Chapter 22: Veintiuno
The next morning I was organizing my locker which already became a mess when I heard Kit say, "Sidebar."
"Uh, okay?" I replied as I shut my locker and follow him out of the busy hallway. "What for?"
Kit whips around and shakes my hand. "Hello, my name is Kit Adair and my mom's an alcoholic."
Raising my eyebrow I snort. "I'm not following."
"Last night my home witnessed a miracle!" We walk towards one of the exit doors which had nobody near it. "My mom actually admitted she had a problem with alcohol. Only part I don't like is that I have to be in on the meetings too."
I shook my head as I said to Kit, "Back up. Your mom's an alcoholic? She seemed fine when I met her."
Kit looked at me like I was a child. "Of course she seemed fine, Kat. She's been..." he looked around us just to make sure nobody was listening in. "She's been drinking alcohol like water as long as I could remember. She's built up her tolerance to the buzz."
"You never told me that," I whispered. "Why didn't you?"
Kit blushed as he said, "Because I was embarrassed. There's a reason you only ever saw my dad before now and that's because he's the only sober parent I've got."
Well, it's not like Hernando goes about telling people his mom's an addict. Even though most of the kids in our neighborhood already figured out as much. It's why Hernando never brings friends home.
Only because when he gets there he doesn't know what state of mind his mom will be in.
"Well, thank you for confiding in me, I guess," I replied. "I have a family member with an addiction too; my aunt Linda."
"I'm sorry, Kat. Why didn't YOU ever tell me that?" he asked.
I looked away from him as I said, "I felt ashamed."
"Which is a form of embarassment too." When I looked back at him, Kit looked sad. "Hmm... we'll talk about that later."
After Kit said that the first bell rang. "See you around, Kat," he replied as he walked away.
Kit doesn't have a right to feel sad for me holding out on him! I'm the one who should be feeling sad about it. Which is why even though we sat near each other in the classes we were in together, we kept the talk about school and in-classroom projects. Never veering towards personal familial issues.
Which was for the best. Since Kit and Rona were enthusiastically speaking with one another. One second they were talking about each other's favorite foods and the next they were talking about the current state of displaced Syrian refugees. It was definitely interesting to hear, but harder to follow.
Not that I was trying to follow! For the most part.
I'm just glad I'm at home. I have to finish my math homework because I was given an extra day to complete it. It helped when I told the teacher I was with my cousin Hernando when he was at the airport. Everyone in school knows that Hernando's been interviewed by now. I just didn't see it on the news yet.
"KATRINA!" Uh-oh?
"Coming!" I reply as I go down the stairs to the living room. My mom points at the television when she sees me, and there's Hernando's interview from yesterday.
"I thought you and Nando went to the library on Saturday." She crosses her arms over her chest as she awaits my answer.
I'm about to let something slip when someone knocks on the door. "It's Nando!" Hernando shouts. I rush to the door and open it. He walks in and takes in my mom's glare.
"Tia Talia, I can explain..."
"Good. I'm waiting for somebody to do so."
Hernando's mouth is open, but no words come out. I point at the television screen, which already is onto the next story of the day.
"Well, the interview is pretty self-explanatory, mama..."
"So you went to the airport with Nando just so he can hold a sign?!" Mama shakes her head. "Oh, and on a bet. Where did this bet come from?"
Hernando closes his mouth for a moment. "Tia Talia, I went with Katrina to her best friend's house and that's how the bet started. Kit, well he beat me at tennis and..."
"I'm very disappointed in both of you!" says my mom. "You lied to me about where you were and because of your lies, you," she looks at Hernando as she says this, "made the news."
Hernando opens his mouth to speak again, when my mom puts up her hand to stop him. "However, since I see your bet did no harm...I'll let it slide. You won't get grounded, Katrina. I think the publicity surrounding this idea is punishment enough."
"Gracias mama," I say with a smile.
"Also, I'd like to meet this friend of yours one day, Katrina. He seems like an interesting young man."
"He is mama, and he'd like to meet you too. But...he is..."
"A gringo?" supplies Hernando with a smirk.
My mom laughs at Hernando's interruption. "I'll try not to hold that against him," she replies cheerfully. "Unlike this last scheme of yours, I'd like a heads up that Kit is coming."
"Okay, I'll try."
"Try?" asks my mom with a raised eyebrow.
"Kit has a mind of his own. I'm surprised he hasn't just randomly popped into South Tucson yet." My mom and Hernando shares a look of alarm before looking at me.
Hernando laughs. "Kit isn't crazy enough to walk into South Tucson on his own. That's suicide."
I shrug as I add, "Kit hasn't said much about wanting to see my home since we studied with him..."
"Which was what? Just three days ago?" Hernando's questions are completely rhetorical. "He doesn't know what's good for him if he does step foot here. El Leon has been stepping up their game with people that are outsiders."
My mom wrinkles her nose at mention of the gangster's. "Maybe it's good there's outsiders visiting South Tucson. The more numbers of outsiders on the street, the less of a hold those pendejos might have."
I widen my eyes at my mom using a cuss word. She doesn't even like to cuss in English!
Also, I avoid looking at my cousin. I don't want to act too obvious when I'm supposed to be oblivious.
"Mama, I don't want me or my friend Kit to be stuck in a street war." After I say that my mom's eyes turn from livid to sad.
"I know Mija, I just got caught up in the moment." She touches my cheek with her hand as she says, "Instead, use that brain of yours. You're so smart! Both of you are; and I know you'll find a way to change the world."
Only question is....how will Hernando and I change the world?
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