Circle of life

"Honey, how was your day?" Elizabeth asks, tilting her head to the side a little, smiling sweetly when Juan entered the kitchen, his hands buried in his pocket, a small tittle smirk on his lips. "Not as bad as you thought it would be, right?" her eyes hopeful as she gazes at him.

Juan paid no mind to her concern as he opened the fridge and plop out a bottle of soda before gulping it down, ignoring her presence completely. he lapped his bottom lip with his tongue and then he let his eyes fall close as he throws his head back, letting out a sigh of relief.

"You're not giving me a silent treatment, are you?" She asks, her hands ceased from scrubbing the dishes as she takes a moment to glance at him. eyebrows furrowing and lips pursed together when a frown adorned her face.

Juan rolled his eyes and brushed back the hair strands hanging down his forehead, "What if I am?" he retorted, putting back the soda bottle on the fridge before closing the door carefully, even though he had this urge to bang it close to irritate his mom more, he refused to do so.

"Ow, don't be like that~" her soft bottom lip pulled down to a pout. abandoning the dishes on the sink, she walks to him, scoping him in her arms from behind. pressing her plumb cheeks on his shoulder, hugging him close.

"Ewwwww, don't touch me with that wet hands of yours—oh—mom, nooo!" Juan whined when she cradled his face in her arms and turn it to the side so she could smooch his cheeks.

He slipped out of her arms, scowling when she said "now my baby go and wash up, you're stinking." while scrunching her nose in distaste.

"for your information, I'm not stinky. you're just dramatic," he said with a huff.

She laughed out loud by throwing her head back while she watched him stomping out of the kitchen door, mumbling to himself with a big frown on his face before sniffing his armpit to check if he is actually reeking as his mom said.

"I had made your favorite strawberry smoothie. if you leave the shower in 10 minutes, I'll give you an extra." she yelled from the kitchen, chuckling when she heard him yelling back: "I DON'T WANT YOUR EXTRA!"

««««

"Yeah, that's exactly what happened!" Juan said on the phone, he could hear Caleb's loud laughter dying down on the other side as he rolled around in his bed, messing with the warm blankets.

His gaze drifted outside when he heard a ticking sound on the window, it was pouring, again, the sky getting darker and darker as the time passed by. he let out a breathy sigh, "I don't know how am I going to look at him, anymore " he pursed his lips together and throws his head back to his soft pillow.

"Hey! it's nothing actually. As he said, it's not like you slapped on his face or anything, you were just admiring his mole, no?" Caleb mocked, stifling his laughter and Juan can literally picture that face of his in his head.

"Fuck you!" He says tiredly, eyes dropping. "I don't wanna go to school tomorrow, it's so fucking tiring. I couldn't bear to sit in the maths class anymore."

"Me either. but I have a boyfriend there, you know? it doesn't matter how awful the classes are, when I see his gorgeous face, everything disappears. I could only see him, feel him, and everything will be a blur as he shine like a star. my star. it'll be only him and I"

"Eww! shut the fuck up, you lover boy. how can you be this cheesy?" Juan asked with a tiny giggle.

"OK! I'm hanging up!"

"go ahead, I'm really sleepy to hear your poems about your lover, I can barely open my eyes, you know?" Juan yawned so loudly which got Caleb chuckling softly. without so much as a goodbye sentiment, they ended the call.

He didn't realize he had fallen asleep until he tiredly blinked his eyes open upon hearing anna's irritated voice.

"Juan, wake up!"

"mhh" he grunted.

"Fucker, get up already!" her tone getting annoyed.

"nooo," his voice muffled on the pillow as he groans, shoving her hands away when she started shaking him furiously. "Juan, don't push my limits, I'm gonna fucking smack your tiny head, I swear to God!" she warned through her greeted teeth.

"what do you want?" he whined, blinking his eyes open once again as he looked up at her through the messy strands of hair hanging down his eyes.

"Mom and dad are waiting for you downstairs, have any intention to have dinner tonight?" she huffed, pushing one of her braids behind her shoulder as she gripped her hips with her left hand, lips forming a thin line as she hold his gaze.

"I think I'm gonna pass," he says, voice hoarse from the sleep. he plopped on his stomach and pulled the blankets over his head only for Anna to pull it away completely, reaping a kick from Juan on her hand.

"ouch, fucker, I'm gonna kill you!" she tries to push him off the bed, and he almost fell. before he could attack her back they both stilled by hearing their mom yelling from downstairs. "Juan! Anna! come down already!"

"Coming mom!" Anna yelled back before pushing him towards the bathroom and saying: "go wash your face and come down shortly. don't make us wait anymore." before slipping outside the door.

the first splash of water on his face made him almost flinch away from the cold, he squeeze his eyes tightly. opening his eyes, he peered at his reflection in the mirror before him, hair sticking out everywhere, face all puffy from the sleep. he threaded his wet fingers through his messy hair, giving it a better shape before rushing downstairs.

"had a tiring day at school?" His dad asked, eyes soft as he gazed up at Juan.

"Yes, dad."

"it'll get better, boy."

"Yep, what's for dinner?"

"your mommy's special grilled chicken"

Juan's eyes sparkled at his dad's words. he plopped on the chair as he eyed the chicken in front of him. they ate the dinner heartily with little chatters. just their regular family time where Anna babbling about her college and how much she liked it there, their mom putting more food on each of their plates, Juan whining about his tiring classes and how he doesn't want to go to school tomorrow, his dad reassuring him that it'll be okay and all.

that night Juan fall asleep at the moment his head made contact with his pillow even though he take a great nap that afternoon.

«««

"Mom, I'm leaving" Juan yelled while throwing his backpack over his left shoulder as he rushed out of the front door, putting on his shoes hastily.

"Fucker, shop it, already!" He lets out. Caleb was honking the horn none stop till the moment he had stopped his car at the front gate of Juan's home. they have this habit of going to school together all the time.

"Hey to you too," Caleb says, a cute grin adorning his face, his honey orbs gleaming happily as his blonde hair hung down his eyes. the morning sun gleamed through the downed widow of his car making him glow. handsome as ever.

"What are you so excited about?" Juan asked, fighting back the smile starting to thrive on his face while he get in the car and then he banged the car door shut as he made himself comfortable in the passenger seat.

"I can finally see my boyfriend today!" Caleb replied as he let his hands fall right on his heart dramatically which earn him a smack on his shoulder from Juan.

"I thought you were excited to see me, I told you how much I missed you last day, and look at you. you've been always like this Caleb Zucker. I'm hurt." Caleb chuckled, shaking his head. his left hand reaching out to ruffle Juan's hair.

"Get your hands off my hair!" Juan shoved his hands away with a frown, but Caleb didn't stop with that. he throws his whole upper body on Juan, hands wrapping around his shoulder tightly, face buried in the crook of his neck, he mumbled "You know how much I love you."

Juan can't fight back the smile blooming on his face, his hands flew to Caleb's sides, hugging him back lovingly. "Well, you're lucky that I love you too" he mumbled on Caleb's hair forcing out a soft chuckle from his pink lips. and then Caleb pulls out, still smiling, his nose crunching cutely. "Ok, then, let's go, can't wait to see my boyfriend!" he says as he started the engine and speeds through the neighborhood...