Chapter 11

Over the weekend, I ended up finishing the second season of Umma's favorite TV drama with her (still can't believe Nari hasn't gotten back with Joon, that bitch).

When Monday came, I was sort of nervous about Wesley. But today, I'd also get to hang out with Eli and see where he goes to work. I'm really curious about it. Does he work at some sort of auto shop? With a car like his, that would be plausible. Ooh, imagine him covered in grime, with oil stains on his hands and clothes, his hair brushed back, and his body all sweaty. Aaahhh~!

I sat with Yani at our usual spot, trying to finish up some last minute homework.

"I can't believe Wesley almost beat you and Oscar up," she murmured, frowning.

"He wasn't going to beat me up. He wanted to make me watch him fuck up Oscar..."

"Ugh, that bastard... I'd like to tell Oscar that I'm glad he's okay, but I barely see him."

"I'll tell him about your consideration when I get to graphic design," I told her.

She smiled and replied, "Thanks, gringo. Tell me if he's doing okay."

My phone vibrated and I checked to see what message I got. It was from Eli.

Eli: Make sure you come to our spot as soon as the bell rings. I can't be late for work.

I texted back: Okay. I'll see you! (*'▽'*)

Another minute passes.

Eli: Cutie.

I squealed in front of Yani and she leaned over to check my phone. She laughed and shook her head at me as I held my blushing cheeks.

The bell rang a few minutes later, and I despaired a little because I didn't finish my homework. Nonetheless, I picked up my stuff, said goodbye to Yani, then headed for my first class.

•••

In physics, Wesley stared at me a lot. I was tempted to do something, like flip him off, but restrained myself. I felt like I could finally breathe when I left the classroom to get to Algebra 2.

Later on, in graphic design, I told Oscar about what Yani said this morning. His blush was noticeable and he had stuttered, "T-Tell her I said th-thanks for worrying." Such a dork.

PE was different this time, and instead of running outside, we stayed inside to do station exercises (basically switching to different exercises around the gym with a group). Eli wasn't in my group, unfortunately, but then I thought about how I would probably stare at him a whole bunch instead of working out. I guess it's for the best. Still, I would peek at Eli every now and then. (I loved watching him use the bicep curl elastic band. Seeing his muscle work like that. Ugh~!)

When class was over and the coaches sent us to the locker-room to change, Eli managed to find a moment near the bathroom stalls, when no one was looking, to cup my ass and give me a kiss on the cheek. I couldn't help but blush and cover my mouth to hide my mewl. When I glanced over at him, he flashed me a smirk and winked at me. God, such a tease!

The rest of the day was fine. Instead of going to the front, since I know Yani won't even be there anymore, I headed for the side exit again to meet up with Eli. Once I got there, I saw him leaning against his car, waiting for me.

"You ready to go?," he asked me as I walked up to him. I nodded enthusiastically in response. Flashing me that smile that I love, he pulled me close and kissed my lips. I smiled as he hugged my waist tighter, and I ran my fingers through his hair.

"I've been dying to kiss you again," I murmured as he pecked at my temple.

"My little gesture during PE didn't sate you?," he whispered.

"Of course not," I answered, "I was so annoyed that you'd do that there of all places...! Such a tease..."

He chuckled in my ear and I shivered with delight. "I like teasing you, though. It makes you especially cute." Quickly, he bit at my ear and I whined.

"C'mon," he said as he pulled away, "let's get going before I'm late."

I walked around the front of the Camaro to get to the passenger side door. As soon as I hopped inside, Eli started the engine. When I was ready in my seat, he backed up, then started driving around the school. Like the time when we went on our first date, I leaned down away from the window until Eli told me when the coast was clear.

With the radio on a low volume, Eli asked me about my day and I told him all about it. He was annoyed with the Wesley bit, but was okay with everything else. I asked him about his, and he told me. Luckily, the only problem he had was trying not to strangle the guy who sat in front of him in his English 3 class (apparently, the guy talked way too much, and about stupid stuff, too). I was glad he didn't have to deal with Wesley today.

"So, where do you work?," I asked him suddenly.

"You're gonna find out soon," he replied with a small smile.

"Can I try to guess?"

"Go for it."

I patted my knees as I thought. "An auto shop?"

"Nope."

"Hmmmm. A waiter?"

"Nuh uh."

"As an assistant for a tattoo artist?"

"Oddly specific, but no. Although, that does seem cool."

