"Khia that's a pretty name",Romeo said scaring me from behind. I wasn't too familiar with tiago's two cousins but since their family, I'll trust them. Ms. Rodriguez sent Romeo and I out to go to the store to get the essentials for dinner tonight.

"Gracias."

"So what did you do to my cuz to make him head over heels for you?",he asked lighting a cigarette.

"Nothing."

"I think it's your body",he said looking at me from the side.

I laughed and continued walking.

"You look like a model if you ask me",he said.

"I didn't ask you",I said coughing from him smoking next to me.

"For a dark skinned girl you kinda sexy",he said. I looked at him and understood what he was getting at. If Santiago heard him right now, he would've been knocked out. I didn't say anything and entered the store.

"What did she say to get again?",I turned to him asked him. He looked into my eyes and I turned back around and said, "never mind."

I grabbed the bag of rice and two cans of tomato paste. Romeo saw me struggling and helped me. After the cashier rung us up, Romeo decided to be a gentleman and carry the two bags.

"So he taught you Spanish before you got here huh?",he said trying to start up a convo.

"Just a little bit. I kinda learned on my own."

"Why? You don't got to impress us."

"I just want you guys to accept me."

"Baby I already do",he said with a smirk causing me to laugh.

"My name's Khia in case you forgot."

"I didn't forget",he said.

"Good."

"Man idk how he pulled you. You don't look like the type a girl he could pull."

"Why is that?"

"You look like a real ride or die type a girl."

"Ok and?"

"Santiago and you don't match up."

"What do you mean?"

"He ain't thug enough for you. He a lil soft."

"He's thug enough for me. You have no idea."

"I have no idea? Get out of here, that's my lil cuz. He ain't got a tough bone in his body."

"Yes he does. He has a gun."

"You ever seen him kill someone with it?"

"No cause he's not a murderer & not tryna get locked up."

"My lil cuz using that gun to scare people. He just got that gun. I been had a gun since 15."

"And that's something to brag about?",I asked.

"Not necessarily but I ain't gonna hide it. Santiago will hide it knowing his punk behind can't even use it. Tiago is a college park type a guy. He all about the books, I'll give him that. He book smart but not street smart."

"I'll take book smart over street smart any day."

"Of course you would. You a good girl. Don't know how to have fun type a girl. Don't go to parties type a girl. Don't smoke, drink, don't do nothing. You a trophy girl."

"How'd you know?",I asked him.

"I read you a lot not in a creepy way cause I ain't no creep. Your composure, the way you walk, you seem conservative, clean."

"So since you know a lot about the family dynamic and apparently me. Why his mom doesn't like me?"

"Deep down, she likes you. Shes just not telling you. Truth is, your just too perfect for him. She waiting for you to mess up so she could be right about you cause so far she hasn't been right about you."

"Seems like it's because I'm not Dominican."

"Ain't got nothing to do with ethnicity."

"Why she acting stuck up then?"

"Just hang in there, stick around and she'll come around."

"That's what tiago told me."

"Listen to him. He knows his mama and loves her a lot. The fact that your even here trying to get to know the fam is already a big impression on her but she won't tell you that."

"I just don't get why she acts like she hates my guts."

"Don't get wrapped up in her antics. It's all for show I promise. I gotta say, my cuz is lucky though."

"Aww I knew you had a heart",I smiled.

"Who told you I don't got one",he said with a smirk.

"You just look mean all the time."

"That's my demeanor. I may be high all the time and talkin nonsense but I ain't mean",he said stepping on the cigarette bud before we entered the house. I gave Ms. Rodriguez the bags and she gave me a half smile. Romeo winked at me and whispered behind me, "see."

I went to the back porch and joined the rest of the cousins. Jennifer pulled me into a hug.

"I was just asking for you."

"She ditched us to go with Romeo",Mr. Rodriguez joked. Santiago side eyed the shxt out of Romeo. I didn't know what that was about but I didn't ask. I sat on Santiago's lap and joined in whatever conversation they was having.

"Have you guys went to the museum yet?",Jennifer asked.

"Nah we plan to stop by tomorrow",Santiago said drinking his drink.

"You should. Teach her the history since you a college park boy",Romeo said.

"Romeo chill",I said. I could sense his attack for Santiago for a while now. I didn't know why they staring at each other so weird.

"Don't mind them. They've been this way since they were boys",Jennifer said.

"Tiago still a boy if you ask me",Romeo said and Jennifer tapped him.

"Romeo. If Santiago does something to you I won't be responsible for his actions because you are provoking him",his dad said.

"What little Santiago gone do to me?",he said with a smirk.

"Dinner is ready everyone come eat",Santiago's mom announced. Thank God she did but nobody moved. So I got up and soon as I did, Santiago got up behind me and swung at Romeo. Santiago's father tried to break up the fight but they were going at it.

"You got what's coming to you. Try me",Santiago said to him with a bloody hand drippin blood.

"Both of you in the house now",his father yelled. I tried to comfort Santiago and he said, "not now." So I backed off and took a seat next to Jennifer at the table. After things were calmed, we said grace and started to eat but Santiago didn't even touch his food. His father looked at him and said, "Santiago let's take a walk",he said and they both left.