The Dog Days of Summer

4

He had ghosted me. So I didn't win him over, so he wasn't in awe of me. But his friends were and his cousins, and his brother. I should've went for his Dad too.

I didn't take this rejection lightly as you can see. I guess all there is left is to give him a name. Not even a good one either, basketball boy will just have to do.

I remember wanting to turn back the time so I could change something. But I just didn't know what I could've done because where did it go wrong?

I missed him so much. I would stay two hours late after soccer practice to see him arrive to his basketball practice. The freezing weather has my nipples hard for almost 5 hours. Not even a hot shower could fix this infatuation.

It was really pathetic. My self-esteem diminished by 110%. I even started talking to Chulo again. I started flirting with other boys. I would have breakfast with one, brunch with another, lunch with my favorite, and stay after school with one more.

I was such a hoe.

Thankfully the pandemic saved me. Is that something I should even be saying? Will I get canceled?

I'm just a teenager. Cut me some slack.

There was practically nothing to do, there was no school, everywhere was shut down. And since everyone was at home using the internet, everything lagged.

So I begged and begged my parents for a job. I told them it would save them money because I would have my own. They were stingy anyways. My allowance was $40 dollars a month.

Sorry. I'm grateful.

My mom was friend's with the Walmart manager. I started working the same day I had my orientation.

I liked it. Since I was a minor I worked short shifts, did all the easy work. I got hit on a lot by customers, thus I had to wear a yellow vest, this indirectly stated "I'm underaged." This was to let people know I couldn't sell them alcohol. To let the pedophiles know they can't fuck me because I'm prison time.

My coworker didn't care though. He flirted with me, bought me chicken nuggets, hugged me and kissed my cheek before I clocked out.

He was 6 years older than me. He wasn't intimidated by me like other men were, wasn't scared at all. In fact, he was fascinated by me. He was interested in all the things I've done, the things I wished to do, the things I was afraid to do.

He was the dog and I was the chicken drumstick. He wanted a taste (literally).

It was crazy to me. Men really only have one thing to offer. It was the same thing, one after the after claiming they could make my legs shake. That they could make me reach climax after just a couple of minutes. They said things I didn't understand at the time.

But I wasn't going to be coaxed or lured with sex. It's just sex.

Besides, I was waiting until marriage.

It was fun though, fueling this pretty fantasy of me they had in their head. I liked this game and I was completely in control of it because having teen in my age was enough power a girl could have.

So there I was, standing at the self-checkout, making sure no one stole anything even though I didn't even really care.  Even I would steal things, fuck big corporations.

"La etiqueta no sirve," a pair of pretty pink lips said to me.

He spoke very little English, only knew the basics. He was an immigrant from Guatemala, 21 years old.

"Yo te ayudo." I said.

He had the most unique name I had ever heard. Never met anyone with his name, and I loved it.

Before he left the store he handed me his receipt and I told him someone would check it at the front door. He insisted I kept it so I nodded and gave him a sheepish smile.

I unfolded it as soon as he left and saw 10 beautiful digits scattered across the paper.

Que the classic instruments and shine the spotlight on this BPA intoxicated piece of paper.

I held it close to my chest and did a little twirl. I was interrupted by my manager who told me to get back to work, but I so badly wanted to tell him to fuck off and get to texting this gorgeous man.

I met him on June 13th. I remember this only because I had gone to my friend's birthday party after work and we gathered around the picnic table trying to figure out the last digit written in blotchy blue ink. My butt sweat had smudged my destiny.

We couldn't figure out if it was 1 or a 2 or a 7, maybe even a 9. We wrote out all our possibilities, texting one after the other. Mind you, this was a whatsapp number so we examined all the profile pictures until we came across his. The most perfect selfie, majestic, angelic.

"Hola, guapa." A reply came back.

We texted for the following weeks. He came by much more, to buy socks, to buy bandaids, to buy nothing at all. He would sometimes pretend like he needed help, but it was really only to give me a hug in aisle 4.

One night I was working late and he called. He said he wanted to see me, but I was soon to clock out, thus I told him maybe another day. He insisted I waited so I texted my mom I was shopping for essentials, she gave me 5 minutes max.

We remained on the phone for those 5 minutes, but he was still on his way. I told him there was no problem, that there would be other days, then he began to sing to me over the phone.

"Te la dedico. Escucha."

He sang the whole song until he pulled into the parking next to me. I can't remember what song it was, maybe a Virlan Garcia song. It was a love song.

I stepped out, but he stayed seated in his car. He rolled the window down and told me to get in.

I said I was afraid. He assured me he only wanted to talk to me, to hug me.

"Ven, preciosa. Te quiero dar algo."

"Okay."

Lesson 17: Don't talk to strangers.