Page 32 of Something Like Summer

“What’s itlike?”

“Beautiful. Very differentfrom here. That’s what I like about it.” A far-away look came intoTim’s eyes as he remembered. “I always make them take me to thevolcano,Popocatépetl.”

“Popo-what?” Bensnorted.

“Popocatépetl,” Timrepeated.

This sent Ben into a fit oflaughter.

“That’s what it’s called,”Tim insisted, before starting to laugh himself. “I guess it doessound kind of goofy.”

“I love how you say itwith the accent and everything,” Ben said once he had calmed down.“Can you speak Spanish at all?”

“Fluently. I was raisedbilingual.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty obviousat this point that you’re bi,” Ben teased.

“I’m not,” Tim protested.“I just get really horny sometimes.”

Ben tried not to laugh atthis but couldn’t help himself. Tim looked insulted so Ben shovedhim playfully and told him to stop taking everything soseriously.

“I don’t care what youare,” he said bravely, reaching out to pat Tim on the back. He lethis hand linger there. “I like you for who you are.”

“It’s not the sports car,then?” Tim asked as Ben began to run his hand up and down his back.“Or the movie star good looks?”

“Are you kidding me? I canbarely stand to look at you. The car, on the other hand, is puresex.”

“That she is,” Timgrinned.

“Cochebonita!” Ben tried. He was pretty sure itmeant ‘beautiful car.’ He suddenly wished he had paid closerattention in school. “Say something to me in Spanish.”

“Like what?”

“Somethingnice.”

Tim thought for a whilebefore clearing his throat. He turned and looked Ben directly inthe eye before speaking. “Enséñame avolar, mi mariposa hermosa.”

The smile faded from Ben’sface. He didn’t understand all of it, but one word had stood out.“Something nice,” he complained.

“Sorry if you didn’t likeit,” Tim responded, appearing offended.

“Well I know what‘mariposa’ means,and I’m sick of hearing it.”

Tim scrunched up his facein confusion. “Who’s been sayingmariposato you?”

“Everyone in my Spanishclass,” Ben told him. “We had a substitute and someone asked how tosay faggot in Spanish--”

“It’s not!” Tim protested.“Oh, man. How could I be so stupid?Mariposameansbutterfly.”

“It does? So it’s nothomophobic?”

“Yeah. Well, no.” Timthought about it for a second. “It’s just like the word ‘fairy’ inEnglish. You can say it all day long and it doesn’t mean anythingbad, but call someone that in the right context and it can beoffensive.”

“Oh.” That explained whyMrs. Vega hadn’t reacted when the students kept using that word. Ina way it was kind of cool. Basically everyone was saying‘butterfly’ to him. Big deal! Knowing this would make it easier notto react in the future. “So what did you say to me then?” Benasked.

“Forget it,” Tim saiddismissively. “I should have chosen my words better.”

“No, tell me!”