Chapter Forty-Seven

Lily looks like a rock star when she emerges from her room in her suit.

Abuela squeals in delight, leaving sloppy kisses on both our cheeks, and the tías snap pictures on their phones. They even make Lily do a min i– runway walk, shouting “¡Wepa!” when she surprises us with an unexpected twirl.

It already feels like I’ve crammed a lifetime into this day, and we still have photos, dinner, and the dance itself.

Abuela is looking at me and Lily with hearts in her eyes, growing weepier by the minute.

“Abuelo would be so proud of you girls,” she says again, putting a hand on each of our shoulders. “We need to take some pictures. ¡Vámanos!”

But she’s only half right, since we need everyone to arrive before we can really do that.

We wait out on the aut umn- decorated veranda. Sophie’s parents show up first, her dad a shar p-jawed, dark-hai red Vietnamese man with kind eyes, her mom a slim, graceful woman who always wears a bright smile. Marisol’s mami, Lisette (who looks more like Marisol’s sister than her mother), gets there next with Marisol’s stepdad, Robert, a polite blond-hai red green- eyed dude.

Then comes Noah, who has fully embraced the theme in a white, brown, and squash plaid tux, with his dads; Ruby, in a gorgeous, almost-floor-length halter dress with a dramatic collar and a daisy print, with her aunt; followed by Ari in a scarlet suit with a ruffled pink button- down; and, finally— finally, finally—Zay and his entire entourage: his mami, papi, and sisters.

The sight of him nearly makes my heart leap right out of my body.

His locs fall to either side of his face. He’s wearing a cocoa- colored bel l-bot tomed suit with oversize lapels and a cream- colored button-up— a color combination that goes so perfectly with my dress, it’s almost as if he planned it. He looks unbelievably good, and I think he means to say the feeling is mutual when his eyebrows go up at the sight of me and he mouths Wow. When he flashes me that gentle, easy grin of his, it takes everything in me not to run at him, full speed, and tackle him with a hug. Or a kiss. Maybe both.

Instead, I keep my feet firmly planted on the veranda, insides trembling as I watch him walk toward me. He leans in to give me a chaste kiss on the cheek, the two of us acutely aware of everyone, who all seem to be staring at us. It doesn’t stop electricity from shooting through my body.

“You look fucking incredible,” he whispers, voice low.

“All I want to do is sneak away and make out with you right now,” I whisper back.

Isaiah laughs and shakes his head, like he needs to push away the thought.

A hand touches my shoulder and I turn to see Isaiah’s mom. “How are you feeling, querida?” she asks, her question hanging heavy in the air.

It’s the first time tonight that anyone has even hinted at my recent hospital stay, though I could feel the question in the air well before she asked.

I nod at her and smile. “Much, much better.”

“And she’ll feel even better if we get to our dinner reservation on time— rig ht, Whitney?” Isaiah asks, catching my eye.

I smile at him, grateful. “Right! So, picture time?”

“Picture time!” Marisol shouts.

All at once, the veranda erupts into chaos. Titi Mariana and Marisol’s mom emerge as the natural leaders, directing us to pose like this and that, substituting one of us for another, snapping photos of the families, friend groups, and couples, with the couples exchanging corsages. We hit just about every combination imaginable.

For ty-five m inutes later, with cheeks aching from the nonstop smiling, the eight of us actually attending homecoming manage to extract ourselves from the smothering oohing and aahing and cram our bodies into Marisol’s black Escalade.

“That was a lot,” Lily muses once we’re settled in and moving.

“Sweet, though,” Ruby adds.

Lily smiles at her, reaching for her hand, and they interlock fingers. I’m seated next to the happy couple way in back, while Sophie, Noah, and Isaiah are in the second row, and Ari and Marisol lead us up front.

The car heads toward Friendly’s, a New England staple known for its ice cream and burgers, which we’ve agreed is the most ridiculous place to show up in our homecoming outfits. Anyone who has grown up in the area has been to a Friendly’s, and the one nearby is among the few left in the state that still does indoor dining.

