We messed with each other flirting and laughing until there was a knock on the door. I opened the door and nodded at my brother, asking him with my eyes if everything was ready as planned! Juan nodded and smiled at me foolishly……

 Carmen:"Why are you smiling like that?"

 Juan:"You like Shane?" 
Carmen:"What!?!?! NO!" I really didn’t want him to know my little secret ….which is not really little….I do have a huge crush on Shane…I mean who wouldn’t

 Juan:"I know you better than this! you like Shane" he smiled knowingly at me!! and I knew I was busted!

 Carmen:"What ever!"

 Juan:"Good! Shane deserves someone like you! you know mami will freak out if she knows that you like Shane…I mean girls for that matter! Don’t worry! I won’t tell anyone"

 Carmen:"I know you wouldn’t"

 I knew…Juan is the most loyal person ever! except for that fact that he cannot keep anything from me. hahaha that cracks me up…

 Shane:"Hey Juan Whaaddup man?" and they slap hands and do their whatever handshake they do.

 Carmen:"Okay gangsta’ enough slapping hands now…..we need to go to Jenny’s…she called me and invited us and you can start getting your stuff from the Jaffe’s to Jenny’s. And we will go to the foster care office now that you’re 18 and get all the paper works done! " 

 Juan:"Wow ! baby sister has it all planned up"

 —————————————————–

 Me Juan and Shane pull up at Jenny’s apartment. I laugh in my mind knowing what’s awaiting Shane upstairs. Shane nonchalantly walks up the stairs…..Shane walks really fast probably from the regular long distant walking habits. Its hard to catch up with her on the stairs. She stops at every level for Juan and Me to catch up and to tell her that this is not the level where Jenny’s apartment is. I think that she’s excited to see where her new home is going to be, although she shows that she’s all cool about it and nothing matters. 

 At last we reach Jenny’s apartment in the top floor Shane being on the front knocks on the door….and the door was open already…Shane looks at me with questioning eyes.

 Carmen:"Jenny is generally very careful….I don’t know let’s go inside and see" I am cracking up now! in my mind….I am trying to keep a straight face in front of Shane. 

 Juan was almost on the verge of laughing…and I pinch him….he flinches. 

 Juan:"I-Its…dark in here…."

 Shane:"Hello! anyone here"

 and exactly as I planned last night….the lights went off…..and 18 balloons were burst together …as Jenny, Dana, Alice, Juan and I started singing Happy Birthday to Shane….She stood there with a confused and flustered smile….not really knowing what to do. She looks at me with questioning yet grateful eyes. Her green eyes look so beautiful. After the cliche Happy Birthday song ends, Jenny leads her to the cake that Alice and Dana baked for Shane….the Cake had cigarrets instead of candles. 

 Carmen:"Al, what’s up with the cigarrets?"
Alice:"I thought Shane might like it! because you know its the legal age! I thought she might as well wanna start off with doing something legal!"

 We All laugh!