I am his

57

I woke up with a throbbing headache, stumbling my way to the bathroom only to find Leah already in there. Instinctively, I covered my eyes, calling out an embarrassed "SALIR". Hurriedly, I shut the door behind me.

"SORRY, WOMAN!" I shouted, hoping to make amends for the awkward encounter. I heard the toilet flush and the tap running before Leah finally emerged. She wasn't going to let me off easy and gave me a playful slap on the back of my head.

"Espera la próxima vez," she warned with a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Sorry," I put my hands up in surrender, feeling a mixture of relief and embarrassment.

Leah asked if I had eaten, and I shook my head before heading to the bathroom. As I finished, I made my way downstairs to find a pile of pancakes and a guy I hadn't seen before. Leah ran to hug him, introducing me to her boyfriend, Jake. He had blonde hair, striking blue eyes, and a casual green hoodie. He was a little on the short side, but still taller than Leah.

"Hi," I greeted him, sizing him up with a quick glance. Meanwhile, Leah's mom, Lucy, was busy making more pancakes.

"Tu novio es tan bajo," I said to myself with a smirk, and Lucy couldn't help but laugh.

"Él es," (he is) Lucy chuckled, acknowledging Jake's height.

"Shut up," Leah playfully scolded me.

"What did they say?" Jake asked Leah, looking curious.

"They said you're beautiful," Leah teased, trying to keep a straight face.

"No le mientas," I chimed in with wide eyes, and Leah burst into laughter.

"Kaden, stop," she managed to say between giggles.

"Si, muy hermoso," I sarcastically remarked, rolling my eyes.

"Gracias," Jake responded politely, a hint of confusion on his face. I exchanged a look with Lucy, and we couldn't help but chuckle at the situation.

"Cállate gusano," I whispered, but Jake caught my teasing words.

"What did he say?" Jake asked Leah, genuinely curious.

"He said t-"

"I said shoot my pancake," I quickly lied, flashing a grin at Jake.

"Pancakes will be ready in tres minutos," Lucy announced, saving me from any further awkward moments.

"How long is th-" Jake started asking.

"Three minutes, you idiot. Uno, dos, tres... tres minutos," I retorted, playfully rolling my eyes before deciding to escape to the backyard. I lit a cigarette, seeking a moment of calm amidst the amusing chaos.

As I took a deep breath, I couldn't help but smile at the quirky dynamics of Leah's household.

As I needed to reach out to Naomi, the realization dawned on me that it was high time to replace my phone. The urgency to assure her of my well-being and remove any worry she might have felt after my call with Leah put me in a bit of a predicament.

Stubbing out my cigarette, I nonchalantly reentered the house where Jake greeted me with an eye roll. My smirk only widened as I greeted him with a playful "Hola mi amor," playfully teasing him. However, Leah swiftly intervened, reminding me not to be a "dick."

Apologizing, I extended my hand to Jake in a friendly gesture. After a brief exchange, Leah inquired about my smoking habit, to which I admitted its bad nature but reassured her that I was trying to quit.

As we conversed, Leah's phone buzzed, and she excused herself to answer it. I knew it was my chance to reach Naomi, so I asked Lucy for privacy. Once outside, I sat on a bench in the backyard and finally got hold of Naomi on the phone.

A smile crept onto my face as we started talking, and I playfully teased her about not calling her the previous night. Our banter turned to Spanish, as she proudly shared the phrase "Loco por ti" she had learned. I couldn't resist correcting her gently, adding the missing "Estoy" to make it "Estoy loco por ti." The connection between us grew stronger as we shared this playful moment.

Naomi playfully asked if I was proud of her, to which I responded with a sly "di eso de nuevo," urging her to repeat it. She happily obliged, saying "Mi amour," which made my heart flutter. I promised to teach her more Spanish, and she assured me she'd be studying diligently.

Amidst the joyful conversation, Naomi inquired about my return. I informed her that Leah and her mom would be staying at my place, leading to some entertaining antics with my mom pretending to like me. We then discussed whether Leah and her mom knew about Mia, and just as I was about to reveal the answer, I felt a playful slap on my neck from Leah, who playfully reprimanded me for swearing.

After the minor interruption, we all returned to the table to eat pancakes. Lucy, ever the curious one, asked about Naomi, to which I candidly replied, "tu amante." A knowing smile graced my lips as I savored the delicious breakfast, grateful for the connections and love in my life.

-

Leah bid farewell to her boyfriend as we headed to my house, and to my surprise, I discovered that she had been attending the same school as me for a whole year. How could I have not noticed her before?

Upon entering, I spotted Naomi in the kitchen, engrossed in conversation with my mom and hers. I exchanged warm greetings with Stephanie, my mom, before she insisted that we three young ladies go upstairs.

Ascending the stairs with Naomi and Leah, memories of the past resurfaced when Leah mentioned the lollipop ring I had given Naomi. The laughter that followed brought a smile to my face as I lay my head on the pillow.

Then, Leah playfully suggested doing my makeup, to which I vehemently protested, shaking my head in refusal. Despite their efforts to persuade me, I stood firm in my "joder no, joder no, joder no" reply. Of course, my Spanish expletives were promptly translated by Leah for Naomi's benefit.

My sister, Mia, unexpectedly walked into the room, and I jokingly asked if I needed to repeat my refusal in Spanish. Mia, ever the witty one, retorted with a sassy "Uf eres aburrido", which earned chuckles from Leah and Naomi. Despite defending my fun side, the consensus seemed to be that they would attempt the makeup later that night, but not at that moment.

Amidst the teasing banter, Mia and Leah decided to retreat to Mia's supposedly "better room," leaving me to my rest. They wished to "diviértete estoy durmiendo", a playful remark to which I responded with laughter.

As the room emptied, I succumbed to the call of sleep, savoring the camaraderie and lively exchanges that made our time together not just memorable but also brimming with laughter and warmth...