Learning to Love | ✓

Chapter 24

[DIABLO]

I walked down the pavement with slow strides. Lambert's house is just a few blocks away. Thinking over the fact that today was Valentine's day, my heart did that stupid jolt thing it did whenever I thought of Zeus. That reminds me, I still can't find an explanation to why I'm starting to feel this way about Lambert. Two weeks ago I probably wouldn't have thought of it, thought of the possibility—

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts as I approached the small staircase to his front door. Pressing the doorbell, I waited for an answer, fake roses in hand and a card tucked away neatly into a pocket of the oversize pale blue DC sweater I was wearing. My snug blue jeans clung to my shaky legs. Why was I suddenly nervous?

My ears perked up at the sound of chattering voices. Voices? That's not possible. Lambert's always alone.

"Hello?" I heard a small almost voice ask. Coming out of my daze, I stared at the person I front of me, and my eyes widened in confusion. It wasn't Lambert.

The person standing in front of me had dark Mexican skin with thick curly hair that was done in a bun atop his head; his brown eyes glittered brightly as he stared at me.

"Uh, hi," I said looking away from his intense stare. What's this person doing here, where's Lambert? I thought helplessly as I tried to look for an excuse to leave.

"¿Qué quieres aquí?" The clear Spanish hit me hard, and my eyes widened in wonder. I noticed how his eyes gauged me from head to toe his intense stare settling on the banquet of flowers I had in hand. I shifted nervously from side to side. What was he, Lambert's bodyguard?

"I'm here to see Lambert," I finally managed to mutter.

"Oh," he said as his full lips came together in a small 'o' shape. I scrawled a little. Wasn't he a little too petite for his age? Just looking at him I could guess he's about three to four inches shorter than me, and trust me, I'm not tall at all.

"Lamy!" I heard him scream into the building as he turned around lightly. Lamy? I thought, a little irritated by the pet name.

"Coming!" I heard someone yell from inside.

"Who is it...?" Lambert trailed as he came up behind the man. He looked as though he just rolled out of bed; his blonde was everywhere, his feet were bare, and his bare chest heaving from running.

"Diablo?" he called, cocking his head to the side in disbelief. Is he confused?

"Hi," I managed to murmur under my breath as my gaze traveled from Lambert to the small man. What's he doing here? I wondered to myself as my gaze settled on the man.

"Lamy?" the man said as his face got clouded with confusion.

"Miguel," Lambert murmured, looking down at the man, his eyes achieving a certain softness as his hand went around the man's shoulder, hugging him to himself. I could feel a lump in my throat forming. What was he doing?

"Um, hi Diablo," Lambert said. He seemed a bit nervous as he looked up at me. We all just stood there in silence. Lambert's arm was still wrapped firmly around the man — Miguel's —  and the man's hands were wrapped around Lambert's waist.

What's the deal? What are they trying to do together? I wondered. 

"His small petite form fits perfectly in my arms."

I remembered a line from Lambert's diary that sent me blushing. Was it possible he hadn't been referring to me? Never was?

"Brown eyes like chocolate. I could eat them."