CHAPTER SIX
Friends

          AFTER A LONG and tiring delay of trying to get Diego in the car and Izzy off her phone long enough to put on her uniform, Arlo finally made it to school, but she was late, already missing home room. She looked at her phone to see texts from Marina asking where she was, a missed call from Samuel and two missed calls from Ander.

She stumbled into her first class, her hair all messy, getting the attention of everyone in the room. Arlo looked at her history teacher, Júlia, and she sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Sit down, Arlo." Júlia instructed, gesturing to Arlo's empty seat next to Ander.

Arlo nodded as she walked to her seat and slumped down in it, leaning her chin in her palm. Ander smiled in amusement before he reached out, trying to smooth down the girl's tangled hair. The girl winced slightly. Ander pressed his lips together, his fingers combing through her hair. "Stay still, your hair looks like a bird's nest from behind."

"Thank you." Arlo breathed out with a smile as she closed her eyes and massaged her temples.

Feeling her phone vibrate, Arlo looked down to see a text from Samuel that read: Nice hair.

Arlo looked up at Samuel who was sat on the other side of the room, smirking at her. The girl subtly held her middle finger up at him so Júlia wouldn't see her. Samuel rolled his eyes before he turned back to Marina.

"Rough morning?" Ander mused.

"Understatement." Arlo sighed.

The class was over within half an hour since Arlo sat in her seat that when the bell rang, she jumped, dropping her pen. It was put back on her table by Nadia who flashed a friendly smile at her. "Busy morning?"

"Yeah." Arlo exhaled. "I am jealous that you are the youngest."

Nadia laughed. "It's not as fun as you'd expect." The two left history class together, falling into step with each other. "Why were you so late? If you don't mind me asking."

Arlo huffed. "No, of course not. Things aren't always this crazy with my siblings, but they decided to be extra difficult this morning."

"I'm not trying to be rude, but don't rich people have nannies and maids to help with their children?" Nadia questioned timidly.

The raven haired girl chortled. "Yes, yes we do. But my parents are hardly ever around. And I don't want either of them growing up thinking they can do whatever they want because they have no one there. I had Alma, our nanny, but I still grew up with too much freedom and it didn't end well. I don't want them making the same mistakes I did."

"But you're so...nice. What mistakes could you have possibly made that was so bad?"

"Thanks." Arlo chuckled. "But you'd be surprised. Being nice isn't always mutually exclusive with fucking up royally."

Nadia let out a laugh. "I see."

As the girls went to Martín's class, the man stopped Arlo at the door. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure." Arlo nodded.

"I looked over the work you gave me. And you've made no progress." Martín informed reluctantly.

Arlo's smile dropped. "What?"

"You're a smart kid, Arlo, but you keep making the same stupid mistakes in your work. What's going on?"

"My Mom came back for a few days and when she leaves, it always gets weird in the house and my brother and sister– they're– they're always upset when we're left alone again. I have to take care of them, especially Diego. He's five and he doesn't know–"

"I understand that, Arlo." Martín sighed. "But you're jeprodisring your potential. You need to start thinking about you want."

Tears pricked the corner of her eyes. "I'm sorry. But I swear I tried my best."

"I know you did, but you gotta try harder."

Arlo sighed as Martín walked into the classroom. She squeezed her eyes as she leaned against the doorway, one of her hands flying up to her forehead. She didn't need more on her plate– not right now.

She forced herself to stop her pity party as she heard her father's voice in her head. The only person who's gonna help you in this world is you. She opened her eyes and followed after Martín to see Guzmán looking at her from by bin that was at the front of the classroom, no doubt having heard the entire conversation.

The girl gulped as he stared at her. Sympathy filled his eyes and his mouth parted, ready to say something, but Arlo shook her head, not wanting him to say a thing.

She then sat down in her seat as Martín started the lesson. Ander sat down next to her and rubbed her back comfortingly when seeing her tired face.

"Guys, I got all your projects in my inbox, and I wanted to thank you. I'm very happy with them." He announced. "I imagine you've realised this was a very important project to get to know ourselves better, and to find out what it is that we want others to know about us. What is the image we want to protect? What is it we hide from everyone else? Are we really what others believe we are, or do they only see our best side?"

Arlo rested her palm in her hand, thinking about what her parents believed she was: an exemplar student getting the best grades she could and what her siblings believed she was: someone who always seemed to do no wrong. So as she sat there avoiding Martín's judgemental eyes for an hour, while also ignoring the short glances Guzmán shot her way every now and then, she realised she wasn't what they believed her to be. She wasn't even close.

          ARLO SAT IN the music room, strumming her guitar, humming along to the song she was playing. She picked the wrong string and groaned. "Mierda!"

"Would you calm down?" Samuel laughed from a few seats behind her. "You made one mistake."

"The first in an hour." Marina added from next to him, the two in the middle of playing cards.

