Capítulo 27: Twenty-Six
Ever since Kat got that note from a guy named Sun. Someone who I never met by the way, she has been really happy.
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for her. I just don't trust somebody who's family of John Mercer, adopted or not. The other day Rona suggested to Kat that we should all go on a double date. Kat then told Rona and I that she was grounded for two months.
"Not for the poster thing!?" I remembered asking her.
She shook her head. "No. For something else that happened in my neighborhood." I raised my brow at her.
"Maybe I should stop by this neighborhood of yours. You know, to find out what you did. Since you don't seem interested in telling me."
She only looked at me before saying, "It's something you wouldn't understand."
Even though I said, "Okay then," casually, I was steamed. I hate when my own parents tell me stuff like, 'You'll understand when you're older' or 'It's above your paygrade right now'. If I'm mature enough to understand current events and gory movies then I'm sure as hell mature enough for adult things. It stung more that that sort of talk came from my best friend though.
Which is why I approached her cousin Hernando. I haven't spoken to him recently so I was surprised to see him look a bit different. He had the faded mark of a shiner around his right eye and a yellow bandana tied around his upper arm. "Nando?" I asked in greeting.
"Oh, hey Cabron," he replied.
"Hey, um...." I seriously have to stop with those word placers if I'm going to be taken seriously in debate. "Can you tell me what happened with Kat? She told me she got grounded by her mom but not why."
Hernando looked left and right down the hall before saying, "All I can tell you is that you don't want to know. It doesn't concern you, Kit."
"To hell it doesn't, man! Kat's my best friend and she's never hid stuff from me."
"Or, she didn't tell you everything," Hernando replied with a shrug. "Don't overthink it too much. She's happy and that's what's important."
"Have you ever met this guy named Sun?" I asked Hernando.
"No, but he's been nice to Kat so I have no reason to meet him do I?" he asked me back. Hernando starts to walk away, when he stops and turns his shoulders towards me. "You know, for someone who has a girlfriend already, you seem very concerned for my cousin Kat." Hernando's sneer said exactly what was on his mind.
I give him a sneer back. "I could say the same about you and Stoner Sal but I don't like to assume, you know." With those words, I quickly walked away.
Not fast enough apparently since I heard him yell, "That doesn't explain why you care about my cousin so much!" That was yesterday. Today, I'm left to wonder about what really goes on in Kat's neighborhood.
To be frank, I have no idea. The only reason my family and I even enter South Tucson is when we want to eat some Mexican food and that's in the daytime. And even though I didn't ask Hernando why he had a shiner, I can't help but think maybe he got a shiner because he was protecting Kat for some reason. I should've asked him yesterday because he's not at school today! Only Kat got on the bus today.
My feet carry me near Kat's locker. As she stands there, grinning at some message on her phone. "Is that the mystery guy I've never met?" I ask her coyly. She looks up at me and blushes.
"Maybe."
"Bull! It is," I reply.
"If you already know then why did you ask?"
"Wanted you to admit it was him. Is his name really Sun or was he trying to be cute?" I ask the question nonchalantly but I'm eager to hear her answer.
"It's his real name. Or at least, I think it is. It's how he introduced himself when we first met, anyway." Kat texts back a reply before looking up at me again. "Anyway, what's up?"
"Well, I was thinking. You've seen my home. It's long overdue for me to see yours. Remember? You said I could visit your home." Kat's eyes take on a panicked expression. "Is everything alright at home? I saw Nando's shiner yesterday and I can't help but feel concerned."
Kat shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "Don't be. Nando's just been involved in some stupid stuff lately. Although, he dragged me into...some of it."
"There my best friend goes again; being vague." She looks away from me guiltily, causing me to feel bad for bringing out a reaction like that from her. "I understand if I can't visit your home until after your grounded time period is over, but I'm letting you know, Kat. I'm serious. You owe me the chance to visit your home. Hell, at this point I think you owe me both a view of your home and a tour of your neighborhood since I might have to wait for a really long time till I see either."
Kat sighs as she puts her phone away. "Alright, I understand. I don't like it, but I understand it. I'll ask my mom if my best friend can come over and visit or if he's got to wait till my grounding is over too."
"Thanks, I really appreciate that," I reply. "By the way, I know what I'll be for Halloween."
"What is it?" she asks me with a smirk.
"This year for the first time ever, I'm going to be one half of a couple's costume. Rona will be Maid Marian and I'll be Robin Hood." Kat snorts and I frown. "It was either that or Mary Poppins & Bert." This time Kat roars in laughter.
"I think you'd be a great chimney sweep, Kit," Kat replies with a grin.
"Well, enough about me. What are you going to dress up as on Halloween?" Kat shrugs and my jaw drops. "Do you need suggestions? I can give you a list of other Halloween costume ideas I had for myself that I never did!" I'm about to rattle off a few of them when the bell rings. I didn't even go to my locker yet. "Crap! I'll give you a complete list of my best costume ideas at lunch okay!"
Kat shakes her head at me but is still smiling. "Okay, Kit." As I run away I smile.
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