Secrets & Surrender 2 by L.G. Castillo Read Free Book Online

the car into an empty spot near the Rio Vista Park, wondering how I was going to convince Kristie that dressing up as a red grasshopper for the talent show was not a good idea. I thought giving her my last Twinkie would get her to stop talking long enough that I ‘d be able to present my case.
    I was wrong.
    “I can’t wait to thank your mom for sewing my costume. I called everywhere looking for it, and I can’t believe no one carries it.” Kristie popped the last piece of the Twinkie into her mouth.
    Well, there went that plan.
    “I don’t think many stores have a demand for an El Chapulín Colorado costume.”
    It was all Steve’s fault. One drunken night in his dorm room plus a broken remote control, and we were all suddenly watching re-runs about a clumsy superhero dressed as a red grasshopper known as El Chapulín. Somewhere between tequila shots and Steve hitting on Nic, I somehow actually agreed with Kristie that doing an El Chapulín skit for the talent show and having her run around stage wearing red stockings and antennas was a good idea.
    Yep, it was totally Steve’s fault.
    After that night, there was no changing her mind, especially after she found an exact replica of El Chapulín’s big plastic red hammer at a flea market. She was so excited.
    I hauled a case of Big Red out of the trunk. I couldn’t believe that we were only a couple of weeks away from the performance. Between work, classes, and rehearsals, the weeks seemed to have flown by. In a blink, winter turned to spring and everyone working on the show decided to barbecue in the park and go tubing down the river. The students invited everyone who was helping with the show, which included my mom, who had helped with the costumes.
    “So, remind me again why you want to be El Chapulín?”
    I set the case of soda next to one of the ice coolers, thankful that Julian wasn’t here yet. The less I saw of him the better. Maybe I’d get lucky and he wouldn’t show up.
    Two more weeks to go and I wouldn’t have to see him ever again if I didn’t want to. Of course, there would still be the times that he came to visit Juan. That I could handle. It was easy enough to lock myself in my room and avoid him. It was also a huge plus that Nic had stopped taking lessons because he was getting a little behind in some of his classes. Though part of me wondered if that was really the reason he had quit.
    After the Christmas dinner incident, I had vowed to keep all my interactions with Julian exclusively business. And it had worked. As long as I didn’t look him in the eye, I survived the dance rehearsals. Julian seemed to have changed too. I guess he got the hint because each time he touched me, it was with a professional air.
    I nodded, half paying attention to what Kristie was saying about taking theater in high school, but had never had a chance to be on stage, and that sometimes she felt like an underdog just like El Chapulín. I kept glancing down at my watch, hoping Nic would get here before Julian.
    “Ooh, there’s your mom,” Kristie said. “I’ll be right back to help you with the drinks after I talk with her.”
    “Okay.” I tore into the case, taking out the drinks.
    “Mandi, you’re here.” Chela walked over to me.
    “Hey, Chela,” I said.
    Chela was huge telenovela fan. She was nice, except when she was around Julian. He seemed to bring out the worst in her. I didn’t think she liked him that much despite them being cousins.
    Yeah, I liked Chela.
    “Can you help me with the ice? There’s another bag over there. Can you open it and put it in the ice chest?”
    “Yeah, sure.”
    As I lined the bottom of the ice chest with soda, I watch Kristie’s hands waving as she talked with Mom. Poor Mom. Although she was getting better at understanding English, I could tell she was having troubling following Kristie. Hell, even I had a hard time understanding Kristie when she was excited. The girl talked so fast her words came out like the hum