No More Wasting Time

Chapter 17

"Diego! Sweetie! It's time to get up! You'll be late! Max is already parking outside!"

"Shoot," I mumbled and slowly sat up, yawning and rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "What time is it?"

With another yawn, I stood up and stretched my body, sighing in content as I felt the muscles in my body go tense for a second then relax. For a second I didn't even remember getting home last night. I knew we got home late but what time exactly I couldn't remember. I threw on the first clean pair of clothes that I found and only ran a hand through my hair, brushing my teeth and putting on my shoes after. By the time I got downstairs everyone was already eating. Even Caden was present, eating a bowl of cereal and glancing up at everyone every now and then, more specifically, at Max. Hector was having a polite discussion with Daniel while Max and my mother had their own conversation about food.

"Hey, Sweetie! For a second there I thought I needed to go up there and drag you out of bed. You okay?"

"Yeah, just tired," I mumbled and sat down between Max and Hector.

Max passed me a box of donuts and I got a simple chocolate one, biting into the donut immediately after picking it up. Hector chuckled and gave me a couple of napkins, turning back to Daniel and discussing something regarding the gym after. Max was still focused on my mother but his eyes followed Caden the moment he silently got up, put his dish in the sink, excused himself, and walked back to his room. He looked like he wanted to get up and talk to him but my mother, who was oblivious to it all, wouldn't stop the conversation. Max was too polite to stop it and while I felt like I should intervene, it was also funny seeing Max desperately wanting to go.

"Mom, did you hear the news?"

Both my mother and Max turned towards me waiting to hear the news. If I was being honest, I spoke up before thinking of anything. I was still half asleep so this plan wasn't thought out correctly. Max saw right away that I didn't have anything to say but I tried not to make it obvious that I knew what he wanted was to follow Caden. He still hasn't told me anything himself so I wasn't going to push it.

"Hear what, sweetie?"

"He's going to join me at the gym after school in exchange for help on a project," Hector suddenly spoke up.

"Oh really? That's great! You should get out of the house more often. It'll be good for you."

"I agree! What better way than to take out your frustration at the gym?" Daniel stated with a nod of his head.

"Well anyways, we should hurry up. We are going to be late if we don't leave soon. I need to go get my backpack."

"Alright, I'm going to the store and Daniel needs to work so lock the door when you leave."

Hector helped me put the stuff away and we said our goodbyes, Max excusing himself to go to the restroom. We went up to my room, Hector mentioning a new book that he began about a kidnapping. Of course, I noticed that the bathroom door was open on the way to my room but Hector didn't seem to notice. We entered my room and Hector sat on the bed, describing his favorite part of the book so far. I was half paying attention because the other half of me was telling my mind to stop admiring how good Hector was looking today. His hair was gelled back today and he wore a black button up shirt, white undershirt, dark blue jeans, and converse to finish off his look.

"Diego?"

"Hm?"

"You okay? Do I have a stain on my shirt?" he asked and stood up, looking in a mirror I have in my room and running his hands down his shirt to smooth it out. "I don't see anything."

"No, sorry. You're fine. I was just thinking."

"About?" he asked, turning around and facing me, suddenly appearing closer than he was when he was looking in the mirror.

Get it together, Diego. He's a friend. You aren't ready for this.

"Um. . . its nothing."

"Are you okay?" 

He stepped a bit closer, looking down at me slightly as if he knew the affect he was having on me. He seemed to gain a bit of confidence, his hand reaching up and lightly moving my head up by my chin, our eyes meeting. I knew this was wrong, I knew I could be messing things up. But damn it, I wanted this affection. I got so used to Victor, I wanted it from Hector now. But I knew this seemed like I was using him, I couldn't do that to him.

"Diego," he whispered, leaning down so his lips were mere inches away from mine. 

I didn't expect him to want to. Hector was smart, he knew what I was thinking. He knew what he was to become if he did this. He knew everything. It was clear as day that he'd seem like a rebound. A simple rebound is what people are going to call him. People were going to call him out, ask him how dare he be with the pervert. I couldn't let Hector be victim to that and I expected him to not want to deal with that drama. He's always been a person who just went with the flow, a cool type of person. So, naturally, I was shocked when he whispered the next word.

"Please."

And I was, I was going to give in. I wanted to. I wanted to answer his pleads, to give in to him. But as if fate wanted it to not happen, Max banged on the bedroom door telling us it was time to go. I was the first to move, turning around in silence and grabbing my backpack. Hector was silent and unmoving but I was scared to say anything. I didn't want to make things worse and hurt him or embarrass him. So instead, I began to walk towards the door.

"Diego," he suddenly said, making me slowly turn around. "Forgive me."

"For wha-"

My back went into the door before I could finish my sentence, Hector's lips silencing me right away and my backpack abandoned on the floor. My arms went against my silent orders and pulled him closer, Hector's own strong arms lifting me up and holding me against the door, his body completely flushed against mine. His kiss was desperate but not harsh. It was somewhat sweet, nothing like Victor's. Hector's kiss made Victor's seem like he was hesitant all along since Hector went in all the way. His strong hands slightly squeezed my thigh, an embarrassing sound coming from my mouth against his lips before he slowly put me down and slowly pulled away. 

"I'm sorry," he said, slightly breathing heavily. "I didn't mean to kiss you without your consent."

I could only nod, my mind still foggy from the kiss. He seemed worried about my reaction but I was more worried with how much I loved it, how much I wanted more. I needed to stop the thoughts, I wasn't ready for a relationship. Though I was a teenage boy, I wanted more of it. I wanted to dive deeper than just a kiss or two. The farthest I've gone is making out but I wanted more. I couldn't use Hector like that though. I was thinking with my body, not my head.

Stop it, Diego! We aren't like this!

"We should go," Hector said and handed me my backpack. 

We walked out in silence, both of us not knowing what to do next. Max was by the door with Caden, both of them already arguing. After Max complained about how long we took we all walked out and went to the car after making sure the door was locked. We all got in the truck with Hector and I both in the back seat, Max driving, and Caden sitting in the passenger seat. The drive to school was filled with Max snapping at Caden each time he changed the song that was playing and Caden telling him to calm down. Hector was looking out the window and I was only able to glance at him every now and then. I was scared. I didn't know what this meant. I didn't know how we would behave towards each other now.

I just didn't know anything anymore.