Don't Forget
“I Dunno,”
“This is it, my baby.” Eric said lovingly rubbing his hand across the hood of his 1950 Pontiac Fire-bird as he made his way to the driver’s side. It was jet black and shined in the afternoon sun. It looked big, fast, and dangerous. It suited Eric and the sparkle in his eyes made him look like a seven year old with a new toy.
“Eric she’s gorgeous!” Beatrice said, “This is fantastic air brush!” She said tracing the yellow flaming bird on the hood.
“Thanks I didn't do it.” Eric laughed, “All my work was under the hood and the sound system.”
“You fix cars?” Mia asked.
“Gotta do something to pay the bills.” Eric said, “Get en zi cah girls.”
“We get a ride too?” Beatrice said lifting an eyebrow as she went to the passenger seat.
“Who else am I going to show off to?” Eric said climbing in. Mia took the backseat behind Beatrice. They buckled up. Eric started the car and it roared to life. Mia swore she could feel the vibration all the way down to her bones.
Beatrice squealed loudly and pounded on the roof of the car as they peeled out of the school parking lot. They drove about an hour and a half to Grizzly Peak. The whole San Francisco Bay area laid out before them. The sun was setting casting the sky in orange and burgundies. The San Francisco city skyline cast in shadow. Fog could be seen creeping slowly over the South Bay hills. Berkeley’s buildings sparkled in the afternoon sunlight by contrast. Everyone got out. Beatrice stretched, “This is great. We should come out here more often.”
“I always said we should but you always”-
“Blah blah blah your needs.” Beatrice dismissed him. She went and sat on the guard rail. Eric leaned on the hood of his car and Mia went and sat beside him.
“Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?” Mia sighed. She pulled out her hair-tie and her hair fanned out behind her. She scratched her head self consciously combing her fingers through it.
“I can think of a few things.” Eric said nudging her with his shoulder. Mia felt her face get hot. She looked away.
“If you guys are gonna start that shit. I’ll just leave and come back in an hour.” Beatrice complained.
“What is this shit of which you speak?” Mia asked.
“The flirting shit.” Beatrice said.
Mia’s chest clenched, “Flirting? I wasn't”-
“I was,” Eric said. Mia didn't know what to say.
“Seriously stop,” Beatrice made a sound as if she was gagging.
“How about we make a deal.” Eric said to Beatrice, “You give me ten minutes with Mia alone, two Linkin Park songs, and I’ll take us all out for ice cream.”
“Uh Mia’s sitting right here.” Mia said. Eric kissed Mia on the cheek. Now her face was really hot.
“You drive a hard bargain.” Beatrice said tapping her chin.
“Dipped waffle cone.”
“And sprinkles.”
Eric tapped his chin mimicking her. He shrugged, “Deal?” He stuck out his hand.
“Three scoops!”
“You’re pushing it.” Eric said laughing.
“You’re pushing up on her.” Beatrice said pointing her chin at Mia, “I deserve payment for my suffering.”
“Two scoops.” Eric said.
“Three scoops and I’ll listen to more than two songs, final offer.” Beatrice wiggled her eyebrows. Mia giggles, “See, she likes it.”
“Fine,” Eric stuck out his hand.
Beatrice hopped off the guardrail and shook Eric's hand. She walked past Mia flipping her hair over her shoulder.
“Bruja(1),” Eric coughed.
“Chumpame(2)!” Beatrice said grabbing her crotch before getting in the car.
Uh-oh… Mia felt her stomach flip as she finally realized that it meant she would be alone...with Eric. She fidgeted with the back of her head.
“We don’t have much time so I’ll just get straight to the point.” He said, “How much do you like Humbert?”
“Ha ha who?” Mia laughed a little. Eric gave her a look with his eye brow raised and Mia answered her own question. Connor ”Oh...him…”
“Yeah him,” Eric said, “What’s he like thirty-five?”
“Twenty-one,” Mia corrected him, “Why are we talking about him?” Usually her time with Connor and her time with her friends never intermingled.
“Because I want to know if he’s fully corrupted you or if I have a shot.”
“A shot at what?”
“Mia,” Eric said tilting his head to one side the lines of his tattoo were more visible. Mia wondered what it was a tattoo of, “We don’t have time for you to play stupid. When Beatrice offered more than two songs that doesn't mean a whole CD, that means three songs.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“Well do you like me?” Eric said scooting a bit closer to her on the car.
“Of course,” Mia said.
“Like me, like me?”
Mia's face wasn't cooling off anytime soon. She turned away and fidgeted with the back of her head again, “I dunno,” She shrugged.
