Race Me, Cupid [COMPLETE]

Ending

"I think my dad will like it more once he knows I wooed the number one star on the team"

           They reached their small city. Their whole upbringing was here. They'd passed Angel's community college, their high school, their old track field, their middle school, their elementary school, their city park, and their preschool.

"The last time I came home, when I went to see you, I had this thought that...my entire life is here. Coming here is like passing through a photo album or a museum of myself. And you've always been in it"

"Like time traveling" Angel stared through the window at the familiar houses, the supermercado, the street vendors, the laundromats and taco trucks. "They still haven't fixed the potholes though"

"Ive adapted to likin 'em a little bit" Jeremiah shrugged.

"Ive only been at school for half a semester. I don't miss 'em. I don't think my life is here, just my entire childhood. My life right now is at school. Somewhere else. With you" Angel saw his house in the distance, his mom waving on the side walk, "A piece of my heart is here though"

          Jeremiah smiled at that. Angel was becoming more comfortable with the truth.

          They'd pulled into the drive way. Angel's mother hadn't allowed them to take out their things from the trunk until she'd pulled each of them into a hug and an exchange of cheek kisses.

"You remember Jeremías, Amá?"

"Si, claro, I remember your friend. Nice to see you again, mijo. Tienen hambre?"

"Si no es un molestia si por favor, señora. Your son made me drive the entire time. He starved me. Wouldn't let me take a break for food" He jokingly feigned.

          Angel's mother put her hands on both her hips, "Es cierto eso, Ángel? Why didn't you drive? You don't have a car, at least dust the cobwebs off your license and use it. Pobre mijo, are your parents expecting you?"

          Angel disapproved lightheartedly of Jeremiah's cocky expression. Of course Jeremiah would get in good with his mother.

"No, perdón, they work. Would it be okay if I stay here, señora? Hasta que regresen?"

"Of course, of course. Come on, I made ceviche, is that okay?"

"I love ceviche" Jeremiah walked in with his mother and Angel watched behind them at how easily he was liked. How easily talkative he was.

          They went up to Angel's room as his mother set the table and their plates. Jeremiah didn't open his clothes, hygiene products, nothing. He just put down his luggage at the corner of the room and threw his sluggish body on his bed like a starfish. The boy rolled to one side and then the other. Stuffed his face into Angel's pillow and then clutched it up against his chest like it were a cloud.

          Angel was unpacking his clothes, anxiety medication, toothbrush, shoes, all of it to put into his drawers and closet, when a notebook with some papers between the pages scattered out across the floor.

"What's that? Class work?" Jeremiah reached for one by the bed.

"Wait—no, dámelo!"

          He read the first few lines of the page. They were all flowery short paragraphs describing feelings for someone, poems, some things that happened in his day...very romantic things. He suppressed a tinge of jealousy not believing they were really for someone else, "What're these?"