Libertad by Bessie Flores Zaldívar

Author:Bessie Flores Zaldívar [Zaldívar, Bessie Flores]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Young Adult, Contemporary, Historical
ISBN: 9780593696125
Amazon: 0593696123
Goodreads: 202777386
Publisher: Dial Books
Published: 2024-08-26T22:00:00+00:00

* * *

Mornings turn cooler as October flies by. Rain season is nearly over, and we’ve been spared any major hurricanes this year. Jacaranda trees blossom bright purple, flame trees a deep vermillion red. I love the city this time of the year. I can’t wait for the election to be over so we can move on to all the Christmas festivities.

On the downside, we leave for school earlier. Mami’s had us leaving at six every day for the past week or so. She’s working on the big wedding scheduled the night before the elections, ten days away now. She comes home late too, and almost immediately passes out in her room. In some ways, it saves me from having to see her—the awkwardness between us is still there, still palpable.

In other ways, I miss her…a lot. I miss her hotel gossip, and hearing about her day. Without her, our dinners are mostly Maynor and Alberto talking fútbol, Abuela and I barely following.

At least there’s Dani. She texts me good morning, and I text back a smiley face as I walk to the usual table between the cafeteria and soccer field. None of my friends are here yet, so I sit and lay my head down, pulling my jacket over my face. All I want to do is nap, even if just for ten minutes. Staying up late to talk Dani is worth it, but most days I feel like I’m not gonna make it to lunch.

I’m near drifting off when I hear steps and feel a presence beside me. I’m hoping it’s Valeria or Carla—or even Cami, though we haven’t talked much lately. But when I emerge from under my jacket, Pablo is standing next to me.

“Hey,” he says, raising an eyebrow. “No one’s ever here this early.”

His hair is still wet, slicked to the side. He smells like fresh laundry and deodorant. My eyes gravitate to the tip of his nose, pink from the cool breeze.

“Oh. Yeah, my mom…she’s been dropping us off earlier and earlier. Busy at work.”

He nods and sits across from me. I don’t think we have ever been alone together before. Have ever talked, just the two of us.

“If you want to really nap, you should go to the library,” Pablo says, and I can’t tell if he’s being kind or hinting that I should leave.

“Thanks…but I’m okay.” I cross my arms and set them on the table, resting my chin on top of them. The wind picks up a strand of my hair, tossing curls into my eyes, as a heavy silence descends between us.

“I’ll get you a coffee!” Pablo says. He stands up so fast it startles me. Before I can tell him I don’t want anything, he’s jogging toward the cafeteria. Five minutes later, he walks back with a small black coffee and a Coke.

“Thanks,” I say, taking the hot foam cup.

“No problem.” A ding, and Pablo pulls his phone out from his back pocket. He sighs. “Cami’s bus is stuck in traffic again.

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