Chapter 9

"How was the mall visit with your dad?," Yani asked me. "Did you get that game?"

"Nah, they didn't have it in-stock yesterday," I lied on the spot.

"Aw, that sucks. At least you got to spend time with him," she remarked in a light tone. I nodded.

Yani sighed and leaned against the wall. "Hey, I wanted to ask you," she started, "I have some Algebra 2 tutoring after school today, and I was wondering if you'd be willing to wait for me so I can have a ride home?"

"Oh, sure," I agreed, "I'm sure Appa won't mind."

"Will you be okay hanging out here for half an hour? I know you won't come to tutoring with me."

I smiled. "I'll be fine, Yani. I can probably catch up on some homework while you're busy." And have some time to spend with Eli.

"Thanks, gringo," she said.

The bell rang about ten minutes after and we headed for our classes.

•••

"I noticed Yani hasn't been wearing makeup," Oscar commented as we sat at our computers, chilling out since we had no new projects to do.

"Oh, yeah," I replied, eyes glued to my screen as I played an online game of Pac-man. I haven't been winning. "Does that bother you?"

"Oh no!," he said, "I just, you know, I just noticed. She still looks pretty that way."

"I'm sure if you tell her that, she'd feel better about going natural," I said.

"Nah, I don't have to tell her...," he murmured.

I paused my game and turned to him. "Dude, you've been crushing on her since freshman year. When are ya gonna make a move?"

"W-Why are you being so aggressive all of a sudden?," he stammered.

"Because you're a puss, Oscar," I stated flat out and he made a face. "C'mon. Use your knowledge of dating sims to talk to her."

"I don't play those," he argued. I stared him dead in the eyes and he shifted his gaze to the side. "Okay, some."

"You better get her before some Puerto Rican hunk comes and sweeps her off of her feet," I told him.

"Why does he have to be Puerto Rican?"

"Why not?"

Oscar rolled his eyes and sighed. "Thanks for the pep-talk but I'm okay with just...being here."

"You've either gotta get the puss or you're gonna be a puss, Oscar."

"Please, don't say that within context of Yani."

"Well, stop admiring her from afar," I suggested.

He frowned and grumbled, "I wish it were that easy."

"It's not like she'll hiss at you the very moment you open your mouth. She's not that much of a diva," I said. "Besides, she knows you're an okay guy, so she's got nothing to worry about."

"I'm an 'okay guy'?," Oscar asked, a little offended.

"Yes," I answered, "and it's because you don't talk to her."

"But I can't!"

"Why?"

"Because, I'm...I don't know."

"What?"

Oscar tugged at his ear, his lips pursed into a straight line. I cocked my head to the side. "Is it because you're afraid of making yourself look silly in front of her?"

"Kinda..."

I leaned in close and spoke at a soft volume, "Are you, like, socially awkward?"

He stopped tugging on his ear and nodded. I eased up on him and asked, "How come you were able to talk with me the first time we met?"

"Because you don't give a shit about stuff," he replied, "If I were to be awkward with you, you don't care. You just roll with it."

"I guess you're right..."

"But Yani is different. Everyone else is different. It feels like a challenge for me to talk sometimes..."

"Well," I started, "why don't you try working on it?"

"I have tried."

"Try it with me!," I phrased better, "How about we hang out on Friday and go to a bunch of places to talk to people? Maybe if I'm with you, working on your social skills will be easier."

Oscar stared at his keyboard for a good minute, before sighing, and responding, "Sure, why not.."

"Sweet! Don't worry. It'll still be fun, I promise!," I chimed.

He managed a smile and said, "Thanks, Calvin."

"No prob! Now..." I turned back towards my computer to continue my Pac-man game. "Come here, you little ghost bitch...!"

Oscar laughed and shook his head at me. A few moments later, he was watching me play and cheered me on.

•••

When I went to PE, Eli didn't show up. He wasn't changing by his locker, he wasn't in line to do stretches, and he wasn't running out in the field like everyone else. I was a little concerned, but then thought he might've gotten sick or something. Still, I sent him a text when I came back to the locker-room when it was ten minutes before the bell.

In U.S. history, I was checking my phone, waiting to see if he would text back. He never did. Even though I'm sure it's just this one day, my concern grew. Remembering our phone call last night, he never really left that field. He just sorta said he was tired and I let him hang up. Did he ever go back home?

After school, I met up with Yani near the front.

