Crossing the Line

by Malín Alegría

  On Monday, Fabiola tried to talk to her sister at school, with no success. She wanted to warn her about Dex, about what she’d overheard at the party. But Alexis was having nothing to do with her. She was grounded for a month and she blamed Fabi — as if Fabi forced her to sneak out and disobey their parents. So now, Alexis was making a point of ignoring her in the hallways, using Dex and her new friends as a shield. But two could play at that game, Fabi thought, heading to the library at lunch. A part of her was relieved not to have to cover for her sister anymore.

  Still, Fabiola couldn’t help but wonder if her sister had a point. Was she overreacting? Maybe she misheard Dex? She did catch only part of the conversation. And maybe she was jealous? Alexis didn’t need help making friends and being popular. She was doing a good job of that all by herself. Maybe it was Fabi who needed help making friends. Fabiola watched her sister across the lunchroom. Alexis was changing — and she wasn’t just talking about the new hairstyle and heavy makeup. The world as Fabi knew it was shifting around her and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

  Several days later, a phone call in the middle of the night woke Fabi from her unsettling dreams. It was Chuy. He was panting heavily and talking fast — so fast he didn’t even try to speak English. It took her a minute to figure out what he was saying. He begged her to come to the restaurant, right away, and not to tell her parents. Fabi pulled on a pair of jeans and a shirt from the floor and snuck out her bedroom window.

  She ran down the street, her flip-flops slapping loudly on the concrete sidewalk. The street was empty this time of night. The dull yellow glow from the streetlamp created even more shadows than she remembered. Shadows where muggers and rapists could lurk. She hurried her feet and listened closely for any noise that could be threatening. The lights of the restaurant burned bright on the lonely street. It filled Fabi with relief.

  Finally, she pushed open the door and was greeted by the comforting chime. But what she saw inside was beyond disturbing. It made her want to scream.

  Tables were turned over. Chairs were thrown on their sides. Her mother’s careful plastic floral arrangements were tossed all over the floor. Was it a robbery? There was a man on the floor and others standing over him. Fabi reached out for the first thing she could grab for protection.

  “Fabiola,” a voice called out. She screamed, swinging the broom wildly. Chuy came up behind her and took the broom from her hands. He looked like he’d just been in a scuffle. His hair was disheveled and there was a big tear in his shirt.

  Catching her breath, Fabi glanced around. “What happened here?” The guy was still on the floor, and now she could see he was tied up with red tablecloths and gagged with a cloth napkin. Over him stood a couple of guys she’d seen hanging around with Chuy sometimes. His friends, she thought.

  Chuy was jumping around nervously. “I knew he’d be back,” he said in hurried Spanish. “I knew it was just a matter of time. I knew your parents wouldn’t believe me. I had to catch him, okay? Catch him in the act.”

  “Catch who? Catch the guy who beat you up?”

  Chuy nodded. Then he gestured at the tied-up prisoner. The guy looked somewhat familiar under a black eye. Her heart fluttered with recognition. But, no! It couldn’t be. She rushed over to the prisoner struggling at his binds.

  It was Santiago.

  “Santiago, oh, my God! What’s going on?” She removed his gag.

  A string of curses came out of her cousin’s mouth. He thrashed and floundered like a fish out of water, trying to free himself.

  “I knew no one would believe me,” Chuy explained, over Fabiola’s shoulder, in Spanish. “That’s why I asked my friends to keep an eye on the place.”

  Her cousin was beaten up bad. Tears welled up in Fabi’s eyes. She couldn’t believe it was Santiago.

  “Fabi,” Santiago called to her. “Don’t believe this punk. He’s lying. I didn’t do nothing.”

  “Mentiroso!” Chuy shouted back.

  “Fabi, Fabi, you have to believe me. I didn’t do it,” Santiago pleaded. “I just came to get my stuff. You remember the stuff you helped me hide. And then I got hungry, so since I had your keys —”

  Suddenly, the door chimed again behind them. A cool breeze blew in. Fabi’s breath caught. Her father, mother, and Alexis with their baby brother in her arms stood at the entrance. The baby started to cry, sensing the shock and anxiety in the air. Behind them, Fabi saw the familiar red and blue blinking lights of a police car.

