1 Beginning

Antonio shot up a cold sweat saturated his face. It was three-thirty nine and a cool Arizona morning. Antonio removed the covers from his legs and went through the hall down the stairs to the kitchen. He quietly opened the fridge and retrieved some strawberry cream cheese and a bagel.

He put the bagels into the toaster and then got a knife from the drawer. The bagel popped out a golden brown, he quickly placed it on a napkin to avoid burning his fingers and spread the cream cheese onto the bagel. He watched as the cream cheese slowly melted on the bagel. He put it to his face and he took a gigantic bite out of it. Dozens of crumbs fell from his face. As he quickly took another starved bite. The lights flickered on Antonio looked behind him and saw his mom. He turned around quickly chewing the rest of the bagel crumbs still falling from his face.

"What are you doing awake?" She said, her expression was half tired and half pissed.

Antonio had a thought-provoking look on his face. "Eating a bagel," Antonio said as the least smart-assed as he could, "I couldn't go to sleep" Antonio shrugged.

"Well don't make too much noise," his mom said coarsely.

He dashed upstairs to his room and retrieved his phone. He quickly scrolled through his messages and texted Tara. No reply, he quickly thought about texting Andrian but he probably wouldn't be up or anyone else for that matter. He went back up the stairs and turned on some music and drifted off to sleep.

Antonio once again awoke bagel crumbs still yet clinging to his peach fuzz of a mustache. His little sister walked into his room and attempted to smack his face. "What Tessa?" Antonio asked, already annoyed.

"Mommy wants you," she said and ran off giggling.

Antonio put on some sweatpants and a hoodie and headed through his door and down the stairs.

"Get your Abuelita," she said while preparing mounds of bacon.

His dad looked at him, winked at him and left. Antonio ran over to his Abuelita and tapped her on her shoulder. "Mamá wants you" Antonio whispered. "I'm up" she screamed, making Antonio's hair stand on end. "Yeah yeah Mamá wants you," Antonio said recollecting himself. He ruffled his dark brown hair and called up his cousin Andrian.

"Hey, Andrian I'm coming by, can you call the rest of our little group," Antonio asked nicely.

"Yeah I got to go it's breakfast," Antonio said, not giving Andrian a chance to say anything. Antonio ruffled his dark brown hair again and sat at the table. " Set the table mijo"

Antonio and his mom got up and got some plates and started to place them down at the table. His mom and Abuela passed the food around the table, a churro, and two pieces of bacon were placed on the plates.

"Hey, Mamá may I go by Andrian's house and by the park please," Antonio asked.

"Yes but, eat breakfast first," Antonio's mom said.

Antonio scarfed down his churro after wrapping it in bacon. He let the combo sit in his mouth to make the flavor last.

"Muchos gracias," he said running outside. He walked eight minutes to Andrian's house and got in through the back door climbing the gate greeting Andrians husky, Enzo

Andrian's brother was sitting at the table eating a bowl of Circus Balls. "Go away" he yelled obviously on something.

"Oh hey Nolan" Antonio said slyly "You know where Andrian is"

"I'm right here" he yelled as he hurried out the back door.

"Never mind," Antonio said with a smirk on his face as he closed the door.

"Alright, Enzo, be a good boy, and if Nolan touches my secret stash of double stuff Oreos, bite his fingers off," said Andrian as he rubbed Enzo's stomach and fed him a dog treat.

"Ya know, I named my dog after one of my good friends when I lived in Los Angeles," said Andrian

"Cool. Anyways, have a goodnight's sleep?" said Antonio

"I'm sorry I don't know what sleep is" replied Andrian in a sarcastic tone

"By the way, how did you get your hands and a box of Circus Balls they are only sold in the U.K? "

¨Well ya see, I know a guy who knows a guy who can get his hands on a few boxes of them.¨ said Andrian with a glint of genius in his eyes.

"Alright, let's head to Eliza's house. She said she was ready," Antonio said, looking in the group chat with all of his friends. " Yep, Eliza's ready."

"Wouldn't it be smarter just to just go in order of the nearest house" Andrian questioned.

"You said let's go ok so let's go," Antonio said, not caring or listening. Headed to Eliza's house about three blocks away she was sitting on her porch listening to some music. They waved at her and she took her earbuds out and ran over.

"Hey," she said, immediately sticking her earbuds back in.

They headed over to Carmen's house, luckily right next to Mikey's.

"Why aren't they outside," Eliza said, taking out one earbud.

