Forever Mine by Elizabeth Reyes Page A

these days.” Somehow she doubted Valerie would want to now. She changed the subject. “So...I thought you were away at school.”
     
    He shook his head. “I’m in school, just not away. I go to UC San Diego. I wanted to stay close by, so I could still help out with the restaurant. I don’t have school or practice on Sundays.”
     
    He glanced over her shoulder and smiled real big. He picked up her hand and kissed it. Sarah tensed up. “You’re too late,” he said. “We’re getting married.”
     
    “Get the hell out of here.” She heard Angel say from behind her.
     
    She turned to see him walking back toward them. Their eyes met and he puckered his lips at her, making her heart flutter. She’d been with him all weekend, and she still couldn’t get enough of him.
     
By the time he’d reached the booth, Alex was already on his feet. “Yeah, you better leave.” Angel said.
     
Alex messed Angel’s hair. “You’re lucky I have work to do.” He smiled at Sarah. “It was a pleasure, Sarah.”
     
Angel pushed him playfully. “Get to work you bum.”
     
Just as Alex began walking away, Sofia leaned in the dining room. “Your food’s ready, Angel.”
     
Alex seemed surprised. “You’re still here Sofia?”
     
“Yeah, there were people waiting and Julio wasn’t here yet.”
     
“Who’s taking you home?"
     
Sofia shrugged. “I thought you would.”
     
“Sweetheart, I can’t leave. I’m doing payroll this week.” They both turned to Angel.
     
Angel’s shoulders dropped, and he looked up at the ceiling. “I can take her.” He conceded. “But I’m eating first.”
     
    He leaned over and kissed Sarah, before leaving again to get their food. They ate their dinner, and as usual, Angel was incapable of keeping his hands and lips off her. After they finished they sat there stuffed.
     
    “God, that was good.” Sarah stared at her empty plate.
     
    Angel had eaten the biggest burrito on the menu. It looked big enough to feed at least two. He leaned his head on Sarah. “I think I ate too much.”
     
    “You think?” His plate appeared to be licked clean. She started giggling. “There’s no way I could’ve finished even half of that.”
     
Angel groaned. “It’s not funny.”
     
Sarah turned around and scanned the restaurant. “We better go,” she said. “Your poor sisters been waiting all this time.”
     
Angel stood up and started piling the plates up but a busboy rushed over. “I got it, Angel.”
     
“I can get this, Ernie.” Angel said.
     
“No, no, I got it.” Ernie insisted and quickly piled everything on top of Angel’s plate.
     
    “Thanks, man.” Angel took Sarah by the hand. They walked by the door to the back office and Angel yelled in. “We’re outta here, Alex.”
     
“Alright,” Alex yelled back. “You got Sofia right?”
     
“Yeah, I’ll drop her off.”
     
“Alright then,” Alex said. “Byyyye Sarah.”
     
     
     
    “Byyye Alex.” She giggled. They heard Alex laugh.
     
    Angel shook his head. “Don’t encourage him.”
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER 7
     
    On the ride home from the restaurant the two girls hit it off right away. They both loved running. Sofia was on the track team, and Sarah had been in track since the ninth grade. Sarah hoped Sofia wouldn’t ask about her moving out here. She didn’t. She was more interested in why she hadn’t gone out for track at La Jolla.
     
    “It’s not too late, you know,” Sofia said. “The meets aren’t until next semester anyway. Have you done relays? 'Cause the girl that ran the relay with us last year was really good, but she graduated. So, now we’re trying to find someone to replace her, but no one so far has come even close to her speed. ”
     
    Sarah knew she had the speed. She’d been the fourth place runner in both the 400m and 1600m relays back home and won plenty of times, a few times coming from behind. Her heart ached to think she wasn’t there training with all of her