A loud clearing of Enrique's throat tears us apart.
Alex looks at me with intense passion. "I have to get back to work," he says, his breathing ragged.
"Oh. Well, sure." Suddenly embarrassed at our PDA, I step back.
"Can I see you later today?" he asks.
"My friend Sierra is coming over for dinner."
"The one who looks in her purse a lot?"
"Um, yeah." I need to change the subject or I'll be tempted to invite him, too. I can see it all now--my mom seething in disgust at Alex and his tattoos.
"My cousin Elena is gettin' married on Sunday. Go with me to the wedding," he says.
I look at the ground. "I can't have my friends know about us. Or my parents."
"I won't tell 'em."
"What about people at the wedding? They'll all see us together."
"Nobody from school will be there. Except my family, and I'll make sure they keep their mouths shut."
I can't. Lying and sneaking around has never been my strong point. I push him away. "I can't think when you're standing that close."
"Good. Now about that wedding."
God, looking at him makes me want to go. "What time?"
"Noon. It'll be an experience you won't forget. Trust me. I'll pick you up at eleven."
"I didn't say 'yes' yet."
"Ah, but you were about to," he says in his dark, smooth voice.
"Why don't I meet you here at eleven," I suggest, gesturing to the body shop. If my mom finds out about us, all hell will break loose.
He lifts my chin up to face him. "Why aren't you afraid of bein' with me?"
"Are you kidding? I'm terrified." I focus on the tattoos running up and down his arms.
"I can't pretend to live a squeaky-clean life." He holds up my hand so it's palm against palm with his. Is he thinking about the difference in the color of our skin, his rough fingers against the nail polish on the tips of mine? "In some ways we're so opposite," he says.
I thread my fingers through his. "Yeah, but in other ways we're so similar."
That gets a smile out of him, until Enrique clears his throat again.
"I'll meet you here at eleven on Sunday," I say.
Alex backs away, nods, and winks. "This time it's a date.
Alex looks at me with intense passion. "I have to get back to work," he says, his breathing ragged.
"Oh. Well, sure." Suddenly embarrassed at our PDA, I step back.
"Can I see you later today?" he asks.
"My friend Sierra is coming over for dinner."
"The one who looks in her purse a lot?"
"Um, yeah." I need to change the subject or I'll be tempted to invite him, too. I can see it all now--my mom seething in disgust at Alex and his tattoos.
"My cousin Elena is gettin' married on Sunday. Go with me to the wedding," he says.
I look at the ground. "I can't have my friends know about us. Or my parents."
"I won't tell 'em."
"What about people at the wedding? They'll all see us together."
"Nobody from school will be there. Except my family, and I'll make sure they keep their mouths shut."
I can't. Lying and sneaking around has never been my strong point. I push him away. "I can't think when you're standing that close."
"Good. Now about that wedding."
God, looking at him makes me want to go. "What time?"
"Noon. It'll be an experience you won't forget. Trust me. I'll pick you up at eleven."
"I didn't say 'yes' yet."
"Ah, but you were about to," he says in his dark, smooth voice.
"Why don't I meet you here at eleven," I suggest, gesturing to the body shop. If my mom finds out about us, all hell will break loose.
He lifts my chin up to face him. "Why aren't you afraid of bein' with me?"
"Are you kidding? I'm terrified." I focus on the tattoos running up and down his arms.
"I can't pretend to live a squeaky-clean life." He holds up my hand so it's palm against palm with his. Is he thinking about the difference in the color of our skin, his rough fingers against the nail polish on the tips of mine? "In some ways we're so opposite," he says.
I thread my fingers through his. "Yeah, but in other ways we're so similar."
That gets a smile out of him, until Enrique clears his throat again.
"I'll meet you here at eleven on Sunday," I say.
Alex backs away, nods, and winks. "This time it's a date.
( Simone Elkeles )
[ Perfect Chemistry ]
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