  Fabi flinched as she heard the sharp click of the handcuffs locking around Santiago’s wrists. She turned away, still unwilling to believe it. “You can’t let them do this, Dad. Dad?”

  Her family stared from the sidelines as Officer Sanchez bowed Santiago’s head down and into the cop car. It was so surreal. Fabi wondered if she was dreaming. She turned to her mother. Magda’s face was ghost white.

  “I have to call Consuelo,” her mother mumbled in a daze. She was still in her night robe and slippers.

  “What happened, Fabi?” Alexis asked, hugging the baby tightly to her chest. She’d forgotten, in all the panic, that she wasn’t speaking to her sister.

  “I don’t really know. Chuy called me and told me to come over. I guess they were trying to catch whoever jumped him and they caught Santiago.”

  Chuy motioned for them to sit at a table. He brought coffee.

  Leonardo plopped into a chair. He rubbed his thick fingers through his close-cropped hair in frustration. “I don’t understand. What was Santiago doing here in the middle of the night? What were you guys doing here?” He gestured at Chuy and his friends. “How did he get in?”

  Fabi squirmed. Her father noticed and turned to her, waiting for a response. She thought about lying, but Santiago was already in enough trouble.

  “I gave him my keys.”

  “You did what?” her father shouted, jumping out of his seat, while his chair flew back, crashing onto the floor.

  “Dad, it’s Santiago. Our Santiago. He was storing some stuff in the storage unit out back and he was just coming by to pick it up.”

  Chuy cut in. “I know nothing about a storage room. I saw beams from a flashlight and heard laughing and the sound of something breaking.”

  Leonardo slammed his fist down on the table, making all the cups of coffee jump. “That boy has gone too far! I defended him at first. Poor kid has had a hard life, but this, this, is too much. My nephew needs to learn that there are consequences for his actions.”

  “What are you saying?” Fabi asked, alarmed. Looking around the table, she could tell that everyone thought Santiago was guilty of attacking Chuy. “It doesn’t make sense. If Santiago wanted to mug someone, why would he come into the restaurant when no one was around?” She turned to Chuy. He stared back at her, confused. “You were mugged in front of the store, not inside, right?”

  Her dad crossed his arms. “What are you trying to get at?”

  “Well, we’re talking about muggings, not robberies.”

  “Is there a difference?”

  “I know Santiago looks really guilty right now. And I’m sure the hubcaps back there are stolen.” She motioned toward the storage area.

  “Hubcaps,” her father repeated in a low growl.

  “Santiago may be a lot of things. But I can’t believe that he would beat you up, Chuy.” Fabi reached a hand out to Chuy, but he jerked away from her.

  The cook stared at her with a cold expression and said in Spanish, “I knew your parents wouldn’t believe me unless Santiago was caught and they saw it with their own eyes. But you, Fabiola, I thought you were different.” Chuy got up and cleared the table.

  “Chuy,” Fabi called out, but he refused to look at her. He gathered his stuff and went home.

  Fabi had to wait until nine in the morning to visit Santiago. The police had thrown the book at him. They were accusing him of breaking and entering, destroying private property, and receiving stolen property. They had also thrown in, for good measure, as
sault and battery on several undocumented migrant workers who had ended up in the hospital with severe beatings, based on Chuy’s testimony.

  Everyone was so quick to blame Santiago, Fabi thought as Delia Zavala, the police secretary, let her into a small, windowless room. Grandma Trini and Abuelita Alpha had come along, too, each dressed for the occasion — in black.

  When they brought Santiago in, he was quite a sight: His face was all black and blue, and one eye was swollen shut. He had bloody scratch marks on his forehead and cheek. It was horrible, and made Fabi sick to her stomach.

  “Oh, my baby,” Grandma Trini cried, rushing over to him. He winced at her touch. “Have you seen a doctor? Delia,” she cried over her shoulder, “you better call the doctor quick. If my baby gets an infection, I’m holding the police department responsible.” She pulled out something to wipe his face, spitting onto it first. Santiago flinched when he saw that she was holding a maxi pad.

  “You are not putting that on my face,” he cried.

