Free Amigas and School Scandals by Diana Rodriguez Wallach Page A

right!” he said between breaths.
    I slowly placed the phone back on my ear.
    â€œAnyway,” I huffed, hoping to shake off the last thirty seconds. “How’s college, aside from Professor McSkanky?”
    â€œIt’s awesome. Parties every night, people are totally cool. Classes suck, though. They doled out mega assignments on the first day.”
    â€œWhat, no lectures on the practical applications of high school chemistry?”
    â€œI wish. One professor gave us seventy-five pages to read. Seriously, like I don’t have any other classes?”
    Actually, right now, college courses and dorm rooms sounded like absolute heaven. I closed my eyes and tried to picture what it was like where he was. I could almost see the stone buildings, the grassy quads, the kids in jeans and baseball caps. I could feel leather-bound books against my skin and smell the stale beer. I wished I was there. Part of me wanted to dive in a car and drive up to visit him right now—only I’d need a driver’s license first.
    â€œSo, why you callin’? Boy trouble? Ballet catastrophe?” he asked.
    â€œNo, I wish,” I grumbled.
    â€œDon’t tell me, you finally realized our parents suck, and you’ve run away from home,” he joked.
    â€œWell, close ... Teresa’s moving here. Like soon. She met some guy on the Internet ... from Jersey.”
    â€œSeriously? That was quick.”
    â€œI know, right? But get this. Dad already knew about it. She told him this summer when we were in Utuado.”
    â€œAnd let me guess, he didn’t tell you?”
    â€œOf course not. Teresa e-mailed Lilly.”
    â€œMan, Dad’s gotten shady.” Vince chuckled.
    â€œIt’s not funny. You saw Uncle Diego at the barbeque. He totally spazzed.”
    â€œYeah, but what are you gonna do? Grandpop had another kid. End of story.”
    â€œBut it’s not just that. It’s Dad ,” I hissed in a burst of frustration. “You should have heard him tonight. ‘Mariana this has nothing to do with you. You’re so dramatic .’ Like I don’t exist. Like I don’t have a right to have an opinion on my own family.”
    Vince’s voice swelled with amusement. “Well, finally! Welcome to my world. You’ve been some sort of Daddy’s girl your whole life. It’s about time you got a taste of the real him.”
    â€œOh, please. He made himself very clear when he shipped me off to Puerto Rico.”
    â€œBut, still. You didn’t believe me all those years I fought with him. You thought I was the jerk. Trust me, it goes both ways.”
    I closed my eyes and sighed. I didn’t want to fight with my dad the way Vince did, but I also couldn’t stop the hostility that was slowly poisoning our relationship.
    â€œMariana, you’re almost sixteen. You’ve got two more years before you go off to college. My advice: figure out a way to live with Mom and Dad ’til then.”
    â€œSo, this Teresa thing? What, I should just let it go?”
    â€œYup,” Vince answered assertively. “You are not gonna change Dad’s mind. I learned that the hard way. Just find a way to deal.”
    â€œEasier said than done.”
    â€œHey, you can come visit me and get away from it all. I promise, a half-case of beer, and you’ll forget all about Dad.”
    It didn’t sound like a bad idea. Any place was better than here at the moment.

Chapter 10
    B y Friday, I had found new reasons to be annoyed with my parents. Along with lying (by omission) about the impending arrival of my illegitimate half aunt, my mother was beginning to act as if she liked Lilly more than she liked me. In the past forty-eight hours, my mom had not only suggested that I be more like my cousin (“Mariana, you should hang out with some of Lilly’s friends.” “Mariana, maybe you should try tennis again.”), she was also insisting I