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Back Salt and Sugar Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. EPILOGUE
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’m stunned, trying to process everything. Pedro looks just as confused, his expression strained like he’s agonizing over his thoughts. He clumsily picks up the trays of corn cake and bolo de rolo, now all mixed together. He shoves a piece of the mixture into his mouth like he’s doing it just to avoid talking.

But then his eyes light up.

“Oh my God!” he says with his mouth full. He grabs another piece of corn cake stacked with bolo de rolo, holding it up to show it to me, like he’s just made a great discovery.

“What?” I ask.

“You gotta try this,” he says.

I’m so nervous that I don’t think I can make myself eat, but I take the first bite—

Salt and sugar mix in my mouth, the two tastes meeting like a kiss.

“It’s... It’s...” I can’t find the right words.

“Perfect,” he finishes for me. He’s so close, his eyes locked with mine and that silly smile on his face.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME?!

My conflicted thoughts must be written all over my face, because he suddenly looks worried. “You don’t like it?” he asks.

“I’m sorry. I can’t—I gotta go!” I push myself to my feet, grabbing my backpack on the way out, as I practically run away from the kitchen, past Cintia and Victor in the cafeteria as they call out to me.

I still feel tingles running up and down my back while I wait for the bus.

It’s just the cake, I tell myself.

Both cakes were perfect when combined. That’s what this weird, intoxicating feeling in the middle of my chest is. Right?

31

FRIDAY, JUNE 3

I avoid Pedro for the rest of the week. I don’t even let myself think about him, burying myself in homework anytime he pops up in my head.

Mom has no idea what’s going on, but she’s glad to see me studying late into the night. She even brings me a platter of salgados for fuel. That’s how I enter June. Studying geometry so I don’t need to think about anything else.

We’re still in a feud. Our families have been at it for generations. I can’t forget that just because Pedro and I almost kissed. That’s the one point of reference I must never lose track of.

During recess on Friday, I sit down to use one of the library computers to fill out my college application.

I’m determined to finally get it done. I’ll choose economics. No more excuses. No more room for doubts. And there are so many great reasons if I choose this path. 1) I’d be finishing Dad’s dream, like Mom hopes. 2) I’d become the first Ramires to go to college, like Mom wants. 3) I won’t disappoint Mom.