. ⋆ ⭑✧*:･ﾟ
Cora was nervous. She wouldn't tell anyone, of course, but she was. It was a hot Friday day, and she had just woken up. Almost forgetting what day it was, she quickly hopped out of bed and into her favourite bathing suit, a red hot bikini set that had once belonged to Lola. On top, she decided on jean capris and an olive-coloured tee-shirt for until she got to the public pool.
She grabbed her brush from her desk and wandered into the kitchen, eventually settling on picking out a cold soda pop from the fridge. Cora walked around the house with a brush in one hand and a soda in the other, looking around for the older Alvarez girl herself.
She didn't bother calling out her name, only filling her mouth with the cool taste of cherries as she walked over to the bathroom next to Lola and Adam's room. The door was open, only closed a little and Cora saw shadows moving around as she approached. The sun was peaking through the window just right.
"Yes!" Lola and Adam whisper yelled as they shared a high five and hugged, Lola tucking her arms under his and wrapping them around his torso, Adam resting his chin on her head.
"What are you so happy about?" Cora peaked around the corner, looking the two up and down. The couple were still dressed in their pijamas, and Lola's hair was still in the low ponytail she'd put it in the night before, only it was now messier. Adam's hair was messy too but in that cute bedhead kind of way.
"We're not pregnant!" Lola grabbed the pregnancy stick from the sink, Cora totally missing it when she peered in. Immediately, Cora's face contoured into one of disgust and embarrassment as she tried walking away.
"C'mon, little E. You should be happy you're not becoming an aunt at such a young age," Adam smiled.
"Trust me, I'm thrilled," Cora fake smiled. "Can I go now?"
"Why were you looking for me, El?" Lola threw the pregnancy test into the trash can and dusted her hands off like they were dirty. "Oh, isn't today your date with Cesar?"
Cora sighed. "Yeah. I was wondering if you could help braid my hair?"
Lola clasped her hands together as Cora rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course!"
"Please don't make it such a big deal," Cora pleased as she walked to the living room.
"Make what a big deal?" Lola winked at Adam before walking through the kitchen loop, grabbing a wrapped cinnamon roll from the counter and meeting Cora in the living room. Lola plopped down on the couch, swallowing a bite of the food quickly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Cora sat on the floor in front of the couch, handing her the brush. "That's what I thought. Who made cinnamon rolls?"
"Me," Adam Deluca piped up. "While I was waiting for the amor de mi vida to finish peeing on a stick."
"I don't need to know the details."
Adam stood by the bathroom doorway with his arms crossed, laughing at the two girls. Lola looked up and shared a laugh with the boy before beginning to brush Cora's hair.
"If he tries anything today, Le," Adam warned, shaking his head.
"He won't," Cora argued, not even wanting to hear the end of his sentence. Normally, Lola was the one with threats, and she did have some for Cesar, but when it came to boys, Adam had a couple of brotherly threats of his own for them.
Adam nodded. "Right, that's what they all say."
Cora rolled her eyes. Lola gave Adam a stern look to which he raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Have fun, and don't forget to text me updates," Lola pulled Cora's hair tightly.
"Okay, I won't," Cora promised as Lola finished the first braid.
Soon enough, Cora was ready to go and walked herself to one of the many public pools in the Freeridge area and met Cesar outside. He'd worn a white tank top to go with his blue trunks, and my my my — Cesar Diaz looked good.
"I haven't seen you without makeup in a while," Cesar commented as Cora slipped her shirt over her head, ignoring whistles and catcalls being thrown in her direction. Cesar tried ignoring them too, clenching his jaw and only throwing a small glare to a guy nearby who'd whistled.
Cora shrugged. "I don't really wear much."
"With or without makeup," Cesar paused to slip off his shirt too. "You look good."
"Thanks," Cora smiled, proceeding to slip off her capris and flip flops and place them on a chair along with Cesar's stuff ( he'd brought the towels, insisting the princessa couldn't be bothered with carrying too much ). They'd placed their phones there too, abandoning their tech.
"I just, I just don't know if you look as good as me," Cesar started walking off, standing by the edge of the pool, waiting for Cora.
Cora raised her eyebrow and joined him. "Don't get cocky."
Cesar chuckled. "I'm not, it's just the truth. I seem to be the one causing this absurd heatwave," he dramatically fanned his face and Cora shook her head.
Cora sighed. "And I thought you were different."
"I am different," Cesar stepped forward to challenge her.
