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. How come you re never like this up atschool?Alex stood up straight.He was a little taller than Carlos andhis black spiky hair made him seem even taller. Honestly, I vehis black spiky hair made him seem even taller. Honestly, I vebeen thinking about you since we got back from school.I toldAndrew that I was gonna make a play for you now that we backhome because up at school you re, like, untouchable, too busybeing Super Freshman writing for the newspaper and involvedwith this club or that one.Do you make time to get laid? Not really. Not really or no? Not really. For real? Then we must be fucking in different circles  causeword on campus is that you are like Mother Theresa and shit.Carlos laughed as his cell phone rang.When he picked up,Chulito asked,  What s so funny?Carlos took a few steps away from Alex. Just the guysbugging out. Sorry, Kaz and I just got back from Jersey.How s it going? We re at the pier and there are fireworks going off and Kennywent to go buy some wine coolers with Kevin.Are you comingdown? I don t know.It being Gay Pride, there are probably a lot ofpeople out there, right? Television cameras? The pier is packed, but there are no TV cameras.That wasat the parade.But we could meet in Union Square if you want. I don t think Manhattan is the ticket. Can you talk? Or is someone around? Kaz is nearby, but I wanted to call you. Well, I had a great day.The only thing missing was you. I m sorry, Carlos.You know I couldn t be down there.Whydon t you call me when you get home? We can talk then.By theway, I m not going to go to Puerto Rico with my mom.I told her thatI couldn t get out of work, but there is no way I can be away fromyou for more than a day.Today has been killing me.Trust me. Me, too.I love you, Chulito. I love you, too.Chulito surprised himself with how easily the words came outof his mouth.Just four weeks ago, before he started seeingCarlos, those words only had meaning when he thought of hismother or Kamikaze.Now he joined the lovers of the world.Hehad crossed a bridge that he thought he never would.Feeling lovefrom Carlos he experienced what he thought was an impossibility,and he wanted to keep it forever.Tears filled his eyes and hefought to hold them back.Carlos didn t hold back, and the tears ran down his face andinto his smile.He didn t expect to hear those words back fromChulito.Not that he didn t feel loved by him, but Carlos knewChulito always kept a part of himself guarded.But he loved how farChulito had come and hearing those words made him hopeful thatthey could get deeper and grow closer. I want to come home rightnow, just to see you. I want to see you, too, but I still got some biz with Kaz, sohave a good time with the guys and tell Kenny and everybody that Isaid hello or Happy Gay Pride or whatever.Call me when you gethome.I ll ride the train downtown tomorrow with you in the morningand I ll pick ya ass up from work, then we ll hang. Alright, then I ll stay here for a little bit longer.I ll call you whenI get home. No matter what time. O.K. Carlos slipped his phone in his pocket and returned ina daze to Alex. Is he opan didnn his way? Alex asked.Carlos smiled. I m gonna see him later tonight. Then heleaned back on the railing and sighed.Alex shook his head and walked away.Chulito flipped his phone shut and walked back to the corner.Papo asked,  So did you break her heart by breaking the date? She ll live, Chulito said. I knew something was up with you. Davey licked his bottomlip. We don t see you no more.You acting all secretive.And look,fellas, he broke a date and he looks like he s gonna cry. He got it, Chin-Chin said. Catalina didn t do it to you, butwhoever this one is, she got you, bro.It s written all over your face.The fellas laughed as Chulito scowled. It s cool.You know,it s a new thang.I m feeling it out. That s right.Take your time, Chin-Chin continued.  Causethe next thing she will want to be engaged and you too young. I m glad you made some time to hang with your boys. Papoput an arm around Chulito. You gonna be at the Fourth of Julybarbecue, right? Oh, yeah, Chulito said. Moms is making her potato saladand her guineitos, too. I love those shits.Man, your moms is beautiful and she cooksbetter than my mom, Papo said. May he rest in peace, but yourpops was dumb.He shoulda treated y all better. He just got married too young, Chulito said matter-of-factlyand shrugged. He didn t want a wife and a kid.He wanted to befree. Then learn from your dad and have fun while you young anddon t be getting too serious in relationships, Chin-Chin said.Chulito looked across the street at the Chinese restaurantand could see Lee at work. Yo, I m gonna go get me some chicken wings.Anybody wantsome? Nah, Chulito, but check this out, fellas.I was in the Village theother day with m girl at her favorite spot, that Mexican place withthe giant margarita hanging off it, and guess who I saw? Paposaid. Davey. Chin-Chin answered. Nah, shut up, stupid.It was little Lee from the Chinese place,La China, and he was all pegao with a viejo.Man, they wereslurping each other down, I swear to God, Papo said holding uphis hand as if he were taking an oath. Iiiill, that s nasty, Looney Tunes said and shuddered. My girl was, like,  Leave him alone,  Papo continued,  but Ijust woofed out  Lee! and he jumped about four feet in the air.Ijust kept walking and he was looking around, like,  Who said that?It was funny as shit. The fellas laughed, and Chulito laughed, too,but wondered what Papo was doing in the Village.He would haveto watch himself. Lee! Papo barked and everyone jumped, then laughed.While they cracked jokes about him, Lee was busy working in theheat, stuffing containers with rice, spooning chicken with broccoliinto Styrofoam plates and pouring wonton soup into plastic take-out bowls.Papo announced,  Yo! Give it up, papas.The Hen is gettinglow, I m going to Gil s for a bottle. Hands got stuffed into baggypants and crumpled bills appeared.Chulito handed over a tendollar bill and repeated,  Any of you niggas want some chickenwings? Nah. Be right back. As Chulito stepped to the curb to cross thestreet, Papo barked out  Lee! and Chulito jumped.The guyslaughter reached the rooftops. Damn, Chulito, you a crazy motherfucker. Chulito smiled and trotted across Hunts Point Avenue.When he stepped into Spring Garden, Lee and his familywere moving at a hundred miles an hour, as steam rose from woksand the frying food sizzled like rain.Lee had his back to Chulitoand didn t see him walk in.Chulito checked out his slim body andsmall muscles flexing on his shoulder as Lee reached toward a topshelf for a white cardboard take out box.Lee wore shorts thatwere too short and too tight by ghetto standards.The phone rang.Lee swung around to answer it, but droppedit when he saw Chulito.Lee scrambled to pick the phone up. Spring Garden, how can I help you? He shrugged apologeticallyto Chulito who gave him a cold stare. One moment, pleae mfedise. He put the phone on the counter. Hey, Chulito, what spoppin ? Hearing him try to be ghetto always made Chulito smile. Whoa, you got a nice smile, Chulito.Always hidin it, tryin a lookgangsta. What! I am gangsta, nigga.You betta watch yourself.I m inno mood to fuck around [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]