My moms new attitude was unexpected.

She was never interested in me before and now she was asking me questions, begging for Florencio to come around again, I portrayed distant behaviors. I didn't like the attention. A part of me was happy, this is what I wanted all along, right? Maybe I liked her inhuman, cold attitude.

"Maybe he'll buy you a car," my mom snickered.

"No! It's not like it. We're—" she cut me off.

"Don't tell me it's complicated. It's obviously not. What's wrong?" The kitchen suddenly felt too hot. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I forced myself to swallow her burnt eggs. Felix insisted she try and cook again. It didn't go well.

Why do you care? I wanted scream.

"It's just, he's not..." and for the next few minutes I rambled about nonsense. My mom wasn't pleased and left me alone.

-

Felix and my mom were all over each other and seeing her so good with Aaron, I needed to leave the house.

This time, it was me who dragged Gina out of the house. She claimed she was exhausted, saying she had been out with Peter the day before. I told her it was a shopping emergency and she said she'd be over in ten.

Now at the mall, Gina questioned my sudden eagerness to go out.

"Pfft," I stalled by looking through a rack of pants. "Just needed to leave the house."

"If you're jealous of your mom, you know you have a boyfriend, right? And don't tell me you're not together. You've told me that and you're still fucking." She said this bluntly and I cringed.

I wasn't jealous of my mom and Felix. I didn't say anything, deciding that shutting up would be better.

I looked up from the pants and saw the summer section in the store.

"Let's buy swimsuits." I grabbed Gina's hand and dragged her to the suits.

"Why? It's starting to get cold," Gina stated.

"Yeah, but they might not have the same suits next year," I said quickly. Looking through the clothes, it sparked something in me. "Where would you go on vacation?" I asked her randomly.

"Sweden!" She answered instantly.

"In...in Mexico," I mumbled. I picked up a teal bikini with beads for straps. I grimaced and put it back.

"Uh, I don't know. Cancún? Is that in Mexico?" She wondered out loud. She pulled out a hot pink bikini that looked like it covered nothing. "Why would you want to go to Mexico? You nearly failed Spanish one!"

"Shut up!" I picked up a yellow one piece. It was pretty. I put it on my arm.

Gina rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She pulled out a scandalous black bikini and threw it at me. "You're buying this. Your big boobs will look great." She reached over and squeezed my chest. I gasped and slapped her hand.

"You know I'm insecure about...these." I gestured to my chest. They were big, but low and not perky without a bra. Not even counting the stretch marks.

"Besides your boobs, why do you wanna go to Mexico? I think your mom would rather have you

jump off a cliff."

I nodded. My mom was weird about traveling outside of the country. I don't even think she liked leaving California. Unless it was to Oregon to see Felix. My nose scrunched up at my last thought.

God, but my mom was actually supporting the trip, I remembered.

"Parker!" Gina flicked my nose. "Answer the question."

"Just because." I shrugged. "It would be fun to leave here."

Later when we tried on the suits, I actually liked the black one more than I thought I would. Worried about my torso though, I got a swimsuit cover. I ended up leaving with four suits.

During the car ride home, Gina asked me about Florencio, or, Foster. I wasn't interested in talking about him, but I elaborated.

"His first name is Florencio," I commented.

She gasped. "And you've never told me. You're horrible."

I rubbed my eyes. "I'm not trying to be." I sighed. "You know he invited me to go to Mexico with him?" I needed to say it. It was giving me major anxiety.

Gina swerved on the road. "Holy shit! Okay, that's why you wanna go. So is this guy rich or something? Is that why you're with him?"

"Oh my god," I groaned. "I'm not with him for the money." I didn't need any money from him. I didn't want money from him. I already felt bad he'd pay for the whole trip. Even though he could well afford it.

"Okay, so what does he do?" She asked.

I stifled a laugh. "He's an entrepreneur."

"Bullshit," she called. "He probably sells drugs or something crazy like that." She laughed.

I wrung my fingers together nervously. "Yeah. Maybe." I felt my face get hot.

"So you going?" Gina sped up and cut off some guy. He honked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"No," I scoffed. "I can't go."

"Why not?" She questioned. "He's hot and it's probably free. You're stupid for not going."

I shook my head. It was ridiculous to go. At least I thought it was. Florencio was dangerous. I didn't know if being in an airplane with him, alone in a hotel room with him was safe. I was scared he'd... I couldn't think of a reason. I would continue to think until I had a reason.

