Julian tipped his head side to side. “Gay goth witch?”
Yadriel grabbed a stack of jack-o’-lantern napkins and threw them at Julian’s head. They went right through him and bounced off the rack harmlessly.
Outside, Yadriel tugged the mask on over his head and let it sit around his neck. “It’s going to take a while to get to the beach,” he said, pushing his hair back into place before pulling out his phone to look up the bus schedule.
Julian frowned. “Why?”
“We’re going to have to make at least two bus transfers and some walking, depending on which beach you want to go to,” he said, scrolling through the app.
“No way, we’re not taking the bus,” Julian scoffed.
“I can’t afford an Uber—”
“Do you know how to drive?” Julian asked.
“Well, yeah—”
“Stick shift?”
He did not like the look on Julian’s face. “Yes, why?” He could see Julian’s mind working. That sharp grin meant nothing but trouble.
Lots of trouble.
A short time later, Yadriel was standing on the sidewalk, facing the gate behind the mechanic shop that led to Rio and Julian’s apartment.
“I shouldn’t be doing this. I can’t believe I’m doing this.” He looked over at Julian, desperate for him to say this was just a joke. “Am I really doing this? Are we really doing this?”
Julian smiled cheerily. “Don’t look so worried; it’ll be fun!” he said, striding up to the gate.
“Getting arrested for stealing a car is not my idea of fun!” Yadriel whispered, his neck whipping as he looked around for witnesses. The shop was closed on Fridays, leaving the place empty. A few cars drove by. A lady in high heels walked across the street with her two Chihuahuas. Yadriel rushed to catch up with Julian. “I can’t believe you’re making me do this!”
“I’m not making you do anything!” he rebutted. “Now hurry up, Rio is probably catching up on rest, and he is not a heavy sleeper.” Julian walked right through the gate, leaving Yadriel on the other side.
“How am I supposed to get in there?” he hissed, throwing a furtive glance at the door at the top of the steps.
“Oh, right.” Julian backtracked. He walked back through the gate and over to a small pile of cinder blocks against the wall. Eyes squinting in concentration, he reached into one of the gaps and pulled out a set of keys. Pleased with himself, he tossed them to Yadriel. “Here.”
He fumbled to catch them before they hit the floor. “Your brother keeps a spare set of keys out here?” he asked. That didn’t seem very safe, and Rio didn’t strike him as someone who would hide keys in such a careless spot.
“What?” Julian snorted. “Hell no, he’s way too paranoid! I put ’em there.” He smiled proudly.
That made much more sense.
“Got tired of losing them all the time and Rio chewing me out. Putting them there obliterated the problem.”
“Eliminated,” Yadriel corrected, thumbing through the keys in his hand.
Julian waved him off. “Same thing. The one with the duct tape on the handle is for the gate.”
Yadriel’s hand trembled as he struggled to get the gate unlocked. He just needed to hurry and get the hell out of there. Figuring out what to do after tonight—with the car, the keys, and himself—would be a problem for later. When Yadriel pulled the gate open, the squealing of metal and crunch of gravel felt deafening.
Julian appeared completely unworried. He went right up to the car and smoothed his hands over the hood. “Hello, gorgeous,” he sighed, leaning his cheek against the roof of the car. “1970 Corvette Stingray,” Julian hummed affectionately. “Pop’s pride and joy. He did all the mods himself. Took him years to get it just the way he wanted.”
“Great, so I’m stealing a car that’s priceless and holds deep sentimental value,” Yadriel muttered. Nervous sweat pooled under his armpits. Between his unsteady hand and constantly checking the apartment door, Yadriel struggled to get ahold of the right key.
“The big one,” Julian prompted, getting impatient.
The creak of the car door opening made Yadriel cringe. He climbed in and closed it as quietly as possible.
The inside of the Corvette was covered in leather, the same electric blue as the exterior. The steering wheel was huge, the seats low. A black plastic rosary hung from the rearview mirror. A prayer card of Our Lady of Guadalupe in her blue, starry mantle was tucked into the pocket where a dashboard would be in a newer vehicle. A small stack of pictures peeked out behind Our Lady of Guadalupe, but all Yadriel could see was an elbow and the corner of a building.
The car was nearly pristine. Everything smelled like warm leather. Clearly, Julian’s father had taken good care of it. Judging by their apartment, Yadriel was surprised Julian and Rio had kept the Stingray in such good shape.
Julian was already sitting in the passenger seat, drumming his fingers against his knees. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”
Yadriel stuffed his backpack down by Julian’s feet. He put the key into the ignition but then hesitated. “I can’t believe I’m about to do this,” he said. More sweat trickled down his spine. Panic clawed up his throat. “Your brother is going to call the police, it’ll turn into a car chase—”
“Car chases happen all the time in LA,” Julian said, as if that were supposed to make him feel better. “They’ve got convicts and shit to be going after.”
Yadriel pressed his hands against his temples. “Oh my God, my face is going to be all over the news!”
“Not if you cover it, dummy.” Julian reached and tugged the skeleton mask over his nose. “There!”
But it didn’t cover the death glare Yadriel shot him.
Julian laughed and shook his head. “It’s like you’ve never stolen a car before!”
“I have never stolen a car before!” Yadriel snapped. His breath heated the black material covering his mouth.
“Oh.” Julian paused. “I mean, it’s not even technically stealing—”
“How?”
“Pops left the car to my brother and me,” Julian stressed. “I’ve got a key and everything. I’m giving you permission to use it.”
“I don’t think that’s going to stand up in court.”
“Then you better drive fast, huh?” There was a flash of a grin. A reckless glint in his eye.
Julian reached over.
Yadriel sucked in a breath. “Jules!”
But it was too late. Julian gripped the key in the ignition and turned it.
The engine roared to life. Reggaeton blared from the speakers.
“GO, GO, GO!” Julian shouted, laughter shaking his voice.
Yadriel shoved down the panicked voice in his head. He didn’t think. He didn’t turn at the sound of the apartment door banging open.
He stepped on the clutch, threw the shift into gear, and peeled out.
The smell of exhaust stung his nose. The sound of Julian’s excited shout filled his ears. The beat of the bass thudded in his chest.
Yadriel drove, and he didn’t look back.