Summer 1995

Trechial sat on the porch, the hot sun threatening to move past the last step and scorch the skin on her legs. She slurped at droplets of strawberry ice cream sliding down the cone and into her grip. The clap of a car door slamming drew her gaze across the street. Yoon Mi Rae walked to the trunk, pulling a black suitcase behind her.

Was today the day Devin got shipped off to camp? What type of camp was he going to? She didn't know if it was okay to go ask such a question being that she and Tae weren't talking to one another at the moment, yet she would go and try anyway. She tossed the ice cream in the trash on her way down the driveway, wiping her sticky hands on her jean shorts.

Trechial made her way across the street to Yoon Mi Rae. "Hey, Ms. Liao."

Yoon Mi Rae threw her a hard look over the shoulder. "Call me Yoon Mi Rae when your mother is not around."

Trechial formed a tight line on her face. "Yeah, so she can pop up out of nowhere and kill me?" She shook her braided ponytail side-to-side. "Uh-Uh. Besides, your son told on me the last time I called you that."

She slammed the trunk down, startling Trechial, "What?" Her next words were in a language that Trechial didn't understand. Trechial loved how Yoon Mi Rae could switch from English to Korean even Devin was starting to do this when he got mad at her or she did something he considered dumb. His English would morph into Chinese or Korean. It was cute and annoying all at the same time— at the very least, she wanted to know how he was insulting her so she could come back with her own insult.

Mr. Liao grimaced coming down the stairs, his jet-black Ceaser haircut was tailored to fit his flat face. "Honey? That's a BMW, not an Escort. Be kinder to it, please," he said to his wife. Trechial snickered at Mr. Liao's high-water black pants, white t-shirt, white socks, and black dress shoes— reminiscent of Bruce Lee with a Micheal Jackson coolness.

"Hey, Jewel." He flashed her a twinkling smile, popping open the trunk with the push of a button. He tossed a duffel bag and suitcase in and closed it.

"Hi, Mr. Liao," Trechial said. "How are you today?"

He leaned against the car and crossed his arms, appraising her with a squint. "I suppose I won't complain."

Yoon Mi Rae eyed him. "That's a first."

He placed a hand over his heart and faked an "Ouch." And before Trechial could blink twice, Mr. Liao pulled his wife into his arms, dipped her back, and planted a kiss on her. Trechial stomached dropped and her cheeks heated up watching the display of affection. But she was, at the same time, reminded of the love her parents shared. Now she was stuck with a new stepparent that seemingly came out of nowhere last April.

"Gross," Devin muttered, opening the back door. Mr. Liao stared into Yoon Mi Rae's eyes a moment longer then brought her back up for air.

Trechial watched intrigued by their intense passion for one another. Mr. Liao gazed at Yoon Mi Rae with raw greed. Yoon Mi Rae's chest rose and fell, releasing slow streams of air— her cheeks a deep shade of pink as she sheepishly watched him, waiting for his next move. He ran his hands up her arms and cupped her face as if she were a rare diamond found in the rarest part of the world.

Trechial was no romance expert. As a matter of fact, the little she knew about romance came from her mom and late father, and more recently the Harlequin romance novels she snuck into her room and read before she went to bed. Yet she knew enough to know that Devin's parents desired one another.

Yoon Mi Rae fanned her flushed cheeks, slurring something to Mr. Liao in Korean.

Devin walked next to his parents, not sparing Trechial a single word. "Ewww, Mom. Gross."

Mr. Liao winked at her and released her shoving his hands deep into his pockets, leaning against the trunk of the car. It amazed her Trechial how Mr. Liao spoke three languages––Mandarin, Korean, and English, mastering each of them.

Devin's resistance toward Trechial made her wonder when the tides turned in their friendship. The school year breezed by them with hardly a word spoken between them. In the fourth and fifth grade, they were click-tight but then sixth-grade hit and they drifted apart.

Devin hung out with Leandro and Trey, and she became good friends with the new girl from New Orleans, Maylee Carter. Devin and Trey hated Maylee right from the start because of her boisterous attitude. It was a bit much for Trechial sometimes, too, but she also held a lot of respect for her for the very same reason. Plus, she also loved her accent. It was a form of southern slang, something she had never heard. Once she got to know Maylee, Trechial soon realized her new friend was caring and loyal––something most girls in their school were not. Most loyalty around there could be bought with a Tamagotchi and a pack of Bubblicious.

"So how long will you be gone?" Trechial asked Devin, taking a step in his direction. Yoon Mi Rae shoved Devin forward, making him almost trip. He swung an angry glower to his mother but simmered down when his father aimed something at him in Mandarin. Devin clenched his jaw and gave his attention to Trechial.

"How long will you be gone for?" Trechial repeated, twisting her mouth to the side of her face and looking at her feet.

"Why?" he said, his tone clipped with irritation. "You had the whole school year to talk to me but didn't, so there's no need to act as if you care now."

His words stung her skin like yellow jacket hornets, and she glanced at his parents who were an invisible audience. A flush crept through Trechial's veins; she could only do her best to control her anger and yearning to cry. "You forget I tried to talk to you numerous times at school and you ignored me."

He stared into her, and she would've sworn at that moment he could see her soul. "Whatever, Mini."

She held her breath and released it in a slow whisp, surrendering her will to fight with him.

She missed him.

Devin was as stubborn when he was mad; Trechial grew up working around it. He made up his mind to be mad at her for the whole school year, ignoring her as if she were worthless. She treasured Devin whether he knew it or not. He was the prize in the cereal box that she got excited over. No, he was not cheap or plastic, but just the thought of getting a new prize made her heart race. That was Tae to her. She defended him against Maylee's explicit ignorance about their friendship at the expense of losing her only female friend. And had he stuck around he would have known that.

She closed the small gap between them, sweeping messy dark strands from his forehead before throwing her arms around his neck. His posture stiffened, and he stood robotic against her, his stomach pressing into hers. Her heart somersaulted. He had gotten taller by a smidgen of an inch and his pudgy cheeks that she loved were starting to lose their chubbiness.

"No matter what you say or how you feel about me, you're still my best friend, Devin Liao." She squeezed him. "Have a safe trip."

Trechial released him and took a step back. His flesh glowed red, his multi-colored irises watching her.

Before he could reject her anymore, Trechial pinned a smile. "I have to go. See ya." She waved to them and left, embarrassment filling her eyes with tears.

When she got to the sidewalk, she heard Yoon Mi Rae shouting at the top of her lungs in Korean. Trechial knew without looking it was at Devin.