A few weeks later and Manolo had managed to completely avoid his crush. He was upset that he had to do so because of what happened a few weeks ago. His guitar was still in the tree to his knowledge and he feared seeing Joaquin, so he avoided going in there and retrieving it. His fingers itched to play it, to sing and play to get rid of those emotions and express them and make him feel better. Alas, he couldn't.

'This is stupid!' he told himself as he left his house and made his way to the store to pick up some bread. 'I can't avoid him forever! He's going to ask me about it sooner or later…besides…if he wants to find someone, he'll find them.'

If Joaquin did seek him and find ask him what that…thing…was all about…what could he say? He sure as heck couldn't say he had the hots for him that was for sure! Maybe he could say that his ears were causing it. He had seen somewhere (probably in one of those dirty magazines Joaquin had showed him once that he had stolen from underneath General Posada's floor boards) that the ears could be used to cause the body to melt like a bowl full of jello and easily turn someone on. That would probably the best option he had right now. Just as he was about to enter the grocery store, he heard his name being called.

He felt his face go red when he saw Joaquin rushing over. "Hey, Manolo! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"H-hey, Joaquin." he said avoiding his friend's eyes. Joaquin didn't seem upset or angry. As a matter of fact, he looked really happy. Why?

"I have something for you, but I can't give it to you right now." he gestured to the old lady across the street that was holding two very big bags. "I'll come over to your house later on tonight."

Before he could ask what for, the taller teen had run back over to the old lady and grabbed one of the bags. What he wanted to give him, he didn't know. He couldn't think of anything on the spot, but maybe he would later.


It was 10:30 p.m. and Joaquin still had not showed up. Had he changed his mind? Manolo wasn't sure. He figured that his crush had changed his mind, so he drifted off to sleep. Around midnight, he heard something knocking on his window. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he went on over and saw Joaquin at his window. He opened up the window and allowed his best friend to crawl in.

"What are you doing here so late?" he scolded. "Everyone's asleep and I was too."

"I know, I know…I just wanted to give you this back." Joaquin pulled out Manolo's guitar. "I figured you missed it. You took off so fast…"

Manolo turned red and rubbed the back of his head. "L-listen, Joaquin...I'm really sorry for…"

"It's no big deal." Joaquin grinned. "It happens to me all the time!"

"I didn't need to know that." he said teasingly. It actually made him feel a lot better.

"Well best friends tell each other everything…which is another reason why I'm here." Joaquin said looking a bit nervous all of a sudden.

"Oh?" Manolo said noticing the look on his amigo's face.

"You might want to sit down for this…and you've gotta promise that you won't beat me over the head with that guitar."

"I won't." he said sitting down and wondering why on earth his best friend would think he would hit him. He never got that mad at anyone before, not even when Joaquin was being super boastful.

"Okay…" He took a deep breath and opened his mouth, but then shut it. He did this 3 more times while clinching his fists before he mumbled to himself, "I can't do it…"

He made his way towards the window. "Sorry for bothering you."

"No, wait!" Manolo said a bit too loudly. He quickly locked his door in case his father got up and he grabbed Joaquin's arm. "You can tell me. I can tell it's really bothering you and you know you want to say it."

Joaquin just stood there twiddling his fingers and looked over his shoulders outside. "I don't know…what if…what if you hate me forever if I tell you?"

"Nothing you do could ever make me hate you." Manolo reassured him as he placed both his hands on Joaquin's muscular shoulders. "You're my best friend! "

Joaquin took a deep breath and before Manolo knew it, they were kissing. It shocked him to the core and he just stood there letting him kiss him. When the taller teen pulled away, he whispered. "I love you."