It all started with a game

Chapter 9

"Good to know we're on the same page."

Weirdo. I sighed. "Ratatouille it is."

Mateo had some odd obsession with ratatouille ever since we watched the movie. I've made it about a hundred times just so he can devour the whole pan by himself.

I made my way into the kitchen, the house completely silent considering I was the only one home. Where in the world my sister, Alexia, was, I had no clue. If people thought I was a player, Alexia was worse. Unlike me, Alexia slept around for the fun of it and not just when she didn't want to deal with her feelings. I swear she's never home anymore. Her bed hasn't been slept in in weeks.

I knew way more about her sex life than I ever wanted to but considering I was always the one who had to cover for her when Malik, our step father, asked about her whereabouts, it came with the job description.

"If that stuff doesn't make her fall in love with you immediately, then I don't know what will." Mateo joked.

"Ah yes, ratatouille: the secret to love."

"Finally, you're understanding." His voice trailed off. "Maybe I should give Maria some of your ratatouille."

I could hear Mamá Garcia shout on the other end of the phone before I could comment on his last remark. "Mateo Juvernón Garcia!"

I withheld my laughter at the use of Mateo's full name. I could still hear kids in the playground singing that stupid chant after they found out Mateo's middle name: 'Juvernón es un huevón'. I like to thank it for our friendship.

Mateo and I have been best friends ever since first grade after we landed ourselves in the principal's office together. Some kids were making fun of him with that dumb chant and I ended up trying to be a hero, getting my ass handed to me. But despite the fact that Mateo and I were the ones bleeding in various places, they sent the two of us to the office together.

My dad had never looked so proud of me.

Mateo cursed, shuffling around quickly. "Mate, I got to go."

I didn't even get a chance to reply before the call was ended. Someone's in trouble.

I continued cutting the vegetables, my mind getting lost in the process and before I knew it the dish was coming out of the oven and the doorbell was ringing.

I opened the door to find a very sluggish Beatrice standing on the other side. Her hair had been messily tossed up, she'd been decked out in sweats, and, at the moment, her eyes were barely open.

She gave me a half smile, taking another sip of the Red Bull resting in her hand as she nodded in a form of a greeting.

She looks like she got hit by a bus.

I had never seen one person look so tired and dead inside and yet here she was looking like a walking corpse. "Well someone's happy to see me," I teased, stepping aside and letting her in.

"That's just the three Red Bull's talking, don't get your hopes up." She patted my chest, making her way inside.

I stared at her in disbelief. "Three Red Bull's?"

She ignored my question, walking towards the kitchen. "I smell food."

I shut the front door, following behind her as she sniffed out the source of the smell.

"Here, I can set your bag in my room," I offered, taking the backpack from her hand.

She gave me a quick thank you, wandering around my kitchen, exploring her new surroundings like a lost puppy dog.