"Tutoring is in Mr. Brown's room," she said as she led me back to the halls. "If you need me, I'll be there. Text me if anything happens, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," I replied. I stopped at the entrance of the hallway where the room was, and watched her walk away. When she turned to enter a classroom, I started making my way to that back area Eli took me to. (I guess that's sort of our rendezvous now.)

When I made it there, I was relieved to see his car, along with him laying on top of the hood. He had his arms crossed as he closed his eyes, shaking his right foot side to side over the edge of the car.

"Ahem," I said, interrupting the silence.

He opened his eyes and looked over at me. "Hey," he greeted casually.

I walked up to his car and asked, "How come you didn't show up to PE?"

"I didn't feel like going," he answered blatantly.

I frowned a bit. "You can't not go to a class just because you feel like it."

"It's not like I'd be missing out on anything in that class. All we do is run laps," he muttered.

"Was that the only class you skipped?"

He was silent for one too many seconds. I crossed my arms and he frowned a bit, too. "Are you upset with me?"

"Well, no," I started, "I just think you shouldn't be so nonchalant about skipping classes."

"I've been nonchalant since middle school."

"That doesn't make this any better," I remarked. He looked away, scowling like he usually does. His right foot has stopped shaking.

I sighed and sat against the hood of his car, right next to him. Hunching my shoulders a little, I admitted, "I was worried earlier. You didn't exactly tell me you went home last night. I sent you a text, but you never answered."

"You shouldn't worry so much," he said, "you'll get white hairs."

I wasn't sure if he was trying to joke with me, but I stayed silent. I looked back at him and murmured, "I can't help but worry, lately."

He sighed and his scowl eased. "I know."

I grabbed onto the hand that rested on his bicep. Squeezing it, I asked, "Why don't you want me to worry about you?"

He clenched my hand back and replied quietly, "It's a waste of time."

I frowned and muttered, "No, it's not. Don't say that about yourself." I tossed off my backpack to the side and crawled on top of the hood. Lying down next to him, I said, "I'm going to worry about you."

"You'll only annoy yourself and get sad, if you do," he said.

Without any warning on my part, I got on top of him and placed my hands next to either side of his head. He had no choice but to look at me in surprise. "I don't care," I stated, staring straight into his dark eyes.

Without any warning on his part, he grabbed my sides, turned us over, and forced me onto my back. I yelped a little but clung to him. Looking up at his face, I nearly shivered from the hard look in his eyes. Placing a hand on the side of my face, he growled, "Don't do something like that in a place like this. If you do, someday I won't care where we are."

"Does it drive you crazy?"

He narrowed his eyes, leaned down, and whispered against my skin, "Very.."

This time I shivered.

He kissed my skin with a gentle grace and I hugged onto him. Butterfly kisses traced from my cheek, down my neck, to my collarbone, then back again. I could feel my face glowing red as I closed my eyes, relishing in the feeling of his lips on me. When he stopped kissing me, I nibbled back at his neck, earning some satisfied groans from him. There was his smell again. I wasn't sure how to describe it. It's just warm and pleasing.

After a few moments of exchanging kisses and bites, I stopped Eli and told him, "You know, I really shouldn't be like this with you..."

"You're the one who likes me," he countered with a sly grin. I smirked.

"You're the one who kissed me first," I retorted.

"You're the one who took it further."

"You're the one who let me."

"You're the one who....dammit," he hissed and I laughed.

Brushing his hair out of his face, I murmured, "I'm gonna worry about you, Eli. I'm gonna care for you. I'm gonna cry over you. Hell, I already have. I'm gonna do all of these things. You're not gonna always make me happy. That's what you're trying to do...isn't it?"

He was quiet for a few seconds, not looking at me. I caressed a thumb over the edge of his ear and he replied, "Yeah."

I gave him a soft smile before pulling his head down so I could kiss him on the lips. His sweet, soft, and warm lips.

"Don't care about me," he mumbled in between our kiss.

"Don't tell me not to care about you," I mumbled back a moment after another kiss.

"Stubborn," he grumbled.

"Stubborn times two," I grumbled back. He chuckled and kissed me back as he smiled. I did the same.

After a while, we both stopped and laid down next to each other on his car's hood (thankfully, our half was under the shade of the school building). We started talking a bit. There's been no news of Wesley trying to start shit. I'd be pretty relieved, if it was some other douchebag. This is Wesley, though, so I'm more worried than not when he does nothing.

