Kissing Frogs

SIXTEEN || Stress Ulcers

|SIXTEEN|

The news about my new boyfriend spread like a flu virus among family members. The night after, at our weekly dinner at the Guerra's, I was bombarded with questions. Mr. Guerra even pinched my cheeks as though it was precious. "So cute," he sang, his cheeks red and eyes sparkling.

I adored the attention. The way I talked about Corey would make anyone believe I was describing a chivalrous knight. I had been a lovesick damsel and he rescued me from my tower of loneliness. My mother rolled her eyes at my colorful storytelling while Hugo shook his head and pushed food around his plate. His family leaned in and cooed over me. I basked in it.

Afterward, as we all cleaned up, Nonna approached me at the sink and placed a hand on my arm. "New love," she said in her thick accent, her wrinkled eyes crinkling at the corner. I nodded. She smiled affectionately at me and squeezed my arm. "One day, true love."

I smiled back politely, puzzled, and accepted a toffee from her apron pocket before she stepped away. Hugo came up behind me and dropped some silverware into the sink.

"See, you should have just told me about your date. I heard the whole journal entry in there," he teased, nudging my shoulder playfully, pretending we hadn't had a whole awkward blowout over this a couple days ago.

I wrinkled my nose and turned to face him, finding him surprisingly close. I decided to cross my arms. "You probably hated every second of it."

He set his plate down on the counter beside us and sighed lightly. "Well, if you're going to bait me into admitting it..."

I pushed him back gently and grabbed his wrist to lead him out of the kitchen. Well, if we were acting cool again, I might as well break the news to him.

"Thanks for dinner, Mrs. Guerra," I called as I pulled Hugo up the stairs. She called back from the dining room, but I didn't catch it. Hugo was talking.

"I know what you're up to," he said, pulling his hand away. We stood at the top of the staircase and he backed against the wall, a smug smile. "Corey told me this morning that you're going to the bonfire with him. There's no way you're going if I'm not there too. Your mom would never let you."

"Oh, good. I thought you were going to throw yourself down into the depths of despair over it," I admitted, rocking backward. But, I knew Hugo—and I knew that smile. He wasn't saying yes, he was just pointing out what he knew to be true. "You don't want to go."

He took a breath and pushed away from the wall, leading me into his room. "No, I don't. But I know I'll give in if you beg."

I sat down next to him on his bed and crossed my legs, listening closely. Was he saying yes? My lips began to twitch into a victorious smile.

He put a hand up, freezing a half-smile onto my face. "I'll say my piece even though I know it makes no difference to you." I tried to argue that it wasn't true, but he put his hand up again. "You don't hear half of what they say about you. I do. I know Corey really likes you because he doesn't join in...But he doesn't tell them to stop either. All I'm saying is, be mindful. They think you're something you're not."

I pick at his bedding and purposely avoid eye contact. "I know what they say..."

"And you don't care?" He guessed. He knew me too well.

I shrugged. Hugo didn't understand. He never would. You had to put yourself out there sometimes. I'd rather do what I did than sit back and hope someone noticed me.

"I have Corey."

His jaw clenched for a moment and he nodded. "Right."

Hugo worried too much. He thought my Myspace boyfriend (girlfriend?) was a forty-year-old creep. He always assumed everyone was trying to manipulate me or use me. Something Corey said the other day rung in the back of my mind. Hugo was very protective.