Out of This World Read Online Free PDF Page A

strangers.
    What’s even weirder is Ampora being nice to me. Okay, maybe saying nice is a stretch, but she is making an effort to do more than just tolerate my presence. She’s even starting conversations.
    â€œJosh was asking me about these guys called los tíos ,” she says when we’re lying beside each other in her bed.
    Her voice is a quiet whisper, right beside my ear. I’m very aware of the closeness of her body to mine and savour the sisterhood that I can’t help but feel.
    â€œYou mean the hawk uncles,” I say.
    â€œSo you know about them?”
    â€œJust what I heard from Josh. I’d actually never heard of them before.”
    â€œMe either. I said I’d see if Papá knew anything about them.”
    â€œDoes he?”
    â€œI think so. But he wouldn’t talk about them.”
    I turn my head to look at her. “That’s weird. Usually he can’t stop talking about the old folk tales and stories, once you get him going.”
    â€œI know. I’m going to ask Elena about them tomorrow.”
    She doesn’t say anything else, so I figure she’s gone to sleep.
    I listen to her breathing even out and lie awake awhile, staring up at the dark ceiling, worrying about Josh. I know Theo says I shouldn’t. And it makes sense. Josh handled Vincenzo like it was nothing. He took that psycho elder out when Theo couldn’t even lay a hand on him. But still. It’s Josh. My Josh doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. Or at least he never did before.
    I flash on Vincenzo’s shredded body and suddenly the warm bed feels cold.
    â€œSo who is your new boyfriend?” Ampora asks just as I’m finally starting to shake that memory and drift off.
    I was afraid this would come up at some point. I just didn’t expect it so soon.
    â€œI know he doesn’t go to Sunny Hill,” she goes on when I don’t answer right away, “because I only ever see you with your usual crew.”
    â€œIt’s complicated,” I finally say.
    â€œComplicated how?”
    â€œIf people knew we were together, they might misunderstand.”
    She turns to me, head supported by her forearm. “Now I’m really intrigued.”
    I don’t know why I tell her. Maybe it’s because this is how I always wanted it to be, the two of us hanging out like real sisters, talking late into the night, sharing our secrets.
    â€œHis name’s Theo,” I say. At her blank look I add, “Theo Washington.”
    It’s like somebody just threw a switch. She sits up, revulsion twisting her features.
    â€œAre you for real?” she says.
    I sit up and hold her forearm. “Before you start—”
    But she yanks her arm away and cuts me off. “God, you’re such a hypocrite. You’re all in my face because you think I’m running with the Kings, but meanwhile you’re banging Chaingang Washington.”
    â€œI am not —”
    She doesn’t let me finish. She leaps out of bed and points toward her window.
    â€œJust get out of here. Go back to Mamá—the two of you deserve each other,” she says. “I mean it,” she adds when I don’t move.
    I take a breath to steady myself because all I really want to do is smack her.
    Be calm, I tell myself. Take the high road.
    â€œThis is exactly why I didn’t want—” I start, but she cuts me off again.
    â€œI’m serious,” she says. “Get out or I’ll wake Papá and we’ll see how happy he is when he finds out you’re in a gang.”
    â€œI’m not in a—”
    â€œGet. Out.”
    There’s no give in her face. Everything’s shut down. I don’t think she even sees me. From the set of her features, I know thatall she sees is some awful thing —like I’m a piece of crud on the bottom of her shoe.
    â€œOkay,” I tell her. “I’m going.”
    I’m mad at