  Trini sighed in annoyance. “Ay, it’s not mine.”

  Abuelita Alpha grabbed his hand, inspecting it for marks. “Did you sell your soul?” she asked sternly.

  “What?” Santiago squirmed under her gaze.

  “Don’t you lie to me! Did you sell your soul in blood to the Dark Prince? I need to know for the spiritual cleansing I’m going to perform. You need a limpia.”

  Santiago mustered a giggle.

  “This is no joke,” Abuelita Alpha hissed heatedly. The two old women glanced at each other in silent communication. Then Abuelita Alpha nodded and opened her bag. She took out a bottle of holy water and a bouquet of rosemary stems Fabi knew she’d collected from the massive bush in front of her house that morning. “En el nombre del Padre …” she prayed loudly, throwing holy water in his face with one hand and sweeping the evil spirits off with the rosemary in the other. Santiago was really cracking up now. Abuelita Alpha smacked him hard on the head with the branches. She cursed under her breath about what a good-for-nothing, troublesome, stupid child he was.

  Fabiola waited until Alpha finished her exorcism. When her grandmother fell back into the chair, Trini hurried to get her some water. Santiago was smiling, enjoying the attention.

  “Santiago, do you understand how much trouble you’re in?” Fabi asked, annoyed by his attitude.

  “Trouble?” He looked confused. “Chuy’s claims are totally bogus. I wish I had mugged the fool. Punk caught me off guard.” He made punching gestures in the air to show them he could not be fooled twice. “Whatever,” he said with a shrug. “I’ll be out by lunch.”

  “Santiago,” Fabi said sternly. She grabbed the table for effect. “They want to try you for several muggings that happened around town.”

  “Huh?”

  “And Delia Zavala” — Fabi motioned at the secretary — “heard that they want to try you as an adult.”

  “What?” Santiago grew quiet. The severity of the situation finally dawned on him. “Where’s your dad? He doesn’t believe that I …”

  “Santiago.” Fabi struggled to keep her voice calm. She didn’t want him to know how worried she actually was. “I’m going to find a way to clear your name.”

  “Wrap it up,” Officer Sanchez’s booming voice called out behind her. The man was leaning casually against the wall. He was so silent she hadn’t even noticed him enter the room.

  Grandma Trini shoved Fabi aside with her big hips and mumbled to Santiago, “Baby,” between tight lips. “I have bolt cutters in my hair.” She squinted her left eye and tilted her head in quick jerking movements up toward her dark mass of teased-up curls. “Alpha will distract Officer Sanchez and we —”

  “Grandma,” Fabi scolded in a hushed manner.

  “It worked for my third husband, Timoteo. You remember him, Alpha, don’t you?”

  Officer Sanchez appeared behind them. “All right, I’m going to have to ask you ladies to leave now,” he said, motioning them toward the door.

  Fabi stood her ground. “But, Officer Sanchez, this is a mistake. Santiago is being falsely accused. You have to stop this. He didn’t do it.”

  “That’s not up to me to decide.”

  “But I told you the other day who did it!” Fabi said emphatically. “I heard him admit it at a party. No, he was bragging, bragging to a bunch of people about it. It’s Dex Andrews and his thugs, I’m telling you! Go ask him where he was when the attacks happened. I’m sure he doesn’t even have an alibi. Just go ask Dex. Please.”

  Officer Sanchez stared blankly at Fabi. She couldn’t tell if he was asleep or listening to her behind those dark aviator sunglasses.

  “Who’s his judge?” Grandma Alpha asked.

  Officer Sanchez smirked. “I think it’s Judge Andrews — Judge Dexter Andrews II.”

  Good gossip always traveled like wildfire in the Valley. By the following school day, everyone had heard about Santiago’s assault charges and knew Fabi had accused Dex Andrews of the crime. Students she’d known since elementary school avoided her as if she was contagious. Others rudely pushed right into her, mumbling “liar” and “fat cow” under their breath. Fabi took her hurt and stuffed it deep down. She would not let them see her cry!

  “Hey, Fatty,” a male voice called out from down the hallway.

  Fabi bowed her head and walked faster, desperate to escape her tormentor.