"It's still frustrating." Arlo grumbled as she put her guitar back in it's case before she went over and sat down next to the red head.

Marina placed an arm around the girl, giving her a side hug. "Relax, okay? Give yourself a break. You need it– no you deserve it more than anyone."

Arlo scoffed. "Do I really though?"

"Yes. So just sit here with us and eat lunch, no worrying about grades or guitars or guys. Just here with your friends."

"Except I have yet to buy lunch."

"Then, go! The common room is just down the hall with the vending machines! Go on!"

Arlo rolled her eyes and grudgingly stood up. She dragged her feet across the floor as she walked down the hallway and into the common room. She stopped in the doorway and glanced inside to see Nadia at a table by herself, studying and the two waved at each other. She turned to see Ander at a table with Christian and on the table next to them was Polo and Guzmán, Lu right next to him and Carla next to her.

The girl walked inside, stopping by Ander and squeezing his shoulder. He looked up at beamed at her. "Hey, Lo."

"Hello." Arlo beamed before she went to the vending machine, punching a few buttons in followed by money as she waited for the sandwiches to drop. She picked them up and moved on to the other vending machine for drinks and did the exact same thing.

"Hey." A voice greeted and Arlo looked up to see Guzmán leaning against the other vending machine, looking at her.

"Hey, how are you?" The girl asked as she picked up the drinks.

Guzmán nodded. "I'm good and you?"

Inhaling a sharp breath, Arlo licked her lips. "Yeah, me too."

"Are you sure? I, uh, heard what Martín said."

"I know."

The boy swallowed before he leaned into her slightly. "I didn't know realise things with your parents were that bad."

"Why would you?" Arlo whispered, then huffed. "Sorry, that was rude. And it's not that bad, they're just travelling a lot more."

Guzmán let out a light chuckle. "No, no. It's okay."

"Honey, can you get me water, please?" Lu questioned as she walked over to the two.

"Lu, not now. Can't you see I'm talking to my friend?" Guzmán snapped.

Lu let out a loud laugh. "Friend? You haven't been friends in years– 4 years to be exact. I remember that day clearly, we were 12 and it was a month or 2 after that day of truth or dare–"

"Lucrecia!" Guzmán yelled. He turned to Arlo. "Lo–"

"Don't worry about it." Arlo dismissed, then glared at Lu, bumping into her shoulder on purpose as she walked away. She past Ander, flashing a forced smile at him.

The girl quickly sped down the hall to make sure Guzmán didn't follow her and she walked back into the music room, tossing a sandwich and Sprite at Samuel. The boy glanced up at her and cocked his head in confusion.

"Though I do love your spaghetti, your portion was too little and before you protest, it's my treat." Arlo sighed, sitting back in her chair. "So just suck it up and eat."

Marina smirked. "You better listen to mom."

"Shut up." Arlo remarked with a laugh.

"Thank you, Lo." Samuel smiled before he got out of his chair and hugged the girl. "I'll buy you a milkshake next time you come to the restaurant."

Arlo smiled. "I might just take you up on that."

The three spent the lunch period making jokes, mostly Samuel and Marina teasing Arlo about her motherly ways as the girl rolled her eyes and yanked the legs of Marina's chair. The red head fell out and Arlo laughed as Samuel helped her up, trying to keep his own laughter in.

Arlo raised her eyebrow challengingly at her friend. "Now what were you saying?"

The rest of day went by fairly quickly and before Arlo knew it she found herself walking to her last class. It had been a rough day, but it was over soon. Grudgingly slumping down in her seat next to Polo, their maths teacher, Clara, walked in.

"Okay, I marked your pop quizzes from the other day." She announced, holding a pile of tests in her hand. As the teacher walked down the aisle between the desks, she placed everyone's tests down on their tables.

When Clara laid Arlo's test down, she didn't turn it over, knowing Polo was curiously looking at her, waiting for her to flip the test around.

"Polo, I'm not gonna look at my test until you look away." Arlo deadpanned.

Polo quickly tore his eyes away. "Sorry."

Inhaling a deep breath, Arlo turned it over subtly and once her eyes found the result, the girl clenched her jaw before turning it back so she was just looking at the blank sheet. Completely forgetting about the fact that Lu sat behind her and she could easily see what Arlo's test result, Lu let out a scoff and laugh, followed by Guzmán telling her to shut up.

"That's...not so bad." Polo stated, seeing her result anyways but he tried to make her feel better, flashing her a small smile.

Arlo pressed her lips together and let out an exhale of amusement at the boy's effort. "Thanks, Polo."

"Aw, darling. What happened?" Lu's voice patronising voice asked as she leaned forward from behind the girl and Arlo's hand balled into a fist. "Brings your grade down quite a bit, doesn't it? I wonder what your parents are gonna say..." Arlo tensed.

"Lu, that's enough. Cut it out." Guzmán hissed.

