I Will Save You by Matt de la Pena Page A

Kidd, Claudia and I are about to do some serious fine dining. You ever heard of the Chart House?”
    I shook my head.
    “Four-star rating in Zagat’s, and Cardiff doesn’t have any fives.”
    Claudia rubbed his arm and said to me: “Isn’t Red sweet? He’s taking me to a real restaurant this time, like a grown-up. He’s so proud of himself.”
    They both smiled and Mr. Red told me: “Anyway, I came by to tell you about this bonfire a group of guests are having on the beach tonight. Everybody’s invited—”
    He cut himself off and tilted my head to the side. “Hold up, Kidd. What the … ?” He pointed at my neck. “Is that a hickey?”
    “What?” I said, moving my head out of his hand.
    “Don’t embarrass him,” Claudia said.
    “Big guy, you been doing work out here when I’m not looking?”
    “No,” I said.
    Mr. Red stepped back and looked at Claudia and they both laughed a little, Claudia quickly covering her mouth. “It’s none of your business, Red,” she told him.
    “It’s not a hickey,” I said.
    Mr. Red looked at me for a while, smiling. “I know, I know,” he said. “Curling iron got you, right?”
    “What?”
    “Nothing.”
    I was about to say something back, but he waved me off. “Look, Claud’s right. It’s none of my business. I just wanted to encourage you to check out that bonfire. Go represent Campsite Maintenance.”
    I looked toward the ocean, thinking about my neck and picturing thousands of people talking to each other around a fire.
    Mr. Red clapped his hands together softly and said: “I’ve also received confirmation that a certain someone will be in attendance.”
    “Who?” I said.
    “Who do you think?”
    “Olivia?”
    “In the flesh, big guy.”
    “Ooh, is that your girlfriend?” Claudia said.
    “No, ma’am, I barely just met her.”
    “Look, Claud, Kidd likes to go at his own pace, okay? Quit putting so much romantic pressure on everybody.”
    Claudia smacked him on the shoulder with her handbag.
    “Where on the beach?” I said.
    “Follow the large orange flame,” Mr. Red said, holding Claudia’s wrists so she couldn’t hit him a second time. They were both laughing. “Go check it out, buddy.”
    “Why aren’t we going?” Claudia said, pulling her hands out of Mr. Red’s grip.
    “Because I’m hooking you up with the surf ’n’ turf.”
    “It’s not because you’re embarrassed of me?”
    “Claud, look at you. Look at this dress. You’re the most beautiful woman in North County.”
    “Ah, that’s sweet, Red.” She turned to me. “Your boss can actually be sweet sometimes.”
    Mr. Red took Claudia’s hand and said: “Check out the bonfire, Kidd. Could be nice.”
    I told him I would.
    They waved and started walking toward Mr. Red’s old Bronco. Claudia leaned her head on his shoulder. He opened her door and let her in and closed it behind her and then turned to me and said: “Hey, Kidd.”
    “Yeah?”
    “Talk to her, okay?”
    “Okay,” I said.
    “Just tell her hello. Introduce yourself.”
    “Okay.”
    He walked around to his side and opened his door, but before he got in he looked over the faded black hood and said: “And throw on some of those new duds.”
    “I will.”
    “I bet you’ll look super GQ .” He stood there a sec, looking at me, then he laughed a little and tapped his hood and said: “Check out the two of us, big guy. Getting dressed up to impress women.”
    “Yeah,” I said.
    “They’re really something, aren’t they?”
    “Who?” I said.
    “Women.”
    “Oh, yeah,” I said. And I felt bad about Maria again.
    He nodded his head awhile and then got in his Bronco and closed the door and drove off.
    After Mr. Red and Claudia left I went back into my tent and changed into new clothes like Mr. Red told me, and looked at my neck in my mirror. There was a dark, circular rash-looking thing, and I didn’t know where it came from or how long it had been there. It didn’t hurt when I pressed it. I