Wait for It

by Mariana Zapata

My grandma had told me once you couldn’t make someone love you or even like you, but you could sure as hell make someone put up with you.

“I’m gonna hug you as long as you promise not to grab my ass, okay?” I almost laughed, but it sounded more like a broken croak.

“She wouldn’t be my first, but she’d be the only one who ever mattered. I think she could wait for the time to be right. I’d make sure she never regretted it.”

“It’s like you’re purposely trying to get me to love you, Dallas. I swear to God. You don’t even want me to stick my hand down your pants. You want me to want it all,” I laughed, trying to make a joke but failing awfully.

You can’t always wait for someone else to do the right thing when you can do it yourself.”

“I’ve seen you in your underwear and combed nits out of your hair, baby. I think we’re past that.”