The morning of the trip arrived, and Alex stood in the living room, double-checking her packed suitcase—clothes, toiletries, a towel, and a few books for studying during downtime. Claire hovered nearby, arms crossed, her expression a mix of worry and resignation.
"You have your phone charger? Extra socks? Bear spray?" Claire asked, her voice tight.
Alex sighed. "Yes, Mom. I've got everything."
Claire opened her mouth to say more, but before she could, the unmistakable sound of screeching tires and aggressive honking cut through the quiet morning. A second later, Marco's voice boomed from outside:
"AY, MAMI! PRINCESA! MI AMOR! LET'S GOOO!"
Alex rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smirk tugging at her lips. She grabbed her suitcase and backpack, heading for the door. Claire followed, her disapproval radiating in waves.
When they stepped outside, they were met with the sight of Marco's car idling at the curb, music thumping. Marco himself was already out, stretching his arms over his head with his usual chaotic energy. Javier sat shotgun, and Malik lounged in the back, both looking amused.
"Missed you," Marco said, grinning as he strode over and took Alex's bags from her. He tossed them into the trunk, where they landed haphazardly on top of his and his friends' gear.
Javier and Malik waved at Claire from the car. "Hey, Mrs. Dunphy," Malik called.
"Nice to meet you," Javier added, flashing a charming smile.
Claire forced a polite nod, but her eyes were locked on Marco like he was a ticking time bomb.
Marco, oblivious—or more likely, ignoring it—leaned in and kissed Alex quickly. "Ready for the best week of your life?"
Alex smirked. "We'll see."
Then Marco turned to Javier and jerked his thumb toward the backseat. "Oye, cabrón, salte de ahí. Alex va adelante."
Javier groaned dramatically but unbuckled and climbed out. As he passed Claire, he shook his head. "You see this, señora? I've known this pendejo for years, and now he gets a girlfriend, and suddenly I'm in the back? Unbelievable."
Marco shoved him playfully. "Shut up and get in."
Claire's jaw tightened, but before she could say anything, Marco turned to her with a grin. "Don't worry, Mrs. D. I'll take real good care of her."
Alex groaned. "Oh my God—"
Claire looked like she was about to combust, but Alex cut her off with a quick hug. "Bye, Mom. I'll text you when we get there."
Claire sighed but hugged her back. "Be careful."
Alex climbed into the passenger seat while the boys continued their antics—Malik tossing a bag of chips at Javier's head, Marco laughing as he slid into the driver's seat.
Without even checking his mirrors, Marco threw the car into gear and peeled away from the curb, leaving Claire standing in the driveway, arms crossed, watching them disappear down the road.
******
The drive to Marco's house was filled with loud music, Malik and Javier arguing over the playlist, and Marco drumming his fingers on the steering wheel like he was in a concert. Alex watched the cityscape fade into quieter neighborhoods, then finally into the familiar streets of Marco's part of town.
When they pulled up, the small house was already buzzing with activity.
Rosa stood in the driveway, laughing loudly with two other women—both just as vivacious and curvy as she was, their voices carrying over the chatter. Nearby, a woman who could only be Marco's sister stood with her arms crossed, her sharp eyes scanning the scene with the same no-nonsense energy as Rosa. Beside her, a broad-shouldered man—Diego, presumably—leaned against a car, looking amused by the chaos.
Alex barely had time to take it all in before Marco was out of the car, shouting, "¡Llegamos!"
Rosa turned, her face lighting up. "¡Mi hijo!" She rushed over, pulling Marco into a crushing hug before turning to Alex. "¡Y mi nuera favorita!"
Alex barely had time to process being called "favorite daughter-in-law" before Rosa yanked her into a bear hug so tight her glasses nearly flew off.
"Uh—hi, Rosa," Alex wheezed.
Rosa released her, grinning, and gestured to the two women beside her. "Alex, these are mis amigas—Lucía and Isabel. Javier and Malik's mamás."
Lucía (Javier's mom) winked. "So you're the genius Marco won't shut up about."
Isabel (Malik's mom) smirked. "He said you were smart. Didn't say you were bonita." She pinched Alex's cheek. "Qué linda."
Alex's face burned. "Uh. Thanks?"
Marco, meanwhile, had dragged his sister and Diego over.
"Alex, meet Valeria. My pain-in-the-ass older sister."
Valeria rolled her eyes—exactly like Marco—but smiled. "Nice to finally meet you. Sorry in advance for whatever idiotas my brother does this week."
