Despite being granted new freedom, the two teenagers didn't use it. Ronnie Anne hurried back to her room, with Lincoln jogging after her after a slight delay. He slipped in the door behind her and barely avoided getting caught when she slammed it. His girlfriend had, in fact, been considering whether to close it with him outside, but once he got through she just decided to let it be. She still kept her back to him, and for good reason: She felt like she was about to break down.
Ronnie Anne Santiago didn't break down a lot. She was a tough girl, or at least tried to be. She prided herself on that reputation. She didn't get emotional and cry like other teenage girls. She hadn't even cried once since she became a teenager. But she could feel it coming on now. She'd already started getting emotional at Lincoln leaving, feelings that couldn't be taken back, even though he wasn't leaving just yet. And what her mom had done… She hadn't said '"I don't care."', but it felt like it. Most of all, Ronnie Anne had been keeping up a strong front for days, but no one could stay angry or annoyed or bitter forever. She was tired. Metaphorically and physically. Lincoln about to leave had started breaking the dam and even if he wasn't leaving yet, she couldn't stop what had already started.
And she was sure those extra hormones had something to do with it too. Even if she wasn't showing, she was sure it was already wreaking all sorts of havoc on her brain and body.
It all had to come out at some point, and it looked like it might be here and now. She could make a break for it and hole up in the bathroom. But then there was the slight chance her mother might find her and all her earlier attempts to seem in control would be wasted. All she had left was to either suck it up or let Lincoln watch.
Lincoln. And suddenly Ronnie Anne was thinking about what her mom had said and her own brief doubts before. It all went back to him: the reason she was knocked up, the reason she'd told Bobby first- and the entire reason this situation blew up instead of being handled quietly. Literally everything about her life was about to change just because of her infatuation with him. That's unfair. That's stupid. It's not worth the hassle. She could see the logic.
But at the same time, she really did like Lincoln. The idea of losing him hurt just as much if not more. But did she really, or was puberty just making her feel like that? Was it really the hormones? No. This started before either of them hit puberty. It was real damnit. Even if the adults didn't believe it, it was. But was it still worth it?
Lincoln was still behind her, watching her try to keep it together, and taking too many seconds to comfort her when Ronnie Anne turned on him. It wasn't a hug as much as it was a football tackle that slammed his back into the door and knocked all the air out of him. He was sure his feet even left the ground for a moment. And she just stayed in the position they'd stopped in: hunched over awkwardly holding on to Lincoln under his arms. It was too awkward a position to really hug her back, so tried to gently urge her to stand upright.
"Stop." She warned him. Lincoln stopped and stared down at the back of her head. "You better be worth it."
"Huh?"
"You better. Be worth it." She grounded out. "I hate this. I hate feeling sick. I hate upsetting my parents. I hate everything about this." She breathed out, heaving. "But I'm worried about not seeing your dumb ass-" She had to stop to keep her voice composed. "-ever again. So, I'm going through this for you. You better be worth it." She said again. Lincoln wasn't much...but he made her happy. And she thought that was worth suffering for. Maybe it did make her an idiot, but she wanted what she wanted.
That was a lot of pressure to put on Lincoln. Part of him should've been flattered, but all it really did was make him nervous. He was used to being depended on. Worth having around as a friend or family member. But what Ronnie Anne was saying invoked a sense of even deeper dependency and value than what he was used to. She was willing to go through something incredibly difficult-even risking death-just because she liked him. Lincoln liked himself, obviously, but was he worth that much? Not just that, but those words had a future-ish connotation to them, one that went against what both of them had talked about back at his house.
Obviously, Lincoln's thoughts weren't one for one with his girlfriend. But they were following a similar line of thinking. He knew he liked Ronnie Anne, but was it worth this amount of trouble, ridicule, and risk? He didn't want to think about the alternative, but he recognized how illogical it seemed at the same time. But just like her, he convinced himself those emotions were real and worth following against a line of logic or fear. It was scary living up to expectations like that, but it couldn't be scarier than what she was doing.
"I'll be worth it." He told her, feeling the force she was using to pin him against the door lessen. He tried again to get her to stand up for a proper embrace, but he picked up quick that she didn't want him to see her face. He was sure he knew why; his sisters tried to hide their faces when they were crying too. So instead, he pushed her into a compromise where she turned around so he could hug her from behind while resting his nose against the back of her head.
"You better." Ronnie Anne muttered under her breath. She hadn't kept her eyes from tearing up. She hadn't kept a few from dropping onto the floor while she had her head bowed. But she thought she was regaining control.
Lincoln was the one about to break down now; he hadn't been that far from it either. A desire to not look miserable in front of his new girlfriend could only get him so far when he was away from home and overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation. He'd never been a cry baby, but he was only human. And boys had the same excess hormones during puberty as girls. He kept himself in check, soothed by the warm body he'd pulled against his own.
"Do you want to lay down?" Lincoln suggested. Not just because he thought it'd be a better place to embrace, but because the confrontation with Lori had left him worn out in the same way Ronnie Anne's confrontation with her parents had left her.
"Yeah." She had no problem with that. A few minutes later, as they laid there, her head on his shoulder and his arm around her, she started to lay out some of those thoughts that bugged her. "The way my parents talked to me made me wonder if I was overthinking things. Or letting puberty get in the way. But they feel real to me. And c'mon, you know me." She regained some of her bluster. "I hate that mushy stuff. So, if I'm feeling it, they have to be the real deal, you know?"
"Yeah." Lincoln could see where she was coming from. His parents hadn't put that thought in his head, although they hadn't even had the chance yet. Lori had, though. Getting called a pervert had actually hurt a lot and brought back the guilty feelings.