  “Fatty, yo, I’m talking to you,” Dex sneered, easily catching up. He grabbed her arm tightly. Fabi gulped as he spun her around like a rag doll and pinned her against the locker doors. The chattering noise of the hallways hummed into the background. Fabi could only hear the thumping of her heart beating wildly, pounding in her head.

  “Stop, please,” Fabi murmured, unable to hold back the tears that had started to flow freely. Dex’s sneer grew bigger. There was nowhere for Fabi to run, nothing she could do.

  “Hey, what’re you doing?” Milo called out from somewhere behind Dex. But Fabi could only hear scuffling sounds as if Milo was struggling with Dex’s football friends.

  Dex turned away. He smiled approvingly at Milo — and his friends holding Milo back — then he slowly leaned into the locker, right next to Fabi’s face. He was so close their noses touched.

  “You got a big fat mouth, you know that?” he whispered, low enough for only her to hear. “You better be careful. Don’t want to end up like your dishwasher friend.” He smirked, pulling away so she could see the satisfaction in his eyes.

  “Fabi? Dex! Get off her, you jerk!”

  This time it was Alexis. Fabi heard a hard, demanding note in her little sister’s voice.

  “What’s going on here?” Vice Principal Castillo asked, coming up behind them.

  Dex started to laugh, pushing away from the lockers and holding his hands up innocently. “Oh, nothing, sir. I’m just having a little chat with my girl. Isn’t that right, Fabi?”

  Mr. Castillo waited for a response.

  Fabi studied Dex a moment. She wanted to tell on him, but her mouth was numbed with fear.

  Mr. Castillo frowned and glanced at the crowd of students standing around him. “Put those cell phones away,” he cried. “This is not a show! Go to class, everyone. Go now!”

  Fabi heard the sound of students shuffling away from her. But she couldn’t look up. The humiliation weighed down on her like a heavy stone. Why hadn’t she said anything?!

  “C’mon,” she heard Alexis say to Dex, leading him away. The other football guys shoved Milo to the side as they followed.

  Milo stood for a moment next to her, silent. He tried to put his hand on Fabi’s shoulder, but his touch made her jump. “Oh, sorry. I just wanted to see if you were okay.”

  “She’s all right,” Mr. Castillo said. “She’s a tough girl.”

  Finally, Fabi looked up — then wished she hadn’t. Every face in the hallway was staring back at her. The tension in the air was maddening. It was like one of those crazy dreams where you find yourself naked — but this was no dr
eam. People she’d considered friends were now looking away, or worse, snapping shots to put on the Internet. Melodee Stanton stood a few feet away from her, ready to pounce at the slightest provocation. Fabi bit down hard on her lower lip and ran down the hall. She couldn’t face any of them, ever again.

  Fabiola didn’t go to school the following day. She told her parents she wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t get out of bed. With all that was going on with Santiago, Magda and Leonardo decided to just leave her alone. When Dex Andrews pulled up to her house to pick up Alexis, dread twisted in Fabi’s stomach. She couldn’t believe that her sister chose him over her — even after what he did at school! Santiago was probably going to jail. And Dex was going to get away with beating up immigrants because he could. The situation was so unfair. She wanted to claw at it, tear it to shreds.

  Around lunchtime, Milo and Georgia Rae surprised her with an unexpected visit. They brought pizza and a bucket of mint chocolate chip ice cream.

  “Guys.” Fabi tried to sound annoyed, but she was really grateful to see them. “What are you doing?”

  “Milo told me what happened yesterday,” Georgia Rae said, giving her a sympathetic hug as she walked in. “Bastards.”

  “And when you didn’t show up today, I called Georgia Rae and we decided to check in on you,” Milo added, hands stuffed in his pockets. He scuffed the living room floor softly with his tennis shoes.

  Fabiola’s heart swelled and tears wet her eyes. “Thanks,” she said, giving them each a hug. “You guys are the best! Come on, sit down. Let’s eat this pizza.” They flopped down onto the fluffy couch and dug into the meal.

  They munched silently until Fabi said, “I was thinking of transferring schools. Do you think it’s too late?” She picked the mushrooms off her slice for Georgia Rae.