I smirk. “Yeah.”
“So,” he pauses. “You like me?”
I throw my head back and laugh. “I’ve always liked you.”
“Yeah, but I mean you really like me.” He waggles his brows.
“And you like me.”
“I do.”
“I knew it.”
Ali laughs. “When did you realize?”
“That I liked you?”
He shakes his head. “That you were gay.”
“Probably around the time we became friends.”
A cocky grin stretches across his face. “Oh really?”
“Don’t let your head get too big,” I say, dropping to the bed and stretching out. “I had sort of figured I might be, but it was spending time with you that really made it clear. And you?”
“I was around twelve.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. I haven’t told anyone but you.”
“I won’t say anything.”
“I know.”
“So, we should probably keep this a secret, huh?”
Ali sits on the edge of my bed, his eyes roaming my body. “Yeah, probably. At least for a little while. I don’t know how to tell my family.”
“We can wait until we’re eighteen.”
“And moved out?”
I laugh. “Sure.”
“Okay. Deal.”
I sit up and throw him a coy grin. “Wanna kiss me?”
Ali smiles wide. “Definitely.”
7
Alejandro
Present Day
“The last day of the school year,” Coach Dolittle says, clapping me on the back as we walk to our cars. “What’re you gonna do? Vacation?”
“Not really,” I reply, pulling my keys out of my pocket. “I’ll probably spend a lot of time back home with my mom and sister. Liliana had a baby a few months ago, so I guess I should be a good uncle and get to know my niece.”
“Well, have fun with that. I’ll be going to Vegas next month. I’ll get you a souvenir. What do you want? Shot glass? Keychain?”
I laugh. “You don’t have to get me anything.”
“I’ll send you a postcard.”
“Whatever, man.”
Pete Dolittle chuckles. “See ya around.”
I shake my head and unlock my car. Tonight I’ll put a bag together and then head to Gaspar tomorrow. I haven’t seen my mom or sister in a month, and I only went back because my sister gave birth to my niece.
It’s only a coincidence that the school year ended at the same time The Unwanted’s overseas tour came to an end. I’m not going back to Gaspar because Merrick will be there. I’d rather not have another run-in with him, because it only ends in heartbreak.
I think back to when we were twenty, and I was dating Shae. Merrick had already pulled me into an alley and set my body on fire, but I was in a relationship and didn’t want to step back in the closet just to be with him.
It killed me when he told me I was breaking his heart because I was the only person he had ever been with. Merrick’s always been an important part of my life. I cared for him so much, and loved our times together. Nothing was ever enough back when we were teens. We could spend a week together, twenty-four-seven, and the minute I had to walk away, I missed him.
If Merrick needed me, I was there. If he invited me out, I dropped my plans and went with him. And he did the same for me. We were inseparable, and I loved him.
People always seem to downplay love and emotions when you’re young. Like it can’t possibly be real if you’re a teen, because teenagers aren’t supposed to know what real love feels like. But what I felt for Merrick wasn’t just puppy love. It wasn’t just lust, either. I know, without a doubt, that I loved him with all my heart. That’s why it hurt so much when he lied to me. Not just once either, but over and over.
As I’m driving home, my sister calls. I hit the answer button and her voice comes over the speakers in my car.
“Mami wants to know when you’re gonna be here.”
“Hello to you, too. Yeah, I’m fine. How are you?”
Liliana laughs. “I like to get straight to the point. Hi, big brother. How are you doing this wonderful, warm evening? Are you okay? Is life going well? I only want the best for you,” she croons.
“Ugh. I prefer straight to the point.”
“Exactly. So, shut up. When you coming home?”
“I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Mami! He said tomorrow!”
“Can you not yell directly into the phone?”
“Oh, sorry.”
“How’s my baby niece?”
“She’s kind of a diva. She cries when she doesn’t get what she wants. She also doesn’t really know what she wants. And she expects me to cater to her. Can you believe that?” she jokes.
I laugh. “Wow, sounds just like you.”
“Shut up,” she says with a laugh. “But kidding aside, she’s perfect and amazing and beautiful. Also, like me.”
“Anyway.”
“Hater. So, I hear Merrick’s in town. Have you talked to him?”
I didn’t tell my sister about me and Merrick either. Nobody knows, because he’s not out, and regardless of what he’s done to me in the past, it’s not for me to out him to anyone.
Her and my mom have asked what happened between us, so I’ve given a half-truth—we had a fight.
It’s not a lie, but there’s more to it than that. I just never led them to believe it was a big deal, so they always ask if I’ve heard from him or if we’ve made up yet. No is the answer to both. He stopped reaching out when I kept ignoring him.
“No, Lili, I haven’t. I told you we aren’t friends anymore.”
“I know, but it’s been a long time. It couldn’t have been that big of a fight, could it?”
“Coming from the grudge queen, that’s funny. You’re still mad at Sarah for wearing your shirt when you were twelve.”
“First of all, that bitch knew that was my favorite shirt, and she didn’t just wear it, Alejandro, she stole it, wore it, and ruined it. So, this is not the same.”
“She’s our cousin, Lili, you have to get over it.”
“Hey, I still talk to her, but I’ll never forget.”
My sister’s always had a flare for dramatics,