"I feel like an idiot." The Latina went on.
"I don't." Lincoln felt out of his element, but he felt sure about one thing. "I know I like you." A little physical shift was her reaction to that. Lincoln wondered how many more times he'd be able to get that cute reaction from her before she got used to it. He'd need to find another way to get her hot and bothered.
"Yeah. I like you too. Just saying, it's..." Ronnie Anne trailed off as the point she thought she was going to make disappeared from her mind. Maybe it wasn't so crazy, suffering for someone you liked. She got a lot out of it: human interaction, emotional support, and even physical pleasure. Wasn't getting those the entire point of being human?
"Your mom was really pushing us about that." Lincoln acknowledged, helping her out of the mental dead end she'd hit.
"Hmph." Ronnie Anne made a sound of annoyance, although she felt guilty for it immediately after. "I wish she'd just believe me." She'd never been so forthcoming with her mom about subjects like romance, but Ronnie Anne had thought she could at least expect her mother to believe her when she said something.
"I think she does now." Lincoln tried to cheer her up. Ronnie Anne was about to tell him she wasn't completely convinced, but the sound of the apartment's front door opening redirected their attention.
"Hello?" Rosa Casagrande called, sounding confused as to why her apartment was so quiet and empty. Then they heard quick and heavy footsteps; she was coming down the hall. Lincoln almost jerked up, but Ronnie Anne didn't move, keeping him down. She wasn't frozen with fear or anything, although she did feel a small twinge of it. Getting caught didn't hold the same amount of fear anymore. The cat was out of the bag already, so why hide it? She'd already decided this was important to her, enough to suffer for. Why deny it? Why not flaunt her 'trophy' to the rest of the world? Bold thoughts that, if it came to it, she might not actually go through with.
She didn't have to. Another door opened in the hallway, stopping the Casagrande matriarch's march. "Oh, Mija. Where is Ronnie Anne and her boyfriend?" Ronnie Anne did inwardly flinch a little hearing that. It was the emotional equivalent of muscle memory.
"I decided to unground her early. They probably went out." Ronnie Anne didn't think her mom was acting and she'd assumed they'd just bolted from the house together after she'd given them the all clear.
"By themselves?!" Her abuela seemed horrified. "Maria, you saw them this morning! We should be keeping an eye on them."
"Mom, they're not going to do that in the city." Suddenly, overhearing this conversation was a lot more awkward. "Besides, I already talked to her about safety." Her mom had talked to her about safety, it just hadn't worked. But her mom wasn't lying.
"So you're okay with them sleeping together?" Rosa asked bluntly. The two teens that had definitely been smart enough to make that decision had to awkwardly scratch their noses.
"No." Maria's answer was assertive. "But since we can't watch her all the time, it's better that she knows."
"Frida said the same thing." By the tone of voice, Ronnie Anne was almost certain her grandma was pointing in the direction of the other apartment. It didn't surprise her at all their abuela had picked up on Carlota being very involved with boys. But maybe this was a good thing? Carlota hadn't changed, so hopefully that meant her grandma was willing to let her granddaughters be themselves. "They aren't doing it already, are they? She's still too young."
"I don't know." Maria lied. "But she's my daughter, so let me handle it."
"You are going to call and check on them, right?" Rosa asked, seemingly agreeing but still questioning her methods. There was a pause. "You gave Mija her phone back, didn't you?"
"...No." Ronnie Anne's mother admitted to a mistake.
"You're dressed, so you're going out to look for them, right?" Rosa asked, sounding concerned.
"No, I had other stuff to do today. Mom, you're worrying too much. Nothing is going to happen to them."
Because something already did. Ronnie Anne thought.
"Well...I'm going to go out and look for them." Rosa Casagrande decided. "Just to make sure they're alright."
"If you want to." Maria didn't try to stop her. Rosa might've made a quiet 'hmmph' sound, Ronnie Anne couldn't be sure. But from the end of that conversation, it was easy to tell that there was a disagreement between mother and daughter on the seriousness of the situation. Both teens stayed silent and still until they heard the front door close twice, then simultaneously let out breaths they'd been holding. They did sit up after that.
"I don't regret it." Ronnie Anne mentioned, staring at the door. "Did I say that yet?" She wasn't sure.
"Your birthday?" Lincoln thought about the last day. "I don't think so." She'd said she wanted to stay together. Lincoln definitely remembered that. "I don't regret it...just getting caught."
"We didn't exactly get caught." To her, that would've meant getting caught with their pants down. "We just had to tell them we did it. This way we had some time to be happy." The last time she'd been completely content was before she was late and those worries forced their way into her mind. It would be months before she could be at ease again.
Worth it. She reminded herself. It's supposed to be worth it.
But she badly wanted some of that happiness again, and Lincoln was sitting right beside her. They could go watch tv again, they could continue making out, or now that they had the whole apartment to themselves... Those same negative feelings from last night came back to her-the ones that told her thinking like that was wrong. And this time, she shook them away. She'd just said it hadn't been wrong then, so why would it be now? Especially when they were more honest about what they were? Especially especially when there was no risk now. What was wrong with normal human desires?
She thought the negativity was her letting the backlash from her parents and brother get to her. She knew what she felt and wanted. They didn't think it was right, but she did. Ronnie Anne looked Lincoln right in the eye. "I'd do it again."
"I would too." Lincoln immediately agreed. His parent's disappointment and Lori's anger weren't going to convince him it was wrong.
