Being with Giovanni was like being with a brother. A hot one as a matter of fact, with those bright ocean blue eyes and dirty blonde curl mob of hair on his head. His olive skin was light compared to my pecan tan. I loved the sound of his voice and his smile was mesmerizing to me, I couldn't stop staring every time he looked at me.
I was about six feet tall and had a mat of black straight hair that covered my head. My eyes were a deep olive and my skin was a caramel tan. I've been told I have a sexy face because of my rigid jaw line. Girls and guys alike couldn't help but to fall all over Giovanni.
The fact that Giovanni was a senior at David Lowell High School and I was a sophomore was beside the fact. We hung out every day since I moved to Camden, and I haven't been anywhere with out him. That was almost, 6 years ago.
Giovanni and I have been best buddies since I was in the fourth grade and he was in the sixth. They used to go down to the beach with a few of his friends and a few of mine and swim until the sun went down, then we'd go to the Dairy Queen and get a extra large banana split and share it.
I never thought of these occasions as dates, but I never really disqualified them. I never really considered Giovanni as a boyfriend, just as a companion. That was until I was in the eighth grade.
When I was in eighth grade, I was exposed to the word 'gay.' I didn't know what it meant, and then I realized what my feeling that I'd had for all the years. Giovanni may not have noticed but I loved him, a more sincere feeling than just friends.
Giovanni and I sat in our usual seats as we usually did when we had just come from the beach. An extra large banana split sat between us and there we sat bare-chested and talking. I couldn't help staring at the athlete-sized pecks Giovanni had, he was the defensive end on the high school football team, while I played on the infamous Lowell Boys Varsity Soccer Team.
"So, what are you doing tomorrow," Giovanni asked me.
"Well, it's the middle of summer...what do you think Gio?" I replied in a sarcastic but playful tone.
"Beach, Dairy Queen, then movie at my place." Gio stated matter of factly.
"Yep, sounds like a date to me," I said, then quickly spat out, "I mean day"
Giovanni smiled at me, one of his sweet, soft smiles. It melted my insides and I couldn't help but to look away. I almost felt like crying. Gio was like one of those great things that you want so badly, but you can't afford, or just simply can't have, like a limited time offer that hasn't been offered and never will be.
We began to shovel down the banana split and then headed out for the beach once again. The beach was dark and I could feel the sand slip into my sandals. We began to walk down the beach, trudging along just talking.
"You should play football this year," Gio said to me.
"No... I don't want to..." I said to him, really trying to persuade him not to go further. Football was a Gio sport. Made for him, finished by him.
"You're really fast... you can kick great too! You played soccer for years, you could be our punter," Gio practically begged. "Then we'd see each other like all the time."
"You like seeing me?" I asked shocked. Gio was the hottest guy I knew and him saying he liked spending time with me.
"Yeah..." Gio said. "You're really cool."
Suddenly, I felt a slim clammy finger crawl down my arm. My heart raced as I felt the movement on my arm. In the dark I couldn't see but I knew that Gio had clasped his hand in mine.
I felt like I'd been tranquilized. My heart began to ache and I began to sweat. My hormones were racing and I began to tent.
"Matt..." Gio began.
I realized that Gio liked me all along. He hung out with me because he loved me.
An emotion beyond description filled my mind and heart. My hand in Giovanni's was the most emotional moment in my life.
"Matt," Gio said.
"Yes," I said looking up to Gio my legs feeling like JELL-O.
"I've always wanted to do this," Gio whispered. Gio pushed his soft, pink lips against mine.