Free Ashes and Ice by Rochelle Maya Callen

dissipates.
    “Connor, do you know Stephen?”
    I nod, “Yeah.” I look up at him. “You graduated last year, right?”
    “Uh-huh.” His voice is edged in annoyance, as if he’s pissed I am included in the conversation. He starts putting the movie in a bag.
    “Oh! We don’t need a bag.” Jade reaches for the movie, but he holds it protectively, just out of reach.
    “Oh, okay.” He hesitates and then slowly hands it over.
    “Thanks!” Jade plucks it out of his hand and pivots to the door, pulling on the sleeve of my shirt to follow her.
    “See you again soon.” He calls out to us. Her.
    “Sure thing.” I say, happy to see the annoyed look on his face as we step out.
    After hearing the ding of the closed door, I turn to Jade. “That guy is totally into you.”
    “What? Stephen. No way.”
    “Yeah. It’s so obvious. He hasn’t asked you out?” My chest tightens waiting for the answer.
    “Naw, you got it all wrong.” She shakes her head, skipping on the stones so her feet don’t touch the cracks. “He just sees me all the time so, you know, we chat sometimes.”
    “What about?”
    “Movies, mostly.”
    Yeah, I’m sure movies aren’t what he’s thinking about when he’s with her. “Cool.”
    We walk in silence for a bit. It’s hot outside, like always, and I notice how the sweat clings to her hair and makes her skin shiny.
    “So, does your family know I’m coming over? Or do your friends always just stop by?”
    I don’t know whether to tell her my mom was giddy when I called her to let her know I was bringing someone home or to tell her I don’t have other friends who would ever just drop by. “Yeah, my mom’s expecting you.”
    She stiffens slightly.
    “You okay?”
    “Absolutely.” She smiles, but she still looks a bit preoccupied. Could she be nervous about meeting my family? I know I am, especially because six out of the seven nights of the week, my uncles are over… and nothing is ever predictable when my uncles are over.
    “Hey guys.” I say as we walk through the door. “We’re home.” The guys—heads down, staring at their poker cards—nod. “Hey Connor.” Grunts and “heys” follow, but all their attention is on the game. Jesse leans back in his chair, balancing on the hind legs of it. “I so got you boys.” He says grinning and throwing a few more chips in the center of the table.
    “That’s what you think, smart ass.” Wade says, matching his bet. “So Connor, you’re home late.” He’s so focused that his brow is furrowed. A telltale sign he’s bluffing. “You actually gettin’ a life or what?”
    I cringe. I was right to be nervous. This is going to be hell. Before I know it, Jade will be looking at naked baby pictures of me. “Uh, actually, Jade and I picked up a movie so we’ll just go upsta—”
    “Who?” Wade looks up, eyes widen, and he sits back in his seat. “Oh, hello!”
    “Hey.” Jesse glances toward us to be polite and quickly returns to his hand. I almost see the leather boots and fishnets register in his mind as his mouth gapes open and he stumbles backward, chair and all. He jumps back up, looks at us nervously, and then back to the table. “Damn chair.” He swallows and sits back down.
    Jade looks away, pressing her lips in a tight line as if she’s stifling laughter.
    “So are you going to introduce us to your friend, Connor?” Harry says in his warm way.
    “I’m Jade.” Jade says smiling, walking up to them. “I’m new at school. Connor is showing me around.” She goes to the table and puts a hand on the back of Jesse’s chair. “Poker, huh?”
    “Yeah.” Jesse sits up straighter, awkwardly.
    “Yep, you play?” Wade asks.
    “Absolutely.” Jade smirks.
    Jesse looks up. His eyes widen, then he swallows. Yeah, I had the same reaction when she smirked at me the first time. I step between them to create an invisible off-limits sign. Jesse, six years older than me, sometimes seems ancient, but right now, the age