Moreno's (Moreno Brothers Series) - Elizabeth Reyes Page 0,6
the middle school where the kids in the late classes were just getting out. Isabella was in the morning classes this year, which allowed for her to get out early enough to go home, do her homework, and finish her chores in time to meet up and hang out with Alejandro and Cido wherever they happened to be set up.
The stupid girls were forever flirting with them and trying to score free elotes. It burned Isabella because, just as Alejandro had made it clear in his own way to just about any boys who ever flirted with her that she was off limits, the girls also knew how tight Isabella and Alejandro were. She’d done enough glaring to make it obvious their throwing themselves at him was not appreciated. And while Alejandro didn’t flirt back, nor did he give into their pouting about not having money to pay for their corn cob, it didn’t help that Cido was always flirting and often times did give in.
For as clear as Alejandro made it that he still felt for her what she’d felt from him from day one, she’d inevitably begun to feel insecure—and she hated it. Now that he was going to school in the city, she couldn’t help wondering if his interest for her had just been child’s play. The older girls were getting more and more blatant about their interest in him.
Isabella slowed as she nearly reached them when one of those older girls in particular, Imelda, who Isabella couldn’t stand, stood smiling and giggling in front of their cart. Alejandro was busy fixing her elote with the works.
“Will you be at the dance this weekend?” Imelda asked Alejandro, twirling her hair in her fingers.
Alejandro didn’t even look up from the corn cob he was slathering mayonnaise on. “I might. Depends on what time we get back from the city.”
“Isabella’s too young for dances, right?” she asked, lifting her brow.
Now Alejandro looked up at her. “Yeah, she is.” He reached for the cotija and started sprinkling it on the cob.
“Good to know.” The bitch fluttered her lashes as she took the corn from Alejandro and handed him her money. “I’ll look for you.”
Glancing in Isabella’s direction, Imelda’s eyes widened when she realized how close she’d been and heard the exchange. But it only made the girl smirk before murmuring good-bye to Alejandro and sauntering away. The next people in line were waiting for the esquites that Cido was in charge of.
“Hey,” Isabella said as she reached the cart.
Alejandro smiled big when he saw her as he always did. “Hey.” He reached under his cart and pulled something out. “Got you this on my way home from school today.”
“Obleas con cajete,” she said, smiling. “I didn’t even know they made them this big. These must be expensive, Alejandro.”
He tilted his head, giving her a look as if she should know better. “Nothing’s too much when it comes to you.”
Alejandro had been saying this to her for years. Ever since she’d mentioned Obleas being one of her favorites but only once in a while splurged on the ones with cajete because they cost more than the plain ones, he got them for her every chance he could. Only they were usually smaller.
Despite the gesture and his sweet words, her head was back to what she’d been thinking before he handed her the candy. Trying to hide the jealousy she still felt over the possibility of him hanging out with Imelda at the dance that weekend, Isabella glanced away when their eyes met.
As usual, he picked up on her disquiet immediately, and when she turned back to him, his eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She lifted and dropped her shoulder.
The girl waiting on her esquites from Cido interrupted Isabella’s thoughts with her loud question. “How come I never see you guys at the rio parrandas Saturday nights anymore?”
“Because those river hangouts are for middle school kids,” Cido said, taking her money. “We’re preparatoria men now. We’ll be at the dance this Saturday instead.”
Isabella rolled her eyes. Ever since Cido and Alejandro started high school in the city, Cido acted like he was all grown up. It’s why it was so hilarious when he made his dad angry, and he was called a clueless mocoso in front of everyone. Another group of kids walked up to the cart and ordered cobs from Alejandro. One of the guys in the group, Juan Carlos, a boy in Isabella’s class, was immediately smiling when he saw her.