Knock Me Down - [COMPLETE]

22 - Don't Meddle

Another update to make up for the long wait.

Estoy enamorado - Im in love
Molcajete - Mortar and pestle
Roja - red
Güey - while it is a curse word it's used in the same way as 'dude/bro'

—
I don't ask Benicio. I'd rather hear it from Jasper than weasel it like a dickhead from my brother. In fact, I try not to think about it. He wouldn't squeak a word anyway.

"Do you think I'll marry Dima? I think I will" Benicio wonders out loud to me like he has many times, while mashing roasted tomatoes into the molcajete. He prefers going out of his way, making his own salsa even for something as simple as chips and salsa. I stop petting Tina from under the table and put down my pencil, sick of thinking about 'Business Law 1'.

"Is this like a 'estoy enamorado' moment or are you seriously thinking about it?"

He shrugs and replies, "I love her" as if that's enough of any answer. It is, only because I know Benicio doesn't like thinking too ahead. If he's certain of anything now it's a good sign.

He adds a little more salt to his creation and then looks at me like he's waiting for my reaction. I blink. I think marriage is a fuckin' odd ritual. But I pat his back supportively and smirk, "Simp"

He dips a chip in his salsa roja and chomps on it with an open mouth.

I hit him on the forehead moving it away, not liking the proximity but he jabs me in the stomach while I'm completely defenseless and unprepared to flex my abdomen. He smirks in a petty victory but when he's finished swallowing he tells me, "You coming to watch my practice? It's indoors now since it's getting icier. You wanna go out and do something after? We could go to the arcade, indoor golf or something. Just us. Dima's got lab later"

Dima's a nursing major and if she's not with my brother she's at school or in scrubs. A busy woman. Who'll probably be the breadwinner. I only partially mean that since my brother is a 'do with what you can now, plan later' kind of guy. I shake my head taking a single tortilla chip and eating it plain since I'll be eating out in a minute, "Can't. Hanging with Holden and Connor"

"Connor?" He says like he's double checking. I can see why he's surprised.

"Yeah. We're closer I guess. We got class together" I intentionally avoid the club details or Jasper.

He frowns, dissatisfied that I'm turning him down once again but he pushes the salsa towards me and looks at me a little more relieved, "I'm glad you're making friends"

I take one more chip this time with his salsa.

"Pfft" Benicio makes me sadder than I am, "Are you gonna be lonely without me?"

"Bro, I've got plenty of friends. You're the concern here. Don't even try that, güey"

"Okay, asshole, but don't say that the next time you start chillando 'cause I can't hang out with you"

He goes to defend himself and probably roast my entire history of being alive around other human beings, but Holden calls me telling me to come out to his car.

"Mateo" Holden's uncle Samuele calls out to me, catching me the second I come into his restaurant a few seconds behind the other two "My nephew tells me you live next to Jasper"

I nod, waiting for him to continue. Usually when Sam talks to me it's to either talk about how I'm doing in school, tell me stories of Holden as a kid, or to get me to snitch in case Holden's doing anything wrong. I like the man, he talks like he's certain and always has the world of things to say.