tinder dates make for the best hangovers
CRYSTAL REYES
At midnight, in the busy streets of Ciudad de México; the luminescent signs-de los antros encompassed La Zona Rosa, illuminating underneath me. El olor de tacos al pastor swept by me, and I anxiously waited for my date to locate me. I turned slightly towards the edge of the street; her beauty struck me over; it made me trip on the side of the curb. A pair of fishnet stockings were wrapped at her knees, they complimented her faux leather boots, her red draped cardigan hugged her hips. We greeted each other with, un besito mexicano, a kiss on both cheeks, and a bear hug, as if we weren’t complete strangers.
After chasing a couple of shots of Don Julio, my head began to spin with the colors of the disco ball, and the blazing, música de mis raíces took control of my body. Breathless, and tightly packed like a
package of sardines; I made my way amongst a flock of flashy
outfits and bedazzled makeup. I danced and pranced until I reached a daze of infinite darkness, twirling and whirling through a rollercoaster of unknown lights and shadows.
As I lay there gagging on my own vomit, Alec held a tight grip on my hair so that chunks of food residue would miss my curly, auburn locks.
“Donde estoy?” I yelled softly in a groggy voice. Clasping tightly to my head as it thudded with every beat from my heart.
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“You are in my departamento. No te preocupes, estás safe conmigo.” Her honey-gray eyes met mine as they reassured me of no danger near my proximity.
La segunda noche pasó. I was myself again. El día consisted of an exchange of childhood memories, fears that were still taking toll on our lives like demonic possession, y una calentura pura entre nosotras.
CRYSTAL REYES ​(she/they/ella) is a Chicanx poet/writer native to Houston, Texas where she was raised by her grandparents. She is a multidisciplinary artist with a B.A. in Liberal Studies, with minors in: English Literature, Psychology, and Education from the
University of Houston, and a M.A. in Higher Education from Sam Houston State University. She will begin her MFA in Nonfiction Writing with Bay Path University in Spring 2024, and is also a creative writing facilitator with Amherst Writers & Artists. In addition, she is an alumni and teaching assistant with Community Literature Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching writers of color how to write and publish a book. Crystal is passionate about supporting teen and young adults in their creative and career journeys, and is a mentor with Girls Write Now. Her works have been featured in Love What Matters, Berlinable, & Silent Spark Press. She spends her off-time raising her children, traveling around the world, and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community. Crystal can be found at your local bookstore or neighborhood coffee shop, sporting a red lippie. Follow her work on Instagram @crisreyeswrites
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Crystal's prose is featured in Entre Magazine (Volume 1) published in May 2024.