Chapter 7: Conceal
Ander observed the scene before him.
Reina stood a few feet away. She had the stormiest look on her face, her lips set in a tight line. Yet there was something else – what was it? She looked like a kid who had just gotten caught wearing her mother's expensive makeup.
And then Omar. That was the name that Christian gave him anyway. "Look for the dude with thick eyebrows and an earnest face," Christian had said to him over the phone.
Omar did not look earnest at all at this moment. His eyes darted from Ander to Reina, his expression a mixture of curiosity and awkwardness.
Ander coughed once. "Reina and I don't really know each other. We just happen to bump into each other at the clubs from time to time," he told Omar vaguely.
"Right." Omar didn't look entirely convinced, but he didn't push the subject. "Listen, I sorta messed up with the timings. I was supposed to meet Reina first at this same spot, but I didn't count on you showing up early..."
Ander nodded. Omar did say 5.30pm, but he had gotten restless and decided to leave the house way before it was time.
"Yeah, it was my bad," Ander said. "Anyway.. You're Omar, right? Nice to meet you. I'll let you, uhh, tend to Reina first. I can always take a walk and come back later."
As soon as Ander spoke those words, he could see Reina visibly relax slightly.
"Well..." Omar glanced at Reina. "If both of you don't mind, we can just get this done at the same time. Together."
Reina raised an eyebrow and looked like she was going to protest. But she paused to reconsider then said, "Fine. Whatever. Let's just get this over with."
Ander nodded in agreement.
"All right." Omar reached for his backpack and produced two small packs. He handed one to Reina and the other to Ander.
Reina took a quick look around to make sure nobody was around before she brought her pack close to her nose and breathed in. "Fresh," she approved.
Ander was no expert on marijuana freshness, so he would just take Reina's word for it.
He took out the money from his pocket and passed it to Omar. Reina unzipped her dainty beige Saint Laurent crossbody bag and paid Omar too.
"Thanks. Enjoy your goods," Omar said with a wry smile.
"It's so weird how you're a drug dealer but you don't actually use any drugs yourself, Omar," Reina commented, smirking.
"Really?" Ander was amazed.
Omar shrugged. "Yeah, I'm only doing it for the money." His eyes fixed onto Ander's face for a moment. "You look exactly like how Christian described."
"Yeah?"
"Curls. And a perpetual expression like you'd just inhaled something really bad."
Reina let out an amused laugh.
"Nice." Ander scrunched up his nose.
"Exactly like that!" Reina exclaimed, laughing again.
Omar chuckled along. Then he became thoughtful. "So correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't Las Encinas and San Patricio like sworn rivals of each other?"
Reina frowned, no longer laughing. "Yes," she replied tersely. "And I'd really appreciate it if you could make sure that I don't have an overlapping slot with Ander in the future."
"Uhh sure, of course," Omar said, nodding.
The ice queen was back. Ander knew this was his cue to leave. "Thanks again," he told Omar, pocketing his pack. "Bye, Omar. Bye, Reina."
Omar waved goodbye, while Reina threw Ander a casual nod before she turned away with her phone glued to the ear.
Was this the same girl who had pulled him in for a tongue-mashing lip-lock just the night before? She kept blowing hot and cold; Ander couldn't keep up with her twenty different moods.
But it was fine. Ander didn't need to care about her. He had other things to occupy his time this evening, and he couldn't wait to get started.
As he left, he took out his earphones, hooked them to his phone and pulled up a playlist of Drake's songs. He was in the mood for some laidback music with self-indulgent lyrics, and Drake never failed to deliver.
Right when Ander had gotten to the bottom of the pedestrian bridge stairs and Drake had started rapping about God's plan and bad things, he felt a tug on his shirt sleeve.
He stopped and turned to see Reina beside him, sulkily chewing on her lower lip.
Pulling one earphone out, he muttered, "Reina. What's up?"
"Umm." Reina exhaled, as if dreading her next words. "What are your plans for the next.. one hour or so?"
"I'm gonna grab a pizza before heading home. Then I'll start on my goods from Omar. Why?"
"My driver. He's all the way on the other side of town, running some errands for my mom," Reina explained with obvious annoyance. "So I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out. Or something."
"What about Matteo?"
"He's still too hungover to leave the house and give me a ride." Reina gazed at Ander. "I'm surprised you've recovered from last night."
"Well, us Lan Encinas losers aren't such terrible drinkers after all, I suppose."
Reina made a face. "So?"
"So...?"
"Are we hanging out or what?"
"I thought you didn't want to be associated with anyone from Las Encinas," Ander reminded her.
Reina rolled her eyes, impatient. "Okay, forget it. I'm just going to call an Uber."
"No, we can hang out." Ander smirked. "But first, you have to admit that the whole school rivalry thing is stupid."
"What? No way."
"Suit yourself. Bye, Reina." Ander started walking again, plugging his earphone back in.
He sensed Reina falling into stride next to him, letting him lead the way without a word.
Okay. So it looked like she was coming along with him.
The heat of the day had melted away and it was now perfect weather for walking.
Ander noticed Reina putting on a pair of sunglasses – presumably to shield her face from anyone who might recognize her rather than from the setting sun. He quietly wondered if she ever felt exhausted, concealing so many parts of herself from the world. First the drugs, which was understandable. But being afraid to be seen with someone from Las Encinas? Was it necessary?
He chose not to say anything. It was her life, after all. Who was he to question it? He knew that he had his own things that he withheld from others. Things that he was sure nobody else would comprehend anyway.
Ander caught sight of the pizza place up ahead. He could already smell the piquant tomato sauce the shop was famous for.
"Hi," he said as he strolled up to the teenage girl at the counter. "I'll have a large pepperoni pizza." He glanced at Reina. "Would you like some pizza too?"
Reina's eyes swept the menu swiftly. "Yeah, I'll have a small BBQ chicken pizza."
"Sure," the counter girl replied, keying in the two pizzas before she went to the back to relay their orders to the kitchen.
Ander and Reina took seats at some of the stools near the counter and waited.
Reina pointed at Ander's earphones. "What are you listening to?" she asked.
Ander responded by taking one earphone out and offering it to her.
Reina accepted, her face an exquisite picture of curiosity. Drake? she mouthed at him, to which Ander nodded.
'In My Feelings' started playing and Reina immediately got immersed in the song, bopping her head to the beat.
Ander merely watched her from the corner of his eye in quiet amusement.