Page 90 of Pride High 3: Yellow

“What’s the point?” he grumbled. “I’ll just come home.” Although it would be the final day he did so. Ricky would make plans with everyone he knew to ensure he never had to be here unless forced. That should send a clear message about how much he liked his parents and their stupid rules!

CHAPTER 15

March 22nd, 1993

Mindy was getting her “wardrobe department” ready by unpacking a makeup case, excited that the play had gotten past the costuming stage. She enjoyed dressing people up but never had the budget or resources to fulfill her creative vision. Hair and makeup rarely ran into such limitations. She was arranging bobby pins and hair clips when a large hand filled her vision. She recognized who it belonged to immediately. If the calluses weren’t a dead giveaway, the dark creases in a palm stained with motor oil were. More than once she had been tempted to rub lotion on Diego’s hands before remembering how good they felt when gripping her own during dance practice.

Mindy felt an excited shiver race across her skin when a voice close to her ear rumbled, “What do you think?”

Diego practically had his arm wrapped around her. She could feel the warmth of his body at her back. Or was her entire body flushing with heat instead? She really shouldn’t have taken that photo of him home. Or spent the other night staring at it for so long. The hand in front of her rocked, light catching two earrings that had barely registered with her. Each was a ring of flower petals cast in gold with a solitary diamond in the center.

“Oh my gosh!” she breathed in awe. “They’re beautiful!”

Diego moved to face her, sitting on the edge of the table so they were eye-level with each other. He studied her face intently, his hand still held out in offering. “You really think so?”

“Yes!” she assured him.

“Good. Because they’re yours.”

“What?” she cried. “You can’t be serious!”

“Do I look like the kind of guy who jokes around?” Diego growled before cracking a smile. “Take them.”

She cupped her hand as he tilted his, the little golden flowers spilling into her palm. Mindy pinched one in her finger, making it catch the light again, before she gasped. “Wow! Gay guys give the best presents!”

Diego’s brow furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh! Cameron gave me the cutest jewelry box, and from Anthony I got a really nice journal to write in.”

“Good for them, but I’m not gay.”

Mindy stared at him, helpless as her face began to burn. “But I thought… You and Ricky.”

“What about us?”

“He’s your boyfriend, isn’t he?”

“Yup.”

“But you like girls too?”

“Yeah.” Diego nodded at the earrings she still held. “My dad gave those to my mom a long time ago.”

“Oh my gosh!” Mindy said, returning her attention to the delicate metalwork. “They’re so lovely… but I can’t keep them.”

“Why not?”

She didn’t want to tell him the actual reason, because it was presumptuous and would result in further embarrassment if she was wrong. “Won’t your mom miss them?”

Diego’s eyes became unfocused before he said, “She doesn’t care.”

“How could she not?” Mindy asked in shock. “They must be expensive! I’m sorry, but I can’t accept them. It’s too nice a gift.”

“Not for your sweet sixteen,” Diego countered. “That’s a big deal. How does it feel anyway?”

“Great,” Mindy admitted. She always liked being the center of attention on her birthdays, but this one seemed especially important. She was old enough to drive now and a mere two years away from being a full-fledged adult. She wasn’t deluded enough to think that she was somehow more mature than this time last week. And yet, Mindy felt changed regardless, like she could handle difficult situations with the wisdom and grace that came with age. Which meant speaking difficult truths. “As much as I want to keep these,” she said, holding out the earrings to Diego, “if I was dating a guy and he gave such a nice present to someone else—especially a gift with personal connections to his family—I’d be jealous. And potentially upset.”

“Yeah, okay,” Diego said with a shrug. “I’ll hold on to them for you in case you change your mind. I don’t think they’d look good on Ricky.”