The two stared at each other after that affirmation, both of their faces gaining a tint as the seconds passed. Then Ronnie Anne made an amused snort and Lincoln grinned sheepishly. It was still new enough ground to them that they didn't go as naturally into it as things like kissing. The mood didn't feel right either. They'd spent half the day out the first time, messing around and hanging out, being glad to see each other again. They'd just come out of a moping session right now. Maybe some couples did it to perk themselves up, but Ronnie Anne Santiago didn't subscribe to that line of thinking. She (correctly) thought Lincoln wouldn't either, given his usual concern for people's happiness and that romantic streak of his.
Her mind lingered on that day, when they'd just been goofing off in the city. That was what it was mostly about for her, that and the daily talks. She'd go the rest of adolescence without sleeping together as long as she could keep those. She realized that might actually be the case-her parents certainly assumed it would be the case. She wasn't sure about that now, but she was sure of exactly what she wanted. The other thing...they'd see. She would give it up, but she didn't necessarily want to.
"Why don't we get out of here and do something?" Lincoln's expression didn't fall, but there was some confusion. "We still got all day and you're staying the night again." We'll have plenty of time was what she was implying. Why not squeeze in a few other things before their inevitable separation? She was aware they were squandering a golden opportunity, but she figured she'd figure it out later, with usual teenage levels of forethought.
"Arcade or skatepark?" Lincoln asked. He sounded excited; all he really cared about was them spending time together too.
"Arcade. That way we can get lunch." Ronnie Anne intended to be out for a few hours. Besides, she didn't think she'd be skating for a long time.
"Same one as before?" He suggested.
"Hmm. Sure. The whole thing is open now." There was more to choosing the same place they'd gone on her birthday and she knew it. Why change what works? "But," As they got to the front door, Ronnie Anne rounded on him. "No romantic crap in public." She reminded him. "I mean it." She jabbed a finger at him. Lincoln looked at her hand then up at her. Then he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him. "Hey!"
"Just getting it out of my system now." He stopped pulling with their bodies less than an inch apart. His girlfriend tilted her head back and then rocked forward like she was about to headbutt him. She pulled up short, but Lincoln still reflexively leaned back.
"I got you." She leaned in smugly. Couple or not, the one thing that was never going to change was them messing with each other. And if Lincoln wanted to mess with her by being overly romantic, then the war was on. Ronnie Anne wasn't sure yet how she intended to win when she'd let him get away with everything (so far), but she wasn't going to just throw in the towel. Or... She thought as Lincoln planted one on her cheek. I can call this winning.
After they left the apartment, they threw their arms over the others' shoulder. That had always been fine. They could excuse that. Walking Great Lake City's streets, the pair started to take their minds off things. Even for a repeat visitor, Lincoln never stopped looking around at everything from the amount of sensory overload. For Ronnie Anne, it all had a rhythm to it, like music that you just nodded along to.
At one point they passed a drug store, and for a brief second Lincoln wondered if he needed to buy condoms again, then resisted the urge to smack himself in public. Obviously, he didn't; what good would they do now? Although now that his teenage brain had drifted over to the subject, it was hard to dismiss it. Truthfully, it hadn't left his mind since that spark back in Ronnie Anne's room that had gone nowhere. Part of him was disappointed, but he was glad he had time to think about it.
He didn't regret that they'd had sex, but he did feel regret for how clumsy he'd been and how fast his part had been over. Those first few days after, his thoughts were full of 'I should have's'. He should've kissed her at least once but didn't. He should've taken her shirt off too but didn't. He should've tried to catch a glimpse of her butt but didn't. Now that he knew how good holding her felt, he wished he'd done that more too. It had been an amazing experience at the time, but it could've gone better in a lot of ways. He was still embarrassed at how long it had taken for him to get anything done for her, and how short his turn was in comparison. He might get another chance soon, and it was impossible to not start planning his moves. He was the man with the plan, after all.
Lincoln wasn't good at planning and walking at the same time, leading him to almost faceplant a bus stop before his girlfriend thankfully grabbed his shoulder and steered him away. She gave him a few closed fist taps on the head. "Sorry."
"What's with the dumb look? You better not be thinking of me."
"I am." He admitted without shame, watching her scoff and pretend not to care for the millionth time.
"Perro." And she knew exactly what he was thinking too. Lincoln put his planning on the backburner for the time being.
The arcade was packed, way more than it had been during the summer. But, like Ronnie Anne had said, it was fully opened now. Filled with throngs of people younger than them, their age, and even older. Lincoln grabbed his girlfriend's hand and got away with it just so they couldn't get separated.
The two weren't exactly rolling in cash, as they'd griped the afternoon before. But they had enough to split a small pizza. And while they sat side by side in the booth together, Lincoln got one of his famous ideas.
"Hmm." Mouth full of pizza, Ronnie Anne eyed him suspiciously as he pulled out his phone. "What are you doing?" She asked after swallowing.
"Taking a picture of my new girlfriend." Lincoln pointed the phone at her.
"No." She ducked her head and used her free hand to try and grab it, only for Lincoln to hold it out of her reach. "Do you want to get slapped with a piece of pizza?"
"Yes." He turned her jab on its head. Amused as she looked, she still barred his attempt.
"Why?"
"Because she's cute." She raised the pizza slice threateningly. "A new background." Lincoln answered honestly. That got her to stop.
" Go on." She leaned back in her seat, trying to look cool. Lincoln snapped the picture and set it as his new background. "Flip phones are for old people, you know?" She teased him.
"It was cheap." Lincoln defended. He did have a regular smartphone, but he kept that in his room, where it was least likely to take any damage. This one was just something reliable he could carry around. And it was cheap-only about $20.
"I bet." Ronnie Anne watched him smile at the picture. Now if anyone saw him pull out his phone they'd see her there and know he was a romantic idiot. Realizing that, she started to frown.
