Page 7 of The Golden Boy's Guide to Bipolar
Yami agrees right away. I kind of assume the invite is just for Yami and that I’ll be getting dropped off before they go, but Bo tries coaxing me into it when I don’t respond right away.
“We should invite Jamal too!” Bo offers when we start passing his neighborhood, which gives my heart a little tug. I know Bo is Yami’s person, but having people in my life who want to be around Jamal makes me happy. I want my friends to like him, almost more than I want them to like me. Actually, definitely more.
“Sure,” I say as I shoot Jamal a quick text inviting him.
We end up pulling into the park in Jamal’s neighborhood so he can walk over. Just like the one on our block, this one is a little run-down. It’s not so much a park as it is an open field with a couple of aluminum park tables at the edge of it and two makeshift soccer goals on either side. Still, we’ve been coming here since we were kids, so it has that nostalgia appeal. Growing up, this field was our Wembley Stadium, and the park tables were the stands holding the imaginary roaring crowd.
Now, though, it’s not Jamal who walks through the field to meet us. I swallow the lump in my throat when I hear a familiar laugh coming from behind me. I turn my head to see Nick and a few of his friends gathering in the field before starting to kick a ball around. I forgot he moved into Jamal’s neighborhood last year.
I quickly turn my head forward again so Nick can’t see my face. He either doesn’t realize I’m here, or they’re all ignoring us, so I want to make that option easier for them. Yami sees me tense up and puts a hand on my shoulder.
“Should we leave?” she asks, and I shake my head.
“It’s fine. I already told Jamal we were here.” I don’t mention I also really don’t want to give Nick the satisfaction of thinking I’m running away from him. “Let’s just talk about something else.”
Bo quickly takes the hint. “I can’t believe it’s already January,” she whines, slumping her head on Yami’s shoulder.
“Ugh, I know. I still don’t know what I’m doing for my senior project,” Yami responds, fully committed to distracting me.
“Don’t worry, me either. We still got time,” I say, trying to sound reassuring, but she just looks even more exasperated.
“You’re forgetting I’m the dumb one,” Yami says humorlessly, and my chest tightens. Does she really think that? I know I should probably tell her it’s not true, but since school is so much easier for me, she’d just think I’m lying.
“Don’t say that, babe!” Bo frowns and takes Yami’s hand, but Yami keeps going.
“It’s true!Youstill have time, Cesar, because you’re gonna come up with something brilliant at the last second without even trying, and you’ll set the curve like you always do.”
“Hey, it’s not my fault my brain’s so sexy!” I say with a shrug, hoping to lighten the mood. She shoves my shoulder with a laugh.
“You’re right, I guess only one of us can be sexy on the outside.”
“Hey!” I shove her back. “Are you calling me ugly?”
“Aww, don’t listen to her, Cesar, you’re adorable!” Bo says through a laugh.
“Adorable, exactly! Just look at him!” Yami gestures toward meas she goes to pinch my cheek. “Ay, mira que cute!” she says like she’s cooing over a baby.
I pretend to gag as I slap her fingers away from my cheek. I swear, I haven’t gone a day without her holding the fact that she’s a whole ten months older than me over my head.
Finally Jamal walks up and joins us at the table. I’m relieved we can change the subject now, but of course Yami won’t miss an opportunity to embarrass me in front of literally anyone.
“I bet he agrees with me, don’t you, Jamal?”
“About what?” he asks as he sits next to me, just close enough that it feels like weshouldbe touching even though we’re not.
“About Cesar being adorable,” Bo answers, and Yami goes for my cheeks again, but I snap at her fingers with my teeth, and she pulls her hand back to her chest with a gasp.
Jamal grins. “I can’t argue with that.”
“That’s three against one. Sorry, I don’t make the rules,” Yami says with a shrug.
I shake my head with a dramatic sigh. “When mere mortals gaze upon the face of an angel, of course they cannot grasp its true nature,” I say, trying to sound biblical, which for some reason means I’m using a low voice and a British accent. Basically, I’m channeling Chris Hemsworth’s Thor. “Clearly, you’re all mistaking sexiness for cuteness.”
Yami and Bo burst out laughing, and Jamal looks at me with a small smile. He doesn’t break eye contact when he speaks, but his words are quiet enough that Yami and Bo don’t seem to hear over their laughing.
“You can be both,” he says, and suddenly he’s the angelmymortal eyes can’t bear to look at, so I look away, blushing.
I so badly want to say something back. To flirt with him or tell him he’s gorgeous too. His question of whether I want to get back together comes to mind, and the answer is hard to ignore.
