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Lily shakes her head. “She ate some of it.”
Everyone stares at the leftovers like a critical piece of evidence. Dahlia grew up like the rest of us, following three main rules: don’t lie, don’t cheat, and don’t leave any food on your plate.
Ma kicks my chair.Go talk to her, she mouths.
I rise from my chair. “I’ll be back.”
The wrinkles etched into Rosa’s face smooth out as I comb through my mental list of pros and cons.
Pro: You’re doing the right thing.
Con: It doesn’t exactly feel that way.
The quick shake of Rafa’s head and his fierce scowl has me questioning myself.
Pro: Your mom will no longer set you up on dates.
Con: You’ll be stuck working with Dahlia.
I tell myself to shut up and take a deep breath.
Thank you, Ma says by lifting her two thumbs in the air.
Before I lose my nerve, I walk away. The sound of my heart pounding fills my ears as I stop in front of Dahlia’s door. I lift my fist to knock, only to hover above a hand-painted flower.
To describe Dahlia as talented would be insulting. She has a God-given gift to turn the most mundane objects into works of art, although I never stepped out of my comfort zone and praised her for it.
Once I lift my fist to knock, her door flies open.
“Julian?” Dahlia gapes at me with puffy eyes and a red nose.
I tuck my clenched hands into my pockets. “Hey.”
“Is there a reason you’re lurking around outside my room?” She checks the empty hall.
“I need to talk to you.”
She squints. “Since when do you willingly want to speak?”
“Since my mother asked me to.”
Her hollow laugh is chilling. “Still doing everything your mom asks? No wonder you’re still single.”
“I knew coming over here was a mistake,” I grumble to myself. Dahlia will never agree to the idea of working on a project together if I come out and ask her.
My trap forms quicker than my mouth can move.
“Feel free to get lost.” She reaches for the door.
I stop it from slamming shut with my hand. “Wait.”
A wrinkle runs down the center of her forehead. “What?”
“Oliver and you are done?”
Her eyes turn into slits. “Are you only asking me so you can gloat?”
“No.” Although her false accusation makes me want to.
