Chapter 43

Saturday morning, the house chores were already halfway done thanks to my mom, but I still had to bust my ass. So I woke up early, threw my hair up in a messy ponytail, and went to sweep the backyard before Mariana got out of bed. The ground was covered in dry leaves, I swept it all up slow, trying not to make noise. Piled it into a heap, shoved it in a bag, and hauled it out to the alley by the house, leaving it there against the wall till Tuesday, when the trash truck came by.

When I finished, my body was all sweaty and my stomach growling like crazy. I headed inside and straight to the kitchen. The table was set, everyone already sitting there, just waiting on my stepdad who'd just gotten back from the bakery with hot bread. The smell filled the whole house, that fresh-baked dough scent that just wraps around you. I took a deep breath, feeling my gut twist.

I was starving.

"Jully, you want an egg with a runny yolk, honey?" my mom asked, stirring the pots on the stove.

"Yeah, Mom… just one."

"Auntie, make two, 'cause Jully needs a ton of protein!" Mariana butted in, being all pushy.

My mom turned to us with that watchful eye she had. Seriously, like radar. I was always amazed how she sniffed out anything off, like she was picking up vibes in the air.

"No, Mom, just one. And you shut your mouth, okay?" I shot back, giving Mariana a light kick under the table.

My stepdad was acting normal, chill, like nothing had ever happened between us. Like we'd never swapped those dirty pics. The thing is, now I was noticing him different… it was hard not to let my eyes slip to the bulge in his shorts, something that never caught my attention before.

"Mom, can you spot me some cash so I can go out this weekend with the guy?" I tried, sounding all innocent.

"Honey, only when the month's over… I'm broke. Put it on the card."

"Aw man! SPIN CYCLE CAR WASH IS GONNA BE FAMOUS!!!" Mariana yelled, bringing up the motel joke.

My stepdad cracked up without getting it. To him and my mom, it probably just sounded like another dumb teen joke not worth asking about. But he still added:

"Julia, you could help me out at my place with some stuff and I'll give you money. I'll pay you for cleaning."

My mom looked pleased, almost proud of the idea. I'd gone over there a few times to help her, his place was small, tidy, just needed some furniture moving and that kind of deep clean only a woman knows how to do. Guys are pigs and lazy, he was just a little less pig and less lazy.

"Can it be Monday?" I asked.

"Sure. I'll be at work and you can do it alone, take your time."

"But I need the money for Sunday now!"

"Haven't even worked and already want to get paid, Jully?" my mom teased, laughing at me.

My stepdad laughed too, shaking his head:

"Of course I'll give it to you, girl. It's not even for the work… I know you'd do it for free if I asked."

"Hahaha! But she wouldn't though!" Mariana jumped in, all sassy. "Uncle, you're way off."

"Here’s the money." He pulled out two big bills and set them on the table, like sealing a deal. "I'll pay you upfront, so you pencil it in and don't forget to come."

Without thinking twice, I slid the money over and stuffed it in my bra, laughing to myself, thrilled. It was way more than I'd even thought to ask for. In my stupidity, I didn't even consider the fallout right then. Just thought about the nice weight of the bills against my skin, like a prize.

We sat at the table chatting forever. The talk turned to the guy being broke: everything he had went to his car, and on top of that, no insurance. My mom took the chance to lecture me, of course: said I shouldn't spend my money on his car and that filling the tank was his job.

"I know that type of kid… next thing you know, my card's loaded with car parts."

"Mom, when have I ever put anything on your card that wasn't for me?" I fired back right away.

She threw out some snappy reply I didn't even catch where it came from. I just sat there kinda zoned out, staring.

"I just want money 'cause we're going out and I don't wanna be broke, asking a guy for stuff."

"That's right, Jully," my stepdad chimed in, backing me up. "A woman gotta be independent."

"Look at the feminist!" Mariana pointed at him, busting out laughing and poking fun.

Breakfast turned into kitchen cleanup and I put Mariana's yapping to work. It was only when she grabbed the broom that she remembered to say she had cramps. I rolled my eyes, but didn't let up: kitchen, then living room, and both bathrooms.

When it seemed like everything was done, I bolted upstairs to my room to pack my backpack. Threw in some books and notebooks just for show. My mom thought I was going to tutoring, but really I was gonna get waxed. Of course I'd pocket the tutoring money, I'm not dumb.

I rummaged through my closet hunting for a decent pair of panties. I was hairy, so nothing too skimpy. But all my panties were beat-up. Sucks being poor, I thought, holding up a frayed rag that barely passed for underwear.

Mariana showed up in the doorway, eyeing me.

"Cuz, come here… this motel thing… if he keeps pushing to take me, what're you gonna do?"

"Mariana, I know you don't really wanna go… but I don't even wanna think about him saying that. I'm gonna start getting jealous."

"It's just that we kinda planted that idea in his head too, right?"

"Yeah… we just keep fucking up, holy shit."

"Jully, better let that die and make sure it doesn't happen again. This swapping boyfriends shit ain't gonna work. Though… yours is hot, you know? I'd totally hit that. Worth cutting you off."

"Oh yeah, you slut!?" I said, pretending to be pissed.

She laughed, ran over and hugged me, planting kisses all over my face.

"Just kidding, cuz. I love you!"

She froze when she saw me go quiet, remembering something all of a sudden.

"Shit… I didn't even confirm with Diana that I'm going. Does she think I'm not?"

"But you said you had to confirm something?" Mariana asked, furrowing her brow.

"No… but don't I need to?"

"If you didn't say anything about confirming, you don't need to, duh! And it's risky if you do and she wants to cancel." Mariana said it with that sneaky look, and mine got even worse after.

"Yeah, right? Damn, Mariana… I'm so horny for her you wouldn't believe. She's everything I wanna be someday."

"Take me there one day…"

"Fuck! You wanna smother me with her too? Get a grip, damn it!"

Mariana rushed to shut the bedroom door. And when she did, the bomb dropped:

"Fuck, I get so damn horny when I'm on my period, dude…"

"And what do I care?" I shot back. "I'm not going down on you while you're bleeding, no way… shower first, girl, shower."

The next ten minutes were her trying to corner me in the room. When Mariana wanted something, she came on strong, wrestling me down, almost forcing it. But I wasn't in the mood. My head was on Diana, and I wanted to save it for her.

It was in the middle of that power play that my phone buzzed and saved me… or not.

It was a text from my stepdad:

"Honey, on Monday let me know if you need me home for the cleaning, I'll try to get to work late or leave early."

I read it and my whole body went cold. I got nervous, dizzy. The silence hung heavy in the room, till Mariana blurted:

"Cuz, he set this up to fuck you. You know that, right? And now?"

And now? Now we're screwed.