The topic of Oscar and I's hangout on Friday came up when I told Eli, "Friday, I'll be hanging out with a friend after school."

"Which friend?"

"Oscar Rhodes."

"Oh, the geek?"

I rolled my eyes and replied, "Yes, the geek. Is that okay with you? If you're worried, just know that he's totally into Yani. Like, hardcore."

Eli chuckled. "I'm fine with it. It's not like he could do better than me, anyway."

"Oh ho, look who's being cheeky," I taunted him.

He grinned and responded, "You know it's true."

I sighed and said, "Yeah, I do. Too bad my heart belongs to another."

"Who?" Eli's grin faltered a bit.

"Memes," I answered and he groaned.

"You cringy memelord," he commented.

"That I am, love. That I am."

"Is that my new pet name now?," he questioned.

I rubbed my chin. "Hmmm. Maybe someday it will be. You've gotta win me over from the memes, though."

"Wow," he started, "I never thought I'd have to compete with fucking memes for affection."

I laughed, my cheeks hurting from my big smile. Propping myself up on one elbow, I turned to him and said, "I take it you're up for the challenge?"

"Might as well be."

I chuckled and stared at his face. I couldn't help but admire every inch. His strong jawline, his nose, the shape of his eyes, the way his eyebrows come to a perfect angle no matter what expression he pulls. He looked up at me and asked, "What is it?"

"Nothing," I replied, "your face is nice to look at, that's all." He gave me a small smile and pulled me closer again. Once our sides touched, I wrapped my arm around him as I kissed him again. Our lips moved so gently, it relaxed me. It relaxed me so much that I hadn't heard the sound of footsteps behind me.

"Calvin?," a feminine voice called out to me. Immediately, I spun around onto my back and saw Yani standing a few feet away from the car.

"Y-Yani," I stuttered, "wh-what are you doing here? I thought you were still in tutoring."

"It's already been half an hour," she said, "I tried texting you but you never replied."

"I didn't?"

"No."

"Oh," I murmured, "s-sorry about that. H-How did you find me here?"

"A security guard told me you went out the side exit near the gym. I just started walking around." Yani took a couple of more steps towards us and said, "Is that....? Eli Gateman?"

I avoided her gaze. "Um, no..."

Eli didn't back me up at all as he sat up straight, proving Yani correct. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Oh my god," she started, "oh my god!"

"Yani, I can explain," I said.

"What the fuck? What?," she blurted, pointing both hands at Eli, confused.

I slid off the hood of Eli's car and rushed to Yani's side. As soon as I was within a one foot proximity from her, she hissed, "Why are you with him? How? When? What?"

"Um, i-it's a little complicated--."

"I'm his boyfriend," Eli stated so straightforwardly, I had to shoot him a look.

Yani alternated between gaping at us. I gulped and told her, "Listen, I'll explain this as we're walking to the front, okay?" She didn't respond.

Quickly, I rushed back over to Eli's car and picked up my backpack from the ground. Eli slid off the hood and leaned against the front. "Do you want me to drive you two home?," he asked.

"No, it's okay," I said, "Yani's parents are expecting her to come home in my dad's car, anyway. I'll...I'll talk to you later?"

"I'll send a text."

"Okay. Uh, don't skip classes, okay?"

He sighed and nodded.

"Say it."

He sighed even louder and intoned, "I won't skip my classes."

I flashed him a smile. "Good."

He smiled back and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Blushing, I told him good-bye and walked back towards Yani. When I grabbed her arm to lead her back to the front of the school, her eyes were even wider.

When we got back to the side exit near the gym, she said, "Explain everything to me. Don't leave anything out."

"I might have to leave some things out...," I mumbled.

"You will not," she told me as we entered the school again.

•••

"Ew! Okay! I take back what I said! Don't tell me everything!"

"Thank you," I groaned.

Yani and I sat in the empty cafeteria again where sometimes the cheerleaders or dancers come to practice. We were in the farthest corner away from them so no one would overhear our conversation. I don't think anyone would be able to over the trap music that they blasted for practice.

"So, moving on from your 'private session' with Eli," Yani said, still looking uncomfortable, "he just asked you to be his boyfriend?"

"Well, no. I actually got mad at him because I thought he was working with Wesley against me, then he said he wasn't and promised to prove me wrong. Then I challenged him to date me and he did, so now we're here," I explained.

Yani shook her head, still trying to grasp the situation. "But, I thought he hated you. You even said that he was coming after you!"

