Electric Tacos (Wattys 2023)

TWENTY FOUR

Two weeks passed, and Mateo finally got his cast off.

He was delighted he could finally finish his drawings of Chuck, Jay, Tito, and Ricky.

They would be amazing Christmas gifts for them all.

He'd put a lot of effort into them, and ensuring that there would be a copy of them for his portfolio as well as the original drawings. He was saving up money to make them get professionally copied with the original detail preserved to the best quality.

It was a special week for two reasons; Chuck's birthday party on Saturday, and it was his first game back on the team that Friday Night. He'd been dying to play, and try to get back into Coach Lopez's good books, after his last incident.

Ricky was there to help him practice.

They were both in the park, dribbling the ball to each other after school. Ricky was topless, and sweating. Mateo was in a vest top and shorts, the same way Ricky came.

Mateo paused to take a drink and watched Ricky kick the ball into the net. Beads of sweat dripped down his chest and highlighted his developing abdominal muscles.

Ricky was changing faster than he thought.

He was beginning to grow a beard, and have a deep voice.

And get muscular.

He was becoming visually appealing to him.

In the seven years he'd known him, he'd never fully stood out, until now.

There was something fresh about his newfound attraction.

It was becoming enough to distract him from Tito, who'd been laying low the past week. Gerardo too; Ricky said it was something to do with a deal gone wrong.

Neither of them had come to Electric Tacos that week, much to the chagrin of Sr., who always looked forward to their large orders and extra large pots of coffee that kept flowing.

Mateo was going to go back later, with Ricky, who wanted to see Marisol.

She was expecting him later in the evening, for a talk and something to eat, with or without Mateo's presence.

But for now, he was enjoying the moment.

Enjoying passing the ball to his best friend, and kicking it into the net.

They'd already run around the pitch five times, then practiced keepy uppies, and dribbled the ball around cones, before passing.

They were going to finish up with a light stretching session before the sun set over the horizon. Mateo wanted to get warmed up for the game, but not overdo it. He'd been out on light runs and went to the school gym on Monday and Wednesday.

Coach Lopez spoke to him and reinstated him earlier that Thursday, to take Jimmy Garcia off the team, much to Lopez's relief. He handed him back the jersey, and told him to play with honor and pride... and that he didn't have to do those hundred push-ups.

Mateo walked toward Ricky and caught the ball with his right foot. He picked it up and brought it over to the bench, where he went to sit down for a breather.

Ricky walked over and sat beside him.

Mateo started to examine Ricky's chest, stomach, and biceps. They were glistening in the sun as his body sizzled. They were catching the last of the rays, in the last spot of sunlight.

Ricky raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "You checking me out?"

Mateo blinked hard and chuckled. He wiped the sweat from his brow and noticed his heart was beating faster than it should have been. "Me? Nah, I was daydreaming, and you happened to be in the way of me."