"What's wrong?" Lincoln asked. "Don't like the picture?"
"No, you can keep it. Just don't let too many people see it. And definitely don't post that online." The frown deepened. "Actually, let's just not mention each other on social media at all." She'd just realized something new and felt the need to act on it immediately. "If we advertise that we're together, people will figure it out quicker." Lincoln hadn't put a lot of thought into people beyond his family finding out, but he knew he'd be embarrassed. He hadn't really intended to start bragging about having a girlfriend, and he had even less of a reason now. They were keeping it hidden, kind of like they had been before.
Her frown turned into a wry smile when he mentioned that. It was a cute way to redress things, but it would be one-sided in the end. Lincoln could hide his role from anyone outside their families. She wouldn't be able to hide hers at all, eventually, but she could still protect his identity. She thought that would be important for when things went back to normal when it was all over.
There wasn't a point in openly discussing secrets, so they didn't talk about it. They finished their pizza and had no reason not to sink the rest of their pocket change into quarters. After that, they went wild. Skeeball, hoops, and they even got on the dance machines once their lunch settled. And as world shattering as their predicament was, they both really did forget about it and just lived in the moment. They trash talked each other's game, did a little good natured interference, and made bets with one another.
This was it. This was part of the connection between them. Not dates or dances or stuff like that. Ronnie Anne felt like she could spend her whole life chilling out like this, and Lincoln would do the same if given a chance. She didn't just forget her troubles; she was genuinely happy. In one day, she'd gotten both the things she desired out of her boyfriend: emotional support, and someone to screw around with.
Metaphorically screw around with. She hadn't had time to add literal screwing to the list of things she expected from Lincoln. She could just as easily add that to the list, but maybe it would be safer to do that after the crisis passed. Until then…I could count it as a bonus. She thought.
They did start to run really low on quarters by the time they found themselves at skeeball again. Ronnie Anne wasn't tired, but she didn't think it'd be long before she was. Because of that, "Tell you what," She spoke low, and Lincoln almost didn't hear her, "if either of us hits 200, let's head back to the apartment." She watched him inhale heavily, a new spark show in his eye. He knew. As it turned out, they both hit it, although Ronnie Anne was the only one to sink a 100 point ball. The two teenagers didn't even cash in their tickets before they left.
Both were a little scatterbrained on the way back, enough that Ronnie Anne almost led them down the wrong street at least once. But they both played coy about why they were heading back. Neither wanted to come off as either pushy or desperate, even if they both wanted it. They eventually got back to the apartment building. When they got through the door into the lobby, their full steps became half steps until Ronnie Anne just stopped in place, kicking the air for a moment. Lincoln watched the back of her head, already imagining pulling off her hair tie again.
She looked back over her shoulder at him. At any other point they'd known each other, the mischief in her eyes would've been cause for concern. Not now. Without saying anything, she stuck her hands in her pockets and started taking exaggerated steps towards the side hallway that led to some storage rooms and then down to the laundry room in the basement. Lincoln started following her, and once he got close enough, his girlfriend reached out and grabbed his wrist and quickly increased her stride.
The excitement started to build in both of them in anticipation of pleasure and the act they both genuinely saw as a celebration of how close they were. Lincoln was the most excited and his plans and dreams were rushing back into the front of his mind. He was ready for an even greater experience than the first time. Ronnie Anne strode ahead and dragged him along with purpose; this would be validation to her, proof that she really did care and wasn't acting irrationally over a boy. Their paces quickened and they straight up ran down the stairs into the laundry room.
Then they both slid to a halt.
Ronnie Anne and Sid's hideout was blocked off. Yellow tape stretched across the gap in the wall leading into it several times, and a neatly stenciled sign affirmed that it was indeed closed off. Ronnie Anne immediately recognized her abuela's handwriting. The old woman was the building manager for Mr. Scully; this was well within her power. But why? Then it hit her: Ronnie Anne had admitted this was where it happened. Her mom must've gotten Abuela to do this, with a lie almost certainly. Lincoln was used to his girlfriend occasionally dropping a swear word, but this time he noticeably jumped when she let one out in frustration.
"Oh." He said when she explained herself. They stood there in silence, the mood as far away as it had been earlier that day. Ronnie Anne thought about just tearing the tape down, but it was another belligerent thought and nothing more. She briefly distracted herself by wondering if it was healthy to have thoughts like that. Then she shook her head.
"Well...c'mon." She grabbed Lincoln under his shoulder and pulled him away. Maybe tonight instead. Both were disappointed.
The apartment had regained its usual bustle and hustle since they left. CJ, Carl, and Carlitos were there now, and even Hector was asleep in one of the chairs. Rosa was back too, and she was on the two of them before the door even closed.
"Where were you two?" She demanded.
"Arcade." They answered together. That wasn't a lie. She wasn't going to pick anything up even as she scrutinized them.
"You forgot your phone." Rosa took the extra action of stuffing it in her granddaughter's pocket herself. "You can't do that. What if something happened?" The old woman fussed.
"Sorry." Ronnie Anne placated her grandmother. That seemed to be enough. Rosa didn't question them further, or even admit to having looked for them. They settled back into the apartment with Ronnie Anne's familia just like they had earlier that morning. They couldn't disappear into either Ronnie Anne's room or Bobby's old room-Rosa would catch them in a hurry. But they stayed together, even if it meant Lincoln turning down request after request to hang out with the boys. Even if it wasn't as private, it was more time spent together, and some time secretly holding hands on the couch.
It started to fall apart before dinner. Kids and teens always have a sense they use to notice adults were in a bad mood or might be mad at them specifically. Ronnie Anne and her primos started to get that feeling from Rosa. She'd left the apartment and come back charged. The teen Latina hoped whatever it was was directed at her cousins and not her. It wasn't.
