No More Wasting Time

Chapter 30

Caden's POV:

It's been about two weeks. Two long and scary weeks. I've been scared that I'd accidentally make a wrong move or something but I'm fine. We're fine. I think.

"You've been staring at that cereal for five minutes. It's soggy now," Diego said and scrunched up his nose in disgust at my soggy cereal. "Soggy cereal is the worst. Finish my pancakes instead."

"Does Max talk about me?"

He gave me that look that told me he wasn't going to tell me anything and I shouldn't bother asking. I was quite familiar to that look since he's given me it everyday for the last two weeks. It was still worth a try. I was scared! Max seems happier and we've had a few more serious conversations regarding the topic of 'us'. I was still cautious though.

"Max said that he was going to be more honest with you. If he doesn't like something then he'll let you know."

I groaned out loud and he rolled his eyes with a smile. Diego and I have began to talk more frequently now and we've even walked to school together one morning because Max couldn't pick us up and Hector was with Max so he couldn't either. Plus, three people can't fit on a bike. Hector and I still don't talk much but we're friendly, mostly for Max and Diego. It was more of us talking if we needed to but if we didn't then we just wouldn't.

"Mom said she wanted to have family dinner since it's Friday and we have plans for the weekend."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, and your dad's been wanting to spend time with us too. Since everyone is talking with everyone now, they want more 'family time'."

"So when is Max and Hector getting here then?"

"I don't think you understand," he said and put the dishes away. "No boyfriends allowed."

"What? What do you mean?"

"You heard me," he said and walked out the kitchen. "Start getting ready for school!"

I rolled my eyes and grumpily ate a piece of the leftover pancakes before tossing the rest in the trash and putting the plate away. Diego played the annoying brother role pretty well but deep down I knew I preferred it this way a lot more than how it was before. Even his mother is a little more open with me now. It was weird but it felt refreshing in a way. It was hard to explain and if I thought about the idea of family too much I noticed a small smile slip onto my face and that was a big no-no, especially around people.

"Didn't I say to start getting ready? You're the one that takes forever in the bathroom!"

"Okay okay, I'm going!" I yelled back and hurried to my room to get changed. 

I was ready five minutes after Diego and he was patiently waiting in the living room. He was on the phone with Hector and I knew it was Hector because his face was as red as a tomato. It was disturbing to know that I'm sexually active with his best friend and I see him as a brother now so it was also disturbing to know that he might be sexually active. He tried asking for my advice at one point during last week and I ended the conversation before it really even began. He knew I was active before Max but now it's embarrassing because now it is Max, his best friend and Max is beyond comfortable with Diego so I don't know if he's telling him shit or not. Then again, Max was very clear that our business is our business and their business is their business.

"They're here!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," I mumbled and shook my head when he ran out and left me to lock the door.

He ran straight into Hector's open arms and was grinning from ear to ear. Max stayed inside the truck but still gave me a smile. Our relationship was quite different from Hector's and Diego's. They were more touchy in public while Max and I liked to keep it under wraps. No one was hiding but we just agreed to keep it on the down low. Though it's safe to say that the whole school knows that we are in a relationship. No one has spoken crap about it, I've made sure of it.