"Prove it," Cora smirked before simply pushing him into the pool, praying in the back of her mind that he was a good swimmer.
Cesar took a look of shock down under with him as he hit the water with a splash, making kids nearby flinch as they were sprayed. Cora watched happily as he surfaced, shaking his head and running a hand through his dark and wet hair.
"What was that for?" he called out.
"You were getting too cocky!" Cora laughed, jumping into the pool beside him. The water was kind of deep for her, but nothing she couldn't handle — as usual.
"Babe, can you swim?" Cesar's look of shock turned into one of worry as he swam in front of the dark-haired girl.
Cora nodded. "Yeah, of course. Did you think I invited you to swim with me if I couldn't swim?" she smirked, slightly clapping the water so it'd hit Cesar in the face.
"You're really asking for it today," Cesar quipped before he started a splash war, people nearby getting aggravated at the two teenagers taking turns using the water as a play toy to spray the other in the face. Every time Cora laughed, it brought a smile to Cesar's face.
"Okay, stop, I surrender!" Cora placed her hands up, but still clenched her eyes shut in fear Cesar would splash her again.
"You have to pick your battles wisely, princessa," Cesar slowly swam around her before stopping, just taking a moment to look the bare-faced girl over in the sunlight. "Don't go messing with something you can't handle."
"Bold of you to assume I can't," Cora swam closer to him, sending a wave of water his way, closing the space between them.
Cesar shook his head and chuckled, allowing the girl to wrap her legs around his torso. He rested his hands on her thighs and looked her in her eyes. "I really, really like you, Cora."
"I know."
⋆ ⋅ ☆
"Hey, my sister wanted me to invite you to her birthday party on Wednesday," Cora dried her hair with one of the two towels Cesar brought.
"Cool, I'll see if I can make it," Cesar took the towel from Cora, folding it as the two kept walking.
As Cesar promised, he was taking Cora to stop by Monse's house before she left for camp so she could apologize face to face. Imagine their confusion when the door opened to reveal Andres Hernandez, barefoot, with a coke in his hand.
"Hey Cora," Andres smiled at his best friend, then at the guy standing slightly behind her. "And Mr Cora."
"Hey Andres," Cora ignored his comment. "Where's Monse?" she asked.
"She's stressing about leaving," Andres rolled his eyes. He nodded his head to tell them to come inside, Cora following Andres and Cesar following Cora. "Monse! Cesar and Cora are here!"
"What's wrong?" Monse came rushing out of her room. Her hair was down and wet, meaning she just took a shower.
Cesar, Cora, and Andres all chuckled. "Nothing's wrong," Cora cleared. "I just wanted to make sure we were cool and then wish you the best on your camp trip."
"Oh," Monse said. "That's all?"
Cora nodded. "That's all."
Monse paused for a second. "Of course we're cool!"
Cora let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Thank God," she embraced Monse in a hug, but it was soon interrupted by two boys welcoming themselves in Monse's house through the front door.
"What's up, homes?" Ruby announced his presence as he was followed by the taller Jamal into the house. His attitude was slightly knocked when he noticed the girl standing between Andres and Cesar.
"I take it you're having a good day," Cora said, bringing Cesar and her to a chuckle.
"Hey, who wants to watch Mi Vida Loca?" Andres interrupted. The boy was staring at a shelf of movies on the wall. Monse stood behind him.
"Yeah, that's a good idea actually," she reached in for the movie and walked off with it, but not before sharing a smile with Andres first.
Soon enough the small gang was gathered in Monse's living room, Monse and Andres sitting next to each other with nothing but a pillow separating them ( Andres, of course, wasn't thinking about this as much as Monse definitely was ). Jamal and Ruby were situated comfortably, sharing a bowl of popcorn with Cora who was sitting on the floor with Ruby and Cesar. The Latina was placed in front of Cesar in between his legs perfectly, smiling when the boy sitting behind her would squeeze his legs gently every now and then for comfort.
All six kids were different in many ways. They all shared similar backgrounds and similar families, but one thing they wouldn't soon be prepared for was the space where Monse once occupied, where Cora worried she might be absentmindedly replaced by any girl Andres would start talking to. You know what they say.
Out of sight, out of mind.
⋆ ⋅ ☆
[ NOTE i feel like i should start
rushing this shit along! ]
CHAPTER FIVE
1,794 words
TRANSLATIONS
pijamas — pjs
amor de mi vida — love of my life
princessa — princess
PUBLISHED july 15, 2018
EDITED september 24, 2019