Work Text:
nuevo verano
la luna se refleja en mis uñas mordidas
todas las estrellas están juntas en mi bebida
la guitarra suena un poco mal
pero no importa porque es verano
y además últimamente estoy hablando
me gusta hablar contigo
the moon reflects on my bitten nails
all of the stars are together in my drink
the guitar sounds a bit out of tune
but it doesn’t matter because it’s summer
and besides, lately I’ve been talking
I like talking to you
In truth, Gina had been harboring these feelings for almost a month and a half now. The whole Ricky fiasco plus almost leaving but then not quite had left her feeling a little emotionally drained, so she was ready to just give her mind a break and avoid any kind of strong feelings for a while. The thing about her feelings for EJ though, was that she hadn’t been able to dodge them because she hadn’t seen them coming until she was already in too deep. His way of showing up, even at the beginning when it was just a friendly acquaintance at best, had quietly grown on her until it had nestled deep within her.
So here she was again, afraid to put herself out there a second time after she swore off feeling this kind of way ever again, or at least until much much later. It didn’t matter that everyone could see – and some had even told her in words – that EJ was as much if not more enamored with her, for now Gina was content to just keep enjoying this kind of friendly flirty banter with the senior.
School had finished and they were all getting ready for the summer. Gina was especially excited as it was the first summer in years she was staying in the same place with her friends, so even if it was for that, this summer already held lots of promises for her.
They’d already started off the break with a party hosted by Ashlyn – no surprise there. She’d helped decorate the backyard with the string lights and set out a couple of tables with bowls of any and all kinds of food plus some chairs strewn around the garden.
She’d hung out with Carlos, Seb and then with EJ for most of then night, soda in a disposable cup and just enjoying a party at the end of the school year that, for once, didn’t mean goodbye.
At the end of it all, in a quite unexpected turn of events, EJ had picked the guitar to strum a semblance of a tune, the guitar very much out of tune but it didn’t matter, because it was fun, and because the way EJ eyes shone when he looked at her made all the stars in the night dim out.
esta noche estoy contenta pero poco, no mucho
aunque hable contigo no consigo verte nunca y
mis amigos me quieren matar
pero supongo que me da igual
y además últimamente estoy hablando
hablando con todo el mundo
me gusta el mundo
tonight I’m happy, but only a little bit, not much
even though I talk with you I can’t manage to see you ever and
my friends want to kill me
but I guess I don’t care
and lately I’ve been talking to everyone/the whole world
I like the world
EJ’s dad had been breathing down his neck and going on and on about how he needed to make a decision about his future, as if he hadn’t already decided he’d be going to University of Utah, the one he actually got in on his own, where he’d be taking up different core classes to discover what he’s actually passionate about, even though she might already have an idea, because she knows him. Gina had witnessed how much EJ had struggled with this decision and coming to terms with his new reality, how the pressure had almost made him crumble and how he still had almost no confidence in his capability outside of his father’s expectations. Both her and Ashlyn had been by his side these past months to remind him that he’s so much more than what anybody expects of his future, and that his value was not measured by any of it. It’s still an ongoing journey, but these days she could see a bit of the burden lifting from his shoulders, and she was so proud that he’d made this decision on his own. She was also secretly glad that she had him near for another year.
Not that she’d said anything explicitly to him, much to their friends’ dismay. She was pretty sure Carlos was torn between smacking her or throttling her any time he caught her staring at EJ, mouthing in a not-so-subtle way to just say something.
The whole gang had found had a pretty busy-looking summer; some with part time jobs or writing songs or both. Gina and Carlos had both started as supporting teachers at the local dance school for their summer school camp. She felt so far away from the guarded competitive Gina she was just last year; one she knew wouldn’t have let herself enjoy this job as much as Gina 2.0 was doing. She was indeed proud of her growth.
