“What are you going to have?” My eyes twinkle at him. I lean over, sharing his menu, even though I have my own right in front of me.
“I’m going to go with the flame thrower burger.”
“Flame thrower, huh?” I smile at him.
“You know I like my food spicy.” Somehow, he manages to turn a sentence about his lunch into something erotic, which makes me hot. Warmth creeps up my neck and into my face. The smile on his lips lets me know that he’s achieved exactly what he meant to accomplish.
The server flips open her tablet to take our order. Alex orders for me first, and then orders his own. This is when the server announces that they have a restaurant challenge.
“Challenge you say?” His voice going all superhero, giving off a high-pitched tone that has me grinning.
I roll my eyes, knowing I’m getting a glance of the goofy Alex I knew before the accident. “What’s it about?” I ask her, trying to avoid that voice again.
“We have a record of seven flaming burgers. If you can beat that, you’ll get your name and photo hung over there.” She points to a board by the register with a handful of pictures on it. “And you get to eat here free for life.” She smiles at us, challenging Alex.
“What do you think?” He looks at me for the answer.
“We don’t have anywhere we need to be, so I say go for it.” He smiles, a look of pride in his eyes.
He sits back in his chair and rubs his hands together, like an evil cartoon character. “Let’s do this.”
The server brings out our food about fifteen minutes later. I have one plate, next to Alex’s three, all filled with gigantic flaming burgers.
“Can I have everyone’s attention please?” The server says loudly. Everyone in the restaurant turns to look at us, so much for low key. “We have a flaming burger challenge. He has to eat eight flaming burgers to beat the record, and has only three hours to do it in.” She turns back to Alex. “Are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
“Go.” She says and looks at the clock. It’s 2:15 pm on the dot.
Alex digs in, not in any rush. The first bite of my pita melts in my mouth.
“Mmm. This is so good.” I say.
“So is this.” He smiles with his own mouthful of food. “I’d give you a bite, but that would be cheating.” He chuckles.
Two and a half hours, and seven burgers later, Alex looks sick. He did fairly well with the first four, starting to have trouble with number five, toughing it out through number six, and just barely choking down number seven. Now, he was working his way through number eight.
“Are you alright? You know that you don’t have to finish.” I feel bad for him, but can’t seem to wipe the smile off my face. He’s doing it to himself, and it’s pretty funny to watch.
“No.” He moans. “I don’t quit things I start.” He takes the first bite of burger number eight, receiving a few claps in the crowd.
I’m sipping on my third water; I was finished eating a long time ago. I couldn’t imagine eating as much as Alex is… I would have thrown up after burger number two, three at the most. How can he possibly be on his eighth burger?
Down to the last two bites, I’m clapping and chanting, “Go Alex!” repeatedly, as the server, and half the restaurant, cheer along with me. Alex smiles, cheeks full as he takes the last bite, followed with a sip of water.
Everyone cheers and claps louder. “Oh my God, Alex! I cannot believe you ate that much. I would hug you, but I’m afraid you’ll puke on me.” I laugh.
“Thank you. Thank you very much.” He says in his best Elvis voice.
The server comes over right away. “Oh, wow. I’ve never personally seen anyone beat the challenge before. Congratulations! Would you come over here please, so we can take your picture?” She’s already leading him across the restaurant.
“Can my date be in the picture with me?” He looks over at me.
“Oh, no, Alex…” Rummaging for the words to get me out of taking a picture gets me nowhere; I come up empty.
“I don’t think so.” Grabbing my hand, he drags me with him to the photo area.
“Alright, stand up against the wood panel.” She says.
Alex pulls me close to him, putting our cheeks together for the photo, “Say flaming burger,” he whispers to me.
His words draw a smile on my face and more laughter through my lips. The server takes the picture and the light almost blinds me, but I still cannot stop laughing. The last time I had this much fun, Jace was alive. I feel light, carefree, and completely head over heels for Alex.
“How are you doing?” I ask him as we walk back toward town. He has an arm around my shoulder to help hold himself up.
“Not too well, Captain.” His nice tan skin has turned pale green and sickish, like a seasick rookie on a boat.
“Do you want to sit down?” I ask, motioning to the bench in front of a convenient store. The store reminds me of a house, only the entire front wall is made of windows.
“Yeah, I think I better.” I help him to the bench and excuse myself to go inside the store.
I walk to the coolers and grab two waters, then down the Oh-crap-I-forgot-something-isle, and pick up a toothbrush and toothpaste. After paying for everything, I walk back out to the bench where I left Alex.
It’s empty.
At first I panic, thinking he might have left me here alone, but then I remember why I visited the store in the first place; toothpaste, toothbrush, and bottled water. I walk around the side of the building where the restrooms are located and knock on the men’s door.
“Alex? Are you in there?”
There’s no answer at first, making me wonder if he is even in there; maybe he did leave me here, but then his voice reassures me.
“Yeah, I’m on my way to feeling better.” Translation; he’s throwing up.
“I bought something for you. If you can open the door, I’ll give it to you.” My voice is babying him.
“Can it wait?”
I smile again. “No.” I feel a little tormenting is in order.