Diego extended a hand, his grip warm and calloused. "Hey. Don't worry, I'll keep him in line."
Alex shook it, noting the firefighter's build and the easygoing grin. "Good luck with that."
Valeria snorted. "I like her."
After loading up the last of the gear, the group split into vehicles:
Marco's Car: Marco (driver), Alex (shotgun), Malik & Javier (backseat, already arguing over snacks).
Diego's Truck: Valeria (glaring at maps), Diego (patiently ignoring her backseat driving).
Lucía's Sedan: Rosa, Lucía, and Isabel (already passing around a thermos of something strong).
Marco revved the engine, grinning at Alex. "Ready for the most chaotic road trip of your life?"
Alex buckled in. "I regret this already."
Javier leaned forward. "Too late. You're stuck with us now, hermana."
Malik tossed a chip at him. "Shut up, she's our hostage now."
Marco peeled out of the driveway, the other cars falling in line behind them as they headed for the mountains.
———
The drive to Angeles National Forest was anything but quiet.
Marco's car was a riot of loud music, Malik and Javier's relentless bickering, and Marco's occasional commentary on other drivers ("That guy's got the spatial awareness of a drunk raccoon"). Alex sat shotgun, watching the city blur into sprawling suburbs, then into winding mountain roads flanked by towering pines. The air grew crisper, the scent of earth and pine needles seeping through the cracked windows.
Diego's truck followed steadily behind them, while Rosa, Lucía, and Isabel's sedan brought up the rear, no doubt fueled by laughter and whatever was in that thermos.
When they finally pulled up to the rented cabin, Alex was surprised by its size—a sturdy, two-story wooden structure with a wraparound porch and a chimney puffing faint smoke. The surrounding trees cast dappled shadows over the clearing, and the air was thick with the sound of rustling leaves and distant birds.
"Damn," Malik whistled, hopping out of the car. "We balled out on this."
"Split between eight people, it's not bad," Javier said, already unloading his duffel bag.
Marco popped the trunk and nudged Alex. "You and me get our own room. Pick whichever one you want." He winked. "Within reason."
Alex rolled her eyes but grabbed her suitcase, following the others inside.
The cabin was cozy but spacious—wood-paneled walls, a stone fireplace in the living area, and a kitchen that looked well-stocked. As she hauled her bags upstairs, she overheard Valeria and Marco arguing in the hallway.
"You always do this—just take over like you're in charge!" Valeria snapped.
"I am in charge! I planned the whole damn trip!" Marco shot back.
"Oh, planning means texting everyone 'be ready at 7' and then showing up at 9?"
Alex smirked. This is exactly like me and Luke.
After some negotiation (and more bickering), the rooms were claimed:
Rosa, Lucía, and Isabel took the largest bedroom, which had two beds. Rosa and Lucía declared they'd share without hesitation, while Isabel smirked and said, "I call the side without Rosa's snoring."
Diego and Valeria claimed a smaller room, though not before Valeria grumbled about Marco's "manchild energy" contaminating the air.
Malik and Javier were relegated to the bunk beds in the third room, much to their dismay ("I'm not sleeping on the bottom bunk, cabrón!").
Alex and Marco got the last remaining room—a cozy space with a queen bed and a window overlooking the trees.
Once everyone was settled, Rosa clapped her hands. "Alright! Women—we cook. Men—hagan algo útil."
The guys groaned but headed outside to set up the outdoor tables and chairs, while Alex found herself herded into the kitchen with Rosa, Lucía, Isabel, and Valeria.
Massive cuts of meat, trays of vegetables, and spices were already being pulled from coolers. Alex hovered awkwardly as the women moved with practiced ease—Lucía seasoning carne asada, Isabel chopping onions like a chef, and Rosa kneading dough for homemade tortillas.
"Uh… I don't really know what I'm doing," Alex admitted, feeling out of place.
Rosa waved her off. "No problem. You'll learn." She thrust a knife into Alex's hand and pointed at a pile of peppers. "Chop these. Fino."
Alex hesitated, then mimicked Isabel's technique, though her cuts were far less even.
Valeria, meanwhile, was grilling Rosa about Marco's bad habits ("Does he still leave wet towels on the floor?"), while Lucía and Isabel debated the best way to marinate the meat.
Outside, the guys were hauling logs for the campfire, their voices carrying through the open windows. Marco's laughter rang out over the others, followed by Diego's deep chuckle and Javier's mock outrage over something.
The sun dipped lower, casting golden light over the clearing as the scent of sizzling meat and woodsmoke filled the air.
