It was easier to look up at the sky than at a face. There was less judgment amongst the stars and clouds than behind the eyes of his biggest secret.
“Yeah,” Bobby answered easily. “Loads of girls.”
Mateo assumed so, but it didn’t feel any better to be proven right.
After too long with no reply, Bobby asked, “Why?”
“No reason.”Mateo lied. “I have too.”
“Really?” Bobby sat up and leaned over, right in between Mateo and his non-judgmental sky. He never respected the sanctity of a good sky conversation. “Who?”
“You wouldn’t know them.” Mateo closed his eyes, unable to lie directly to his face. “They’re in Mexico.”
“You’ve never been to Mexico.”
“Um.” Oops. He forgot they’d talked about that. “FromMexico.”
“Right.”
Mateo didn’twantto lie, but he was smart enough to know that it was super freakin’ lame that Bobby—who wasyoungerthan him, by the way—was more experienced than he was.
Loads of girls.
Emphasis ongirls.
Crushes were so stupid. Mateo knew he had no chance, but there was still a part of him that wanted toownBobby—to hold him so tight that no one else could ever touch him. To weld their hands together so they could experience every moment of every day together for the rest of their lives.
Stupid. Mateo was so stupid.
Still, the selfish part of him couldn’t help but be grateful that Bobby always disrespected the sanctity of sky conversations, because at least Mateo had an excuse to look at his face. And he couldn’t be upset that his lies never worked, because it only further proved that Bobby knew him so well, that he paid attention to him.
Mateo couldn’t waste what precious time they had left together mourning the loss of Bobby to some nameless, faceless, future wife. He opened his eyes again, and Bobby was still there, still leaning over him.
“It’s okay if you haven’t kissed anyone yet,” Bobby said gently. Always gentle.
Any girl was lucky to be loved by him.
“Yeah, okay,” Mateo scoffed. “That’s easy to say after you’ve already done it.”
Bobby dipped down so quickly that Mateo might have imagined it, if not for the lingering feeling his lips had been touched. “Wha?—?”
“There. Now you’ve done it too.” Bobby grinned, obviously pleased with himself. “Was it life changing?”
Yes.
“No,” Matt replied. “But you can’t be serious? Is that the type of kissing you’re doing? No wonder you can’t keep a girl?—”
In one smooth motion, Bobby threw a leg over Mateo's middle, mounting him. “Shut up, I was just being funny.”
Mateo stilled. He tried his best to record the moment, to stow it away safely so he could revisit it in his loneliest moments for the rest of his life.
Bobby hovered just above him, his jaw set, his eyes unwavering.
“Oh yeah?” Mateo swallowed and licked his lips. “Prove it.”
He had imagined it many times before—them together. He pictured a collision, a fight—something rough and ready, with biting and scratching. Something close to how they raced, how they fought.
But it was Bobby.
