Read Online Crossing the Line by Malín Alegría - Free Book Online Page A

Milo said, interrupting her thoughts. When he paused, Fabi nodded for him to go on. But Milo squirmed.
    â€œWhat is it?” she asked, leaning over the table to hear him better.
    Milo bit his lip nervously. “Well, it’s kind of embarrassing.”
    â€œSpit it out.”
    â€œOkay, well, I have this gig, and they gave me money for treats and stuff, and I agreed because I thought they just wanted chips and salsa, but apparently treats means something different here in South Texas. And I was thinking since your family runs that restaurant and everything …”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œCan you teach me about Texas barbecue? By Saturday?”
    Â 
    Dex started taking Alexis to her weekly vocal classes after school. It was fine with Fabiola; she didn’t like the idea of her sister waiting for a ride after dark. Alexis wanted to be her own person at school. Fabi couldn’t hate her for that, but she did miss hanging out. Things change , she told herself as she put on an apron at work.
    Business was usually slow on Wednesday afternoons; only the regular local customers were in. The senior-citizen brigade was there, reading the obituaries and drinking coffee. Grandma Trini was feeding mashed beans to Baby Oops.
    Fabi’s mother came up to her, wearing a matching apron over her dark floral dress. “Where’s your sister?”
    â€œVoice class,” Fabi answered, pinning her hair out of her face.
    Magda looked at her for a second. “Her teacher just called and said that she needed to reschedule class for another day.”
    â€œOh, that’s right.” Fabi thought quickly. “Alexis mentioned that to me after school and said that she was going to stay at the library for a study group.”
    â€œStudy group?”
    Fabi nodded and turned quickly to pick up some napkins and silverware. Now she was lying so her sister could hang out with Dex Andrews. Perfect.
    Â 
    As the day turned into evening, Alexis finally snuck into Garza’s behind a group of new customers. Fabiola grabbed her sister’s hand the minute she caught sight of her and pulled her into the hallway that led to the bathrooms. “You sneaky little —” It took all of Fabi’s strength to hold back her words. But this was not the time or the place. “I don’t know where you’ve been, but your vocal coach called —”
    â€œOh, crap,” Alexis interrupted, slapping her forehead with her hand. Fabi grabbed Alexis’s wrist and pulled it away from her face.
    â€œWhat’s that?” Fabi demanded.
    Alexis blushed, but there was a hint of pride in the way she fingered the new silver chain with a sparkly letter pendant around her neck. “Oh, this, it’s nothing. Dex —”
    â€œNo, those things on your neck ?” Fabi demanded, pointing to two large, round love bites under her sister’s new necklace.
    Alexis’s eyes grew wide with shock. “Oh, no!” she cried, covering her throat with her hands. “What am I going to do?”
    â€œThere’s makeup under the sink,” Fabi said, exasperated. Her sister’s charades were going to drive her crazy!
    Alexis ran into the bathroom. “Oh, and I told Mom that you’d gone to a study group after school,” Fabi called after her.
    â€œFabiola!” her father’s deep voice boomed from the kitchen. She stomped her foot in irritation. Why did everyone always have to call her for everything?
    Â 
    The restaurant picked up for the dinner rush. Between orders, Fabi noticed Alexis arguing with her mother and then storming out of the restaurant. She prayed that her mother didn’t find out about her little lie. If only Alexis had told her that she wasn’t going to her class, then maybe she could have covered for her better. But then again, Fabi thought, why was she even covering for her? The whole family was convinced that Alexis was going to be a singing