and jumped out, slamming the passenger door in Fabiâs face.
âAlexis, we have to talk!â Fabi cried, yanking the truck door back open and following her sister up the front walk.
âIâm not talking to you!â Alexis slammed the metal gate to their yard, making a loud clang. Inside the house, their baby brother started to cry. Then a light blazed on behind the curtains. Fabiola squeezed her eyes shut in frustration.
âCan you at least try to keep it down?â Fabi hissed. âPeople are trying to sleep.â
âBe quiet. Go to class. Talk to these people. Donât talk to those,â Alexis spat in a mocking voice. âIâm tired of you always bossing me around, telling me who I can and canât be friends with. Youâre such a hypocrite. You think youâre better than everyone, but then you go and party with those same people and tell me I canât!â
âAlexis â â
The porch light came on, illuminating the sisters standing toe-to-toe.
âNo, Fabi. You canât tell me what to do anymore. Iâm not a little girl.â
âI know that.â
âDo you? Do you really? Look at me.â Alexis stood taller in her too-tight shirt and painted-on jeans. âIâm practically grown. I can make my own decisions.â She locked eyes with her sister. âIâm not like you. Iâm sorry high school sucks for you. I really am. But I donât want to be you. I want to be my own person. Why canât you just understand that?â
Her words stung like a hard slap across the face. Fabiola wanted to shrink into a little ball and cry, but just then the front door opened. Their dad, wearing a faded Spurs T-shirt and boxer shorts, filled the doorway with a menacing frown. Behind him, their baby brother wailed as Magda tried to rock him back to sleep.
âWhat is the meaning of this?â Leonardo demanded.
âI donât want to talk about it!â Alexis said as she pushed her way past her father. âI hate you. I hate all of you!â she cried, storming down the hall and slamming her bedroom door.
Leonardo turned to Fabi for an explanation. He folded his arms in front of his chest. Fabi cowered under his disapproving stare. She couldnât stand to disappoint her family.
âItâs not what you think ââ
âSo, what is it?â
Fabi paused and licked her lips. Her throat felt really dry. âIâm the one who dragged her home.â
âWhat was your sister doing out? You know she is not allowed to go out.â
âI donât know. I was just as shocked to see her show up at the party.â
âFabiola.â Her father sighed. She could feel the disappointment in his voice. âYou are responsible for your sister. You know that. Your mom and I canât do everything. Itâs hard enough running the restaurant, especially with your new baby brother â¦. There are a lot of people depending on us.â
âI understand.â
âI donât think you do.â Leonardo sniffed. âHave you been drinking?â
âNo, I swear. Okay, so maybe a little sip.â
His eyes blazed with anger. âDonât lie to me!â
âIâm trying not to!â
âJust stop! Stop talking. I canât trust you just to watch your little sister. You can forget about the trip to New York with your aunt.â
âBut, Dad, thatâs my quince ââ Fabi reached out to him, but he jerked away. She tried again. âYou donât understand. I had nothing to do with what Alexis ââ
Leonardo raised his calloused hand in a threatening manner and Fabi jumped back instinctively. Her dad caught himself and stopped. He would never hit her, but the moment startled them both.
After a moment Leonardo glanced at his watch and cursed. âGet changed.â
At first Fabi thought he meant she should put on her pajamas, but then he added,