There's No Such Thing as Too Young

“Why are we at the park during a storm?” I asked as my vans began to get soaking wet along with my clothes.

“Dunno.” He replied simply. Kellin lead me to a pond that was in the middle of the park.

“I didn’t know this was here. How did you find it?”

“When I was younger, my parents used to take me here whenever it rained. It stopped after dad left.” He said very quietly. When his mom told him his dad left, he was four and he began to cry a lot. I remember in school how he just wanted me to hold him and whenever we had to leave, he would cry but I promised him I would be back the next day. He sat very close to the edge and I sat behind him with my legs on either side of his. Kellin rested his head on my shoulder as I snaked my arms around his waist. “What'd’yhu wanna be when you grow up Kells?”

“I don’t know. Grownups can’t have fun.”

“I like hearing you talk, you voice is very pretty.” He blushed a bit and turned to face me. “Why don’t you talk more often?”

“I guess I don’t have much to say. I don’t know.” He mumbled. I turned to face him and saw that his lips were a few centimeters from mine. “Kiss me.” I leaned in and gave him a small peck on the lips. “You know what I mean Vic.” He said with a pout.

I smiled a bit and leaned in again but kissed him the way he wanted me to. I let my tongue slide over his lips and he opened his mouth enough so I could slip it in; he turned so he was now straddling my laps and wrapped his arms around my neck as I wrapped mine around his waist. Kellin pulled away and looked at me with innocents written all over. His breathing was irregular, his lips were slightly swollen and his face was flushed.

“As cheesy as it sounds, I like kissing you in the rain. I feel like we’re apart of some sappy romantic movie.” I said with a smile. He smiled back and turned so we were sitting in our old position. The rain began to pour harder, making the pond in front of us rise. “Let’s get outta here before we drown.” Kellin shook his head no and let the tip of his shoes dip in the pond. He brought his hand to his hair and began twirling it. “Oh no you don’t, you’re not sleeping out here. I’ll carry you but let’s go.” I stood up and put Kellin on my back. His grip tightened around my neck, making it kinda hard to breath, and his legs tightened around my waist, making it hard to walk. “Loosen up a bit darling.” I felt him loosen up as I sped walked to his house; it was closer. By the time we reached his house, we were both soaking wet and shaking like cats. When we opened the door, my mom and his mom were sitting at the table with coffee and cookies.

“What on earth happened to you niño’s?” my mom asked.

“Um … we kinda got caught in the rain?” I replied.

“I see that. Kellin go change and then give Vic some clothes. When you boys are done changing, put the clothes in the drier.” His mom said. We ran up the stairs and into his room, Kellin threw a towel on the floor and stepped on in removing all his clothes except for his boxers, which I don’t get because when we were younger we used shower together. I followed his steps and waited until he found something to wear. Anyways the good thing about him being my best friend is that I’m allowed to have
clothes here, which I’ll need to take soon. He slipped on a pair of lose fitting pj pants on with some Homer Simpson slippers and a sweatshirt.

“Isn’t that mine?” I asked, gesturing towards the sweatshirt. He looked down and shook his head no. “Sure? I have one at home that I can’t find.” He blushed a little bit and then nodded. He was about to take it off when I stopped him. “No it’s fine. Keep it.”

“Sure?”

“Yeah, it looks better on you anyways. Makes you look all tiny.” He flicked me off playfully as he picked up the towel that had the clothes and shoes. After thirty minutes, Kellin finally came back and snuggled into my side. “You look tired.”

“I’m not.” He said trying to retain a yawn.

“You sure?” he was about to say something when there was knock at his door. I yelled a come in and his door opened reveling my mom.

“Mijo, I’m about to go home. Quieres venir o te vas a quedar?” I looked down at Kellin who mouthed for me to stay.

“Can I stay?” my mom nodded and smiled, closing the door behind her. “How do you know Spanish?”

“I was taking Spanish lessons on YouTube.” He mumbled.

“Why?” I asked.

“So that way I know what you, Mike, Tony and” he stuck his tongue out and made a noise, a small gesture for naming Jaime. “Are saying and if you’re talking about me.”

“Oh, and have you heard anything nasty being said about you?”

“No, but I know that Jaime doesn’t like Alan.” He said. “Which I don’t get because Alan is like the most perfect person in the world.”

“Are you saying that I’m not perfect?” I asked, pretending to be hurt.

“You know what I mean Vic. He was my first real friend.” As much as I dislike that, it’s true. Whenever Kellin and I get into a disagreement, fight, Alan is always there to make him feel better.

“Remember when you were in sixth grade and all the eighth grade girls gushed over how cute you are?”

“Yeah. It was weird. Vic, if I tell you something, promise not to be mad at me?” he asked holding out his pinky.

“Of course Kells. You can tell me anything.” I said, wrapping mine around his.

“I … Um … I … I think I like … I like guys.” He whispered.

“Kellin.” He stiffened. “Relax, I’m not mad. I’m just surprised that’s all.” He looked up at me with fear in his eyes.

“Are you gonna stop kissing me now that you know I like guys?” he asked.

“No.” I murmured, leaning in so my lips brushed against his. “I’m gonna kiss you.” I pushed my lips against his and smiled when he wrapped his arms around my neck. I pulled away and looked back at him. “So who do you like?” I kinda hope it’s me. What? No, he’s my best friend, he can’t, he isn’t, and well I kinda hope he is.

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why? We’re best friends! Do you like Alan?”

“Vic! No! He’s like into Austin.”

“He’s what?”

“Oh shit. Vic promise you won’t say anything please?”

“Then tell me who you like.”

“I can’t.” he mumbled again.

“Is it Tony? Or is it … Mike? Ew if it’s Mike, that’ll creep me out a bit.”

“Why?” damn I knew it was Mike. My chances are gone now.

“Because he’s my younger brother and you’re my bff, duh. That’s like gross if I walk in on you guys making out and stuff.” Lie. I wish it were me who he was into but I guess Mike was always the cooler one.

“It’s not Tony and it’s defiantly not Mike. He’s like the other brother I never had.” Thank God.

“Is it … Jaime?” next thing I knew, I was punched in the arm and not so softly. “Ow! Ok, not Jaime. Then who?” he buried his face in my chest and mumbled something. “What? I can’t hear you.” He looked up at me with fear written all over his face. “Kells, tell me who it is please? Maybe I can help you hook up or something.”

“I don’t think he likes me though. I mean I talk to him a lot but he’s never shown any signs of interest in me, at least I think he hasn’t. Vic, what are the signs for when someone likes you?” bless his innocents.

“Well, I think if someone likes you they’ll either be two things. Mean or nice. If they’re already nice then they’ll be extra nice meaning they’d do things that you like even if they don’t wanna do it. Now if they’re mean,” I started thinking about how he was acting the week we went to the beach. “They’ll throw some niceness in. I’m not sure. For all you know, they could be complete assholes.”

“Can you tell me more about how someone would act if they’re nice? I like that one better.”

“Honestly, I don’t really know Kells. I never really had any experience with it.”

“Do you like anyone?”

“Yeah. He’s ni-“

“He?”

“We’re both flaming homos Kell. I guess that’s why we’re besties. But yeah he’s nice and he’s really cute. I’ve known him since forever and- Kells why you crying?” he buried his face in his pillow and mumbled something. “What?” he turned to face me and sniffled a bit.

“He doesn’t like me Vic. He likes someone else.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I heard him tell me right now.”

“What?” I asked in disbelief.

“I like you Vic but you don’t like me.” he mumbled.