I will also absolutely be getting myself one of its iconic Monster Mash Sundaes, which uses M&M’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to create the eyes and ears of an adorable monster face. Its nose is a cherry. Obviously.

My clutch vibrates from an incoming text on my phone. I smile to myself when I retrieve my phone, seeing that the notification is from Zay who, yes, is sitting right in front of me, but still.

Zay: heyyyyy

Me: Hiiii

Zay: kinda wish we could sit together

Me: Same

Me: But at least we’ll sit together at dinner?

Zay: of course

Zay: the real question is: which flavor ice cream are you getting?

Me: Cookies and cream!

Me: As part of the Monster Mash Sundae, of course

Zay: oh, of course

Zay: that’s the one with the peanut butter cup ears, right?

Me: Yes! Cutest sundae known to humankind, really.

Me: What’re you getting?

Zay: easy. chocolate ice cream, peanut butter topping, reese’s pieces sprinkled all over

Me: That sounds amazing

Me: Should we do the cute date thing and split one?

Zay: no offense

Zay: but

Zay: absolutely not

Zay: get your own ice cream sundae!

I stick out my tongue at him (though I’m grateful— I rea lly have my heart set on my monster sundae!), just as Marisol pulls her car into the parking lot of Friendly’s.

Our group piles out, and the juxtaposition of all eight of us in fully beat faces, wearing tuxes and sparkly dresses, against the retro red-and-white Friendly’s sign reminiscent of old-timey diners feels hilarious.

Noah and Sophie lead the pack, Noah grabbing the door and holding it open for the rest of our crew as we pile inside. We’re just on time for our reservation, and our server leads us over to the area where several tables have been pushed together to make room for us all.

Zay reaches for a chair and pulls it out, smiling at me and motioning for me to sit.

I grin back at him, slipping into the seat. “Thank you.”

“Anything for our Harvest Holiness Herself,” he says, sliding into the seat beside me.

Marisol smiles over at us. “Okay. I see you two over there being cute. Cheesy, but cute.”

“Nothing wrong with being a little cheesy,” Ruby offers.

Lily clears her throat. “I have a very important question.”

Isaiah tilts his head, indicating that he’s listening. “What’s that, best friend?”

Lily grins at him. “We’re all still doing ice cream, right? Not food?”

“Of course we’re still doing ice cream!” I say, and Ruby and Lily hig h- five. “We have a lot to celebrate.”

“We really do! Like how hot and smart my date is,” Ari chimes. I laugh. “I meant more like the night ahead of us, but you know what? That works, too.”

“Personally, I’m celebrating how hot and smart I am, too,” Marisol jokes, and Ari sticks out her tongue. “And my date, of course. I’m also celebrating this.” She pulls Robert’s credit card from her clutch. “It’s on the stepdad!”

“What? No!” Sophie shakes his head. “He shouldn’t have to pay.”

Marisol shrugs. “He insisted on paying.”

Noah tips his chin at Sophie. “Aw, come on, babe. Let him pay. Especially in celebration of your good news. You deserve it.”

All eyes fall to Sophie. “What good news?” I press.

“Tell us or Robert’s credit card gets it!” Marisol threatens.

“Well . . . I just found out that I’ve been selected for the winter internship in Paris,” she says, a soft smile on her face.

“Sophie! Oh my gosh!” I squeal.

Marisol leaps from her seat at the news and throws her arms around Sophie. “Congratulations! This is amazing!”

I join Marisol and turn it into a group hug.

“So proud of you!” Then I pull back from them and furrow my brows. “But, wait— did your parents actually agree to this?”

“Because if not, I will speak with them,” Marisol says ominously.

“Actually, after I shared the good news, my dad spoke with my mom. They agreed that I should go. . . I already accepted the spot. I’m officially going to Paris!” Sophie squeals.

“Congratulations, Sophie!” Zay says. Lily, Ruby, and Ari chime in with their congratulations. I’m nearly buzzing on behalf of my friend, already picturing her at the Eiffel Tower and Versailles.

“Now we really need to celebrate,” Marisol insists. “In honor of Sophie and her good news, Robert may just buy the whole damn place.”

Sophie grins at her. “Oui!”