Keyframe

Are You Bored Yet?

"And if you're feeling lonely, you should tell me

before this ends up as another memory."

- "Are You Bored Yet?," Wallows (2018)

Lillian

"So what are we doing?" Alejandro's playful voice comes through my phone as I balance it on my shoulder, making me smile. "Exacting vigilante justice on people who litter? Ooh—or breaking the whales out of SeaWorld?"

"Mm-mm," I murmur in response, playing along even though I know he's just mocking me. "Too long of a drive—we'll go bust them out on summer break. Now hurry up before someone gives me a ticket."

"Don't get your panties in a twist; I'm almost downstairs."

I roll my eyes instinctively at his words, finally putting the top down on my dad's convertible Porsche. It's a beautiful late-morning without a cloud in the blue sky, and I internally congratulate myself on my decision to drive it. It took days for me to convince Dad, but, after enough begging, puppy-dog eyes, and "please daddys," he agreed to drop it off for me on his way to San Jose with Mom. Flashy convertibles aren't exactly my style, but going on a date with Alejandro Molina in anything else feels...wrong.

I found out that we got an A on our test last Wednesday, and I was so distracted by my...chat with Jordan that I nearly forgot about my end of the deal. Although both of us technically earned the grade, Alejandro did most of the heavy lifting during the test—both doing his own work and correcting mine the whole time. If he was willing to do all that for me, a Saturday together is the absolute least I could do.

I already told myself that I won't think about Jordan or his ultimatum today. I already know that I'm a traitorous floozy who likes Alejandro more than I should, after all—I don't need him to tell me that. I still find myself making excuses to be in Alejandro's presence even though the test has passed, but he never seems bothered by the fact that we spend at least a quarter of every day together.

"Qué hermosa [how beautiful]," he says over the phone, and only then do I realize that he's out of the dorm building and walking toward the car. "Your mom's or your dad's?"

"My dad's. Does it matter?"

I shoot up out of the driver's seat, opening the door and racing around the car to eagerly greet him. 

"Well, if I was him, I'd—what the fuck?"

He freezes a few feet away, looking down at me with an expression of half-horror-half-confusion as he hangs up the phone. I'm genuinely alarmed...until I remember what I'm wearing, that is.

"Oh. Do you like it?" I hold my arms up and turn a quick circle for him. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery—you said that yourself."

He opens his mouth, but only a slight scoff comes out.

I guess "imitation" isn't the best word to use for my ensemble—"replication" would be more accurate. Earlier this week, I got Miguel to tell me exactly what Alejandro planned to wear today and copied it to every last detail.

According to his well-documented and very popular Instagram, he spends a majority of his summers lazing around on the beaches of southern Italy. His style reflects that: balmy and well suited to the California climate while maintaining the elements of his travels. It's also my most expensive Halloween costume by a long shot—my dad called me after I went shopping just to make sure no one stole my credit card.

Most people use Halloween weekend to dress up as an animal, monster, or fictional character, but this is certainly the best choice of costume for our date. There's no one Alejandro Molina loves more than himself, after all.