She felt an overwhelming shame. How could she even think of dismissing their plans just because she had a boyfriend now? She swallowed hard. She wouldn’t be seeing Sydney until Christmas. She had time to work on her poker face.

*

It was two days before Thanksgiving and the entire Moreno family was scrambling. The weekend after the holiday was always their busiest. Angel never understood it. He knew peoples fridges must be overflowing with leftovers. Why would anyone go out and eat?

His mom’s theory was that people were burnt out from cooking, eating leftovers, and entertaining out of town guests. So, they went out. Whatever the reason, Thanksgiving week was anything but relaxing for the Moreno’s.

Although the restaurant was closed on Thanksgiving and only open half the day on Friday, they always stocked up in preparation for the busy weekend. Now Angel’s dad was having a fit because he’d just been informed some of the deliveries might be delayed due to the weather up north.

“Up north? What the hell does the weather up north have to do with me? We’re in San Diego County!” His voice boomed all the way up stairs.

Angel couldn’t tell if he was on the phone or if he was just talking to himself, as he often did when he was mad.

He finished putting on his shoes and pulled a hooded sweatshirt over his head. He rushed into the restroom, brushed his teeth and ran a comb through his hair.

“Hey, Sofi,” He yelled toward her bedroom as he walked down the stairs. “You got five minutes. I’m gonna go warm up the car.”

His dad still cursed in the kitchen. The smell of his mom’s biscuits lingered. She made the absolute best biscuits, completely from scratch. He walked into the kitchen to grab a few. “Hey, Pop, bad morning?”

“I’m gonna need you to keep your plans open this weekend.” His dad frowned. “Alex made the schedules for this weekend and gave too many people the weekend off. We’re gonna be really busy. If anyone calls in we’ll be short.”

Angel grabbed three biscuits, biting one. “Sure, you got it.”

His dad sat down on one of the barstools. Angel could tell he was winded. “You okay, Pop?”

His pop nodded. “Hey.” Angel said. “You gotta take it easy. Why do you do this every year? Just relax. You get yourself all worked up and it always turns out fine.”

His dad’s expression was dreary. “Alex won’t be here this year. He’s got a game out of state.”

“Yeah, so?” Angel shrugged. “I’ll be here and so will Sofi and Sal. Don’t worry about it. You’re gonna make yourself sick.”

Angel put his hand on Pop’s shoulder. Pop patted it and smiled. “I’m getting too old for this shit.”

Angel laughed. “Nah, something tells me you’ll be around kickin ass for a long time still.” He took a drink of his dad’s coffee and almost gagged.

“Damn.” He grimaced. “Too much sugar in that pop, I’m telling mom.”

His dad waved him off, frowning.

*

All day Angel got a strange vibe from Sarah, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. It wasn’t a bad vibe, just different. She was more bubbly than normal. Although lately she’d become quite the aggressor. He was always the one unable to contain himself around her, sometimes, interrupting her mid sentence, because he couldn’t look at her lips very long without kissing them. Today, however, she’d done that to him several times.

After school when they got in his car, she leaned over and kissed him long and with such passion and eagerness it nearly put him over the edge right there.

When she was done she licked her lips. “Wow. What’s with you today? Not that I’m complaining.”

“I have a surprise.” She smiled.

His mind raced, searching for clues in her beautiful eyes. Had she decided to stay? He hadn’t asked her about it ever since the day he had made her cry. He’d hardly allowed himself to think about her leaving, much less hope that she’d stay. But it’d been a while since she stabbed him in the heart by mentioning anything about going back, and she’d all but stopped talking about her friend Sydney.

His heart thumped against his throat. “What?”

“Not here,” she said, “Let’s go to our place.”

He peered at her for a second then turned on the car. It took everything in him to not drive recklessly, but he did go over the limit most of the way anyway.

As soon as he parked, he turned the car off and leaned against his door to face her. She still had that giddy smile which made him smile with her. “What is it?” He tried hiding his impatience.

She took her seatbelt off and turned to face him. “Okay, remember the day I left early to go have dinner for my uncle’s birthday?”

Angel nodded “Yeah?”

“I lied.”

Angel’s eyes narrowed a bit. “Okay? Why?”

She bit her bottom lip. “I went to a clinic.”

He stared at her clueless.

“I got on the pill.”

Angel still didn’t get it.

“Birth control!” She blurted out.

Angel’s eyes widened. He felt like an idiot. His lips slowly curled up into a smile. “So, does that mean-”

“Yes.” She leaned over to kiss him. “I’m ready.”

Angel couldn’t get the stupid smile off his face. Just the thought had him rock hard. He wanted to take her right there. But he had to control himself. He wanted her first time, their first time together, to be special.