"Ronalda, come out here for a moment." Her grandma beckoned her to the hallway in an unusually controlled voice.
"Oooh." Carl whispered to Carlitos, who mimicked the expression. Ronnie Anne kept her cool as she got up.
"Yes, Abuela?" The old woman stood back and pointed at Ronnie Anne's door. Go in there. She was starting to feel anxious, but not deathly so. It was probably another embarrassing lecture like the ones she got that morning. Her grandma followed her inside and closed the door for both of them.
"I need to ask you something. Be honest with me, Mija." Her grandmother urged.
"Yeah?" She spoke quietly.
"Did you get Bobby to lie so Lincoln could visit you?" Rosa asked. Ronnie Anne clammed up for a good few seconds, so she kept speaking. "Lori told me she didn't invite Lincoln to visit her this weekend even though that's what Bobby said. I even asked him after talking to Lori and he said the same thing." She'd gotten Bobby caught in another lie. Her heart twisted painfully. But she hadn't been the one to tell Bobby to lie; he'd volunteered and Mom had gone along with it. That didn't matter as much as the fact Rosa had figured out she was being deceived. A cover story as flimsy as the one they'd come up with was lucky enough to pass for one night-two was just impossible. She wasn't angry about it. Yet.
"I really wanted to see him." Ronnie Anne mumbled. It wasn't a lie, or the truth, just practically a non-answer. Her abuela nodded in understanding, but still not with an expression that told her she was forgiven.
"You were love sick." She stated. Due to the height difference, Ronnie Anne could look straight ahead and avoid eye contact with her at the same time. Not a word she'd use; love wasn't a word either Lincoln or her had used at all. "So you lied so that he could sleep over." Rosa's voice drifted from neutral to a harder tone. Ronnie Anne's grandma had always been against sleepovers in her apartment, even other girls like Sid. To abuse her good nature by fooling her into letting a boy stay overnight was a compounding offense. Ronnie Anne hadn't lied, but Lincoln was here because of her when all was said and done. "And your mother was in on it too?"
Maybe it was the hormones, but guilt turned to anger and then determination in rapid succession. Ronnie Anne had messed up Bobby's relationship with Lori and she was starting to drive a wedge between her mom and grandma. She wanted it to end. She wanted to deal with her own screwup without hurting others.
"Lay off mom and Bobby." She told her grandma.
"Excuse me?" Rosa took such great offense that she responded in Spanish.
"I forced them into it." That claim sounded stupid once it left her lips. Maybe it was more believable she could get her brother to do something for her but forcing her own mother?
"Is that the reason you were grounded?" Her abuela demanded.
"Yeah." Or maybe she could spin it that way. Being so difficult her mom just caved in and let her have what she wanted. Rosa seemed to believe it.
"Ronnie Anne!" The family matriarch put her hands on her hips. "I know you're young and in love." Her voice softened slightly. "But this is not okay! Look at me!" She ordered when Ronnie Anne tried looking straight ahead. "Lying to your own familia. Disrespecting your mother. Sneaking boys into my apartment." She laid out each charge with the same intensity. "You're better than this Mija." Ronnie Anne said nothing. "Have you two been sleeping together?" She finally demanded. Her granddaughter didn't answer that, or try and tell her that her mom didn't want her asking about that. But silence, and the way her expression shifted, answered when words didn't. "You have!" Rosa sounded the most outraged.
"Yeah." There was no point denying it. There was no point hiding anything anymore either; her grandma was right in front of the truth already. The only reason she didn't spill her guts was because she'd set the old woman off. Rosa was a kind woman, but you didn't raise a good family with just kindness. You needed reasonable discipline to teach lessons. She'd gone off at them that morning with the cold water but she'd explained why she did it and how it showed she cared.
Now she thought the two teens had been playing her. She thought that both of them had plotted and planned this. It wasn't two awkward and clueless teens doing something stupid because they didn't know better and needed to be taught, this was two fully aware teens doing something they knew they shouldn't and deliberating hiding it. That called for a harsher response.
"You are grounded, young lady!" She grabbed Ronnie Anne's arm. "And you are going to speak to your mother right now. Lincoln is going home!" That wasn't going to work.
"He's leaving tomorrow morning." She didn't want it to happen either.
"He's leaving now." Rosa wasn't going to compromise.
"He can't."
"He will!"
"No." And with that act of defiance, Ronnie Anne had crossed a line. Her abuela let go to reach down and grab one of her sandals. "I'm pregnant." Rosa Casagrande froze in shock. Her mouth fell open.
Behind Rosa, Ronnie Anne's bedroom door was shoved open, almost knocking the short woman over. It was Maria, running to see what all the commotion was about. Hell, maybe even her primos had overheard some of that.
Things got confusing very quickly. Maria tried to ask her daughter what was going on, but Rosa turned on her. Ronnie Anne tried to explain what had happened, but she couldn't make herself be heard over the racket. All three were trying to talk and point at each other and none could get across what they wanted. But what was apparent was that all three were in the know now on the big secret. Once that was apparent, Maria grabbed her daughter and went about removing her from the conversation. Rosa grabbed Ronnie Anne's arm to keep her in it, and had her forcefully pulled from her grasp. That created a big enough pause in the chaos for someone to be heard.
"Go. And don't come back until I call you." Her mother pushed her out of her own bedroom and closed the door. Ronnie Anne stared at the door, starting to walk backwards. It didn't take her long to reach the living room. "Lincoln." She called him over without looking. He was there in a second and she grabbed him and pulled him out the front door with her. She felt guilty, but figured doing what her mom told her to do would be the best bet.
