The Rich Girl and the Gangster

Chapter 24

“Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage, minds- “

“What are you, gay?” I was really wondering about that now, I mean poetry?  What had gotten into him?

“Hey, the chicks dig it, don’t hate until you’ve tried.”

“Dude, if you need poetry to get laid, you’re doing something wrong.”

But Diego just shrugged and after a moment of silence, the air changed once again and he said “Geez, now I know why the boss likes you best. You’re fearless.”

I tried to laugh that off and said, “I’m not fearless.”

Diego shook his head and said, “Please, Xavier, you’re not afraid to get your heart broken by the first girl you’ve really liked since you went away to prison. I mean, nobody would have judged you if you banged every chick in town the first day you were out, but no, you were all like, “I’m done with casual screws, I’m gonna pick a girl and stick with her.” You’re not afraid to get a broken heart, you’re not afraid to get the crap beaten out  of you, you’re not afraid of spiders. There’s nothing, absolutely nothing.”

I had to shake my head at his dramatic way of telling me all this, with a lot of hand gestures and all, and I also had to disagree with him.

“There’s one thing I’m really afraid of, Diego. I’m afraid of not living. We could be dead by tomorrow, caught in the middle of a gun fight, or I don’t know, something as mundane as a motorcycle accident. I don’t want to die and regret not doing something. I’d rather regret doing something. Now come on, let’s end this touchy-feely stuff and go to school.”

On our way out, we came across Julio in the kitchen who asked where we were going.

“School,” I said and since even I noticed the excited tilt to my voice, and because I was afraid Julio would think I had gone insane, I added, “Eliza broke up with Drew.”

I didn’t miss the mocking undertone in his voice when he said, “Well than, what are you standing here for, go get her tiger.”

Damn it, where was she? We were supposed to be in class five minutes ago, and the hallway was completely deserted. Of all days she picked out today to be late. What if she wasn’t coming at all? I sagged a little against the wall. I’d picked the perfect spot, in the little side hallway that led to the ladies room, the men’s room and the janitor’s closet. No one would see us here and if anyone came to investigate we could always slip away to the bathrooms.

The door opened and next I heard a clicking sound, probably the sound of her heels on the floor and I dare a look around the corner.

It’s Eliza.

I waited patiently until she’s about to pass me, then I grabbed her arm and pulled her to me, spinning us so I have her trapped between the wall and me. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place, eh?

For a long time I don’t say anything and just stare into her eyes. God she did have such lovely eyes.

“Well, if you really must know, Reyes is fine. I assume that’s why you attacked me?” she said after a while, both her eyebrows raised.

“Reyes deyes.” I said, still gazing intently into her eyes, “Could care less about him. A little bitty birdy told me that you and Drew broke up, is that true?”

She narrowed her eyes a little and said, “Stalker much? How do you even know? I only told Kate and she sure as hell didn’t tell you.”

I shrugged but leaned a little closer, “I have my ways, it’s true then.”