"I can't think of any other badass jobs," I mumbled.

"A waiter? And what makes you think I have a badass job?," he asked with a chuckle.

"Because you're badass.."

"Well, thanks. But, it's nothing like that. You may be surprised."

I stared at him. "You don't work at McDonald's, do you?"

He scoffed and responded, "No. If I did, I'd be reeking of fries and unwarranted sass. Besides, I'm not that desperate."

"Well, then what do you do?"

"This," Eli said as he parked the Camaro. I leaned over a little more to see the building we arrived at.

Auntie Ruby's Bright Mind Academy of Learning & Development.

A daycare?

Eli kissed my hand before opening his driver's side door and saying, "Let's go." I followed him out of the car, leaving my backpack, and closed the door behind me. Eagerly, I followed Eli to the front door of the humble looking house-turned-daycare. Eli Gateman working with children? I never thought the combination was possible. Do kids even like him? He tends to scowl subconsciously.

"Just a warning," Eli said, "the kids tend to get really excited when meeting new people." Then, he raised a hand and rang the door bell.

Almost immediately, the door opened and a woman greeted us. She looked to be in her mid-forties, with brown skin, dark eyes, black hair tied back into a ponytail, and a kind, motherly smile.

"Eli! Honey, you're just in time, the kids are going a little crazy," she chimed, "George's birthday was today and the kids all had cupcakes. They're all hyper now, and, oh my lord!" She then cast her gaze on me and smiled. "Oh, hello! You must be Calvin, yes? I'm Ruby Johnson, but you can call me Auntie, if you'd like. Eli has told me a lot about you. Both of you, come in!"

As Eli let me enter first, I said, "You talk about me?"

"She kinda forced it out of me," he replied and I chuckled.

When I was inside, I heard kids laughing and talking. Some played in what was the main room, while I could hear others in another room over. A few chocolate covered, cupcake wrappers lay strewn across small tables. Papers with colored scribbles also lay across tables. Tiny children ran past me, and I was surprised by how tiny they were.

As soon as Eli fully stepped into the room, all of the commotion stopped and many of the children exclaimed in unison, "Eli!!"

Looking at him, he seemed to become a whole different person as he smiled wide and crouched down to greet a few kids with open arms. Two little girls (twins) clung onto his back, and he held a younger, pigtailed child in his arms, while a nearly toothless, grinning boy hugged onto his leg.

"Eli! Eli! You just missed it!," one of the twins said.

"George brought as all chocolate cupcakes for his birthday!," the other added.

"There was one for you, but I think Brian ate it."

"Did not!," shouted another little boy, who was trying to make Fruit Loop art. He kept eating the Fruit Loops.

"Happy birthday, George," Eli told the boy who was at his feet. The boy named George chuckled and said, "I got these cool new action figures from my dad! You wanna check 'em out?"

"Later, buddy," Eli said and patted George's head. The younger, pigtailed girl in his arms, pointed at me and said, "Boy!"

"Who's that?," the twins asked in unison, and I was a little freaked out.

"This is Calvin Tae," Eli introduced me, "He's my...my..."

"Friend," I interjected with a smile, saving him the trouble. "Eli invited me to see you all."

"You all be nice to Calvin, you hear?," said Auntie.

"Yes, Auntie," the children replied simultaneously, even the younger, little girl.

Eli set down the small girl, then let the twins off of his back. Carefully pulling George away from his leg, he announced out loud, "Who wants to play outside?"

Almost all of the kids swarmed around him, jumping up and down, squealing, eager to go outside. It was really shocking to see such an uproar of tiny human beings. Eli looked over at Auntie and asked, "You don't mind, do you, Auntie?"

She waved him off and said, "Oh, go ahead, honey. Calvin and I can stay inside and clean up."

He nodded, then looked at me. "Make yourself comfortable, okay? See you soon." Suddenly, he roared playfully as he grabbed onto two children and draped them over his shoulders. They screamed joyfully as he carried them away and led the other children into another room. Once the sound of a door opening and closing echoed throughout the house, it was just Auntie and I.

"Help me clean up, won't you, sugar?," the motherly woman asked as she started picking up scribbled papers from the table.

"Sure thing," I said, and grabbed the leftover cupcake wrappers. As she and I cleaned up, the sound of children cheering and playing seeped in from the outside.

Breaking the silence in the house, Auntie said, "I know you're not just Eli's friend, Calvin."

