Finding Me

chapter two

I rewrote this. Sorry... hope u guys enjoy it though. :p
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Daniel wakes up to his curtains being pulled wide open. The bright, March morning sun, shining in his face. He groans knowing his mother is about to give him a lecture on punctuality and the importance of an education. He hopes that she does this lecture in English because when she speaks in Latin, her native tongue, her words were always much sharper.

He peaks an eye open to see his mother, Mrs. Estella Rio, standing near his room window, her smalls arms crossed, not appearing the slightest bit pleased. Daniel sighs shuffling on his side, to better look at his mother.

"Y'know the more sun I am exposed to; the more likely I can become blind. Too much sun and all. Plus I don't even have sunscreen on yet." Daniel says, a grin threatening to graze his rosy lips. "Just a little knowledge I learned from my great education."

"You think this funny Daniel?"

His mother makes her way towards the side of his bed, slapping him repeatedly on his thighs with her bed room slippers, spewing Latin words. After years of being disciplined by The Slipper, Daniel still couldn't understand how his mother was able to make such a swift transition of the slipper, from her foot to her hand. At a mere young age, he always thought his mother had some magical transporting ability, and till this day still he believes she does.

"Ma! I'm sorry." Daniel chokes out through bursts of laughter, holding up his arms as an act of defense from Mrs. Rio's swinging arms. Daniel couldn't help but laugh, despite his mother being serious.

After she had return to her natural, calming state, she brushes aside a highlighted curl behind her pointy ears, staring down at her son. "Hijo, when are you going to grow up and learn?"

"I know but today is different."

"You need to get up and ready for school. Nunc (now)," she says picking up a dirty sock and throwing it into the hamper as she exit the room, ultimately showing that the conversation was over.

"I know but I'm tired," Daniel mutters. Estella snaps her head towards Daniel, her green eyes glinting.

"Would you like to repeat yourself," she asks in her Ecuadorian accent, hands on her hips.

"I said you are absolutely right, mater(mother), " he says, standing out of his bed, stretching his bare, slim torso.

"So you're going to, not only back talk me but then, lie to my face. Daniel Manuel Fernando Rio is that anyway to treat the woman who brought you into this world?" Daniel stood back, eyes widening with shock. She only uses his full name when she was really frustrated with him, but he didn't expect his mother to be this, angry and annoyed. What's wrong with her today, he thought.

"Mom, I'm sorry for lying. I didn't mean to disrespect you in anyway," Daniel says in Latin, his arms open to embrace his mother. At first his mother let her body stay stiff, not reacting at his attempts of apologizing. Daniel took things for a joke the majority of the time. Daniel began doing little animal noises like he did when he was a baby, and she smiled, hugging him back.

"Now get ready," she commands, wagging a finger into Daniel's chest. "Unless you're walking to school today," she trails off as she exits the room. "So if you're not downstairs soon hijo, I'll have my answer." She finishes with an all knowing smile.

Daniel jumped into action as soon as his mother was down the steps, knowing well his mother would actually leave without him. He lived pretty close to the school but he didn't want to have to do much physical action to go to a place where he really didn't wanna be, anyways. It just made it easier for him to catch a ride with his mom, while she's made her way to work. He looked at the clock, it reading 7:55. Shit. I only have ten minutes, he thought.

He went over to the pile of clothes at the bottom of his closet, grabbing the first pair of sweatpants he felt; slipping them over his black, knee-length shorts, then pulling his purple Nike sweater. He went into the bathroom to his brush his teeth. He checked his face, seeing stubble along his soft jawline. He sucks his teeth, annoyed that he has to shave again even though the last time he shaved was just yesterday. He applied the shaving cream to the bottom half of his face, like his father showed him when he was fourteen and began growing facial hair.

His phone began ringing but he ignored it continuing his current task, bobbing his head to the ringtone. Before he brushed his teeth, he checked to see who it was, and saw it was from Alana, his co-worker; sighing, he locked his phone.

Alana was someone that's he's been causally hooking up with. It was all fun at the beginning but she was starting to become an annoyance for Daniel. She was beginning to text him much more often; never about hooking up or work - which is what their relationship is based on. She was starting to become a clinger and Daniel made it clear to her that she was nothing more than a hookup and a coworker.

Daniel is the type of guy who flirted with girls and joked around with, pretty much everyone. He was generally easy to get along with. He has been in a few long-term relationships, but momentarily he is just living life in the now. Not wanting to be held down by anyone, he has been familiarize with random hook ups here and there - with the girl's full knowledge that they shouldn't have any further expectations other than the physical. But Alana just can't seem to understand the concept. Daniel shook his head sighing, deep in thought in how to end their hook ups without losing his job.

He spat, and rinsed out his mouth and tooth brush, then placed it down in his toothbrush holder. Hastily, he splashed water on his face and dried his face with the towel behind the door. He jogged down the stairs, skipping every other step, praying his mom was still here. As he walked into the kitchen, his mom was just finishing her oatmeal. He began looking through the cupboards and pantry, his mind rattling around, on what to bring for lunch. These past few week he's been eating nothing but junk food and he was getting tired of it now.

"Madre, is there any cooked food in this house?" he pauses, before continuing, " Y'know. Nothing from a package."

"You're almost eighteen years old hijo," she states as she rinses her dishes, placing it in the dishwasher. "I'm sure you can google stuff like that." Daniel pursed his lip, strumming his finger against the cupboard, hoping the food would just miraculously make itself.

"Can you hire a cook," he asks, already imaging a young, hot blonde cooking for him in sexy lingerie. He smiled at the thought of it. Mrs. Rio paused, actually thinking about the suggestion.

"That does not sound like a bad idea. I'll look for one later. Maybe I'll ask Leti if she knows any." She walks over to her purse on the counter, grabbing her wallet, pulling out a 5o dollar bill. "For today, just buy MacDonnas."

Daniel snickered at his mom's mispronunciation, before correcting her once again; knowing well he'll probably have to correct her again in the future. "Madre, its Mic-Donald. Like the first syllable in Mickey Mouse" he takes the bill from his mom placing it in his wallet. "Wait, who's Leti?"

Mrs. Rio's eyebrow furrowed, her lips frowning with disappointment. "The lady who cleans on Wednesdays. You let her out the house on those days. Daniel you must be aware of those around you," she finishes, wagging the finger towards me.

"Oh."

"Its 8:10 Daniel. Find some breakfast and eat it quickly. I have to go," his mom said through rushed Latin words. She left the room with her bags and mug.

He went to the cupboard to look for a quick breakfast meal and then settled on some Corn POPS. He made his tea like he did every morning. He scarfed down the cereal; milk dripping down his chin to his shirt, which he quickly brushed off, then he rinsed it out and placed it in the dishwasher. He grabbed his mug off the island, along with his black and purple Jordan bag by the couch, following his mother out the door.