“Be my date to Junior Prom and find out.” Eric said. Mia looked at him again. He was smirking down at her as he moved to lean on his hands on either side of her so that his torso was between her legs, “I’m sure Humbert wouldn't be interested in such trivial high school events.”
“His name is Connor,” Mia said, “And you don’t know that.”
“You've already asked him haven’t you?”
“No,” Mia lied looking him in the eyes.
He smiled at her, “You’re a good liar.”
“What?” Mia felt her chest clench.
“You’re a good liar, but even the best liars have a tell and now I know yours.” Eric said, “All I’m asking for is a chance,” Eris tugged lightly on a springy curl that fell into her face before tracing his fingertips down her cheek, “I just want to make you feel beautiful.”
The way Eric wasn't blinking. Mia felt hot. This was way too intense. How was she supposed to respond to that?
“Uh...OK…” Mia Price ladies and gentlemen.
That must have been the right answer because he kissed her and Mia was sure her heart would jump out of her chest. She wasn't sure what to do with her hands so she balled her shirt in her fists.
Eric pulled away smirking, “Was that your first kiss?” He asked leaning his forehead against hers.
“No,” Mia lied. Eric smiled. Mia couldn't help but smile back. His smile was so warm.
“We’ll work on it.” He said.
Mia opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the long drawn out honk of Eric’s car horn. “No se puede esperar cinco segundos?(3) Bruja!” Eric shouted.
Beatrice pulled herself out of the passenger side window to shout, “Callate la boca!(4)” All Mia understood was that they were mad and yelling at each other.
“Want to sit next to your boyfriend?” Beatrice teased Mia as if they were in middle school. Boyfriend? Was it really so simple? Mia couldn't cool off no matter what.
“Shut-up Beatrice!” Eric commanded obviously responding to Mia’s face.
“N-no...I…” Mia started but she couldn't finish. It was too embarrassing.
“Aw you’re just too cute. Ella tiene tanto amor(5).” Beatrice slid out of the passenger side window and graciously took the back seat.
Eric rolled his eyes getting into the drivers seat. Mia took the front seat and hardly knew what to do with herself. Boyfriend… She echoed in her head again, That means I’m his...girlfriend. She felt a little flutter in her chest. Connor Butler was nowhere in her thoughts. Her mind was too filled with thoughts of Eric.
(1)Witch
(2) I translate this as bite me but really means more suck my balls...
(3)You can't wait 5 seconds?
(4)Shut-up!
(5)She's got so much love.
“Eric she’s gorgeous!” Beatrice said, “This is fantastic air brush!” She said tracing the yellow flaming bird on the hood.
“Thanks I didn't do it.” Eric laughed, “All my work was under the hood and the sound system.”
“You fix cars?” Mia asked.
“Gotta do something to pay the bills.” Eric said, “Get en zi cah girls.”
“We get a ride too?” Beatrice said lifting an eyebrow as she went to the passenger seat.
“Who else am I going to show off to?” Eric said climbing in. Mia took the backseat behind Beatrice. They buckled up. Eric started the car and it roared to life. Mia swore she could feel the vibration all the way down to her bones.
Beatrice squealed loudly and pounded on the roof of the car as they peeled out of the school parking lot. They drove about an hour and a half to Grizzly Peak. The whole San Francisco Bay area laid out before them. The sun was setting casting the sky in orange and burgundies. The San Francisco city skyline cast in shadow. Fog could be seen creeping slowly over the South Bay hills. Berkeley’s buildings sparkled in the afternoon sunlight by contrast. Everyone got out. Beatrice stretched, “This is great. We should come out here more often.”
“I always said we should but you always”-
“Blah blah blah your needs.” Beatrice dismissed him. She went and sat on the guard rail. Eric leaned on the hood of his car and Mia went and sat beside him.
“Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?” Mia sighed. She pulled out her hair-tie and her hair fanned out behind her. She scratched her head self consciously combing her fingers through it.
“I can think of a few things.” Eric said nudging her with his shoulder. Mia felt her face get hot. She looked away.
“If you guys are gonna start that shit. I’ll just leave and come back in an hour.” Beatrice complained.
“What is this shit of which you speak?” Mia asked.
“The flirting shit.” Beatrice said.
Mia’s chest clenched, “Flirting? I wasn't”-
“I was,” Eric said. Mia didn't know what to say.
“Seriously stop,” Beatrice made a sound as if she was gagging.
“How about we make a deal.” Eric said to Beatrice, “You give me ten minutes with Mia alone, two Linkin Park songs, and I’ll take us all out for ice cream.”
“Uh Mia’s sitting right here.” Mia said. Eric kissed Mia on the cheek. Now her face was really hot.
