Free The Family by Marissa Kennerson Page B

sashayed down the hallway away from them. Leo nodded after her, a slight smile playing on his lips.
    With Hazel gone, Twig’s stomach had become a swarm of fluttering butterflies. Leo didn’t have just one color. He was a rainbow. She didn’t know what to say. She expected Marianna to whisk her away at any minute.
    “Can I ask you a question?” she finally forced the words out of her mouth.
    “Yeah,” Leo said sweetly. He leaned toward her.
    “What is that?” Twig pointed to the small silver machine.
    “This?” Leo looked surprised.
    “Yes.”
    Twig winced a little, she was sure she had just confirmed herself as a space alien in his eyes. Leo noticed her embarrassment.
    “It’s an called an iPod Nano. It plays music.”
    “It’s so little.”
    “Yeah, I’m surprised you haven’t seen one. Want to try it?”
    Twig shook her head. “No, no. That’s okay, really. I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have asked.”
    “Please,” Leo said gently. “Give it a try. If you’d like to.”
    Twig looked up at Marianna. Marianna smiled, nodding and urging her on.
    “Okay,” Twig said shyly.
    Leo hopped to Twig’s side. He began to hand Twig the small globes, which he called earbuds, but the cords got tangled in her cast.
    “Let me,” Leo said.
    He leaned on one of his crutches and gently pushed Twig’s current tangle of blond hair behind her ears. Twig shivered at his touch. She tried to stay still, but she felt as if she were going to fly out of the chair. Leo placed the little buds in Twig’s ears as carefully as if he were handling glass. Suddenly, he took one out and looked at Twig seriously.
    “Wait, you just had a head injury, didn’t you?”
    “Yes.” Twig nodded.
    “Okay, I’m going to play something super mellow and super low. Another time I can really show you what this is all about.”
    “Okay,” Twig whispered, thinking she especially liked the idea of there being another time.
    “Hey, where do you live? I mean, you look American, but if you don’t know what a Nano is…”
    Twig thought about how to answer this question. She decided to go with the simplest answer.
    “Near Turrialba.”
    “No way!” Leo beamed.
    That smile.
    “We’re staying in Turrialba. I’m from the States, but we’re traveling for a few months before school starts. I deferred until the spring,” Leo explained. He paused for a beat and then went on. “We came here to learn Spanish, take surf trips on the weekends, and just chill.” Leo looked in the direction of his casted foot. “Thus the foot. Surf spill. I’m getting my cast off today.”
    Twig had no idea what “deferring until spring” meant or what “surf trips” were (she assumed something to do with the water), but she liked listening to Leo talk, and she was amazed that he was staying in Turrialba. Not that she’d ever been there, but it was close to the Family’s compound. The States certainly were not.
    “I hope this doesn’t sound lame, but you’re really cute.” Leo looked bashful as he said this. All of his earlier dancing-bravado had disappeared for the moment.
    Twig beamed. She couldn’t help herself. She felt this strange, happy lightness just from being around him.
    “Look, do you have an email or a number?” Leo asked.
    “What is going on here?”
    Adam. He had snuck up from behind them.
    Twig had completely forgotten about him. About Avery and Doc. She had been so absorbed in the moment. Twig stared up at Adam; he looked furious.
    Adam glared at Leo with quiet venom, waiting for an answer.
    “Get out of here. I’ll take her back,” Adam spat at Marianna.
    “It’s okay, sir. I will take her.”
    “Go,” Adam said, taking a deep breath. He looked like he was about to explode. Twig glanced up at Marianna. She wanted to apologize for Adam. For the first time in her life, she felt embarrassed of him. She had seen him when he punished people, but this was different. All of his vitality and charm was gone as if he had turned them