"I don't think he was going to hurt me to begin with," I answered, "He said he'd been interested in me a few times before."

"This is still Eli Gateman we're talking about, right? Didn't he date, like, five other girls before?"

"It was actually three," I corrected her.

"Either way, why is he suddenly changing his preference now? I just...I don't know, it's really unexpected."

I leaned my elbow on the table and held my head as I said, "Didn't you want me to date again?"

"Well, yeah, but I didn't expect someone like Eli Gateman...," she murmured.

I pursed my lips, then said, "You don't approve, do you?"

"It's not that," she started, "it's just... Mmmm. With all that's been happening, I'm just worried for you. I don't know a lot about Eli except for his delinquent reputation. It's going to be hard for me to feel okay with this." She brushed the hair out of her face and added, "I'm sorry if I'm making you feel bad. That's not my intention. I'm just sharing my feelings."

"It's okay," I replied, "I can understand. But, I'll be careful."

She twisted her lips and cast her eyes to the table. I leaned over so that I was in her line of sight and said, "Yani bear, I promise."

"I told you not to call me that," she chuckled. She looked up at me and I smiled.

"You cannot tell anyone about this," I told her, "No one. If you do, I will be pissed."

"I swear on my Abuelita's grave," she said, raising up her hand like she was taking a pledge.

"I'll let you know now," she remarked, "relationships that are kept a secret can turn sour. Eventually, the both of you will have to come clean."

"When we know we'll be safe from Wesley's wrath, I'm sure we'll come out," I replied.

She nodded and sat up straight. "He better treat you right. I don't care if he's a scary delinquent, he will catch these hands if he doesn't."

I laughed and said, "You sound like your mom."

"Ugh, I know...," she groaned, narrowing her eyes. I shook my head at her.

My phone buzzed and I checked it. Appa was already here. I told Yani, and the both of us left the cafeteria to head to the front. Appa's car was waiting at the pick up zone and we rushed to the white vehicle. When we got inside the car, Appa greeted Yani with a kind smile, before putting the car into drive and cruising off the school grounds.

•••

Later on that day, I ended up watching TV dramas with Umma after I finished my homework. I was very ecstatic about the episode we watched...

"Appa!," I yelled from the living room to the kitchen, where he was making himself a sandwich, "Do you see this BS?! Nari left Joon just because she thought he was gettin' some from her sister!"

"First of all," he started, "please refrain from using the term 'gettin' some', and second, yes it is very BS."

"Who decided this was a good idea for the plot? A bunch of people are gonna be mad," I grumbled, and Umma shook her head at me.

A moment later, my phone started buzzing persistently in my pocket. I pulled it out and checked who was calling. A gag nearly sneaked its way out.

Wesley.

"Hold on, I'm getting a call," I announced. To Umma, I said, "Da-eum-e museun iil i ii-lu-nanunji malhae jo!" (Tell me what happens next!) She nodded.

I quickly leaped up from the couch and hurried to my bedroom. As soon as I closed the door behind me, I swiped the green answer icon and said, "What do you want?"

"Whoa, there," Wesley drawled, "What's got you so snappy? I just called to say hello!"

"I'm busy," I said, "Plus, I just don't want to talk to you at all."

"I'd watch the sass if I were you, Creep," he said, growling a little.

"Are you going to make me confess to something even more scandalous again? Are you gonna record me and show it off to everyone? Is it going to work this time?"

"Really not liking your attitude, Calvin..."

"Maybe you shouldn't have called," I grumbled, "Listen, I'm not going to worry about you and your bullshit. Nothing you do or say can scare me away. Your little scheme at Sorhinsky's party didn't work. No one is talking about what I did."

"That's because people only hear what they want to hear, you included," Wesley retorted, "There are plenty of people whispering and judging you silently. Especially since you decided to make a scene of running away."

"You're lying," I said, "You're nothing but a liar. I'm not going to believe a thing you say. I'm not afraid of you."

"Fair enough. But what about Eli, hmm? Don't you think he'd still have a grudge?"

I scoffed and smirked. "I'm not afraid of him either. Eli isn't going to do shit." Especially now that he's my boyfriend.

"I'll take your word for it, Creep," Wesley chimed. "I'll see you around. Bye bye."

And with that, he hung up. Glaring down at my phone, I harrumphed and flipped the finger at my screen. I shoved my phone in pocket and left my room to go finish watching TV with Umma.