She laughed at him. “No, not like that, mijo. I just want to check in with you.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Check in?”

“I know these past two weekends have been super busy for me,” she explained. “It’s not always going to be like this. I promise it’ll settle down.”

“It’s okay,” he said. “We’re all adjusting, right?”

“We are. And I’m proud of what you’re doing.”

He narrowed his eyes again. “You’re trying to trick me into doing something, aren’t you? You didn’t have questions to ask me at all!”

Mami rolled her eyes, but there was still a smile on her face. “Héctor, I am not tricking you into anything.”

“I’m onto you,” he said.

“Okay, then: worst teacher,” she said. “Go.”

“Worst?” He laughed. “Mami, that is definitely a trap. All my teachers try to be good.”

“I raised you well, mijo,” she said, nodding and stopping at a red light. She pulled her long black hair back and used a band to secure it into a ponytail.

“But if I had to pick . . . ,” he began.

She shot him a glare.

“They’re all fine!”

“That’s my boy,” she said.

He giggled. “I really like my art teacher, Mrs. Caroline. She’s weird.”

“And you like weird. ’Cause you are weird.”

“Don’t forget it, Mami,” he said.

“So why haven’t you worn that shiny camisa you had me get you this summer?”

And just like that, his reality slammed back down on him. Was he that obvious? Tim and Sophia had picked up on his change, and now, his mami had noticed.

He couldn’t let her suspect the truth. “Well, I don’t think the kids at Orangevale Middle School are ready for it,” he said. “It’s just not the right time for its debut.”

As she rolled through the intersection, he caught her casting a quick glance his way. “I’ve never heard you turn down the chance to wear something over-the-top. What gives?”

Ah, Mami was more direct than Papi and Abuela.

“It’s just different here,” he said, then turned his face away to hide his grimace. How many times had he used this same excuse? He recovered quickly. “Some of the kids here aren’t used to high fashion, so I’m taking it easy.”

“Are they picking on you, Héctor?”

Panic ripped through him. She’s a teacher, Héctor! he thought, scolding himself. Of course she is gonna pick up on something like that!

“No, no, not really,” he said, but it came out too fast, too certain. “Not anything that bad. I promise.”

“Because I’ll walk into the principal’s office right now and—”

“Mami, no,” he said forcefully. “Don’t do that! I will definitely get bullied if you do that.”

She took a deep breath. “Right, right. Get yourself together, Lilliam.”