I sit down next to my younger brother and Laura. Julian had wanted a seat next to the window so bad that he had pushed me roughly aside to get it. I chuckle and tell him he’s a spoiled brat. Julian just shrugs. Laura gets a seat next to me and she is totally excited about the trip. I think she forgets the fact that we also have a funeral there but I don’t want to spoil her fun. It’s good to see her again though, we haven’t seen each other in a while. I ask her about her boyfriend but she tells me they broke up, again. I wonder how long it will take them to get back together this time but I keep my mouth shut. I love Laura, she’s my closest sister but she has the worse taste in men. Somehow she always picks the wrong ones. Or they always pick her. I can’t blame them, she’s beautiful and loyal to everyone she loves. She would never cheat on anybody. But it seems like her boyfriends take advantage of her trust sometimes. I feel sad for her but she doesn’t seem to be very bothered by it all. She’s an optimist, like me.

‘And how about you?’ she asks me when she’s done talking about her Jerry.

‘What about me?,’ I shrug, but I already know where this is going to. I hate these conversations.

‘Are you seeing anyone? Mama told me you haven’t been sleeping at home that much lately. So tell me Carmen, come on!’

‘I’m not seeing anyone,’ I say simply. It amazes me how easy it becomes to tell a lie.

‘Really? God that’s unbelievable. How do you do that? It must be really hard for you to keep the boys away. You’re so hot Carmen, this week I had two guys asking me to set them up on a date with you!’ Laura says.

I roll my eyes. I know she’s exaggerating. She always does.

‘She’s just picky,’ Julian says without looking up from his magazine. I want to slap him and hug him at the same time. Julian is my younger half brother, he’s sixteen and annoying as hell but I really like him. Even though he’s way younger, he’s always very protective of his older sisters. I think he’s the only one who likes the fact I don’t have a boyfriend. If only he knew..