the day had come, and valentín was nervous. he stared at himself in his vanity's mirror. he used his hand to make his hair a bit puffier. he was wearing a pale blue cardigan over a white button up, along with some of his dad's old pants that were rolled up so he didn't look so extra small. his socks also had to be bunched up, as usual. he brought a small brown bag strapped across his shoulder with a drawing pad stuffed inside. his heart was beating out of his chest and his hands were shaky and he felt like he was hyperventilating but it was all out of excitement. with one last look in his mirror, he decided he looked good enough and went out the door.
———
cassius leaned against a lamp pole near the bookstore they agreed to meet at, smoking a cigarette. soon enough he heard a voice that wasn't used to yelling out call his name. he looked up and saw valentín jogging towards him. cassius flicked the cigarette and waved. "hey!" he smiled and looked down at valentín.
"i was worried you would ditch me or something," valentín gripped the strap of his bag. "but i'm glad you didn't."
cassius kind of felt bad for valentín. he sounded like that kind of thing happened often. "i'd never do that!" cassius cleared his throat. "where do you want to go first?"
"i was thinking we could get coffee or something!"
cassius nodded. "alright!" he almost took the boy's free hand to hold as they walked but passed the strange movement off as shoving his hands in his pockets.
they got their coffee and kept walking, going no where in particular. they chatted and walked. eventually they ended up at an empty park and sat down together. valentín took out his drawing pad and some pencils. he talked with cassius while discreetly taking looks at the boy.
after almost an hour or so had passed cassius decided to speak on how valentín had been doodling in his pad almost the entire time. "watcha drawing?"
cassius watched as valentíns cheeks turned pink.
"nothing." valentín kept drawing, hoping his dismissal of the question was convincing enough.
"aw, come on! let me see!" cassius turned on his stomach and crossed his ankles.
"no!" valentín laughed as cassius tried to reach around him to grab the book from his hands.
cassius's long arms have him an advantage. after reaching hard enough, he was able to grab the book away from valentín.
"haha, yes!" cassius lunged back as valentín tried to reach over towards the book. he stood up and held the book up in the air.
"hey, that's unfair!" valentín had to jump on his tip-toes to even get close to barely touching the edge of the book.
"not my fault you're short!" cassius stood completely still and opened the book, flipping through the pages with a smirk on his face as the shorter boy struggled to get his book back. soon enough he got to the drawing of... himself? cassius moved the book down to where valentín could see it. "this is really good. i didn't know you could draw like this." cassius held the book out to give it back to valentín.
valentín's face was bright red and his hands were inside the sleeves of his cardigan.
"hey, shorty," cassius tapped valentín's shoulder, which seemed to have brought him back to his senses. "here." he took the book slowly.
valentín ignored the voices in his head to apologize for drawing him. "did you like it?"
cassius was surprised at how quickly he responded. "like it? i loved it!" cassius laughed at how his face lit up.
they were both quiet as they began to leave the park for a bit before cassius remembered something. "hey, one of my friends is having a big party this friday. wanna go with me?"
"i-i'm not really a 'party' kind of guy." valentín looked at the ground.
"hey. you'll have me there! plus, now that we're friends and all, i wanna get you out more! it'll be fun, i promise." cassius playfully smacked valentín's shoulder.
valentín eventually gave in. "okay, fine."
valentín didn't want to go back home. right before they parted ways, valentín got an idea.
"hey, wait!" valentín grabbed the sleeve of cassius's jacket.
cassius turned on his heel to face him, a stunned look on his face.
valentín fumbled with his drawing pad for a bit until he got to the drawing of cassius. he ripped it out and held out his drawing to cassius. "you should have this."
cassius hesitated before taking it. "woah. thanks." cassius's cheeks were slightly turning pink. "i'll see you friday." he smiled and waved as they both went their separate ways.
