Not Even Close (A New Generation) by Elizabeth Reyes (sight word books .txt) 📕

wide eyed looks. Vannah could tell hersister was also holding back so much as smirking because like herself, shedidn’t dare, since Uncle Manny sounded so proud of himself.

“Don’t I have to sign a release?” Romero asked looking annoyed.“Since I’m the one in them?”

“Yeah? Whatta ya gonna do?” Manny asked as he cued up a video onhis phone. “Sue your nieces for using ‘em?”

He handed the video to Vannah as Nena and Byron leaned in oneither side of her to watch. “This one here’s called the slamming doorchallenge. Mandy showed me online and I thought if anyone would be perfect forthis it’d be this one with his precious car. Kids aren’t even allowed to eat init. I had to get sneaky about mounting the phone so he wouldn’t know I wasfilming.”

He handed the phone to Vannah who was already smiling big withanticipation. Nena and Byron leaned in on either side to watch with her.

“I told him I had to wiz just a few blocks after we left myplace.”

That alone had them snickering, and Vannah was just glad this wasapparently supposed to be funny. Because just the fact that this wassome kind of hidden video gag on impatient Uncle Romero, of all people, had hergoing already.

It started out with Manny and Romero in his car, but the camerawas facing Romero and he already looked irritated. “Seriously? How old are you,man? Couldn’t you piss before we left the house?”

“Just pull over right here, will ya?” Manny pointed out thewindow.

“You’re not pissing on the side of the road, Manny.”

“What am I, an animal?” Manny asked sounding genuinely appalled.“I mean right here, at the gas station.”

Turning to glare at his uncle, Romero shook his head butgrudgingly pulled into the station. “Hurry up,” Romero urged impatiently.“We’re already late because of you, and now this.”

“I had to get him good and worked up,” Manny explained proudly tothe girls as they continued to watch. “To get the best reaction.”

They turned back to the video. “You want anything?” Manny asked.“I’m getting a hot dog.”

Romero’s head jerking to look at his uncle wide eyed, as heparked the car, already had them all in stitches. “A hot dog? Are you shittingme? We’re late because you just had to finish every bit of that big truckerbreakfast special your wife made you.”

Vannah leaned against Byron laughing so hard she could barely seethrough her blurred eyes.

“Just a little snack for the road,” Manny said as he opened thedoor and started out.

“Unbelievable,” Romero shook his head pulling his ownphone out and glanced down at it. “Make it fast, Manny, and you’re not eatingin my car.”

Manny got out but before he closed the door, he opened it againand stuck his head in. “You sure you don’t want any—”

“No, I don’t want anything. Now hurry up before I leaveyour ass here.”

Waiting a second as Romero glanced back down at his phone stillshaking his head, Manny slammed the door so hard Romero flinched and nearlydropped his phone. The stunned expression was enough to have them all rollingeven as an exasperated Romero yelled out for Manny. That would’ve been goodenough, but Manny opened the door again. “What?”

“Why the hell you slamming my door like that?”

“It slipped.”

Still glaring at him, Romero shook his head, his expressioncompletely irritated but didn’t say more. Once again Manny waited until Romerowas glancing down at his phone, letting his guard down. The door slammed somuch harder this time the whole car shook.

This time Romero did drop his phone. “What the fuuuuck!”

Vannah and Nena could barely catch their breath, they laughed sohard. Even Romero smirked as he watched them all laughing at his expense. Apparently,everyone at their table had already seen the video because just hearing it fromwhere they were sitting, they laughed heartedly too.

Manny took his phone back to find the other video he’d mentioned.“This guy’s just too easy,” he said shaking his head and wiped tears away.

Through his continued wheezing high-pitched laughter, heexplained that the next one was him being an influencer. “Yaknow? Giving adviceand tips on something you’re a connoisseur on.”

Romero shook his head after sipping his beer but smirked. “Yeah,this fat bacon lover connoisseur.”

Vannah and Nena laughed. They didn’t even know what to expect butalready it sounded hilarious. Manny handed the phone back to Vannah and againNena and Byron assumed the position ready to see what they were in for. Thevideo started up. It was heavyset Manny sitting on a weight bench in Romero’sgarage, wearing the most ridiculous straight-out-of-the-seventy’s workoutoutfit. Suspenders, head band, leg warmers, and all.

At this point Vannah already had a major case of the giggles andshe was cackling just looking at the outfit. “Oh, my God!” she wailed withlaughter.

They all watched the video laughing as Manny looked into thecamera and whispered. “Here he comes,” he gave a thumbs up and turned thecamera to the door where Romero walked out into the garage and immediately slowed,his expression instantly going sour.

“What are you doing? What the hell are you wear—”

“Shut up,” Manny said. “I’m shooting a video here for all myfollowers.”

Since Manny was holding up the phone in front of him it was clearRomero thought Manny was videotaping himself not him. “A lot of yous have beenasking about my diet, workout regime, and how I stay in such great shape.”

Romero’s head literally jerked back, and Vannah and Nena nearly felloff their chairs laughing. Even Byron was cracking up now.

“The hell?” Romero asked. “You’re in great shape?And what followers—?”

“Let me finish this, will ya?” Manny said as Romero continued togawk at him in utter disbelief. “First of all, I don’t eat any junk ever.Nothing but salads and healthy shit all day long.  I wake up every morning atfour AM sharp, and go for a five-mile run. Then—”

“Get the fuck out of here!” Romero finally laughed whichimmediately had Manny wheezing in both the video, and as he stood there watchingthem all laugh.

“Holy hell! This is great.” Nena said clutching her chest stilllaughing and wiping away tears.

Both sisters could barely catch their breath, they continued to laughso hard. Vannah had seen the challenges online