All of Me

i. sunflower

Colored markers squeaked to the beat as a young boy drew home-made street art name-tags at a desk, headphones on, singing along to a song he's too young for, but he doesn't quite know the words yet. "Needless to say I mm-mm– check! Mmm, hmm- buh! Nuh-nevetheless! Callin' it quits now, baby I'm a wreck—"

"Miles! Miles, time for school!" A voice from outside his room, but it fell on deaf ears.

"---Oooh! Ooh~ "

"Miles! Miles!"

"She wanna drive me—"

"MILES!"

"Yeah?!" He yelped as he whipped off his headphones, clearing his throat. "Yeah?"

"Are you finished packing for school?" His father asked from the other side of the door.

Miles looked over his shoulder at the empty suitcase on his bed. He had not packed a single item, and he had been avoiding doing so like the plague. "Yeah! Just ironing my last shirt!" he lied. He began to frantically throw clothes and books into his suitcase, not bothering to fold or organize them.

"¡Vamo chacho!" His mother exclaimed from the living room.

"C'mon, you a grown man now! Let's show these teachers that. Let's go!"

"Miles—!"

He threw on his blue uniform jacket, loosening the collar. He carried his unopened backpack in his front and marched out of his room, the door flying open, and into the living room where his parents were also getting ready for the day. "Where's my laptop—?"

"¿Donde le dejaste?" His mom walked by him.

"¡Yo no se!" Miles replied just as frantically as he scoured the shelves nearby.

Jeff's booming voice took over, "If you want me to drive you we gotta go now—"

"--No, Dad, no no no. I'll walk–!" Miles tried to edge away, turning over the sofa's cushions in search of his laptop. He climbed over the couch and onto the kitchen, to which he almost bumped his mother drinking coffee. "It's okay—"

"Ay maria, este nene me tiene loca!"

Miles opened the covered food on the table and grabbed a spoonful of his breakfast. His mom and dad frantically crossed behind him.

"Miles, gotta go!" Rio was getting impatient. She didn't want her son to be late on the first day of his new school.

Said boy got his mouth burnt from the heat. "In a minute!" He replied as he chewed.

"Gotta go-ohh~!" She then retaliated in a sing-song tune. Jeff got behind Miles and packed the laptop he found on one of the tables inside of his bag.

"In a minute!"

Miles made a mad dash out of the kitchen, tugging on his luggage as he finished his last bites of food. He quickly put on his shoes and headed out the door. As he stepped onto the stoop in front of their apartment, his mother called out to him. "Miles, wait!"

Before Miles could utter another word, his mother enveloped him in a tight embrace, smothering him with kisses. The boy rolled his eyes, unsure whether he loved or hated the affection. "Mom, I gotta go," he said.

Rio cheerfully replied, "In a minute!" as she continued to kiss his cheeks. She eventually stopped and closed his backpack. "Now, don't forget to say hi to Y/n for me. You're meeting her at the front of the school, ¿verdad?"

"Si, mami." Miles rolled his bag down the steps. He adjusted the straps of his bag behind him and began walking away.

Rio crossed her arms as she called out, "Papá! Llamame! See you Friday!"