"Carmen's probably doing her hair and Mikey is probably doing some experiment," Andrian said with a smirk. Mikey opened his door.

"Sorry I apologize for being late. I was creating something unbeknownst to man, something arcane."

"Mikey," Antonio said.

"Yeah" Mikey answered.

"No one cares," said Andrian

" I know but it's so fun to annoy you guys," Mikey said with a laugh

They all looked at him with an annoyed look and smirked.

Carmen slowly walked out of the door "Y'all are so stupid."

They made way to the park and stopped to gawk in alluring awe. The new playground and soccer field. They also planted new trees that were already growing graciously.

"The new park looks nice," Mikey said as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"It looks beautiful," Carmen said eyes wide.

"Guy's are we just gonna stand here and look stupid" Antonio exclaimed.

"No that's Mikey," Andrian said with a sly smirk.

They took a detour around the trail and around some trees and leaves to arrive at the field.

"Who's tryna be captain," Andrian asked.

"I'll do it as usual," Antonio raised his hand.

"Me too," Eliza said.

Andrian shrugged his shoulders "Ok."

They chose teams quickly with Mikey, Carmen, and Eliza on one side of the soccer field and Antonio, Tara, and Andrian on the other. After they finished the game with a score of one to two they argued a bit about why they had the better team.

"We obviously had the better team because we won," Mikey said as he pushed his glasses which were soaked in sweat, up the bridge of his nose and they began to slide down as soon as he moved his finger which is utterly disgusting.

"Only because we were cocky the whole thing threw and your body is big, like a wall" Antonio chided.

"Hey, wassup losers," someone said.

The group turned around and their faces turned into pure disgust. It was Tobias and his two friends Emanuel and Marcus; his lanky figure sprawled everywhere and he didn't even know it.

"What," Antonio said, looking Tobias straight in his eyes.

"Hey Mikey," Tobias called, "Still sweaty as ever, and fat" he smirked. "And Tara" he licked his lips with lust in his eyes.

"I don't think she likes you," Antonio said, frowning.

"I'm pretty sure she does," Emanuel said from behind Tobias.

"What he said," Marcus exclaimed.

"Get the fatty kid," Tobias said.

"Wait what" Mikey exclaimed as Marcus and Emanuel took hold of Mikey's arms. Tobias ran and punched Mikey in the gut. Mikey's lungs stopped for a second and he looked like a fish gasping for oxygen.

"Why don't you just get off of him," Antonio said fiercely.

Tobias cackled as if he was a supervillain or like when the hero asks who are you and you slowly walk out of the smoke and debris and say something like "I'm Doctor Evil" yup that's Tobias. Antonio ran up and sucker-punched in the face.

Tobias cried in pain "WHAT WAS THAT FOR."

"I dunno you were punching my friend," Antonio said looking at his shoes. "Let go of Mikey" Antonio yelled and walked away. "We're going to lunch."

Marcus and Emanuel dropped Mikey and went back to the court. What's up with that guy Tobias asked himself rubbing his cheek. The group helped Mikey up and followed Antonio.

"Hey Antonio," Tara said as she rushed closer to him "Are you ok"

Antonio turned around and a big smile plastered on his face "Yeah I'm fine what about you."

"I'm good," she said smiling.

"Hey, where are we going to lunch?" Andrian questioned.

"We're going to Tio Jaime's," Antonio said with a smirk

"Crap" Andrian muttered and Antonio heard and chuckled.

"Learn Spanish" Antonio whispered.

"What was that," Andrian said, the cousinly bond strong between them.

They finally arrived at their Tio's. Antonio opened the door and the scent of tacos and burritos wafted through the group's noses. They all stepped inside and the girls and Mikey gawked in awe, the walls were painted in yellow-orange paint with assorted lime and burgundy covered seats with yellow-orange tablecloths draping the tables elegantly. Mikey was the first to speak.

"This is the most culturally insensitive thing I've ever seen," Mikey said with a frown plastered on his face.

"Unless you see guitars hanging on the wall, mariachi bands playing on a stage and everyone wearing sombreros it's not insensitive Antonio said, "Plus the food is severely authentic."

"Hello," a waiter said.

Andrian scanned the waiter for a name tag "Hello… Isabela, you can go get us a table now," his tone; slightly rude.

Isabela pointed at Andrian right in between his eyes. "I remember you," Isabela said unphased by his rudeness. "You were here two weeks ago you called me Isabela the overly optimistic," she said cheerfully as she began to twirl her hair.