It’s silent, but I can almost hear him moaning on the other side of the door. I hear the lock click, and the door opens a few inches. He still looks green, but slightly better.
“Here.” I hand him the sack of toiletries, keeping the water for when he finishes.
He looks inside, then back up to me. “How did you know?”
“Eight burgers… that’s how I know. I would have hurled after two. So, you feel any better?”
“Yeah, but I’m not done.” He looks embarrassed.
“Oh no, I’m sorry. I’ll wait out front.” Spinning on my heels, I turn to walk away when he calls out to me.
“Jasmine?” He’s looking down, more vulnerable than I have seen him in a long time.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.” He flicks the hand holding the sack toward me.
“You’re welcome.” I say and finish walking out front to wait.
Chapter Thirty
Alex
I’m feeling like a total pendejo, sitting in the bathroom at some quickie mart, puking my guts up while my fine mamacita is waiting for me on a bench out front. After I get the eighth burger up and my teeth brushed, I walk out to meet her. Thank God, Jasmine bought me a toothbrush and toothpaste.
When I catch sight of her, she’s watching the palm trees blow in the warm breeze, a small smile playing on her lips, and her big blue-green eyes are open wide; taking it all in. At first, she’s too lost in her own world to notice me, so I stand a few feet away and just watch her.
The wind blows through her hair, making me want to run my fingers through it, just as carefree as the breeze. Watching her sitting there, waiting for me, makes me wish never had to let her go. It’s already gotten pretty late in the day, and she’s probably getting hungry again, not that I could think of eating anything at this point.
She catches sight of me and her eyes light up. “Better?” She asks with a
n amused look on her face.
“Mucho. Thanks again for the supplies.” I have to laugh. When I do, I break her strong hold and she busts out laughing, tears welling in her eyes. “I don’t think it’s that funny.” I tell her, but I’m still laughing myself.
“That’s because you’re not me.” She has a good point. When she finally gains control of her laughing fit, she wipes her eyes. “Here.” She hands me a bottled water.
“Thanks.” I take a big swig, glad to wash down the rest of the nasty taste in my mouth.
We are continuing our walk back to town a few blocks away, when Jasmine reaches over and entwines her fingers with mine. I squeeze back, letting her know I’m enjoying it. She leans into me, hanging onto my bicep with her other hand, hugging it to her chest, right between her breasts. I’m sure she doesn’t realize where my arm rests, but I sure as hell do. She’s walking with her head on my shoulder and I’m feeling all Titanic’s, I’m the king of the world, at this moment, with her at my side. I feel like I can do anything.
“What do you want to do tonight?” I ask her.
“I don’t know. I was just thinking about that. What would you feel like doing?”
I breathe out. Ruining tonight is the last thing I want to do. “Nothing, really. Nothing sounds pretty good.”
She smiles at me. “How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Read my mind.” She places her head back against my shoulder. “I know we’re in Hawaii and all, but I wouldn’t mind opening our window and curtains as wide as they will go, and just watch movies, while eating movie goodies all night.” Our ocean view room is good for something.
“Movie goodies, huh?” I lift my eyebrow.
“Yeah, you know… popcorn, ice cream, candy, and whatever else we can find.”
“I think I can arrange that. We should stop by a store here, before we get to close to the hotel, that way we can pick things out together, before we go all ‘incognito.’” My engine is revving just thinking about my secret angel. This idea makes our relationship more daring, wilder, and way harder for me to keep my hands to myself.
“I like that idea.”
I lead her in the next store we find. It’s small, reminding me of an organic only store. They have everything a regular store has, but in smaller quantities.
By the time we leave, we have three bags full of junk food, ranging from Zots, to strawberry cheesecake ice cream... Jasmine’s idea. She also bought some packaged, ready to eat salads for her dinner later. She said she would rather not leave the room tonight, which is fine by me. I’m all for keeping her to myself for as long as possible.
We break apart a few blocks before our hotel, which is prime senior location. Most of the people from school hang close to the hotel, worried to venture any further into a different culture.
When I make it back to the room, I’m surprised to see that I am the first one to arrive. I had taken a few extra minutes to stop at one of the roadside stands to buy Jasmine some orange lilies. I remember her telling Marisol a couple of years ago that they were her favorite flower. I put them upside-down in a brown paper bag, so that no one would know what I was carrying.
Housekeeping came in while we were away, remaking both beds with new sheets. I pull out and fluff the flowers I bought Jasmine and lay them on our bed. Our bed. I hope that’s how she thinks of it, too.
I pace the room waiting… ‘What could be keeping her?’
Chapter Thirty-One
Jasmine
After Alex and I split up, I take my time getting back to the room. A smile plays on my lips, just thinking about him waiting for me.
I’m wondering through another gift shop when I see the funniest thing. It’s a shot glass, only it’s in the shape of the flaming burger and reads, ‘FLAME ON!’ The words are stacked on top of each other, one on each bun, and I immediately snatch it up. I have to buy this for Alex. I’m sure he’ll find it as funny as I do.
I’m giddy because I bought him something that he can remember us by, probably one of the best moments of this trip. Well, other than the kissing… and touching him in places I’d only been dreaming of before the other night.
