“Simon, wait until you meet my parents. This will all seem like a picnic in the park. My parents don’t want me to even talk about being gay. I have no idea how they will react when I bring a boyfriend home.”
“Boyfriend, huh? So, does that mean I’m your boyfriend?” I ask coyly.
“Do you want to be my boyfriend?” PJ asks with a crooked smile.
“How can I not be the boyfriend of someone named Pajamas?”
“So, it’s official. We are certified boyfriends.”
Feeling brave, at least in this moment, I pull closer to PJ and put my hands on his shoulders.
“We are! I’ve heard boyfriends get to kiss each other.”
“Hmm, that’s what I’ve heard too,” PJ says, running his tongue across his lips.
“Well, Pajamas, shall we get to it?”
He presses his soft lips to mine…
24
The Origin of Love
I kissed my very first live boy!
Itext Hector as I jump into bed. He stays up late and will be happy for me.
You dog! Congrats!
Three dots appear in the message app. He’s writing more.
Jamal says congrats too. And both of us want you to make smart choices. Practice safe sex, mijo. If you need condoms or advice, we are here for you.
I laugh nervously and text back.
We have only held hands and kissed once. I don’t think we will need condoms anytime soon.
No response. A few minutes later, the phone rings.
“Hello?”
“Okay, mijo, I’m calling you because I want to make sure you understand what I am saying. You feel me?”
“Oh—kay…”
“Listen to me, Simon. It was not long ago that I was a teenager too, and I know firsthand how quickly holding hands can escalate into something more. We are happy to hear you are not rushing into anything; that’s great. But please remember what we said for future reference, okay? We are here for you. Any questions you may have, no matter how embarrassing, you can ask us. Now go to sleep, you dog. I will be working at the shop this weekend if you want to stop by with your mi alma and say hi. I would love to meet him.”
I say good night and hang up the phone. My face is hot with embarrassment. I text a final thank-you to Hector and turn off my light. The alien is not clawing to get out, but it has an uncomfortable grip on my intestines, making it difficult to fall asleep. It’s long past 11:22, and I had my first kiss with the cutest boy in the world. Why does this alien inside me have to ruin everything? Why? Why? Why?
Idon’t know how long I tossed and turned last night, wrestling with the alien, but the next thing I know, my alarm clock is going off and it’s late morning. I peek my head out my bedroom door.
“Hello?” I call.
No reply. Perhaps Mom’s left for work already, but where is Carole? I take a quick shower and get ready. I’ve never given much thought to what to wear before, but now that I have a boyfriend, I am keenly aware of my appearance. I want to look good for PJ.
After I select an outfit, I head into the living room. Still no sign of Carole. She must be asleep. I knock quietly on her bedroom door and get light snoring in response. So, I leave a note on the counter reminding Mom and Carole that I am taking PJ to meet Mags and Neel and that I’ll be home late but before curfew.
PJ and I made plans to meet up at school, so he doesn’t have to explain to his parents who I am yet. It’s not ideal but telling his parents about me is something he will have to figure out in his own time. I hope it’s not too long, or things could quickly get awkward. I downloaded the Hedwig soundtrack to my phone last night, and now it’s blasting through the car speakers as I make my way to pick up PJ.
