it’s new year’s eve, and your family is throwing yet another gigantic party. “mariposa traicionera” is blasting on the speakers, the air smells like a mixture of cigarettes and corona beer, and the sound of dominoes clicking and boisterous laughter is barely audible over the music. it’s familiar. comforting.

you and rafael talamantes are are the two oldest “kids”- he’s a longtime family friend of yours, and really the only one you hang out with since the other little kids and cousins over at your house are really young. playing on the bouncy house your family rented out is super fun, though! but… you’re constantly having to scold rafa for roughhousing too much and throwing the little kids around the bouncy house like footballs. he’s fifteen yet acts like he’s five. “no te preocupes! they’re just kids,” rafael laughs, trying to walk over to you- though that proves very difficult. kindergarteners and first graders cling to his legs like they’re barnacles on the underside of a boat, whining in spanglish for him to keep playing with them.