"Yo, (Y/n), you have no idea how looong we waited for you. I'm sorry we left earlier, I couldn't take it anymore."
Was what Camilo intended to say, forgetting he had stuffed his mouth with snacks just a minute ago. What you heard was more muffled and incomprehensible words.
"Yahanodiawlungouieitdoryoo. Amsryilftrler, ashoodttakieyore."
"That's an interesting point, Camilo." You set your bag next to your chair before sitting at the kitchen table. "Meet Luca. You can sit next to me." You turn to your friend who timidly smiles at your cousin (who was gracefully trying hard not to choke on his food) and takes place next to you.
Carlos quickly snatches the last snack left on the table and runs upstairs, where you hear his door open and slam behind him. He must have missed loneliness.
"Hey, who's that ?" Mirabel slaps Camilo's back, somehow managing to make him swallow the entirety of the food he stuffed in his mouth, and sits next to him, before pushing a full glass of orange juice towards you. She hesitates giving Luca her own for a second.
"My friend Luca. You guys can talk while I bring us some more snacks- not for you, Camilo." You kill any hope your cousin may have had and go on a noble quest to find some food left that he and Mirabel didn't already devour.
There's a slight silence before one of them speaks.
"Nice to meet you." Luca simply says, and that's enough for Mirabel to explode.
"Are you going out with my sister ?!" She blurts out, all smiles.
You freeze at her sudden question, almost dropping the glass you were getting for Luca. His response, however, makes you snort discreetly and go on with your task.
"No, we were planning to do homework together. So I think we'll stay inside, even though the weather's lovely."
Mirabel opens her mouth, puzzled, trying to find her words.
"I meant... Are you and (Y/n), you know, together ?"
You carefully set the glass in front of Luca, as well as some leftover snacks you found. The both of you exchange fakely confused gazes.
"Yeah, I mean that's pretty obvious. We are all together, in this room, right now." He shrugs, stating the facts.
You nod matter-of-factly as Mirabel watches the both of you with worried eyes. Next to her, Camilo, who was watching the whole exchange with curious eyes, can't help but giggle at her desperation.
"Thanks for the snacks, (Y/n)." Luca smiles warmly.
Him, Mirabel and Camilo talk and get to know each other while you silently observe them, making sure everything goes smoothly. It was the first time you had brought a friend home, hence Mirabel's excitement and... Weird questions.
She was convinced you had friends at school, so the one you actually allowed in your home should have been very special to you.
You also learn some things about Luca. He was an only child, he liked to read, his favorite food was anything that involved chocolate -Camilo asked that question-.
"Well, guys, we still need to do the homework." You say after you realize they had talked for about twenty minutes. Camilo pouts when Mirabel makes him stand up by pulling his collar, but beams when an idea seems to hit him.
"Hey, you know what ? We were planning to go swimming this weekend, wanna come along ?" He proposes, and Mirabel nudges him. Maybe he should have let you decide whether to ask him or not.
Luca looks at you with questioning and slightly hopeful eyes. You silently question him as well -did he really want to come ?- and he nods a little bit, so you shrug.
"Yeah, why not ? We know a spot." You say with a proud smile, and Mirabel and Camilo grin.
"Alright, then !" Your younger sister beams. "See you on Saturday !"
"Or Sunday." You argue. You were often all busy with your tasks on Saturdays, so Sundays were usually your day-off.
"Or both !" Camilo exclaims, throwing his arms up in the air excitedly, before him and Mirabel exit the room and everything turns silent.
"Well, see, they're actually nice." You chuckle as Luca looks at you with a wide smile.
"They're really cool." He nods. "Not as much as you, though."
"Duh. I'm the coolest of them all. Now, onto math homework."
___
"I feel bad, really." You whine as Luca yet again answers another question you couldn't even read without having a seizure. "I suck at math."
"It's okay, this is fun to me. I like to see you struggle." He winks at you, and you act hurt.
"Ouch. Need I remind you I kindly invited you to my home and fed you ?"
"Need I remind you I'm actually doing all of our homework by myself right now ?"
He holds your gaze for a few seconds before scoffing and shyly looking down at the problem he was working on.
"Yeah, you're right." You still humbly admit you're wrong. "I wish I could help... Hold up !"
"What ? What !" He flinches at your exclamation. You get closer to the sheet of paper as you read the difficult equations he just solved.
