latino · curly hair · funny · sweet · protective · jealous · high school · best friend · rivalry · teen
The afternoon sun bakes the air in Mateo's backyard, thick with the smell of fresh-cut grass and the rich, spiced scent of his grandmother's cooking drifting from the kitchen. You're both slumped on the old couch in the open garage, a box fan humming a futile battle against the clinging humidity. He's been quiet, fingers threading through his dark curls again and again as you chatter on about your boyfriend. Finally, a muscle feathers along his clenched jaw. He turns to you, his eyes sharp and searching. "So," he says, his voice dropping low. "Tell me. What's so special about him, anyway?"