As much as she enjoyed it though, it also left her pretty exhausted by midday, as wrangling 8 year-olds in the heat wasn’t as easy as one would hope. That’s why it took her at least a week and a half to get used to this new rhythm. She woke up at 7:30 am to exercise and stretch, prepare and rehearse the activities for the day and have breakfast so that by 9 o’clock she was ready to receive her young students in class. She’d then grab a late lunch with Carlos after they’d both tidied up everything from their workshops, and she’d go home to rest or meet with Ashlyn and Kourtney to enjoy the summer. The only thing that had remained steady were her late night talks with EJ. She hadn’t been able to see him as much because he’d also taken up a job as a summer camp assistant at the local middle school, but they both made the effort to check in always after dinner to share the hilarious things their kids came up with. They missed each other; they’d even been brave enough to admit that out loud – both blushing and a little embarrassed at being vulnerable, but until their schedule cleared up (only two more weeks!) they’d have to make do with facetimes and late night ponderings.
me gusta el mundo
pero tú un poco más
solamente un poco más
i like the world
but i like you a little more
just a little more
Gina felt at this point she could be certain that she really really liked EJ, and if she were braver, she’d let herself be convinced that EJ did in fact return those feelings with equal fervor. They’d been going on these little dates – even though they never called it that because both were too afraid it would ruin their friendship – for the last two weeks, ever since they were freed from their summer jobs. Every day, be it a morning hike, an evening stroll or just lazing around in Ashlyn’s backyard swing, there wasn’t a day they didn’t see each other. And still had enough to say in the evening to keep talking until the wee hours of the morning.
Carlos and Ashlyn – Ashlyn doubly to both Gina and EJ – had been nagging them to just ‘please tell him you like him and want to kiss him and date him!’ Gina was equally stunned and mortified at such blunt statement that had not been able to turn off the fire in her cheeks for 20 minutes straight.
It was later that same day, when Gina answered her daily facetime call from EJ that she saw a new kind of determination on his face.
‘I wanted to ask you this in person but any time I see you I just get so tongue-tied and intimidated – but in a good way! – and I’ve just been meaning to ask you for so long now that I said to myself ‘EJ the next time you feel the bravery coming just spit it out!’ because I don’t think I can keep going much longer without telling you how much you’ve come to mean to me, how much you’ve helped me and push me to be the best version of myself I can be, and just how much I would like to take you on a date because I really really really like you Gina.’
Gina for a moment also wishes he’d be here in person because she has very strong urges to hug and kiss him senseless, even though she’s never done the latter. Her eyes mist a bit due to the overwhelming happiness she’s feeling, it’s scary and exciting the flutter in her stomach; she doesn’t believe she’s ever felt it this strongly, but she’s going to embrace it, because EJ has put himself out there for her.
She beams.
‘Well… it seems you are in luck Caswell, because I happen to really really really like you too.’
se acaba el verano y no va volver
todo ha sido raro pero
lo haría otra vez
te despides con la mano
finges que esto no hace daño
the summer’s ending and it’s not coming back
everything’s been weird but
I would do it again
you wave goodbye with your hand
pretend this doesn’t hurt
A summer sunset witnesses Gina’s first kiss. EJ gives it to her after they’ve stuffed their faces with the ice cream shop that opens in the evenings. He also gives her her second, third and fourth kiss, plus all the ones Gina’s lost count of. They are soaring, flying – no pun intended, because there are some stars that they still can’t reach. EJ is still struggling with his dad but has told Gina that he thinks he’s finally found what he wants to pursue: EJ wants to become a teacher, though he still hasn’t figured out if he wants to be a high school or middle school one. He’s very grateful to Mr. Mazzara for guiding him when he felt so helpless and he wants to be the same, so that no kid has to ever feel like he has. Gina is proud of EJ, regardless of whatever he ends up choosing, because as she’s taught him, EJ on his own is enough for her. And that is one of the reasons that will make him fall just a little more for her. For now, she pulls him in for another frosty minty-chocolate kiss.
That’s how Gina meets the last days of her summer break: hand in hand with her boyfriend, surrounded as well by her friends. The same friends she had back in June, the same friends she’s facing September with. It’s been unusual, this summer. It’s a new territory for her, but Gina’s excited because for all the uncertainty the fall brings, she has her treasured memories and a lot of determination to make everything work. So she won’t wave goodbye to this summer, she’ll say: see you next June.
la luna se refleja en mis uñas mordidas
estoy pasando frío porque me he olvidado el jersey
mis amigos dicen que está mal y que tendría que acabar ya
pero yo sigo temblando al ver que llega
que llega un mensaje tuyo
hablar contigo
con todo el mundo (se acaba el verano y ya no volverá)
me gusta el mundo (se acaba el verano y tú me gustas más)
hablar contigo (se acaba el verano y ya no volverá)
con todo el mundo (se acaba el verano y tú me gustas más)
me gusta el mundo (se acaba el verano y ya no volverá)
me gusta el mundo