I froze for a moment and didn't respond.

Chuckling lightheartedly, she added, "I'm not bothered. I think it's sweet that Eli is with someone like you. From what he tells me, it's almost hard to believe you two ended up together."

"What does he tell you?"

"That you're a dork," she answered so quickly, that I frowned down at the floor. She chuckled again. "But, you are kind. From the way he talks, he's very enthralled by you."

"H-He is?," I murmured.

"Of course! I remember last year when he dated this no-good girl at school. He kept saying he was so sure that she would stick, but I knew deep down that he was only lying to himself. This time, though, it feels different when he talks. He's not sure of himself, but I think being unsure can give him enough motivation to stay with you."

Auntie stopped cleaning up for a moment to look at me and said, "I'm not one to tell people how to go about their relationships. I can say, though, that Eli is practically like a son to me at this point. As a 'mother' to Eli, I can say that he needs someone like you to make his life a little brighter. The kids can't always do that, and I certainly can't. So please, take care of him and make sure he doesn't make a fool outta himself."

I smiled and nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry if I'm pressuring you," she apologized kindly.

"No, no, it's fine," I said, "I'm sure Eli's mom would probably say the same."

Quietly, Auntie said, "Yes... I'm sure she would..."

Before I could think about how she said that last sentence, she asked, "Are you hungry?"

A few minutes later, I sat at a dining table, eating a sandwich that Auntie made for me. She sat with me, enjoying a nice cup of warm tea.

"So, Eli's good with kids, huh?," I asked before sipping my glass of water.

She nodded and answered, "Very good. I didn't think he was at first either, since, well, because of how he looked and acted. But, he impressed me on his first day of work here."

"What'd he do?"

She smiled, remembering the fond memory. "That cute, little pigtailed darling, Skyla, was quite a handful last year. Whenever it was time for a nap, she never listened, always fought with me and the other kids, made a fuss. I almost had to have her pulled out of the daycare for the sake of the other children. Then Eli came along on his first day. At first, I was ready to pray for him when he told me he'd deal with Skyla. His patience would be tested, I was sure. But, you know what happened?"

"What happened..?"

Auntie held a hand to her chest and continued, "He actually managed to put her to sleep! On his first day! I was so proud that he managed to pull it off. After that, Skyla gradually started behaving like a better kid. I'd even say she listened to him more than she did her own mama. Eli is a saving grace, I'll tell you. I'm not sure what I'd do without him now."

"I never expected him to be so easy-going with kids," I remarked. "They all genuinely looked happy to see him."

"Just hearing his name can get them excited," Auntie said, sipping her tea.

I smiled. "It's nice to see this side of him."

"It is almost rare for him to get that way," she stated, "Even on his off days, he manages to cheer up and make the children happy." Once she finished her tea, Auntie sighed and said, "I'm going to go check on everyone outside. If you need to wash your hands, the bathroom is down the hall, first door on the left."

"Thank you, Auntie," I said.

"No problem, sugar," she chimed and walked into the kitchen to put away her tea cup. I sat alone in the dining room, listening to the backdoor open and close, telling me Auntie left the house.

After I finished my sandwich, I took the plate to the kitchen to wash it. As I stood by the sink, I gazed out the window to see the playground outside. The yard was big, and wide, and pretty well kept. Little kids ran around playing tag, others played with Eli.

As Eli passed under the monkey bars, the little boy named George leaped onto his back from a platform. Eli then started to run around with the kid, making him giggle and flash more nearly-toothless grins. Eli stopped a few feet in front of the window, and looked back at me. His kind smile kept and my chest felt warm just seeing that. George saw me through the window, too, and waved at me frantically. I chuckled and waved back.

When I finished cleaning my dish, I found the backdoor and went outside. Almost immediately, a red kickball hit me in the stomach and I keeled over onto my knees. A couple of little kids ran up to me to get the ball back. Among them were the twins. In unison again, they told me, "Sorry, Calvin." The children ran back to play and I groaned to myself, "Oh, yeah, just leave. I'm totally not dying or anything. It's cool."

After I got my bearings, I took a seat at the edge of the porch and watched everyone. Eli eventually took a seat next to me, his face red from running around.

"So, this is what you do? Run around with tiny children?," I asked him, smiling.

He nodded. "Are you surprised?"

"Yeah, but pleasantly surprised," I answered him, "I never expected you to have a job like this, though."