"What happened?" Lincoln could tell something had gone wrong, and he already had an idea.
"She figured it out." His girlfriend confirmed it.
"Is she going to kill me?" He'd gotten almost constant hostility from the old woman all day. Ronnie Anne stopped and looked at him.
"Maybe. C'mon, we'll hang out somewhere public." Public and not very far-Ronnie Anne led him down to the Mercado. She didn't really have the energy to go out again and she actually was banking that her grandma, if she did come down here, wouldn't start a scene in public. She didn't want to go far from her mother either. Bobby seemed surprised to see them.
"Hey guys…what's up?"
"Abuela found out." His sister explained. "Mom wants us out of the apartment while she talks to her." Bobby winced.
"Ooh, yeah. That's probably a good idea." Bobby didn't complain when she brought Lincoln around back behind the counter where they could sit down against the wall. "I guessed that would happen."
"I hoped it wouldn't." But Ronnie Anne wasn't that surprised. "Mom was the most worried about her finding out. I'm sure you know why." Bobby nodded.
"Lori told me about what you chose." Her brother mentioned.
"I thought it was the best choice." She justified.
"I think you made a good one." He praised his sister.
"Doesn't feel like it." Ronnie Anne didn't feel accomplished. The store's door dinged, pausing the conversation. But it wasn't a customer.
"Hi Abuelo. Checking in on the store?" Bobby let them know before they could see for themselves.
"You can run the store blindfolded, Bobby. I don't need to check on you. Rosa kicked me out of the apartment." He complained. "Her and your mother are fighting. I'm going to go sleep in my office." He wasn't in the mood for idle chit chat, and didn't even acknowledge Ronnie Anne and Lincoln sitting against the wall.
"About what?" Bobby asked, trying to sound innocent.
"Who knows?" Hector didn't know, and he didn't seem to care either.
"I think Abuelo was just exaggerating." Bobby looked over at Ronnie Anne once he was gone. "He said Abuela and tia Frida were fighting when they were trying to decide how to decorate Carlitos' birthday cake."
"Hey," She figured Bobby had an answer to something she'd been wondering earlier and wondered more strongly now. "Did Abuela ever get on your case about Lori when you were still in school?" She'd been thinking about Carlota earlier, but Bobby had still been with Lori when they first moved in. He could have insight.
"All the time." Bobby shook his head. "And I swear she knew everything."
"So...how do you think she'll react to Lincoln and me?" She asked.
"Suggesting you two get married."
"Wha-?!" Both teenagers had similar shocked reactions.
"I'm serious." Bobby nodded to show he meant business. He seemed to find amusement in their reactions. "If you're going to..." He moved his head and did an awkward gesture with his hands to avoid saying 'sleeping together'. "Then she thinks you should be committed to each other. She was bothering me about marrying Lori a month after we moved in."
"Not a fucking chance." Ronnie Anne normally didn't swear in front of her brother, but she lacked control when she was sufficiently embarrassed or heated. Lincoln made a sound that might've started in his brain as a statement of concurrence, but got lost during the journey.
"She'd get off your case." Bobby told them, but both teens were shaking their heads. That was too adult a concept for them and something not meant to be thought of for years. "You'll see." He sounded sure of himself. Lincoln and Ronnie Anne's body language rejected such a dumb idea, but he'd struck enough of a cord that they spent most of the rest of their time down there in awkward silence. Eventually, her mom sent a text telling them to come back.
Maria Santiago-Casagrande was sitting at the dining table when the pair opened the door and cautiously peeked in. "She left. You don't have to worry." She told them. The eerie emptiness of the apartment seemed to confirm that. If she'd sent Hector away, she must've sent the other kids too. "What did she say to you before I got there?" Ronnie Anne finally got a chance to explain what had happened. Her mom listened, not looking too surprised.
"How's she taking it?" Ronnie Anne asked after finishing.
"Badly. I'm not mad at you." She soothed her daughter's worries. "It was probably going to happen eventually. I just wish it hadn't come so soon." She looked up at Lincoln. He wasn't sure if she was accusing him of being the reason or if it was something else, but her look obviously said she wished it hadn't happened while he was there. "Sit down. Both of you." She ordered. They did as she told them.
"Did something happen?" This was feeling ominous. Ronnie Anne had expected that her grandma would be displeased, but she was starting to wonder if she'd underestimated just how badly the old woman would take it.
"Not yet." Those words didn't help dispel the anxiety. "I already told her what's going to happen and she didn't like it. She's going to try and change your minds." She looked between the both of them. "Especially you." She told her daughter.
"I'm not changing my mind." Ronnie Anne Santiago affirmed.
"But she's going to try. You need to understand that."
"I'll tell her I made up my mind already. I'm not changing it." Ronnie Anne realized, and her mother's expression told her she did too, that it would take more than that to convince Rosa Casagrande. Well, no matter how much it took, Ronnie Anne was set upon what she wanted. Her mother looked both of them in the eyes, gauging their determination. It seemed to satisfy her. What she said next, she said to Lincoln.
"I think it'll be better if I just drive you home now." While Ronnie Anne's stomach started to flip, she talked to her too. "And I think you should come too. Just in case Abuela comes home." Maria watched both teens expectantly for an answer. Neither said anything. Lincoln, already thoroughly terrified of the Casagrande matriarch, did want to get out of there now more than ever, but he didn't want his time with his girlfriend to end. Ronnie Anne didn't want the time with her boyfriend to end either. And if she did have to face down her grandma, she would feel a lot better if she had him to fall onto afterwards.
