Boys always had weird awakenings with them. Think of it like in Monday mornings of schools, a flag ceremony would always be in place. Waking up as a male was embarrassing because you and your little brother wake up at the same time, or sometimes, it was the younger one before the older.
Caden had just woken up from his sleep. He was sweaty. The air inside the room was hot, but he also felt something else that warmed him like a blanket. Oliver's arms and legs were wrapped around him like a scarf. His shorts weren't thick, it was hot in the Philippines, so pajamas are made of especially thin fabric. Caden could feel something poking at his waist. He couldn't move. It was really awkward, but he was the first one to wake up.
Caden tried to lift the other boy's thigh, but he just kept hugging tighter. He was getting impatient. The hot temperatures plus the amount of sweat he's drenched in was ticking him off. Caden mustered all his strength and removed the boy's tendrils from his body.
Oliver tossed around, hugging Jake instead. Caden laughed at the sight. He couldn't sleep without hugging anything. Caden went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash up. He sat at the balcony, still thinking about the heart-to-heart he had with Tyrone.
"Dad is trying his best. I think I'm being unfair to him" he thought to himself. It wasn't his father's fault that he had to move out of the country to get a job that pays well. If it weren't for that sacrifice, Caden wouldn't even have his own room.
These thoughts were running around in Caden's head when they were suddenly stopped by footsteps walking up the spiral staircase. It was Aunt Alice. She was holding a cup of coffee and a cigarette.
"Oh. Good morning Caden. I didn't realize you had woken this early. I should've brought another cup." She greeted the boy.
"Good morning, ma'am." He greeted back. "The other boys are still asleep. They practically passed out last night." He added.
"Do you drink, Caden?" Alice asked him.
"Not really. It was my first time, actually." He replied.
"Sorry. It was Tyrone's idea. He loves drinking with his cousins but he might've gotten bored with them so he tried it with you. Don't tell your mom I gave you alcohol, okay?" She whispered to him.
"You have my word, ma'am." Caden replied.
Alice sat beside the young boy. She put the cigarette in her mouth and cupped her hand around it, blocking the wind while trying to light it. She took a puff, then sipped her coffee.
"Do your parents smoke, Caden?" Alice asked.
"Only my mom." the boy replied.
"Do you know why I smoke?" Alice followed.
"Yes. Grandpa Carl told us the whole story." Caden replied.
"Wow. I can't believe my dad beat me to it. He's always like that, you know. He loves telling the world how sh*tty my first boyfriend was."
"But how does smoking help with the pain?" Caden asked.
"Well, my head lightens when I smoke. I cough, sure, but my mind is happy, albeit temporarily." She answered. "I throw every care I have of the world into the wind when I smoke. That's the best way I can describe it to you." she added.
Louise also smoked a lot at home. She would come to the yard and waste her breath away on the bitter smoke. Her breath had a distinct aroma to them, that no amount of washing could mask. Her fingers were scented with burned grass, and her clothes always had a hint of smoke to them. What problems could she possibly be wanting to forget that she had to kiss the little white cigarettes she would always carry?
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Those Damn Dimples (BL)
RomantizmA lot of Caden's later years were spent with the absence of his father, a man whom he had always wanted to feel by his side. He longed for his father, to feel safe in his arms when he's in peril. The man was always abroad, working. Caden had conside...
