know what to expect. I told myself that I wouldn’t be intimidated or upset by his presence, but that was before the hours and minutes leading up to our little road trip ticked down to zero.
“So tell me again why we’re going to some little dirt patch to watch people drive through mud?”
Tomorrow was Four’s second pro-am race, and up until now, I’d been excited. “It’s called motocross, and it’s pretty cool,” I reiterated for the third time since I invited her to come along, “they race off-road on these bikes that—”
“Whatever,” Selena interrupted as she studied herself in her little compact mirror. “Seems boring.”
“It’s not, but even if it was, it’s important to Four, so it’s important to me.” Also, you didn’t have to come. I chose to keep that thought to myself.
“I know she’s your best friend but…why? It’s not like you two have anything in common.”
Despite it being dangerous, I took my eyes off the road to gage whether Selena was serious or not. I couldn’t really tell since her oversized sunglasses shielded her gaze from me. “How would you know? We’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks. Less actually.”
“Because I’m your sister. We share the same blood. Besides, we’re not only the same on the inside, but we’re the same on the outside, too. You don’t think that matters to them and everyone else?”
My stomach twisted and turned as I picked apart her words. As much as I wanted to brush them off and pretend they never happened, I knew I couldn’t. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, they’re white, Tyra, and you’re not.”
I slammed on the brakes despite being in the middle of the tree-lined road leading to Four and Ever’s. “Shut up!” I yelled, my lips parted in mock horror. “You mean they’ve been white this entire time?”
I watched her lips purse as she sat with her arms crossed. “You don’t have to be a bitch, little sis. I’m just trying to open your eyes and help you see that you’re just a token to them.”
Stunned into silence, I collapsed against my seat, forgetting about the fact that I’d stopped in the middle of a road.
“You don’t even know them.” My argument would have been more meaningful had my voice been stronger. Disappointment ripped through me. It wasn’t because I believed her words held even an ounce of truth. It was because I began to wonder if a relationship with Selena was truly possible. The people she’d judged so harshly after a mere meeting, I’d spent the last year getting to know. I never once had reason to doubt them the way I did my own sister right now.
“No, but I have twenty-one years of being discriminated against to tell me all I need to know.”
“So that’s it then? You just lump the entire race together? What if they did that to you and me?”
Removing her sunglasses, she met my gaze. “What makes you think they haven’t?”
I shook my head as I stared out of the front windshield. My father had once claimed that many people of color were also prejudiced and felt justified in being so. Until now, I didn’t think that was possible—just as two wrongs didn’t make a right, fighting hate with hate never once created love.
Sighing, I slowly pressed on the gas until we picked up speed. I refused to let Selena’s skewed views bully me out of the best friends I’ll ever have, and I didn’t care if they were white, black, or purple.
But I also wouldn’t give up my only sister so easily, either. Not when I’d only just found her.
I couldn’t change Vaughn’s mind about us being together, but I had all summer to try to change Selena’s. Not fully knowing her story and how she came to these conclusions, I refused to be as quick to judge her as she had my friends. By seeking me out, Selena had given me another precious piece of the mother I never knew. Realizing this, I gripped the steering wheel tighter, determined not to take my sister or this gift for granted.
“Hey, hold on a second.”
Selena’s plea had me pausing when I started to climb into the Mercedes Sprinter Ever’s father had generously rented for the occasion. The black passenger van wasn’t the sexiest, but it was better than having to take separate cars. Unlike last time, everyone was here, even Wren and Lou. I’d yet to lay eyes on Vaughn, who was already seated inside. I