“I did have to work today, but I put a little polish on my fingers and told him my period was super rough. He let me out early.”
“Crafty,” Mateo said, laughing. He scanned her rewards card before taking her money. “So, what’re your plans for this sudden three-day weekend?”
“Well,” she said, rocking side to side. “I was hoping that maybe you’d come to my New Year’s Eve party at Eddie’s house tomorrow night. He said we can use his apartment as long as we clean up after ourselves. We didn’t clean everything last time and he threw the biggest pissy fit I’ve seen a thirty-year-old throw.”
“Eddie… He’s that broker, yeah?”
“Mhm. He used to work with my dad but he got fired for laundering or something. His wife left him, and now if it makes him feel younger, he’ll do anything.”
“And anyone?” Mateo asked, looking up at her the same way his mother did when she implied something shady. Valerie gawked at him.
“God, no, he’s not even cute. But he knows how to take his liquor and loves to party, even if it’s with people ten years younger than him.”
“He’s fucking weird, Val,” Mateo chuckled. She opened her mouth as if she were going to disagree but sighed instead.
“Kind of. But still, I’m never gonna look this good again, so why not use it to charm him into hosting all my parties?”
“I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get away. My mom’s been hounding me for a while. She says I don’t spend enough time at home.”
Valerie made a face. “You dropped out of your senior year of college to move home. How much more does she want from you? A kidney or something?”
Mateo wanted to defend his mother, but he couldn’t. She had been putting more stress on him since he’d returned to their stuffy little apartment. He knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do, that she was busy taking care of his father and the kids, but sometimes he hated that this was his life. He’d had a future mapped out, where graduation led to a career in business and a career in business led to him eventually donating as much as he could to research for Alzheimer’s. Then his father got worse.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Let me talk to her and see if I can work out a deal. Maybe she’ll be more reasonable if I use my discount and get her something that smells pretty.”
“Perfect! If you come, we can even watch The Joy of Painting and get high.”
Valerie knew all the right things to say to get Mateo excited for the party. He smiled and handed her bag over. “I already said I’d try to go! No need to keep bribing me.”
She winked at him. “Anyway, I have to get going. I’ll call you and let you know about more details later?”
“Text my second number instead,” Mateo said. “Couldn’t make the phone bill this week, so it got shut off. We still have internet at the house right now, so I can use my old texting app.”
Valerie’s expression softened, and he could see she wanted to offer to help. Out of his small social circle, Valerie was the most well-off. The only reason she’d started working at the nail salon was because her father wanted to instill in her a sense of pride that could only come from hard work.
“Mateo,” she started.
“It’s fine,” he said, waving it off. He refused to take any handouts from his friend. He wasn’t a charity case. He didn’t even like when his friends paid for his food. The Rosales Way was to be a provider, not a mooch. His father had instilled that in him. He needed to make some money, but not from donations from his friends.
“I’ll text you tonight,” she said, giving up on the wordless argument they’d just been in. She gave a little wave and walked out of the store.
Mateo glanced at the analog clock on the wall behind him. Only two more hours until he was done with work. After that, he could stop by Mr. Estes’ art supplies store to pick up more paint. He could make that work.
It had taken all night, but eventually Mateo was able to convince his mother to let him go out with his friends. Part of him wondered why he’d even needed to ask for permission in the first place since he was almost twenty-two, but he reminded himself it was a respect thing. He respected her enough to let her know what he was doing and where he’d be. As it turned out, all he needed was to promise to spend the first of the new year with his siblings—and a new bottle of Sensual Rose lotion.
At nine, Mateo’s other best friend Rob picked him up on his way to the liquor store. Mateo wasn’t much of a drinker, but he let loose every now and then at these parties. It was the one time he didn’t have to babysit anyone else. He could just live for himself.
Nervously, Mateo pulled down the sun visor and studied his reflection. The stars must’ve aligned, because the pimple on his chin was all but invisible, leaving his golden brown skin completely clear. He’d even shaved an hour before and the redness was gone.
Rob brushed a dreadlock out of his face and said, “You look fine. Sit your ass still and stop worrying.”
Despite his flushed face, Mateo flipped the visor back up and glared at Rob. “Mind your business.”
“What, are you trying to get some ass tonight? You got on a brand-new shirt and everything.”
Mateo looked down at his outfit and shrugged. He’d found the colorful geometric button-up and distressed jeans at the thrift shop, and he’d saved up enough to get a new pair of red Converse two weeks ago.
“I’m not looking to get laid. I wanna get wasted,” he said.
“Why not both?” Rob asked.
“I’m celibate.”
“Involuntarily?”
“Gross. Don’t ever make a joke like that again,” Mateo laughed. “I guess celibate isn’t the right word. I’ve just got so much else on my plate, I really don’t have time to worry about keeping tabs on another person.”
“Mateo,” Rob sighed, shaking his head.
“What?”
“Always looking out for everyone else, but never himself. You’ve been this way since we were roomies.”
Unlike Valerie, who he’d known since middle school, Mateo and Rob had only met a few years ago. Despite the short amount of time, Mateo had gotten really close to him. It was hard not to talk about his family and past when he shared nearly every moment outside of class with Rob.
Mateo shrugged. “I’m just not really looking for that right now. I have other things to take care of.”
Rob didn’t argue. All he said was, “Don’t spread yourself too thin. You deserve a break every now and then.”
“So let’s make tonight my break,” Mateo grinned. He gave the bottle of vodka an excited shake.
While Rob drove, Mateo scrolled through Rob’s phone looking for a good playlist to put on. He found a ‘90s R&B playlist and pressed play without a second thought. The beat of a Next song began to rumble through the car, and together, Mateo and Rob started singing along.
They rounded a corner and drove through the neighborhood that always left Mateo in awe. Picture-perfect modern houses with sharp angles, windows that covered entire walls, and well-lit pools that looked impossibly blue at night passed by his window. There’d been times he’d sat out on the porch and fantasized about living someplace like Eddie’s neighborhood. Then reality hit, and he thought about the price tag of one of the houses.