Lu ignored him and continued. "...especially since both Nadia and Samuel got higher marks and the fact that your father is a legacy at this school. Don't you remember our conversation the other day? What will he say when he sees that his eldest got outshined by 2 people from the slums?"

"Go to hell, Lucrecia." Arlo snapped, not being to rise above Lu's provoking remarks any longer before she picked up her test and excused herself from class to go to the bathroom.

Guzmán watched as she left the classroom and he turned to Lu who smiled to herself. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Arlo marched down the empty halls and stopped at the staircase, slumping down on it. The girl angrily dropped her test down on the step below her and she rested her forehead in her palms, closing her eyes.

Someone then sat down next to her and Arlo turned her head to see the last person she expected besides her. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see if you were okay." Guzmán whispered softly.

"Your girlfriend is a bitch." Arlo smiled. "But other than that I'm good."

"Arlo," Guzmán said gently as he moved from beside her, crouching in front of her. "Talk to me."

Arlo looked him in the eyes. "Why?"

"I know it's hard, especially since you don't know who you can trust. But I'm trying."

The girl swallowed, remembering those same words she said to him a few days ago and what Ander said the night before.

"I'm not doing so well. I– I have extra tutoring with Martín during some lunch periods and free periods and I thought I was making progress, but I'm not. When my dad finds out, he's gonna kill me. Lu was right."

Guzmán shook his head. "No. No, she wasn't. When have you ever listened to Lu?"

"Okay, most of the crap that comes out of her mouth is usually always crap. But not this time. She's right. I mean, Guzmán, you know my dad and my mom for that matter. You know what they're like about my grades. I guess that is one benefit of them always travelling."

The boy sighed before he looked down at his feet and sat back down next to her.

Arlo looked at him in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"I know I can't do anything about your parents, but if you need to just sit here, take a break and not talk, that's fine. I'll gladly sit with you."

The girl smiled as he stared down the hallway, his hands interlocked together. "What about class? You realise if we stay out here for any longer everyone will think we're up to something inappropriate. Not to mention, we'll get a in trouble.

"I don't care." Guzmán replied, his voice hoarse. "Everyone can go to hell."

Arlo grinned before she nodded, turning to her head towards the hallway, both of them just sitting on the stairs in silence until the bell rang.

          THE GIRL STOOD outside waiting for Julio when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around to see Guzmán holding her pencil case.

"You forgot this in the classroom." He said.

"Thank you." Arlo smiled. "And I don't just mean for the pencil case."

Guzmán beamed. "Anytime. And I don't just mean for the pencil case."

Arlo then jumped when something or someone grabbed her legs. She looked down to see Diego beaming up at her as he hugged her. The girl messed up his hair as she laughed. "Hey. How was school?"

"We painted some things and wrote some sentences. It was boring." Diego frowned.

"So was mine." Arlo smiled as she continued to push back his hair.

Diego looked up at Guzmán and his eyes grew wide before he hid behind Arlo's legs.

"Hi." Guzmán greeted softly as he crouched down to be at eye level with the boy.

The five year old merely peeked his head out slightly behind Arlo and the girl shook her head in amusement. "Go on, Diego. Say hi. Sorry, he's a little shy."

"Hi." Diego whispered, then coughed. "Are you my sister's boyfriend?"

"No, he's not. I don't have a boyfriend." Arlo said sternly.

Guzmán laughed. "No. I'm not your sister's boyfriend. I'm Guzmán."

"My name is Diego." Diego introduced as he came out from behind Arlo, holding his hand to the older boy.

"Its nice to meet you, Diego." Guzmán smiled, letting go of his hand then pointed at the boy's dinosaur back pack. "I like your bag."

Diego grinned. "Thank you! Do you like dinosaurs?"

"Love them."

"What's your favourite one?"

Guzmán hummed. "Velociraptors."

Diego's jaw dropped. "They're my favourites too!"

"Really?" Guzmán chortled.

"Yeah!" Diego exclaimed. "Arlo's favourite are the triceratops and they're cool. They have these horns they use to charge at other dinosaurs but they're herbivores. Ander's favourite is the diplodocus and they're so boring! Izzy says her favourite are pterodactyls which is still kind of boring but at least they can fly! And Marina's is the the T-Rex which are scary. Velociraptors are fast and sneaky and carnivores!"

"Alright, little man," Arlo chuckled in amusement. "I'm sure Guzmán appreciates those facts but we should get going before Izzy gets mad."

The boy looked up at Guzmán and waved enthusiastically. "Bye!"

Guzmán laughed as Diego zoomed back to the car. "Bye!"

"I'll see you tomorrow." Arlo smiled at Guzmán.

"See you later."

Arlo walked to the car just as Diego was about to go inside when he stopped at the door and looked back at Guzmán who was getting into his own car. "Lo, who was that?"

The girl looked down at her brother, then up at Guzmán and smiled. "My friend."

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