowded around him until he disappeared from view.