"I think... You forgot a step here." You hesitantly point to a certain line where things didn't seem right to you. Luca examines it for a while before gasping.
"Oh my god, you're right ! You're actually right !"
"I'm a genius." You state.
"You are."
"See ? See ? I can help. I'm actually of use." You puff out your chest proudly.
"Of course you're of use." He says to add to your joke, but somehow you manage to make it seem serious, and, for a second, you don't feel useless.
For a second.
"(Y/n) ! What all this noise ?" Your grandmother's voice suddenly sounds from the courtyard, and you freeze. Her and Isabela must be back from their daily walk around town, offering their help to everyone in need.
"Its, uh, well-" You panic under Luca's confused gaze.
"Well, well," She mocks you. "stop stuttering. What are you doing again ?"
She passes the kitchen's door frame, before freezing, a surprised expression taking over her previously severe one. Behind her, Isabela widens her eyes at the sight of you and Luca.
"I, I invited a friend over to do homework." You smile miserably, and you catch a glimpse of anger I'm her eyes -probably because she was caught scolding you- before she starts speaking calmly.
"Oh. Welcome to our home, young man... I think I recognize you. You're the Suarez son, aren't you ?" Abuela smiles.
It takes Luca a second to take in your grandmother's sudden change of attitude, but he manages not to sound too weird.
"Indeed, señora. It's an honor to meet you."
Alma giggles softly. "Ah, you have the same eyes as your mamá. Give her my greetings when you see her."
"Sure will, señora."
There's an awkward silence during which she looks at the table, trying to see what you were doing. "Oh, math homework !" She chuckles. "Then (Y/n) must not be of much help. You didn't invite the poor boy in order to copy the answers, right ? (Y/n) ?"
"No, that wasn't-" You try to laugh it off, but Luca cuts you.
"Actually, (Y/n) had just pointed out an error in my part of the exercise. She saved us lots of time."
Alma seems genuinely taken aback by Luca's slightly sharp answer, and she looks at you in surprise. "Really... Well, that's... Great. Were you finished yet ?"
Clearly she was uncomfortable. You stare at the almost finished homework before you, then at your grandmother's insistent eyes.
"Yes, I was about to leave. Thank you for helping me, (Y/n)." Luca turns to you and gives you a discreet wink.
"I'll show you the way out." You propose as he hastily puts his things back in his bag. "Even though I'm sure you know it already."
"Don't overestimate my sense of orientation. I'd get lost in my own house."
You laugh nervously as your Abuela watches you exit the room. As soon as you're out of sight, Luca sighs in relief.
"Wow, eh, your grandmother's..."
"Yeah..."
"She's so hot."
You don't manage to contain your laugh, and playfully hit his shoulder as he snickers at your bewildered expression.
"Stop !" You smile, and he apologizes.
"But, seriously... That was so tense, and for what ?" He whispers as you reach the front door.
"She was probably caught off guard. I never bring anyone home."
He smirks seductively, making you roll your eyes. "Geez, cool down. You're not special."
He hums, shaking his head to disagree. "I think I am pretty special. I'm your first friend, that's one. I'm also the best at math..."
"Don't start making a list, you'd get upset at how short it is."
He dramatically puts his hands over his heart as if he had been shot. You sigh.
"But I guess you're quite special, indeed. Thank you for today." You soften up, and he seems touched for a second, before a smirk makes its way to his face again.
"You're welcome, little lady. Many more to come !" He salutes as Casita opens its door for him, and you shake your head in exasperation.
"I can't wait for tomorrow !" You exclaim sarcastically as he walks away, and he holds his fist high up in the air, choosing to totally ignore your irony. You sigh.
But part of you really was impatient for the next day to begin. For another day at school with your new friend. It was the first time in years you were happy to go to school in the morning. You smiled to yourself.
When you turn around, you're met with Isabela, staring at you with unreadable eyes.
You hadn't really talked ever since your dispute in the forest. You were still angry at her for some things she had said, and she was far too proud to make the first move. You both perfectly knew that.
And now, you had found a friend. Meaning things had changed for you. You had started to fight back. Something Isabela couldn't do in her situation. She wasn't able to break free from Abuela's expectations.
You weren't the coward anymore. She was.
You both perfectly knew that, too.
___
words : 1717
note : hey! are you guys enjoying the story? what do you think about the flashback as well? I thought of adding some so that we can know more about (Y/n)'s childhood.
hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading!