Read Online Chulito by Charles Rice-Gonzalez - Free Book Online Page B

Julia Alvarez, Isabelle Allende and Esmeralda Santiago.” He loved reading out loud from contemporary cats like Abraham Rodríguez and Junot Díaz. Chulito connected to the stories about the Bronx or the hood and loved talking about them with Carlos. Also, Carlos always knew what new movie was out, especially the ones that didn’t make it up to the Bronx multiplexes, and he listened to music different from what everybody else jammed to. Chulito could hear Carlos’ music coming down through the ceiling. Carlos was down with hip hop and salsa, but he also listened to rock and jazz. Carlos had a special love for Nina Simone and once proudly told Chulito that she lived in France because of racism. Carlos had no issues doing his own thing because being different, in some way, meant that he was better than everyone else.
    “You’re different, too, Chulito. That’s why you and I connect and I don’t connect with all those other fucks.” Chulito looked away and down the block as if he were searching for someone.
    Carlos picked up his bags and said under his breath, “Why do I fucking bother.”
    “Wait, Carlos, why you so heated?”
    Carlos shook his head and looked at Chulito. “On the ride back here from school I couldn’t wait to see you again. I called you about four times, and when you didn’t answer I felt something was up. Then I saw you on the corner, I got scared because I thought I’d come back to the same old shit. I don’t want to get hurt.”
    “You don’t ever have to be scared of the fellas on the corner again. I got your back.” Chulito slapped his chest with the flat of his hand.
    “My hero? I can’t trust you to protect me. Besides, I’ve taken pretty good care of myself.” Carlos chuckled.
    Chulito’s anger rose. “Don’t laugh at me, bro.”
    “I just think it’s funny that you say you have my back and you threw a bottle at me.” Carlos’ face went red and the tears returned. “How do I know you won’t do that again—or worse—next time?”
    Chulito felt like his heart was going to shatter as he saw a tear slide down Carlos’ cheek. “Sorry, pa, I swear I’ll never do that again. I told you I got your back. I’m dead serious.”
    Carlos put down a bag and wiped the tear. “You might mean what you say, but I never thought you would do it in the first place. Look, I wasn’t coming back home after the semester. I planned to get a job out in Long Island and do my internship with the New York Daily News so that I could stay the fuck away from here. But after talking to you again I came home to continue our connection. Then when I heard those guys chanting your name, it was like nothing had changed. So I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to be friends again.”
    Chulito felt stuck. It was tough enough for them to just be seen together, so how could they have a friendship, let alone open up what he felt for Carlos? “Whatever.” Chulito turned away from Carlos and looked up at the windows and across the street to see if anybody was watching. “So it’s like that?”
    “How can it be any other way?” Carlos sounded forlorn.
    “Then don’t let me hold you up.” Chulito leaned back on the parked car and lit a cigarette like he didn’t give a shit, but tried desperately to figure out what he could do.
    Carlos took two steps toward him. “Chulito, I know why this isn’t easy for me, but why is this so hard for you?” He searched Chulito’s eyes more intensely than he ever had before.
    Chulito turned away and shrugged, but wanted to burst out and say, “’Cause I’m feeling you, ah-ight? But we gotta keep it on the low.”
    Before another word was said, Damian approached, shirtless and doing trunk twists. Chulito was annoyed by the interruption. “Nigga, why you always gotta be showing off?”
    “’Cause I got a lot to show off.” Damian rubbed his abdomen.
    “Jail. That’s what you got to show off. Y’all niggas always come out looking all buff and then you