I am his

56

As hunger gnawed at my stomach, Leah flashed a warm smile, inviting me to join her for dinner. But before I could indulge in the delicious meal, there was something I needed to ask her.

"Qué," she inquired as I looked at her intently.

"Can I stay the night? My mom kicked me out of the house," I explained, trying to maintain a lighthearted demeanor despite the difficult situation.

"Sí, I won't ask why. You're annoying; who can blame the woman?" Leah quipped with a grin, and together, we headed downstairs.

As we entered the dining area, I saw her mom, Lucy, putting food on the plates. Lucy's command in Spanish brought back memories of my mother's language, and I willingly set the table with a smile.

"Still have a sense of humor," Lucy chuckled as I playfully assisted with the table setup.

"Mhmm," I laughed, appreciating the banter we shared.

We dug into the pasta meal, and I couldn't help but chuckle as Leah spilled pasta sauce down her shirt.

"Still clumsy," I teased good-naturedly.

"Cállate," Leah retorted, prompting her mom to intervene.

"Hey Leah, detente," Lucy said, advising her to stop.

"Escucha a tu madre, Leah," I added with a laugh, encouraging her to listen to her mom.

"Te mataré, chico," Leah playfully threatened, pointing her knife in my direction.

"Okay, okay, I was just joking," I reassured her, smiling at our light-hearted exchange.

After dinner, Leah and I cleared the table and retreated to her room. Eager to learn more about my love interest, Leah prodded me to spill the beans.

"So, tell me more about this girl. You said she was a hermosa chica," she inquired, raising her eyebrows playfully.

"Sí, una chica muy, muy hermosa," I confirmed with a smile, fully embracing the admiration I held for my girlfriend.

"Estás enamorado," she smirked, spotting the signs of love written all over my face.

"Sí," I laughed, not hesitating to admit, "I love her very much."

Curious about my language skills, Leah asked if Naomi knew about my fluency in Spanish.

"Yes, but I don't really like speaking Spanish with her. It only comes out when I'm angry... my mom stopped teaching me, so I had to teach myself," I explained, a hint of nostalgia in my voice.

"No wonder you sometimes mispronounce the words," Leah giggled, finding humor in my linguistic adventures.

"At least I know fluent English," I teased back, enjoying our camaraderie and the ease with which we shared old memories.

"I do know fluent English," Leah stated, smiling with confidence.

"De Verdad?" I smiled, pleasantly surprised by her revelation.

"Mhmm," she nodded, basking in her linguistic prowess.

"Can I use your phone?" I asked, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

"Where's yours?" she inquired, curious about my phone's whereabouts.

"Lo tiré," I shrugged, admitting that I had thrown it away.

"Idiota," she playfully rolled her eyes, handing me her phone in response. I took it gratefully, typing in Naomi's number and making the call.

"Hello, who's this?" Naomi's voice came through.

"Me, Kaden," I laughed, excited to hear her voice.

"Oh, did you get a new phone?" Naomi asked, showing her attentiveness.

"Dile a ella," Leah chimed in, encouraging me to share the news.

"No, I'm at a friend's house. Do you remember Leah from kindergarten?" I asked, unable to hide my happiness.

"Of course! Is she with you?" Naomi's voice carried the warmth of genuine affection.

"Mhmm, say hi," I said to Leah, enjoying the moment.

"Hey, Leah! I miss you. We should go shopping," Naomi suggested, her excitement evident.

"Yes, we should!" Leah laughed, already looking forward to the plan.

"Oh, Kaden, I've got to go. Zack needs help with making dinner, as usual," Naomi chuckled.

"Okay, bye," I replied, smiling at the thought of Naomi's cooking adventures.

"Bye! Tell Leah I said goodbye," Naomi instructed sweetly before ending the call.

"Aww, I miss her," Leah smiled, her heart touched by the affectionate exchange.

"I'm going to bed," I yawned, feeling the weariness of the day.

"Buenas noches," Leah bid me good night in Spanish.

"Buenas noches," I returned the greeting with a smile, heading to the other room across the hallway to rest.

As I lay in bed, I couldn't help but reflect on the day's events. It was amazing to reconnect with Leah after so long and to witness the playful banter between her and Naomi. The bond we shared since our kindergarten days felt just as strong...