Chapter Text
The morning sun had been blinding when Joaquin awoke, the light chimes of a call annoyed him from his sleep. Yawning and blinking away the brightness from his eyes, he sat up stretching his sleep-sore limbs. Finally answering his phone, the nervous tone from his best friend sounded throughout the room.
“Where are you?! I’ve been waiting for at least a text for like three hours!”
“Hmm… What time is it?”
“What time is it?! It’s 11:00! I’m in math right now, where you're supposed to be!”
“Oh shoot… I’ll get ready right now…”
“Just hurry up please, school is practically over already.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you in a bit,”
“Okay… See you.”
Worry was not a priority as he slowly walked to the bathroom, turning the shower handle as he continued to blink leisurely. Steam filled the bathroom as he scrolled through whatever videos his friends had sent, hoping to laugh at whichever were funny. As the screen became illegible he wrestles his shirt and shorts off to slide under the hot water. God did it feel good, every drop sliding over his skin felt like heaven as it cleared the sweat and ache from his skin and muscle. Slowly scrubbing down his body his phone starts loudly ringing once again causing a heavy sigh and a wet arm to reach out from Joaquin.
“Boy, where the hell are you?!” a quietly angered voice rings out. Shit…. Scrambling to shut the water off, he tries to clear his throat.
“The shower…?” Joaquin mutters out in reply.
“Yeah, Joaquin, I can hear that…” the voice tiredly trails off as another speaks up.
“Buddy, we’re not mad, just what's going on? You know we don't like you skipping like this.”
“I know that… but like I didn't wake up at all this morning, only when Bob called not that long ago… i just was in a lot of pain last night, too sore y’know”
“Joaquin… again? We’ve been over this, overworking your body like that is not good. I know you want to get better and again that strive is something we are very proud of but it's gonna destroy that body and mind of yours if you keep getting ahead of yourself,” the first voice reprimands.
“Apá, I'm really sorry I just can’t seem to hit the brakes. I get it from you ha…” he mumbles, relieved.
“ HA! You sure do kid. Just take a rest day if you need it or hurry your ass up and go to school already!” his dad immediately says back.
“Yeah, okay. Love you, I’ll see you when you get home.”
“We love you too kid, we really do.” the phone clicks as they hang up.
Sighing as it echoes around the tile, Joaquin ponders his choices, go to a half day of school and practice or just stay home. Decisions are not his strong suit. As much as he wants to stay, he decides to just go but not without a groan and an exasperated rub to his eyes. He turns the water back on and lets the whiplash of cold to hot water hit him head on, staying home feels disappointing, his friend is already expecting him and while his parents said otherwise it feels like a waste being home alone.
After a quick rewash of everything in a whopping 7 minutes, he steps into the cold air, barely able to breathe through the built up steam he rushes to open the door. Having an attached bathroom has its perks, he walks to his dresser pulling out a fresh pair of boxers, socks, and a tank. While he prefers air-drying he quickly rubs the towel across his wet skin and rushes into his clothes. Pulling open his closet door he grabs the first shirt he sees –an old airforce tee– and a pair of cargo pants, he forgoes a sweater as the room itself is already warm.
Leaving his room, phone in hand, he shoots a text to his best friend, ‘have food ready for me im in a rush’ Running out the door, grabbing his backpack and keys, he heads to school.
Halfway to the school, Joaquin starts to feel the heat –he really hates showing up late– he reaches for his sports bag and… and it's just not there, “great” Joaquin thinks, but he decides to take it as a sign. His parents wanted him to take a rest day so he would; it's disappointing that he can’t have his water but at least he can go straight home after school. He texts Bob again ‘plz share your water too im dying out here’.
When he reaches the school's entrance, he quickly signs in at the front office where the nice front lady gives him a quick glance with a smile and a “ late again mr. Torres” before handing him a pass. As he turns the handle he finally receives a text back, he excitedly checks the notification from Bob, ‘dude its the middle of third period where would i get anything’. Why does he even try with him sometimes, he doesn’t even hit him with a response they’ll see each other in a second anyways.
Opening the door to his math class he is met with deafening silence and multiple pairs of eyes, yet he only looks for those blues of his best friend. When he catches them they're angry and it pulls a smile out of him. Quickly handing the teacher the late pass, he rushes to hit next to Bob when a hand grabs his, “Practice was cancelled this morning, i didn’t see you in first so i’m guessing you didn’t know” johnny storm smiles at him as he drops his arm; he's the coolest guy on his team, his best friend there y’know. “Shit for real, why? I mean, I wasn't going to go today anyways but that never happens.” Johnny laughs at that, it's fun making him laugh, “ well apparently coach's kid got a broken nose or something, she's a cheerleader so I guess that's how–” The teacher loudly clears his throat and both boys stiffen. Johnny quietly asks “lets continue talking later, yeah?” with a glint in his eye as Joaquin walks slowly to his spot in the back corner.