Inadequate. That's exactly how I felt as their eyes studied me. It occurred to me in that moment that maybe running away from Dante's home after being asked to stay for lunch might not have been the wisest decision. I couldn't explain it, not to myself, not to anyone. Fear. That was the only word that I could relate to, the word that I had become. I felt my mother's eyes studying me. "Don't do that."
"Do what?" my mother asked.
"I can tell you're studying me."
"Ari, I think-" I could tell she was trying.
"It's okay, mom. I get it."
Dante interrupted us, "Damn, Ari, I didn't know you were so averse to lunch."
We all laughed, and for a second, it felt as though nothing had happened at all. It felt as though we could spend all eternity just laughing. Laughing with Dante.

"Okay," I said.
"Okay what, Ari?" my mother looked at me.
"I don't know, mom," I made myself look at Dante and he looked back at me, "I freaked out. I don't know why. But I did. Mom? I still don't get how you can love me so much." I had no idea why I had said that in front of Dante.
"How could I not?" she smiled. "Crazy boy."
"Yeah," Dante said, "you are crazy. But it's part of your charm."
And we all laughed again.

After having some coffee that I couldn't believe he had accepted, Dante excused himself, "I have to go to the pool. Can you believe that? I get to say that, Ari. I can finally swim again!"
"Be careful, Dante." My mother said. I guess Dante would have to deal with two moms too.
"Of course, Lili," he said and then smiled at me, "see you later?"
Yeah Dante, see you later.

I took a shower, I looked at myself in the mirror. I tried to see myself through Dante's eyes, through my mother's eyes. I wished I could be the boy that they both seemed to love. I felt as if I was ready to conquer the world. Well, for a second I felt as if I was ready to conquer the world, then my mom called me:
"Ari, Gina and Susie are here!" Dammit, those girls got their intel fast.
"I'm coming!" And there they were, two pretty girls looking at me expectantly, how could I ever think I could get rid of them?
"Well, Ari," Gina said, "you've gotten are even more of a hunk now than you at were the start of the summer."
"Nice to see you too, Gina." I smiled.
"Hi, Ari." Susie smiled, she was a sweet girl, "how are you?"
I looked at them, as if daring them to ask something in front of my mom.
"Why don't you take us for a drive?" Gina suggested.
We didn't talk about anything significant at first, I guess we were all avoiding. "Where do you want me to take you?"
"I don't know," Gina smiled and then she let her smile turn into a grin, "where do you want to take us, Ari?"
"We could go to the pool," Susie said, trying as hard as possible to sound casual.
Two could play that game, "what pool? Besides we don't even have our swimsuits."
"Memorial pool," Gina said.
I pulled over.
"Gina, what are you onto?"
Susie looked worried, so I tried to soften the look on my face. They were good girls, girls who liked to gossip, but they were good.
"Charlie Escobedo saw you in the pool with that cute boy from the drugstore," Susie sputtered and Gina looked at her raising her eyebrows.
"Dante?" What was that vato even doing at the pool?
"Yeah." Gina was studying me.
The street lanes were empty. It was a Sunday afternoon and I truly felt like we were the only people in the whole world. I kinda wished Dante were there, he would surely answer all of their questions. But he was swimming, and I was stuck with two curious girls who wouldn't leave me alone.
"Fine," I said.
"Fine what, Ari?" she asked.
And then I turned to Susie, "to Memorial pool."

And just like I expected, Dante was there. He was actually coming out of the pool, rubbing his head with a towel and looking so incredibly beautiful. I couldn't believe I had let myself thought that. I remembered what Dante said, I'm allowed to stare now.
"Wow," Susie said, "he is hot."
"He is," I said. I surprised even myself. But it felt right. Maybe this could be uncomplicated, at least with them.
"We're happy for you, Ari." Gina looked as if she was about to hug me.
She didn't, but they were both smiling. They were happy. They were happy for me. And I was happy too. Dante approached us, "hi, Ari!"
He stopped himself from standing too close to me, he looked at them.
"Nice to see you, Dante," Gina said.
"So, what brings you here?" I could tell Dante was uncomfortable. He was afraid, and I got that. I got the fear, even if Gina and Susie were nice. Even if they were my friends. Even if they seemed so natural. There was still something stopping Dante from being himself. It pained me, the Dante I met that summer day in that very pool could never be anything less than himself. Perhaps one day it wouldn't have to be like this. Perhaps one day.

I didn't know how to explain to him that it was okay. It's okay Dante, they know, they know about us. What did us mean? I guess I would have to figure that out. No. We would figure that out. Suddenly, I got an idea. "We were planning on taking a drive to the desert," I said, "wanna come?"
"We were?" Susie asked and Gina elbowed her on her ribs.
"Yeah, Dante. You in?"
He accepted.

We all got in my truck. Dante looked at me puzzled. Still, I could tell he was enjoying it.
"So… What are we doing in the desert?" Dante asked.
"I don't know." I realized in that moment that I hadn't actually planned anything after asking Dante to come.
"We'll figure it out when we get there," Gina said.
"Yeah, I guess we will."
Gina said that any good road trip needed good music. I responded that this wasn't really a road trip. And Dante argued that we were on a road, going somewhere, so technically it was a road trip. I didn't like how those two were starting to get along.
"Ugh," I could tell Gina wasn't actually mad, "you don't have any good music, Ari."
"Whatever, Gina."
"Dante, you need to instill some good music taste in Ari."
Dante laughed, he really laughed. "Yeah, maybe I should."
"Hey," I said, "I thought you were supposed to be on my side."

"I have an idea," Susie said.
"I'm not sure I like that," I said.
"Well, Ari," Gina looked at me very seriously, "things are gonna change."
"What things, Gina?" she was teasing me and I was teasing her back.
"All sorts of things." Dante was beginning to get comfortable with them.
"Anyways," Susie looked at all of us. I wasn't sure if she was upset. "I think we should play truth or dare."
"Yeah, let's do that." Gina was almost jumping up and down.
Dante was looking at me, at this point it was almost clear that Gina and Susie knew about us and were cool. Almost. But still. I knew that the Dante before being beat up in an ally wouldn't have been afraid. I guess things were gonna change, they had already changed.
"But what fun would that be?" I tried to talk them out of it.
"Oh yeah, Ari. Because nothing interesting ever happens to you." Susie said.
We all laughed, except for Dante who didn't understand.
"Oh c'mon, Ari. Live a little." Gina said.
"I think it would be fun." I couldn't believe what Dante had just said.
And I don't know why I said it, I guess I just liked making Dante happy.
"Okay."