Alex wiped her hands on a towel, watching the chaos unfold—Rosa scolding Marco for tracking mud inside, Valeria rolling her eyes at Diego's terrible joke, Malik and Javier wrestling over the last bag of chips.
———
The food was finally ready—a mountain of smoky carne asada, charred vegetables, fresh tortillas, and bowls of salsa that promised varying degrees of heat. The women carried the platters outside, where the guys had (mostly) successfully set up the tables and chairs. The campfire crackled nearby, already casting a warm glow as the sun dipped behind the trees.
Alex set down a tray of grilled peppers just as Malik snatched a piece of meat straight from the platter.
"Dude, wait—" Alex started, but Javier was already lunging for the same piece, and the two of them nearly knocked over the table in their scuffle.
"Children! Basta!" Rosa barked, smacking Malik's hand with a wooden spoon. "We eat like civilized people!"
Marco, who had already piled his plate high with enough food for three people, snorted. "Since when?"
Valeria rolled her eyes and handed Diego a plate, which he accepted with a grateful smile. "At least one of you has manners."
"Hey, I have manners," Marco protested, mouth full.
"Swallow before you speak, idiota," Valeria shot back.
Alex watched in mild horror as the meal devolved into:
Javier and Malik arguing over who got the last piece of carne asada (solution: Rosa cut it in half and gave them both a withering look).
Lucía and Isabel debating the best way to build a campfire ("You need more kindling!" "No, you need patience!").
Marco attempting to feed Alex a bite of his food without warning, resulting in her nearly choking on a chunk of grilled onion.
Diego calmly eating through it all, occasionally nodding along to Valeria's complaints about her brother like this was a normal Tuesday.
At one point, Malik tried to sneak a handful of Javier's tortillas, only for Javier to retaliate by flicking a spoonful of salsa at him. It missed and hit Marco square in the forehead.
Silence.
Then—
"Oh, you're dead," Marco growled, grabbing a handful of rice.
What followed was a full-blown food fight—tortillas flying like frisbees, Isabel shrieking as a spoonful of beans landed in her hair, and Rosa finally losing her patience and dumping a pitcher of agua fresca over Marco's head.
"ENOUGH!" she bellowed. "You eat, or you starve!"
Alex, who had ducked behind a chair to avoid the crossfire, peeked over the edge. "This is worse than my family."
Marco, dripping with agua fresca, grinned at her. "Told you you'd love it."
———
After the chaotic meal, everyone retreated inside the cabin to rest—except Marco, who had mysteriously vanished into the woods with a muttered "Be right back."
Inside, the cabin was a mix of exhaustion and quiet chatter:
Rosa, Lucía, and Isabel had claimed the living room couch, sipping coffee and gossiping in rapid-fire Spanish.
Valeria and Diego were curled up in an armchair together, Valeria scrolling through her phone while Diego dozed off, his head resting on her shoulder.
Malik and Javier were sprawled on the floor, half-heartedly arguing over a deck of cards.
Alex sat by the fireplace, flipping through a book she'd brought, though she kept glancing at the door, wondering where Marco had gone.
Then—the front door slammed open.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," Marco announced, holding up a squirming, wide-eyed raccoon by the scruff of its neck. "MEET CARLOS."
The cabin erupted.
Rosa screamed and threw a couch pillow at him.
Lucía crossed herself. "¡Dios mío, Marco!"
Isabel just sighed, rubbing her temples. "Not again."
Valeria leaped to her feet, knocking Diego awake. "PUT THAT THING BACK WHERE IT CAME FROM OR SO HELP ME—"
Malik and Javier scrambled backward, cards flying everywhere. "DUDE, THAT'S A WILD ANIMAL—"
Alex stared, frozen somewhere between horror and fascination.
Carlos, the raccoon, wriggled in Marco's grip, tiny paws flailing.
"Relax, he's friendly," Marco said, as if that explained everything. "Found him digging through the trash. Thought he'd wanna hang out."
"MARCO RIVERA," Rosa thundered, "YOU TAKE THAT RATÓN OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW—"
"He's not a rat, mamá, he's a trash panda," Marco corrected, grinning.
Carlos chose that moment to hiss and lunge for Marco's face.
"OKAY, FINE—" Marco yelped, bolting back outside with the raccoon still in hand.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Silence.
Then, from outside: "CARLOS, NO—" followed by the sound of furious raccoon chattering and Marco's dramatic yells.
Alex buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe I'm dating him."
Valeria patted her shoulder. "Welcome to the family."