Total pages in book: 197
Estimated words: 199143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 996(@200wpm)___ 797(@250wpm)___ 664(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 996(@200wpm)___ 797(@250wpm)___ 664(@300wpm)
Juan let out a hard breath. “Not playing for college teams.”
That quieted his father.
It was a discussion they often went back and forth on with his father wanting him to further his education, and Juan pointing out Miguel never even graduated high school. Which then led his father to say things like exactly, and I want you to do and be better than me. Except his father was pretty amazing as he was—worked with one of those dangerous and successful Queen Pins who controlled a good portion of the American market.
Apparently, Juan should just not pay attention to that.
Not be curious.
Like it wasn’t Cece’s mother.
Like Cece wouldn’t someday be her mother.
Before his father could bring up the conversation and get them going down that road again, Juan grabbed his cell phone sitting atop his bag. Miguel’s attention turned back to the field where the coach was currently shouting at one of Juan’s teammates to tuck in that fucking elbow before I break it off.
Yeah.
Fun times.
Juan’s gaze dropped to his phone as he scrolled down through the refreshing social media feed. What he expected to see? The usual mess of teenage life and shit he sometimes engaged in with his friends when he had the time or the give a damn to do so. The thing he wasn’t expecting to see?
Cece with a guy.
Juan blinked, and clicked on the picture. The dark background made the house—and party?—she was at nearly indistinguishable. What he could distinguish just fine was how closely tucked into the boy’s side Cece was, the fact that the guy’s hand was around her waist, and that he was kissing her smiling cheek as they lifted solo cups toward the camera.
He had a lot of thoughts then.
Feelings, too, the fucking disgusting things.
Like who the fuck was that guy?
And did he want his arm broken?
What in the hell was Cece doing?
Juan knew what that feeling was, and why it made him have the darkest urge to pick up the phone, call Cece, and let her know he was well aware that she was out with a guy.
Jealousy.
He was jealous as fuck.
But he shouldn’t be.
Didn’t have a right to be.
He kept saying while they were like this, her in New York and him in Cali, that they couldn’t be a real thing. It wasn’t fair. He doubted that was the first boy she went out with—fuck, he went out with girls sometimes, too. This was just the first time it had been so public.
“Hmm.”
Juan glanced up to see his father had a perfect view of what was currently on his phone. Juan didn’t even bother to try and hide it.
“Bet that’s a piss off, yeah?” Miguel asked.
God.
“Just ... why’s it on social, you know?”
“Because she’s a fifteen-year-old girl. Because she has a life and sometimes, you’re not always in it. Because she followed you for the past three years with fucking stars in her eyes, but you had to take the high road every step of the fucking way, Juan. So, maybe it’s time you follow her for a while, hmm? Fair is fair, son.”
“That doesn’t sound right at all.”
“Very little about love is.”
Juan blinked.
Love.
He remembered the first time he told Cece he loved her - they’d been five and six. He was waving her off when she left with her ma, and he called it out after her. Because that’s what his dad always told his ma whenever he left the house. It’s what Cece told her ma, and Miguel, too. It felt right.
He’d been saying it ever since.
Still said it.
Just now, that love didn’t feel the same.
It was different.
More.
“I don’t know what to do,” Juan muttered.
Except be jealous.
So fucking jealous.
“When she calls later, you ask if she had a good time. Let her know you’re around, if she needs anything. Same shit you’ve always done, Juan, unless you want something different. And if you do, just know now might not be your time. And that’s got to be okay, too.”
Right, yeah.
It just sucked.
That’s what he would do, though.
It’s what he did.
Chapter 9 - Everything Changes
Cece POV
16 years old ...
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to ...”
Cece had to struggle to look over the top of her cake. That’s how tall it was. And considering how packed her parents three-level suburban home currently was, she understood why her mother ordered something that looked fit to be on a wedding display. Because they would need that much, or more, to feed all the guests at her party.
Well, the cake didn’t completely look like a wedding cake. Three tier high, pale pink and silver trimmings and a large silver 16 on the very top ... it was perfect. It matched the rest of the decorations in the house—the home had become a pink and silver wonderland.
She couldn’t remember a birthday when her parents didn’t go all out for her. Maybe it was because around twelve, her brother decided he wanted to stop having parties for his birthdays and so they made up for it when Cece’s rolled around.