"Tomorrow." She said. "That's what we agreed. If Abuela does try and change my mind, I-I can stand up to her better if he's here." She motioned to Lincoln. Then she looked at her boyfriend for agreement. That solidified things for him. If she wanted him there that badly, he'd embrace the possible danger.
For once, Maria didn't seem annoyed by the couple's existence. They could almost see her running the numbers in her head and realizing that it was probably true. Ronnie Anne had already fought with her own parents over this boy, why would her own grandma be any different. She accepted it with a nod of her head, and a jerking motion for them to leave. They both quickly stood up like they expected the confrontation to occur any moment.
"Hey, Mom." Ronnie Anne stopped at the mouth of the hallway, where she could still see her mother by looking through the kitchen window into the dining room. "Where did Abuela go, exactly?" Maria's mouth tightened.
"Probably to the library to read up on the state's marriage laws." Ronnie Anne didn't respond to that, not with words anyway. She just backed away out of sight. Lincoln was waiting there for her. He'd heard what she said too.
They went back into her room together. At first, nothing was said. They sat side by side on the bed with drinks from the mini-fridge. Both had heard the same thing twice from two different people. Something like that was hard not to acknowledge.
"You remember what I said back at your house, right?" Ronnie Anne eventually asked.
"Yes."
"Good." That was all that needed said. They'd already laid it out that thinking into the future wasn't really something either of them was interested in doing. It was all about salvaging what they had now.
Lincoln, using that as his reasoning, eventually started moving things on by playfully reaching for his girlfriend's hair tie. She leaned away and swatted his hand. He lifted a single finger and hovered it above her shoulder, the old fashioned but still very effective '"I'm not touching you"' trick. Ronnie Anne caught onto his games quickly. She stuck out a pinky from her right hand and put it in her mouth. Lincoln immediately jerked his hand back and prepared to defend. To his misfortune, he'd left himself open for a light punch to the gut in doing so. They had to pause their roughhousing while he coughed.
Once he did though, Lincoln got a shock when Ronnie Anne grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him straight into a kiss. She figured he was going to try it eventually, so why not get the jump on him? Besides, she liked it too now. And very quickly they ended up replacing their old way of having fun with one another with the new, arguably better, one.
Both of them had to marvel again at just how pleasing making out was without going all the way to intimacy, and how such thoughts didn't even occur when they were doing that instead. It was a whole different kind of indulgence. Each teen was sure it was only because of how well they knew and liked the other and that sex only worked for the same reason. It had to be the other. The urges wouldn't have existed otherwise.
Lincoln got Ronnie Anne's hair tie off again. She made sure to jab him in the collarbone just so he remembered he didn't have free reign. Lincoln eventually got her sitting sideways across his lap too. She let him get away with that one.
It didn't lead directly into what they did next; they spent another few minutes just sitting together after they were done. Again, it felt like something distinctly different. The first failed attempt, they'd planned it to cap off enjoying each other's presence at the arcade. This time, it was to cap off enjoying each other's presence doing something that was different but hit the same feelings. That the apartment may have not been completely empty didn't take up space in their minds; they were too enamored with each other at that moment to do anything else than express it.
It went a lot better than the first time. Both were mindful of their flaws and mistakes, and what did and didn't work. Ronnie Anne didn't make a fool of herself this time by trying to take her pants and underwear off before her shoes, getting them tangled at her feet and needing Lincoln to keep her from falling over. And Lincoln, while still a little clumsy, was much better with his hands.
Surprisingly, he didn't even need to look. While she lay on her back, he laid on his side right beside her. Her skeptical eyes glared into his, shining with confidence and unexplained mischief. She didn't look skeptical for long. Once Lincoln's hand drifted to her spot, she was fighting to keep a straight face. He knew (or remembered, she supposed) what to do, and he was up here so he could admire his work. She wasn't going to let him think he was the master of it all.
But she did let him know he was doing it right. She was biting her lip, and her eyes were starting to go funny. The first time, Lincoln hadn't caught those signs because he was focusing so hard on what his hands were doing. He'd looked up in time to see her face once he got her off though, and that had made all the effort worth it. This time, he wanted to watch her from start to finish, and see the normally immovable Ronnie Anne Santiago squirm. She knew that's what he was after too, but she was powerless against nature.
Her breathing was heavy. Her hands were gripping the bed beneath her, and the one on her left side went to grip Lincoln's shirt. She grabbed some skin with it too, almost messing him up before it mercifully slipped free of the cloth. He still had a free hand too, and he used it to reach around her head and lay it against her cheek, applying just a little bit of force so she was looking at him more directly. She (tried) to scowl. He just smirked at her like he always did.
Lincoln knew when she was about to hit her limit. Her breathing was getting heavier, her eyes were glazing over, and she wouldn't stop squirming. Her thighs were rubbing against his wrist in a way that convinced him he'd have something like rope burn when they were done. The first time, her signal had been a sharp intake of breath. This time it was a slow gasp just a few tones short of a moan. Lincoln had been hoping for that metaphorical trophy, but there was no shame in a job well done. And just like that, she went limp and her breathing slowed.
"I've gotten better, haven't I?" He used his free and non-messy hand to brush her hair off her face, including the strands that had been glued there with sweat.
"Not enough…to look so smug." She was out of breath. Lincoln stayed smug. Even though it was his turn now (something the tightness in his pants made him very well aware of), he didn't let the excitement drive him as much as before. He had other intentions still, and since their faces were right next to each other, one was easy to achieve. The kiss had a spark behind it, although it still felt remarkably like what they'd been doing earlier.
