“Why not?” he demanded.
“Because he’s too old for you. And quite frankly, I think it’s best if you finish the school year without dating anyone at all. We’ve been much too lenient with you in the past. Things will be different going forward.”
“You don’t get to decide who I have feelings for!” Ricky spat.
“No, that’s true, but we can decide who you get to spend time with.” Ami looked to Ken for support.
“Hang out with your friends instead,” his father said. “It’s been a crazy year, buddy. All that complicated dating stuff can wait.”
Ricky’s voice warbled when he said, “But he’s my boyfriend.”
Ami sighed. “You need to find someone who cares about you and your welfare. Not an older boy who keeps you out past curfew and steers you toward drugs.” She patted his hand until he pulled it away.
Ricky crossed his arms over his chest and studied a potted plant in the far corner, willing it to burst into flames. He didn’t succeed, but his mother noticed his glare.
“Are you spending time with one of your other friends?” she asked. “Or are you coming home right after school?”
“What’s the point?” he grumbled. “I’ll just come home.” Although it would be the final day he did so. Ricky would make plans with everyone he knew to ensure he never had to be here unless forced. That should send a clear message about how much he liked his parents and their stupid rules!
CHAPTER 15
March 22nd, 1993
Mindy was getting her “wardrobe department” ready by unpacking a makeup case, excited that the play had gotten past the costuming stage. She enjoyed dressing people up but never had the budget or resources to fulfill her creative vision. Hair and makeup rarely ran into such limitations. She was arranging bobby pins and hair clips when a large hand filled her vision. She recognized who it belonged to immediately. If the calluses weren’t a dead giveaway, the dark creases in a palm stained with motor oil were. More than once she had been tempted to rub lotion on Diego’s hands before remembering how good they felt when gripping her own during dance practice.
Mindy felt an excited shiver race across her skin when a voice close to her ear rumbled, “What do you think?”
Diego practically had his arm wrapped around her. She could feel the warmth of his body at her back. Or was her entire body flushing with heat instead? She really shouldn’t have taken that photo of him home. Or spent the other night staring at it for so long. The hand in front of her rocked, light catching two earrings that had barely registered with her. Each was a ring of flower petals cast in gold with a solitary diamond in the center.
“Oh my gosh!” she breathed in awe. “They’re beautiful!”
Diego moved to face her, sitting on the edge of the table so they were eye-level with each other. He studied her face intently, his hand still held out in offering. “You really think so?”
“Yes!” she assured him.
“Good. Because they’re yours.”
“What?” she cried. “You can’t be serious!”
“Do I look like the kind of guy who jokes around?” Diego growled before cracking a smile. “Take them.”
She cupped her hand as he tilted his, the little golden flowers spilling into her palm. Mindy pinched one in her finger, making it catch the light again, before she gasped. “Wow! Gay guys give the best presents!”
Diego’s brow furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Oh! Cameron gave me the cutest jewelry box, and from Anthony I got a really nice journal to write in.”
“Good for them, but I’m not gay.”
Mindy stared at him, helpless as her face began to burn. “But I thought… You and Ricky.”
“What about us?”
“He’s your boyfriend, isn’t he?”
“Yup.”
“But you like girls too?”
“Yeah.” Diego nodded at the earrings she still held. “My dad gave those to my mom a long time ago.”
“Oh my gosh!” Mindy said, returning her attention to the delicate metalwork. “They’re so lovely… but I can’t keep them.”
“Why not?”
She didn’t want to tell him the actual reason, because it was presumptuous and would result in further embarrassment if she was wrong. “Won’t your mom miss them?”
Diego’s eyes became unfocused before he said, “She doesn’t care.”
“How could she not?” Mindy asked in shock. “They must be expensive! I’m sorry, but I can’t accept them. It’s too nice a gift.”
“Not for your sweet sixteen,” Diego countered. “That’s a big deal. How does it feel anyway?”
“Great,” Mindy admitted. She always liked being the center of attention on her birthdays, but this one seemed especially important. She was old enough to drive now and a mere two years away from being a full-fledged adult. She wasn’t deluded enough to think that she was somehow more mature than this time last week. And yet, Mindy felt changed regardless, like she could handle difficult situations with the wisdom and grace that came with age. Which meant speaking difficult truths. “As much as I want to keep these,” she said, holding out the earrings to Diego, “if I was dating a guy and he gave such a nice present to someone else—especially a gift with personal connections to his family—I’d be jealous. And potentially upset.”
“Yeah, okay,” Diego said with a shrug. “I’ll hold on to them for you in case you change your mind. I don’t think they’d look good on Ricky.”
She laughed, which dispelled some of the tension, although when she tipped the earrings back into his palm—their hands touching in the process—her pulse picked up again.
“You’ve gotta let me give you something,” Diego said, pocketing the earrings. “Name it. Whatever you want.”
Mindy shook her head. “It really is the thought that counts.” And she’d be thinking of this gesture for a very long time to come.
“You’re a tough one, princess,” Diego said. “Hey, did you save any cake for me?”
“There’s plenty at home!”
“Go get it,” he said, crossing his arms again. “I’ll wait.”
Mindy laughed. “I’ll bring you a piece tomorrow. If you’re serious.”
“Maybe. What kind is it?”
She didn’t get a chance to answer, a voice attracting their attention.
“Hey,” Ricky said as he approached. “What’s going on?”
Maybe her guilty conscience was to blame, but she thought his face was vulnerable as he sized up the scene. Diego seemed perfectly relaxed, like there was nothing to hide. And apparently there wasn’t because he told Ricky exactly what had happened. “I tried giving Mindy a present,” he said, “but I went a little overboard.”
“What did you give her?” Ricky asked.
“Nothing. She wouldn’t take it. Hey, I thought you had to go home right after school today?”
“I do, so I only have a few minutes. But I wanted to see you.”