It Starts Here / 𝗯𝘅𝗯 (✓)

3: Change and more change

CHAPTER THREE
Ten years old

Two months after Ares celebrates Felix's tenth birthday with their classmates and his parents, Felix's mother leaves.

If Felix suspects anything, he doesn't tell Ares and Ares isn't good enough to read it off him. Even when ten minutes has passed after the school day ends and they both know that she should've arrived by now, Felix doesn't look worried. He even tells Ares to go. His mother might be waiting for him and Felix doesn't want him to be told off.

But what if she doesn't come? Ares wants to ask.

Instead of asking a question that might make ten-year-old Felix cry, Ares shakes his head. "Mama won't mind. I'll wait with you."

Felix sends him a smile and Ares thinks that he's secretly happy that Ares isn't leaving him.

He doesn't have his notebook on him, so Ares can't read him a story or write one to pass the time. They sit in silence. Ares doesn't know what to say. It's when Ares sees a bird and says, "See, a bird" and Felix simply hums that he notices the frown on his face. It's first then he sees how nervous Felix has become.

Ares doesn't like Felix's mother. She has made him cry enough times for him to hate her for it, so he secretly pities Felix for having to go home with her every day and not him and his own mother. But even though Ares doesn't like Felix's mother, he still feels anxious when she still doesn't show up like she always does. Like she said she would.

Ten-year-old Ares doesn't know this, but forty minutes pass before his own mother finally shows up. When Ares spots her, power-walking across the school yard, she looks angry.

"Ares Sanchez, why are you just sitting here! Do you know how long I've been waiting for you, mijo? I've been worried sick!" Her eyes dart over Ares until they find Felix who is sitting right beside him. Her angry frown turns into delicate features. "Felix? Why are you here? Go find your mama."

Felix looks away and Ares thinks his mother understands even before he offers her an explanation. "He's waiting for her," Ares says, chewing his bottom lip. "I was just waiting with him. Sorry, Mama."

When Felix raises his head and locks eyes with Ares' mother, Ares knows that something is going on that he doesn't fully understand yet, but that he soon will.

His mother sighs. "Come on, chicos." She gestures for them to stand and they both grab their school bags. "Felix, I'll drive you home, okay? Maybe she forgot."

It seems to have been the wrong thing to say. Ares watches Felix sink even further as if his mother had slapped him. 

Finally, he nods, forcing out a "thank you" that doesn't sound thankful at all, but Ares guesses that's all they can ask from him now. His mother seems to come to the same conclusion as she ushers the two boys towards her, putting her arms around their shoulders before leading them back to her car.

They arrive at Ares' house in no time and when they do, his mother asks Ares to go inside. She'll walk Felix home on her own today. For a moment, he is scared that his mother will blame Felix for having to wait on Ares—he can see the dissatisfaction on her face when she puts an arm around Felix—but soon, she glances at Felix with sad eyes and Ares understands that it's not Felix who she is angry with. 

Ares doesn't beg for more time with his friend and instead nods before waving goodbye. Felix waves back.

Ares watches out the kitchen window and now, he doesn't have to stand on his tiptoes to do so. He watches as his mother knocks on the front door of Felix's house. Ares is holding his breath. Maybe Felix is, too. They all three wait for the door to open. It doesn't.