I’m lost in my thoughts, watching the sun make its way behind the ocean floor when a voice rings out behind me.
“Hey, Jasmine, wait up.” I know the voice and I could go without seeing the face that matches.
I turn around and wait to see what Andrew could possibly want. When he gets close enough to me, I can see the damage Alex delivered to his face. Both of his eyes are swollen, with a blackish-blue color. His nose may or may not be broken, but there’s a large bump in the middle of it. By the looks of it, Alex knocked him around pretty good.
“Hey.” He repeats. Now that he’s next to me, he can’t seem to find his words. “I… I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have touched you like that, whether I thought you were into it or not. I just got carried away, because I wanted you.” He swallows hard. “You haven’t told anyone other than Alex, have you?” He looks desperate.
“No.” My voice is barely audible.
“Cool.” he says. Cool, really? He’s more worried about himself than anything, but I shouldn’t be surprised.
He steps closer to me. “Are we good then Jasmine? No harm, no foul?” He’s moving in inch by inch, trying to get closer to me.
My hearts hammering in my chest. Something inside me is telling me to get away, the situation not feeling right at all. “No Andrew. We are not good, and I think I need to go. Please, just stay away from me so that Alex won’t have a reason to do this to you again.”
His eyes are cold, blue ice. Alex damaged his manhood, taking away some of his self-esteem, causing his image to be at stake. He needs to regain some of his deflated ego.
“I don’t see Alex around though, do you?” He makes a show of looking around.
My brain is screaming at my body to run, but it refuses to move. I’ve always considered myself a strong person, but as of late, I’ve become a deer in headlights; confrontation freezes me in place since Margret. When she decided that beating me was a good course of action for her, I’ve become different. I’m not as strong as I thought I was.
I begin walking backwards on the path to our hotel. There are trees, bushes, and all kinds of flowers surrounding us, blocking other pedestrians view.
“Does that matter? When he finds out that you’re cornering me, he’ll be pissed.” I’m trying to distract him so I can get away.
“Cornering you? I’m not cornering you, I’m apologizing to you.” His voice is sly, knowing there is nothing I can do to him but threaten him.
“Then you need to leave.” I try to turn and walk faster, but he stops me by grabbing my arm and turning me back around to face him. “Don’t touch me!” I growl.
A cocky grin masks his face, and before I can slap it off him, it begins to fall on its own. His eyes are growing wider by the second, and just when my curiosity gets the better of me, I hear Carlos’s voice.
“Andrew.” He says slowly, making a tsking noise as he saunters up to us. He’s holding his hands together behind his back, walking like a prisoner in cuffs, looking ten times more menacing in this posture. “I’m pretty sure Alex warned you that you’re not supposed to talk to her, let alone corner her on a secluded part of this path, am I right?” He begins shaking his head back and forth, as if he’s scolding a child.
I move closer to Carlos as Andrew answers him. “I was only saying I was sorry, right, Jasmine?” He actually thinks that I am going to stick up for him.
“Pleading with Jasmine will not save you because I was following you, so I’ve seen and heard everything.” Andrew swallows, visibly nervous now. He knows what he was doing with me, thinking he could get away with it. “You’re lucky I don’t mess you up, you pinche puto. You just wait ‘til Alex finds you.” Carlos laughs. “You think that was a warning?” He points to Andrew’s face, stepping closer with every word, placing me behind him. �
�Look at what he did to one of his own.” He points to Mario, who looks a hundred times worse than Andrew does.
The word, “Fuck.” slips from Andrew’s lips.
“Fuck, is right.” Carlos says. “Have a good night Andrew, and be sure that from now on, you sleep with one eye open, cabrón” Then Carlos turns, and guides me back to the hotel.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Alex
There’s a soft knock at the door.
“Finally.” I say aloud as I walk to open the door for Jasmine.
Only it’s not Jasmine who greets me, it’s Carlos, along with a few of my gang around her, including Mario.
“Hey.” Jasmine says softly.
“Hey.” I look at her confused. “Que pasa? What’s going on?”
She averts her eyes and slips past me into the room, not answering my question.
“Jefe, let me talk to you out in the hall.” Carlos says.
I look back to Jasmine. She’s on the bed, digging around in a plastic sack that she brought in with her. She must feel it, because she turns to look at me. With my eyes, I try to ask her if she is ok, and she gives me a small nod. I slip through the door, flicking the lock between the doorjamb so I can reenter the room.
Carlos clears his throat. I can see in his eyes that what he has to tell me will not settle well in my gut. I’m in a hurry to get back to Jasmine, so I say, “What is it, Carlos?”
“It’s about Jasmine.” He starts. My heart begins to race at full speed.
“What about Jasmine?”
He takes a deep breath, preparing to spill. “We were passing by a shop and saw her come out. Right after she came out, Andrew called out to her.”
I am so ready to blow when I hear his name, but I keep my cool, wanting to hear the rest of what went down.
“I followed him to make sure nothing happened. At first, he apologized to her and I thought he would leave it at that, but then he started walking into her, trying to corner her onto a part of the path that no one could see.”
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