“You did before we left,” I say with my own smile, because she’s not the only one who can tease and be quick with it. “Pretty sure you saidthatwas the best you’ve ever had. I remember hearing it.”
“Pinche cabrón. Te’l hocico. Stop lying. And c’mon, hand it over. You got what? They put hot Cheetos in there?”
“Yeah,pastorand nacho cheese too. It’ll change your life.”
“Sounds like something that’s about to change your toilet’s life. Let me find out you’re about to spend the whole night teniendo chorro.”
“Quéla—just take a bite.”
She goes in, and it’s immediate. The way her eyes close like I know she’s cussing this burrito out in her head right now for being so good. It’s got every single flavor in there: that hint of sweetness from the way they cook the meat on the trompo and the small bits of pineapple in their spicy pico, the Cheetos, the coolness of the guac, rice and beans like Mom makes, and that canned cheese that brings it all together.
“Why’d you let me get a quesadilla instead of this?” Leana almost shouts right after she swallows her bite.
“The quesadilla is goodtoo.”
“Okay, but it’s notthis good. I’m coming back tomorrow for one of these.”
“I’ll take that as a win,” I say, giving her another proud smile. I adjust myself, turning so that I can lean against the railing of the truck bed, my feet ending up behind her and my hand just in reach of the bag of cacahuates garapiñados. “How was your Rush stuff today?”
“Good,” she answers before taking another bite of my burrito. Or, probably, her burrito now. Going to have to go back up and order another one to go for me. “I … I think I’m going to get into my top choice. Well, the president of the sorority that’s my top pick told me today that I’m first on her list. The girls are great, it’s Latina, and it just feels like—I don’t know.”
My smile goes softer, seeing the excitement in her face when she started talking about it wane a little. I bring my knees up and lean into them, getting closer to her. “What? Tell me. It sounds great.”
“It is, for sure. But … it’s weird to say out loud around someone who’s not also trying to get into one of these orgs, but it’s something that I really want. My dad kind of thinks it’s a waste of money, but one of my older brothers—who was in a fraternity and my dad hadnothingto say about it then—is going to front the dues if he won’t. And some of my friends back home think it’s stupid. All, ‘Leana’s trying to buy friends.’ ”
“I don’t think it’s stupid. If you want this, go for it. And I can tell it’s important to you. Don’t let anyone get in the way of that.”
“I think it’s just, like, besides sports, I never really spent a lot of time around other girls. My brothers, most of my friends, all guys. And I always thought that I was getting off drama free like that, but, to be honest, I kind of want that. Boys bring their own drama and I’m tired of being surrounded by that. I want some girl drama.”
“Then you should follow through. They’d be fools not to give you an invite or whatever it’s called tomorrow.”
“A bid,” she says, letting out a quick laugh.
“That.”
Leana starts moving, crawling over to me, pushing my legs back down, throwing one of hers over me, and getting comfortable in my lap. She clasps her hands at the back of my neck and comes in for a slow kiss, and mine go to her legs, rubbing the outside of her thighs. It’s nice. As much as I like hearing about her day and sorority stuff, I could sit out here with her for the next few hours just doing this.
“Dime una vez más.”
“¿Qué?”
“That if this is important to me, I should go for it. I shouldn’t let anyone get in the way.”
I kiss her again, letting my lips stay nearly touching hers. “If it’s important, do it. Don’t let anyone get in the way of that.”
Leana nods again. And her voice is quiet and disappointed when she says, “Then I think I need to call it here. I think— I think we should call it here. Endwhatever this isbefore it becomes very obviously something serious.”
“You … what?”
“I—you’re an incredible guy, Pine— Gabi. I think we just fell into right person, wrong time. And I’m really sorry about that. I can tell you’re the type who wants to be someone’s boyfriend. And I bet you make a really great boyfriend. But the kind of really great boyfriend who deserves someone just as great.”
“I think you’re great.”
Her lips go into this soft smile, and she takes in a breath through her nose as she looks away from me for a second. “I told myself I wasn’t going to come to college and immediately get swept up in a relationship. Not that it’s a bad thing. It’s just that I didn’t want to get to Corpus and have that be my first priority.This is my first time away from home and having some freedom, and I want to do all the things, you know?”
“I don’t mind being included in that list of all the things.”
She rolls her eyes, her hand coming up and patting my cheek. “You are so much more than just athing. Spending the last couple of weeks with you, knowing that I didn’t want something serious, I was realizing that I was leading you on. Or that, if I kept this going, I’d be dropping what I wanted because this Prince Charming helped me out one day. And both of those wouldn’t be right for us. I want friends and classes and pledging a sorority to take priority right now, not boys. But I’d still like to be friends, if you want. And I know that you and Vale are friends and study buddies, and I hope this doesn’t make that weird because the two of us are besties. Don’t let it, please. And—”
