He puts on some music, and I watch the houses go by through the window.
Tell me a story . . .
I narrow my eyes as the memory of being next to Ares and begging him to tell me a story returns. Did that happen last night? I turn to him and watch him drive. How can he look so sexy doing something as simple as that? The way the muscles in his arm contract when he moves the lever and the confidence with which he turns the wheel make him look irresistible. It makes me want to climb on top of him and kiss him.
Ares stops at a gas station for a few minutes, and I stay in the car, waiting. His cell phone is stuck to the side of the steering wheel with the screen exposed. The announcement of a new message catches my attention and I can see that it’s from Samy. I can’t see the content, just her name there, which flashes again with three more messages. My stomach churns slightly, but I push it away as Ares gets back into the car. He gives me a smile, and I forget about Samy for a few seconds.
“Ares . . .”
“Huh?”
“I . . . ” I like you, I want you, I always want to be with you like this. “Uh . . . nothing.”
I just stare at him like a fool as he drives the rest of the way. My obsession . . .
My beautiful Greek god.
TWENTY-NINE
The Question
- ARES -
The car ride is more uncomfortable than I expected, and it catches me off guard. I clear my throat before speaking.
“Do you want a ride home or to your friend’s house?” I ask, my hands tight on the steering wheel as I take a turn. Raquel is sitting in the passenger seat with her hands in her lap. Is she nervous?
“My friend’s.” She gives me the address, and silence falls between us. I feel the need to fill it, so I turn on the radio just as “i hate u, i love u” by gnash begins to play. The lyrics steal a smile from Raquel, and I begin to sing it with the intention of lightening the awkwardness between us.
“Wow, Ares Hidalgo sings,” she teases. “I should record you and post it; I bet it would get a lot of likes.”
I grin openly at her.
“You’d only help my popularity with girls. You want that?”
“Your popularity with girls? Puh-lease! You’re not even that hot.”
“Not even that hot? That’s not what you were saying this morning. Should I repeat the things you were asking me to do to you?”
I glance at her, and she turns red. Well, this isn’t so bad, she looks much more comfortable now.
“That’s not necessary.”
I reach out my hand and rest it on her thigh.
“That was a good way to start the day.”
“Pervert.”
I squeeze her thigh gently.
“But you like this pervert, don’t you?”
“Ugh, I can’t handle your ego,” she says. “It’s too big.”
“I think that’s what you told me this morning.”
She slaps my shoulder.
“Ah! Stop having dirty thoughts!”
I laugh, and the relief that everything is flowing more smoothly between us is cut short by my phone ringing. I see Samy’s name on the screen and press answer. My cell phone is synced to my car’s audio system so I can talk without having to take my hands off the wheel. Samy says, “Hello,” and it echoes all around us. It doesn’t bother me that Raquel is listening because I have nothing to hide.
“Hello?”
“Hey, what are you doing?” Samy asks, and it sounds like she’s eating something.
“I’m on my way home. Why?”
“I thought you were still at Marco’s. I left some things there the other day. I was going to ask you to bring them to me.”
“I’ve already left.”
Samy sighs on the other end of the line.
“Okay, are we still on for the movie today?” I think I see Raquel tense up next to me, but I attribute it to my imagination.
“Sure, I’ll pick you up at seven,” I confirm.
“See you later, cutie,” she says before hanging up. She’s always called me that.
Silence fills the car, and I curse the call for ruining the good vibe we had built.
“Who was it?” Raquel’s voice is serious.
“Samy.”
“Hmmm, right.” Her hands again twisting in her lap. “Are you going out today?”
I nod, stopping at a traffic light.
“Yeah, we’re going to the movies with the group.”
I take advantage of the traffic light to look at her, but she doesn’t look at me. Her eyes are fixed on the window next to her, and she presses her lips together. She’s back to being awkward with me, and I don’t like it. My thumb taps the steering wheel lightly as I wait for the light to turn green, and when it does, I take one last glance at the girl beside me.