Next he reached for the hem of her shirt, glancing up at her for permission before he attempted to take it off. She looked at him and then down at his hand. The haze in her expression cleared and she became more cognitive. She lifted her hand and grabbed Lincoln's, lifting it away from her shirt. He got the message. It was fine; he wouldn't have enjoyed it unless she was okay with it.
He sat up and stopped to gaze upon her. Even with her shirt still on, she was an amazing sight. Ronnie Anne watched him admire her and how dumbstruck he looked. She'd noticed it the first time too. It wasn't what she'd describe as lustfull. She knew what perverts looked like. Lincoln looked like he'd just watched her pull off an awesome skateboard trick. He wasn't a saint; she'd gotten him to admit to checking her out. He was still a boy.
But she honestly believed there wasn't anything too superficial in it. Ronnie Anne Santiago wasn't too in touch with her femininity. She didn't use makeup, she didn't put too much thought into her clothes, and she didn't obsess over her 'assets' as other girls called them. She still looked good, she was in touch enough to realize that, but that wasn't really a 'part' of her. She didn't believe it was a big part for Lincoln either. He was definitely aware she was a girl, but who she was was more important. For a tomboy like her, that was a big draw. She believed in the "purity" of his intentions, as dumb as that sounded.
"How long are you going to sit there and gawk?" She called him out. Even if it wasn't just her looks he was admiring, she didn't want to be admired too much. She got embarrassed. Lincoln sheepishly mumbled something and started to undress.
Now that it was his turn, things got even more intense. Last time, he'd been using a sheath and that had dulled the experience. He'd known-he'd anticipated-that it would feel a lot better without one. But he wasn't ready for just how much better the sensation would be when they coupled. The warm pleasure rolled over him like a heavy wave. It was incredible. He couldn't help himself from vocalizing it either.
"Heh." Even as she winced a little at how hard Lincoln's hands started gripping her hips, she managed to be amused at how stupid his face looked. He'd looked like that the first time too. She figured he might react like that. It felt a little different to her. Notably, it didn't hurt like the first time. But it felt incredibly warm, but not uncomfortably so. Even though she'd already climaxed, the pressure now made her start gripping the sheets again. It made her shake, and so did the anticipation of what it would feel like for him to finish inside her this time.
Her boyfriend wasn't willing to start just yet though. He was captivated by the heat and the feeling of flesh in his hands. He wanted more. He craved more. He took his hands off her hips and leaned forward so he could grab her arms instead. Ronnie Anne gasped in surprise as Lincoln pulled her up into a sitting position, the change definitely affecting the way the pressure shot up her body. But he wasn't done. One hand went to her back. The other, with some effort, wormed its way under the left half of her bottom and gripped tightly, making her squirm.
Then he just lifted her up and towards him. Feeling herself leave the ground, instinct took over and she immediately tried to grab onto the nearest thing-him. Her arms grabbed his shoulders and her legs wrapped around him. The maneuver ended up with them in a tight embrace, with Ronnie Anne completely in the air. Both let our shuddering breaths and pants in the other's ear. The heat and pressure was immense. For Lincoln, it felt amazing. It was hard to say who was holding on tighter. He tilted her back slightly so they were face to face.
"Is this alright?" Exhilaration made his breathing hard.
"Y-yeah. Go on." She gave him the all clear. He started to finally move, rocking both their bodies back and forth and up and down to create the friction. He started doing it faster and faster, causing both of them to grip the other tighter. He didn't last long, but he wasn't trying to. She was already satisfied. If just the coupling felt so good without a sheath, he was desperate to know how good finishing was. And their position meant he was still hearing every sound Ronnie Anne made right next to his ear. It enthralled him and pushed him to keep going.
Somehow, he kept himself from letting anything else out but a primal gasp. He wasn't sure if he closed his eyes, he definitely wasn't trying to, but for several brilliant seconds he swore he saw stars. The euphoria was so great that it even felt like he left the material plain for a few moments too. It turns out he did close his eyes, but so did his girlfriend. She opened them again almost immediately and let out an uncharacteristically high pitched noise. It wasn't pain or anything like that, but she definitely felt it.
When Lincoln opened his eyes again his vision was blurry for a few seconds. It didn't take long for them to clear so he could look at her again. They were both too out of breath to speak, but they didn't need words. What they'd just done was worth thousands of words, and after hearing what was said without being said, they felt closer than ever.
Eventually the afterglow faded and discomfort started to settle in. The cold started to bite into their skin as the heat faded. Lincoln's arms started to tire from holding his girlfriend up. Both started to feel the sting where their partner's nails had dug into flesh, wounds the ecstasy they'd been experiencing had kept them from noticing. They awkwardly untangled themselves and got under the blanket, shifting back and forth trying their hardest not to settle on the wet spot the bed had now. But they eventually found a comfortable spot facing each other. Their faces were still red with exertion and exhilaration and their hair was messy. They were both worn out.
But they were both smiling at each other. It felt like it was impossible for them to do anything else while they were looking at each other. They felt…content. Vindicated. Like the world made perfect sense. They were both looking at a person that was special and made them feel special. They were to each other what no other person could ever be. It was a powerful connection that was undeniably real.
And at that moment both of them realized: It was absolutely worth it. No matter what happened and no matter who disapproved, they were not going to stop. They loved each other. It was the simple truth even if left unsaid. Whatever happened and whatever it took, the both of them would make it through this. Not even the impending obstacles of Lincoln's scary eldest sister or Ronnie Anne's conservative grandmother could hope to stand against what they each saw as an unmistakable truth.
What happened tomorrow-even what happened in an hour-was a mystery, and the next eight months a complete void of the unknown. But Lincoln and Ronnie Anne knew with 100% certainty what would be there after that eight months was over: Each other.