"Well, to be honest, I don't tell anyone about my work here at the daycare," he said, "It's not important for other people to know about, so why mention it."

"Understandable," I commented. "But, why a daycare?"

Eli used his shirt to wipe at his face for a moment, before responding, "It was the easiest place to get a job. Auntie only required passing grades in school and a clean record of criminal offenses. And, also a good attitude."

"You actually got the job?"

Eli flashed me a playful glare and nudged my leg. "When I came, Auntie really needed the help. She used to have a daughter that would help, but she's gone. Went and ran off with some dumbass guy. Auntie can't reach her any more. I felt bad for her, so I stuck around for her sake, too." He leaned forward and continued as he watched the children, "I didn't think I'd wind up in a place like this. But, I do like kids. They're honest. They weren't scared of me, even when I wasn't trying to act normal. I get pretty tired of people being scared of me at school, so these little people are a relief to me."

Little kids not being scared of Eli? That's new. That's...sweet.

I stifled a wry chuckle and grabbed his hand. "You really aren't that bad, ya know?"

He squeezed my hand and murmured, "In this situation, no, I'm not."

I shook my head and bumped his shoulder. "You're not," I mumbled, and leaned my head on him. Gingerly, he kissed the top of my head and I blushed.

"Calvin and Eli sitting in a tree!," a few kids started chanting, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"We could start K-I-S-S-I-N-Ging on the porch, too," Eli said and suddenly leaned me over onto my back. The kids squealed and ran away, not wanting to see their chant come true. Auntie walked by us and lightly smacked Eli on the head. "Behave in front of the kids..!," she said.

"They started it," he countered back and I laughed under him.

After a while, the kids started trying to play with me.

The twins (their names were Danielle and Elisa) kept trying to coax me into letting them style my hair. Brian and other boys wanted to use me as a target for the kickball (hell no). George let me play with his new action figures with him and other kids. And whenever I tried getting close to Eli when he had Skyla, she would whine and hug into him tighter. She and I had an intense stare down for the longest time, until a kickball smacked me in the back of the head. (Why is it always me?!)

Finally, Auntie called all of the kids back in to rest and have water. All of them filed in through the backdoor. Eli and I were to enter the house last. Before I walked inside, he grabbed my hand and pulled me to him. Leaning against his chest, I smiled up at him. He placed a kiss on my forehead and I sighed contentedly.

"Thanks for coming today," he murmured against my skin.

"Thanks for letting me. It was worth getting harassed by tiny children and getting hit with a kickball multiple times," I replied.

Eli chuckled against my forehead and I felt delighted by the sound. When he pulled away, he was smiling warmly. God, he's so handsome.

The both of us went back inside the house where we hung out with Auntie and the children for a little longer. Gradually, kids would leave with their parents and the herd of tiny people thinned out. By the time Eli and I had to leave, only four kids were left. They and Auntie wished us goodbye with kind smiles.

The both of us were tuckered out when we sat in the Camaro together. I was ready for sleep. Eli turned the engine on and backed away from the daycare to take me home.

I was pretty relieved to see my house, knowing I'll be able to rest in my bed. He parked at the curb, then grabbed onto my hand again. Gingerly, I intertwined our fingers and let a blush overtake my face. Eli lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it. "Have a good night," he spoke softly, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Get home safe," I told him, before kissing him on the cheek. "Good night."

Dragging my backpack with me, I exited his car and closed the passenger side door. I waved at him as I walked towards my house.

As soon as I walked in, Appa asked me, "How was your hang out with Oscar today?"

That's right, I lied to my parents using Oscar again.

With a smile, I answered, "Oh, it was pretty cool! I had a great time."

"Jeonyeog-e chodaeheba!," (You should invite him over for dinner soon!) Umma called out from the kitchen.

"Amado," (maybe) I replied to her.

Appa smiled and added, "I'd certainly like to see the table manners of this boy. I'll expect a lot out of him."

I cocked an eyebrow at my father. "What are you saying?"

He stared at me, confused. "Are you not interested in this boy?"

I burst into laughter so suddenly that Appa jumped in his place. Then, I realized how mean I must have looked and stopped. "A-Appa, Oscar is just a friend!"

"Hal hhan thhe thou guu mal het ja na," (You said that about Hal) Umma commented.

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "I'm going to my room," I muttered.

"You don't have to ashamed of anything, Calvin," Appa told me and I groaned.

My parents are something.