“You drive a hard bargain.” Beatrice said tapping her chin.
“Dipped waffle cone.”
“And sprinkles.”
Eric tapped his chin mimicking her. He shrugged, “Deal?” He stuck out his hand.
“Three scoops!”
“You’re pushing it.” Eric said laughing.
“You’re pushing up on her.” Beatrice said pointing her chin at Mia, “I deserve payment for my suffering.”
“Two scoops.” Eric said.
“Three scoops and I’ll listen to more than two songs, final offer.” Beatrice wiggled her eyebrows. Mia giggles, “See, she likes it.”
“Fine,” Eric stuck out his hand.
Beatrice hopped off the guardrail and shook Eric's hand. She walked past Mia flipping her hair over her shoulder.
“Bruja(1),” Eric coughed.
“Chumpame(2)!” Beatrice said grabbing her crotch before getting in the car.
Uh-oh… Mia felt her stomach flip as she finally realized that it meant she would be alone...with Eric. She fidgeted with the back of her head.
“We don’t have much time so I’ll just get straight to the point.” He said, “How much do you like Humbert?”
“Ha ha who?” Mia laughed a little. Eric gave her a look with his eye brow raised and Mia answered her own question. Connor ”Oh...him…”
“Yeah him,” Eric said, “What’s he like thirty-five?”
“Twenty-one,” Mia corrected him, “Why are we talking about him?” Usually her time with Connor and her time with her friends never intermingled.
“Because I want to know if he’s fully corrupted you or if I have a shot.”
“A shot at what?”
“Mia,” Eric said tilting his head to one side the lines of his tattoo were more visible. Mia wondered what it was a tattoo of, “We don’t have time for you to play stupid. When Beatrice offered more than two songs that doesn't mean a whole CD, that means three songs.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“Well do you like me?” Eric said scooting a bit closer to her on the car.
“Of course,” Mia said.
“Like me, like me?”
Mia's face wasn't cooling off anytime soon. She turned away and fidgeted with the back of her head again, “I dunno,” She shrugged.
“Be my date to Junior Prom and find out.” Eric said. Mia looked at him again. He was smirking down at her as he moved to lean on his hands on either side of her so that his torso was between her legs, “I’m sure Humbert wouldn't be interested in such trivial high school events.”
“His name is Connor,” Mia said, “And you don’t know that.”
“You've already asked him haven’t you?”
“No,” Mia lied looking him in the eyes.
He smiled at her, “You’re a good liar.”
“What?” Mia felt her chest clench.
“You’re a good liar, but even the best liars have a tell and now I know yours.” Eric said, “All I’m asking for is a chance,” Eris tugged lightly on a springy curl that fell into her face before tracing his fingertips down her cheek, “I just want to make you feel beautiful.”
The way Eric wasn't blinking. Mia felt hot. This was way too intense. How was she supposed to respond to that?
“Uh...OK…” Mia Price ladies and gentlemen.
That must have been the right answer because he kissed her and Mia was sure her heart would jump out of her chest. She wasn't sure what to do with her hands so she balled her shirt in her fists.
Eric pulled away smirking, “Was that your first kiss?” He asked leaning his forehead against hers.
“No,” Mia lied. Eric smiled. Mia couldn't help but smile back. His smile was so warm.
“We’ll work on it.” He said.
Mia opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the long drawn out honk of Eric’s car horn. “No se puede esperar cinco segundos?(3) Bruja!” Eric shouted.
Beatrice pulled herself out of the passenger side window to shout, “Callate la boca!(4)” All Mia understood was that they were mad and yelling at each other.
“Want to sit next to your boyfriend?” Beatrice teased Mia as if they were in middle school. Boyfriend? Was it really so simple? Mia couldn't cool off no matter what.
“Shut-up Beatrice!” Eric commanded obviously responding to Mia’s face.
“N-no...I…” Mia started but she couldn't finish. It was too embarrassing.
“Aw you’re just too cute. Ella tiene tanto amor(5).” Beatrice slid out of the passenger side window and graciously took the back seat.
Eric rolled his eyes getting into the drivers seat. Mia took the front seat and hardly knew what to do with herself. Boyfriend… She echoed in her head again, That means I’m his...girlfriend. She felt a little flutter in her chest. Connor Butler was nowhere in her thoughts. Her mind was too filled with thoughts of Eric.
(1)Witch
(2) I translate this as bite me but really means more suck my balls...
(3)You can't wait 5 seconds?
(4)Shut-up!
(5)She's got so much love.
♠ ♠ ♠
Better tranlations/vocabulary always invitedWith All Due Respect,
Connie SR Taylor