Excerpt from The Making of Yolanda la Bruja by Lorraine Avila, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

I turn towards the tables lined up against one another in the cafeteria, but I can't spot where Victory went. I look and look but nothing. I take a deep breath, knowing that I have to find her first; I'm not about to go give a tour with a bunch of balloons.

"Yerrrrrrrrr!" I hear the call. I turn and it's all of my friends from the Brave Space Club, including Mrs. Obi, with a cake and a gift bag.

"Happy birthday to ya! Happy birthday to ya! Happy birthday! Happy birthday!" they sing loudly and the rest of the cafeteria joins in. As I look at all the faces around me, my heart feels big in my chest. the people I know and love at this school are filled with joy, like my birthday isn't just a birthday, but a whole moment. I can't help but smile widely. Victory is cheesing too, and I know it must've not been easy for her to keep this secret away from me. I spot José shu'ing over quickly, leaving his friends behind. Cindy is clapping mad loud and a couple other students are snapping in unison. Yeah, there are faces of students I don't really talk to too much, but I couldn't imagine a school experience without seeing them. Deadass. Even though they don't do anything for me, per se, them being alive and pre sent does something for the school. their voices are so loud, my head hurts a little, but I'm OK with this loud. I love this kind of loud— an overflowing noise of good things. I feel so special, and it causes every part of my body to have its own heartbeat. Mrs. Obi walks up to me with the birthday cake; she lights up the candles with a lighter.

"Hurry up and make a wish before I get fired for using fire outside our science class," she whispers, smiling mischievously. I close my eyes.

I hope this next year of my life brings me closer to being the person I was born to be. If I have to fold, may I never break. May I remember everything is leading towards the making of me.

I blow and open my eyes. Mr. L is now next to Mrs. Obi, clapping along with everyone else.

"Of course I knew it was your birthday, Little Miss Libra Sun, Aries Moon and Gemini Rising," Mr. L says, handing me a small giftbag that I know he didn't just get from the bodega.

"You didn't have to, Mr. L," I say with a smile.

"Now you open that up when you're by yourself. I don't want nobody saying I got favorites again."

"But you do, and it's me," I laugh, hugging Jay, who nods and is wearing dope ass lime- green eyeliner in lines, the spaces between them filled in with red eyeshadow, and baby blue dots under their eyebrows.

"It looks so good!" I tell them.

they step back, opening their arms around their jersey. "To celebrate you," they say.

As soon as everyone who was gonna hug me is done, some folks disperse, and mainly the club stays put. I set the balloons and bags at the center of the table near Victory.

"You still gotta go do that thing I told you to do," Mr. L winks, taking the cake from Mrs. Obi, who has a meeting.

"Go," Victory says. "I'll start cutting the cake," she says.

I nod, turn from my friends, and start looking around the cafeteria for Ben.

Excerpted from The Making of Yolanda la Bruja by Avila Avila. Copyright © 2023 by Avila Avila. Excerpted by permission of Levine Querido. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.