Extraits

KIARA

Son impudence coutumière s’est envolée. Il a l’air vulnérable, comme si les gentils mots de Brandon avaient brisé une barrière émotionnelle en lui. J’ai la sensation d’entrevoir le vrai Carlos.

— Bon. (J’ai les yeux rivés sur mes chaussures parce que pour tout dire, je suis incapable de croiser son regard, trop intense, hypnotisant.) Merci encore… d’avoir joué avec mon frère. Il t’aime beaucoup.

— Parce qu’il ne me connaît pas vraiment.

KIARA (avec Carlos)

— Qu’est-ce que tu veux ? bougonne-t-il.

— Te remercier.

— Pourquoi ?

— Pour avoir tenu parole en laissant gagner mon frère. Tu te débrouilles assez bien en connard la plupart du temps, mais tu as quand même du potentiel.

— Quel genre de potentiel ?

— Celui d’un être humain convenable.

KIARA

Carlos respire un bon coup.

— Bon, d’accord, je suis désolé. Perdon. Madison et moi, c’est du passé. Et je préfère de loin poser avec toi plutôt que de traîner avec elle. Whouah ! La nature a restauré ma foi en l’humanité et fait de moi une meilleure personne, on dirait. Bon, tu es contente ?

KIARA

Tu veux bien te déguiser en cow-boy samedi soir et poser devant des vieux ?

CARLOS

Et moi, je me dis qu’on m’impose tellement de règles que je vais en violer une sans tarder.

CARLOS (en parlant de Brandon)

Quant au gamin, ils devraient lui faire faire du cinéma ou de la pub. Il dégage une telle énergie qu’on a presque envie de lui filer des suppléments de vitamines pour qu’il explose.

-Tu es dangereuse,dit-il

-Pourquoi ?

-Parce que tu me fais croire à l'impossible.

He moves aside. ''Speakin' of looks, you ever takin' that rubber-band thing out of your hair?''

''No.''

'' 'Cause it looks like a dog's tail.''

''Good.'' As I pass him, I whip my head and try to hit him with my ponytail. He catches it just as it's about to lash across his face. Instead of pulling it, he lets my hair slide through his fingers. I look back at him and find him smiling. ''What?''

''Your hair is soft. I wasn't expectin' that.''

The fact that he actually paid attention to what my hair felt like as it fell from his fingers makes me catch my breath. I swallow hard as he reaches out and runs my hair through his fingers again. It feels intimate.

He shakes his head. ''One of these days, Kiara, we're gonna get in trouble. You know that, don't you?''

I want to ask him to elaborate on what he means by trouble, but I don't. Instead, I say, ''I don't do trouble,'' and walk away from him.

I narrow my eyes at Brandon. ''Did anyone ever tell you that you're an annoyin' little shit sometimes?''

Brandon's hand flies to his mouth and he sucks in a breath. ''You said a bad word.''

I'm internally rolling my eyes. I'm definitely gonna have to start speakin' Spanish around this kid so he has no clue what I'm saying. Or beat this kid at his own game. ''I did not. I said you were an annoyin' little spit.''

''No, you didn't. You said shit.''

My hand flies to my mouth and I gasp. I point at him and wiggle my finger just like a two-year-old and say, ''You said a bad word.''

''You said it fist, Carlos,'' he argues. ''I was just saying what you said.''

''I said spit. You said somethin' that rhymed with it. I'm tellin'.'' I open my mouth to tattle. I'm not really gonna do it, but the little diablo doesn't know that.

''Don't tell. Please.''

''Rules?'' A feeling of dread washes over me.

''Don't worry, I only have a few. But I do expect them to be followed. First off, no drugs or alcohol. As you already know, marijuana isn't hard to find in this city, but you have to stay clean per court order. Second, no profanity. I have a six-year-old who is very impressionable, and I don't need him hearing cuss words. Third, curfew on weekdays is midnight, on weekend it's two. Fourth, you're expected to clean up after yourself and help around the house when asked, just like our own children. Fifth, there's no TV unless you're done with homework. Sixth, if you bring a girl up to your room you must keep the door open... for obvious reasons.'' He rubs his chin, seemingly searching for more rules to spout. ''I think that's it. Any questions?''

''Yeah, one.'' I shove my hands in my pockets, wondering how long it'll take for Professor Dick to realize I'm antirules. Of any kind. ''What happens when I break one of your fuckin' rules?''