Living on Perfectly Remembered Memories

Matt

I dropped onto the bleachers, grabbing a Gatorade in the cooler. Everyone on the team played their positions perfectly and we nailed every single play coach told us. We're going to win the state championships this year, we definitely are. At least we will if I can fix my ankle. It's been locking up every time I go for a long distance run. I'll just ask coach to get me an appointment with the electroshock therapist.

Rafael limped over to me, holding his knee. That's a bummer; he has problems with his leg too. He took the last Gatorade from the cooler and gulped half of it down. We looked at each other, nodding.

From what I've heard, he's a cool guy. That's what Jimmy tells me all the time. I haven't talked to Rafael so it can't be a bad thing to be friendly.

"What's it like in Spain?" I asked, never laying eyes on him.

"Very warm. I like here," he answered in a low tone.

"Oh. How come you moved here?"

"For sports. My uncle wanted me to come here and become a better athlete."

"That's cool but mean in a way. It's for soccer right?"

"Not exactly..."

So you have secrets, eh? No problem, I won't push the issue. Time for a topic change then. "It's almost Christmas, I can't wait!" I yawned, stretching my arms.

"Oh I cannot wait either. Does it snow?"

I laughed holding my stomach. "Hell no. It's way too warm in this part of California for that. Maybe if you moved up north, you'd be able to see snow."

"That is a disappointment."

"I guess. I'm used to the warm weather though so I don't mind it as much. Besides, who wants to ever have to wear huge coats in December?"

"Ha, I guess you are correct."

"You talk funny."

"What do you mean?"

"You talk all proper. No contractions or any of our teenage slang."

"Is that bad?"

"No but it's different you know?"

"I believe so..." He looked so helplessly confused. If I'm going to be friends with this guy, I have to teach him to talk like a teenager and not someone like my dad.

"See there you go again!"

"Well it is hard not to speak "proper"! It was how I was taught English in Spain."

"I figured. A lot of girls seem to like that."

"Do they really?" He cannot tell me he's blind to all the girls that give him flirty glances! Amy could even tell and she's eight!

I shook my head, explaining to him what I meant. "Your accent and how you talk, yeah. I hear tons of girls talking about you." Those girls should be talking about me...girl stealer.

"Oh...that is somewhat terrifying." You, my friend, are way too innocent.

"Why?"

"I am not used to all this attention. I never had any back home." Wow, don't you sound depressing?

"Oh. You should be happy so many girls are drooling over you. Do you like any of them?"

It took him a long minute to answer back to me. "Do I like any girl I've met here? No, no."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Wow, I thought he had a thing for Fran. Oh well, GOOD.