"Just go in there and ask him."

You look at the bodega, then back at your best friend, Benny. "I can't."

He sighs, frustrated. "How long have you liked Usnavi, Y/N? Just go. I'm sure he'll say yes to you. And if he doesn't, I'll just knock some sense into him."

You shake your head. You and Benny had grown up like brother and sister, having living next door to each other your whole life. He and Usnavi were really good friends, but Benny had threatened more than once that if you ever got up the courage to ask him out and he said no, he would clobber him.

You had quickly become a part of a very fun group of people, which, when you were all together, consisted of eight people, including yourself- and Usnavi.

Usnavi was the sweetest, funniest, and cutest guy you had ever met, and had had a crush on him ever since you were first introduced to him.

But you were way too shy to tell him how you felt. He just thought of you as a good friend. And now, Benny thought you had waited too long, and was forcing you to go into Usnavi's bodega and ask him on a date.

"But-"

"No buts. You're twenty-two. An adult. Just go," he says, and pushes you into the small store.

Immediately you see Usnavi behind the counter wearing his adorable hat, and Sonny stocking the shelves. You take a deep breath and begin to walk over to him, but then Vanessa rushes past you.

"Can I get a Pepsi and some packing tape?", she asks Sonny.

He looks over at Usnavi, then back at Vanessa. "Uh, my cousin over there with his tongue hanging out, has been meaning to ask you..."

"Yes?"

"What a lady such as yourself might be doing tonight?"

The blood drains from your face.

"Does your cousin dance?", Vanessa asks, glancing over at Usnavi.

"Like a drunk Chita Rivera," Sonny laughs.

"Okay, after Nina's dinner, we can hit a few clubs and check out the fireworks," she says.

You feel helpless. This time, not because Usnavi said something cute, but because you just lost him, right in front of you, and there was nothing you could do.

Vanessa notices you. "Hola, Y/N!", she greets. She notices your sad expression. "What's wrong?"

You put on a fake smile. "Nothing. Just the heat," you lie.

"Aye, I know, it's driving me crazy." She thinks for a moment. "Hey, you should come to the club after Nina's dinner with Usnavi and me."

Nope. That was the last thing you wanted. You just wanted to go home and eat lots of piraguas in self-pity.

"I don't think-"

"Ohh, we should find you a date," Vanessa says excitedly. "Do you have a little crush on anyone?"

How ironic. You bite your bottom lip. "Actually, I think they like someone else," you say, doing your best to keep the sarcasm out of your voice.

"How could someone not like you? You're gorgeous."

You shrug. "I think I'm just gonna go home and drown myself in cold sweets."

"No, I'm not gonna let one of my best friends stay at home on the 4th of July." Pushing her long, black hair over her shoulder, she looks around. "Now, who should be your date?"

Five minutes later, you walk out of the bodega after Vanessa, and Benny rushes up to you. "So? How did it go?"

"Um... I'm going to a club tonight after the dinner with Pete," you say slowly, almost confused yourself about how things went so wrong. You just had the worst luck.

"Graffiti Pete?" You nod. "Usnavi hates him. How did that happen?"

With a sigh, you explain your tragic story, how Sonny asked Vanessa out for Usnavi, then how Vanessa asked Graffiti Pete out for you.

"Aw, I'm sorry, Y/N."

"It's okay. I'll see you tonight."

He nods. "But listen, if Usnavi hurts you, just say the word, and I'll go after him."

Although Benny was only two years older than you, he always treated you like a little hermana. You weren't annoyed by it. You liked having someone always watching out for you. But it also made you nervous that one of these days when he was hanging out with Usnavi, he would let it slip that you had a crush on him.

"I won't, but si."

After he walks away, you take a deep breath. This 4th of July clubbing was definitely going to be interesting.