𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐒 - 𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘻

3 | What Comes After

-mild language
-parental issues
-sexual innuendo

Chapter 3

"Good morning, sleepyheads," Esteban's warm voice cut through the quiet of the room. My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the window. Sean's dad stood in front of us, his dark brown hair slightly disheveled and his work shirt half-tucked into grease-stained jeans.
That man never stops working.

Sean, of course, was still out cold, leaning heavily against me, his head tucked into the crook of my neck. I rolled my eyes before offering Esteban a sleepy smile.
"Morning, Esteban."

He chuckled, glancing at his son. "You better wake him up, hija, or he's going to be late for school. I can't keep covering for him." There was a hint of concern in his tone, a reminder that this wasn't the first time.

From the kitchen, Daniel's voice echoed loudly, already demanding attention. "I'm coming, Daniel!" Esteban called back, then gave me a grin. "Good luck with this one." He nodded toward Sean and headed back to the kitchen.

I sighed, looking down at Sean still slumped against me. "Sean?" I called softly. No response. He looked way too peaceful to wake... almost too peaceful.

A mischievous grin spread across my face as I grabbed a pillow and tossed it at his head. Sean jolted awake, blinking in confusion. "What the hell?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes.

"Mr. 'I won't fall asleep' finally decided to join the living," I teased, folding my arms.

Sean groaned, running a hand through his messy hair. "Yeah, yeah... I'm up."

We stood and stretched, and Sean lazily tossed the pillow back at me. As we made our way to the kitchen, Daniel was already seated, eagerly waving at me like I'd been gone for years. "Hi, Zaira! Come sit next to me!" he called, practically vibrating with excitement.

I laughed and took the seat next to him. He immediately launched into a story about his dream last night, barely pausing for breath. Sean trudged in after me, heading straight for the coffee pot like it was his lifeline.

Esteban glanced over as we sat around the table, his expression more serious now. "How's everything at home, Zaira? You doing alright?" His voice was soft, genuine concern evident.

I smiled, nodding quickly. "Everything's fine, Esteban. Just the usual."

He studied me for a moment, his gaze lingering as if he was unconvinced, but he let it go. "Alright. You know you can always talk to me if anything comes up, hija."

Sean, sitting across from me, wrapped his hands around his coffee mug, glancing between me and his dad with a mix of amusement and irritation. "Dad, stop treating her like she's your third kid," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

Esteban chuckled softly, shaking his head, fondness clear. Meanwhile, Daniel devoured his breakfast, his eyes flicking toward me every few seconds, as if making sure I hadn't disappeared.

"You should come over more, Zaira," Daniel said through a mouthful of toast. "It's always fun when you're here."

I grinned. "If I come over any more, I might as well just move in."

"YES!" Daniel practically shouted, spraying crumbs across the table. Esteban handed him a napkin, looking mock exasperated.

Once breakfast was over, Sean and I headed to the bathroom to brush our teeth. By now, I had my own toothbrush here—basically a necessity, since I was over nearly every day. The space in the bathroom was tight; our shoulders bumped now and then, a casual intimacy that felt routine. But today, something was different. I glanced up at Sean in the mirror. He caught my eye, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips before he looked away.