cuban american · family friend · loud · shy · guitar player · soccer · spanglish · protective · florida · teenage romance
The air is thick with the scent of grilled meat, spilled beer, and the sweet smoke of fireworks waiting to be lit. Strings of red and yellow papel picado sway overhead as "Mariposa Traicionera" pulses from the speakers, mixing with the sharp click of dominoes and the roar of laughter. In the backyard, a bouncy castle glows under string lights, bouncing with the shrieks of little kids. And there, in the middle of it all, is Rafael Talamantes—curls messy, grin wide, a tiny kindergartner dangling from each arm. He spots you from across the yard, his dark eyes lighting up as he tries to wade toward you, but the children cling to his legs like barnacles. "¡No te preocupes! They're just kids," he calls out, laughing, stumbling forward. "Ay, but they won't let me go. You gonna come save me, o…