"It's just seems weird, don't you think?" I wondered. "Why does this attractive guy want me with him? I don't get why he's with me." My eyebrows scrunched up.

Gina sighed. "I thought the same thing about Peter. But then when I slept over for the first time, I found out he sleep walks to the kitchen and puts his hands on the ice tray. Then I realized, I'm perfect and I belong with this guy."

"What? That's so weird." Peter was a picture perfect guy, I didn't think he'd stick his hand in the freezer at night. I tried to think of something Florencio did I didn't like. There was one big thing...

"Florencio doesn't do anything odd," I said as Gina pulled into my driveway.

"Really?" She raised her eyebrows. "Go on vacation with him and maybe you'll find something." She reached over and opened my door for me. "Get out. The faster I leave, the less chance I have of falling asleep on the road. I'm exhausted."

"Whatever." I got out of the car. "Don't crash."

She smiled. "Bye."

Inside the house, my mom once again asked me about the trip.

"Im not going," I muttered. I placed the food Felix made yesterday, chicken alfredo, in the microwave and pressed a few numbers.

"Why not?" She stopped the microwave.

I scowled and turned it on again. "I don't know. It's just not right. He's... not nice."

She turned it off again. "He seemed great when we met him. You need to take risks."

"Why do you care?" I snapped. "You never care what I do. Why now?"

She looked taken back. Her face settled into a cold stare. "I don't care, Parker. You're just so damn bored all time. Maybe this would encourage you to have fun."

She started the microwave again, setting it to ten minutes and left the kitchen.

-

Now Florencio left in four days.

I was going out of my mind, thinking about what I should do.

I knew it wasn't the right decision to go with him.

But I wanted to. So bad.

Felix noticed my odd mood and approached me about it.

I put my sweater on and threw my purse on my shoulder. "I'm fine." I smiled. "I'm going out for a few hours. Can you tell my mom when she gets back from the store?"

Felix was unsure what to do with my information. He was stuck on if he should tell me what to do, ask where I was going, and I liked that. I didn't want to talk to him about myself.

I got in my cart and almost bashed my head onto the steering wheel. I was not going to see Florencio. There was no need to. He hasn't even talked to me at all this week. I was probably in the back of his mind. He was all over mine.

When I finally arrived at his house, I knocked on the door furiously. No one answered. I kicked the door angrily and sat down on the steps to his door.

I felt like an idiot.

I sat there for almost an hour until Florencio's car came up.

He stopped the car abruptly, getting out quickly.

"What are you doing here?" He asked darkly. He looked around cautiously.

"I-I was waiting for you," I stumbled over my words and cursed at myself for doing so.

His smile was lopsided. "Honey, I don't believe you." He reached down and grabbed my upper arm and dragged me up to him. My arm stung slightly but I ignored it.

His face was close to mine and I couldn't remember why I was here anymore.

I inched forward, testing the waters.

"What are you going to do to me on the trip?" I asked.

His eyes widened. "I'm not telling you." His hand was still on my arm. "You need to leave."

My lips pursed. "I've been here for an hour... I'm not leaving."

"I'm just here to pick up something," he murmured. He pushed past me and opened his door.

I followed him through his house, breathless when we got to the top of the stairs. He went into his room.

He looked through drawers, shutting them violently.

"What are you doing?" I asked quietly.

He didn't look at me. "Today's an off day, Parker. I'm talking right now." I suppose he finally found what he needed and left the room.

I struggled to keep up with his fast pace.

Annoyed with the whole situation I said, "I'm not going with you to Mexico."

That's when he stopped. "Who said you weren't?"

I was fuming. "I did!"

He turned around and held my jaw tight. "Why no?"

Because I don't know you. I don't know what you want from me. I was still confused on our 'relationship.' I doubted I was the only girl in his life and it stung.

When I didn't answer, he kissed my lips softly. Desperate, I leaned forward but he pulled back.

"Honey, I need to go."

I followed him outside. He locked the door.

"I'll pick you up at five in the morning," he told me, walking back to his car.

"Excuse me?" I sputtered.

"The flight leaves at eight and it's about a two hour drive to the airport," he explained, getting in the car. "Do you need a passport?"

"No," I answered, despite having my mind set on not going. I stopped walking when I got to his window.

"Good." He got in his car.

I wasn't sure what just happened.

-