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I knew I could count on her. “I’m so glad you’re my sister.” I grin. “His name is Connor. He’s… ah… not Italian. And he is… I don’t know. He makes me feel things.”

If anyone understands what I mean, it’s Kyla. She’s a lot like me in the feelings department. It’s why we’ve always gotten along well. We understand each other.

“Okay, that’s a good thing. Did you… you know?” she says.

“Have sex?”

“Yeah? Did you?”

“Yes.”

“And you liked it?” she presses.

“Oh, I liked it a whole lot,” I tell her. “Probably too much.”

“I know the struggle.” She sighs.

“Ew, nope, we are not swapping sex stories. You’re sleeping with my brother, Kyla.” I laugh.

“Well, you started it,” she says. “Okay, what else? I’m taking it no one knows about him? Is he from school?”

“He just transferred here, from Boston.”

“Does he know who you are? Like who your family is?”

“He does.”

“Okay, well, that’s good. I guess. When are you going to break it to them?” she asks. “Just so I know when my husband is going to suddenly need to fly to New York.”

“Not anytime soon. It’s early and we’re not dating. Just slept together a couple of times. It’s not that serious.”

“Are you being safe? Becauseteen momisn’t how I picture your future.”

“I am,” I tell her. “So, how is it being married?”

“Amazing. I have the world’s best husband.”

“Are you just saying that because I’m his sister?” I laugh.

“As scary as you are, no, I mean it.” She sighs. “I never thought I could love like this.”

“What does it feel like?” I genuinely want to know.

“It’s like I can’t breathe when he’s not near, and when he is near, my skin prickles with awareness. My stomach fills with butterflies when I look at him, and my chest aches when I think about anything happening to him,” she says. “It’s hard to explain.”

“Yeah, I think I get it.”Wait. No, I don’t get it because I am not in love. I’m in lust. That’s not the same thing.“I mean, I get what you’re saying, not that I feel any of that,” I clarify.

“When you do feel it, don’t fight it, Aurora,” Kyla says.

“I just got to school. I gotta go. Tell Lorenzo to chill. Maybe give him a kid or something so he can stop worrying about me.”

“Evenifwe have kids, your brother will always worry about you. You know that,” she tells me.

“I know. Love you.” I cut the call and look around the parking lot.

Connor’s car is already here, but so is someone else’s I wasn’t expecting. I get out and walk over to where my cousin Mabilia is leaning against her trunk.

“What are you doing here?” I ask her.