Andrian cheeks began to redden and he braced. "Can we just get a table?" Andrian said looking anxious but plotting a little prank

"Also get a kids menu for this guy right here," he said as he pointed to Antonio in a joking manner.

"Ok! … with crayons right?" said Isabella in on the joke and getting a kids menu

"I want adults- Yeah get the crayons!" said Andrian overruling Antonio's authority.

Isabela guided the group to their table in the center of the room.

"Here I got you an adult menu… but still, here are crayons and a kid's menu just in case you get bored. We are a little low on staff so your food might take a while," said Isabella.

When they reached the table Antonio tapped Isabela. She whipped around slapping Antonio in the face with her hair he quickly recovered and spoke.

"I'd like to see your manager," Antonio said in a strong tone.

Isabella frightened ran off "Yes sir, right away."

Soon Isabella came back with a man with a burly build tied back hair and a goatee. With Isabella walking looking down with a pencil and an order notepad.

"Hola Tío Jaime" Antonio exclaimed.

"¿Cómo estás mi pequeño Sobrino?" Jaime said in fluent Spanish. While the rest of the group looked at them confused except Mikey was easing in on the conversation and Andrian who looked like was solving a complex math problem in his head. Tio Jaime stared at Andrian and spoke as clearly as he could without letting his accent in the way. "Do you understand Spanish?" he said pleasantly.

Andrian stood up, shook his head and a vulgar look appeared on his face. "No," he said sternly.

A huge smile plastered to Tio Jaime's face "you'll learn someday."

Andrian sat back in the seat cowering from shame.

Antonio tapped his uncle's shoulder " yeah can we get the special."

"Isabella, make six specials and fast" Tio Jaime said.

"Drinks first though," Isabella said.

"Water," said, Mikey

"Sparkling lemonade," said Antonio

"Moxie," said Andrian

"Cream soda," said Tara

"Mountain Dew," said Carmen

"Strawberry Fanta," said Eliza

"Alright then, six drinks with six specials," said Isabella while writing down the orders and drinks.

"So… what do you guys want to talk about?" said Antonio

"I don't know. I don't care" said Andrian

"Let's talk about my perfect test scores," said Mikey

"How about… no," said Andrian.

Eliza had a sly smile on her face, "I thought you didn't care"

Andrian came quickly with a comeback "I was speaking on your behalf and everyone else's."

"Whatever you say Andrian," the girls said in unison as if it was a planned assault.

Antonio started coloring the cowboy hat blue in the kid's menu.

"NO!" said Mikey, stopping everyone's conversation in the restaurant and causing Antonio to color outside the lines.

"See what you did! You are supposed to color the cowboy hat orange for equal balance and contrast to the desert" exclaimed Mikey.

"Who," said Antonio.

"Anton- cares?" said Andrian, also overruling Mikey's authority. Leaving Mikey very confused.

"Ohhh I get it" chuckled Eliza

"Well I don't!" said Mikey

"Well it would be less funny if we explained it to you," said Tara

Before they got into an argument into whether Andrian's joke made sense or not, the drinks arrived at the table. Isabela was nice enough to place the drinks in the order the group was sitting in. They took their drinks from the tray and placed it on some coaster that Antonio had been stacking up and Tara had been knocking down. The food soon arrived but at that time a few other couples and families had stepped in. Isabela dished out the food, Tacos with diced tomatoes, freshly shredded cheese and mounds of freshly shredded Mexican lettuce. The taco meat made of the purest cows; almost a hundred percent beef.

The group scarfed down their tacos some more daintily than others. Jaime walked to the their table.

"Hey so we need you guys to get some fried rice from the basement we'd go" he pointed from Isabela to himself "but we're a bit short on staff and we have our hands full taking and making orders."

Antonio tapped Eliza so she could move without him barreling through her. Eliza got up and Antonio slid out the booth.

"Yeah we got you Tio Jaime" Antonio exclaimed "lead the way"

Antonio's and Andrian's Uncle lead them to the basement stairs. They headed down the stairs of about four entire flights, what he held down here must've been a secret.

Soon Jaime yelled, "All the way down the stairs and must you all go."

"Yeah what else we do leaving each other alone come on guys" we can trust him.

They kept on going down the stairs as this misadventure soon turned into a real one. They soon reached the final staircase and Antonio tripped and flew into the wall.

Mikey began to stroke his chin "Drywall?" he said confused.

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