My Bubblegum King - Chapter 17: Chapter 17

"I am a hot mess."
"I know," Diego replied, loading cartons of animal food into his truck. He was carrying two and three cartons and I wasn't going to even start thinking of taking more than one carton. It's not my fault he's super strong.
"Like, who knew I'd ever be in this situation?" I dropped my one carton in and sat on the truck to watch Diego carry the rest in. I'd rather talk more than help him out and he looked like he could do it, he had everything covered. "Seeing something I like almost as much as I like reading and even considering a minor."
Diego chuckled, "I don't think we ever stop discovering ourselves and knowing new things."
"Yeah," I sighed, trying to cross my legs under me but between me and the cartons of food, there wasn't much space left. "But it's strange, you know. And weird, this isn't me at all. I kinda like to pride myself on having at least half and quarter of my life figured out. And that quarter is left for unforseen circumstances."
Diego dropped three cartons with a huff and I tried my best not to look at his somewhat big hairy arm with veins and muscles ripping through— I failed. He had on an oversized big button up checkered shirt and now had the long sleeves rolled up on each hand and amazing black jeans with freaking timberlands. I've seen him look good before but damn, top that all with the black beanie he had pulling his hair back, he was (I'm afraid to say and would never admit) H. O. T. After dropping the cartons, he shook his arms as if shaking the weight off and walked over to me, resting his elbows on either sides of the truck so I was trapped in the middle, facing him with my knees almost touching his chest. He looked up at me with a half smirk, "So then, who are you, Paxton Flynn?"
It took me a second to hear that, distracted by my questioning thoughts of what the heck he was doing and his green eyes that unsurprisingly looked more beautiful up close. "I- I-"
"Can't really answer?" He shrugged, "maybe you don't have all your shit figured out afterall."
"Not really," I cleared. "But, I am a chemical engineer, a cool friend, an amazing brother, perfect son, useful roommate," I raised one of my grocery bags for emphasis. "and chill boyfriend." I might be imagining it but I think Diego flinch at that last part, for a split second. Or I didn't see shit and I'm too dizzy from the shopping.
"Oh yeah," he nodded. "And what are you going to be doing when you leave college."
"I'd work at some super cool company, maybe invent something amazing and then I'd get married and then—"
"Mm?"
I sighed, "I don't know but I'm sure I'd have my hands full then."
"Sure," he nodded but I felt like he didn't mean it.
"Hey, what's that?" I playful smacked his shoulder.
He smiled, "nothing, just... Don't keep your options and choices so closed and packed. And don't leave just a quarter open. Just saying, anything could happen. You could hate Chemical Engineering someday, you could lose your closest friends, you could find out you're being not so amazing with your brother, you could..." He trailed off.
"What?"
He shrugged, "find out you like some girls? Find out you're bi."
I think that was Diego's fancy way of saying, I could break up with my boyfriend. Not happening though, ever.
I laughed, "I'm not bi."
"Not saying you are, just giving an example," he looked up at me, scanning my face with his beautiful eyes. "And you don't have to listen to me but my two cents is, keep your option open. Dancing could become your new best thing."
I got it now and I nodded, "you're so right." I laughed. "Is this the wisdom they say come with age?"
"Fuck you, I'm not that older than you."
"But you're older."
"Older is sexy."
"True," I admitted without thinking of it. When I caught myself, Diego was smirking at me. "J-just not on you." I managed to squeeze out, trying to salvage the situation.
"Oh yeah?" He was still smirking and now I felt he was closer even though it wasn't possible.
"Y-yeah," I nodded, not convincing anyone. "I mean look at your saggy muscles and m-mustache and..." I decided to stop talking. "You look hundred." After that.
Diego chuckled under his breath and then his right hand reached up and found its way up my hair, pushing my curled flops back. I unconsciously chewed on my bottom lip and when I met Diego's eyes with his hand still in my hair, my heart skipped. Now I definitely saw it— the way his eyes lowered to my lips and the little flick of tongue out and subtle bite. I could feel my heart pounding and never have I felt a more electrocuted moment than with... Sebastian.
I made an awkward sounded like a laugh, moving my head a bit so Diego's hand fell out of my hair. I feared to look at him but when I did, he surprisingly had a smile on. "What?" I managed to ask, voice small and cracky.
His finger grazed my cheek before he pulled away from me and the truck. "Cute."
I didn't say anything, I couldn't think of anything to say and I just watched him walk back into the grocery store, disappearing from sight. I sighed and pulled my knees close to me. I hadn't even planned on meeting Diego today, it just happened and then I ended up spilling my worries to him. I decided to go grocery shopping today instead of Sim because he was busy beating himself up because of a debate with a fellow course mate that didn't go so well. Anyway I was on the canned food section when I met Diego and he was also grocery shopping and waiting for his supplier of animal food. Then he asked me to wait and was giving me a ride back. Not that I wasn't grateful, trekking with two heavy bags of grocery isn't at all alright.
But what was that though? It felt weird and kinda out of place, yet in place too— if that makes any sense. I shook my head, hoping to effectively shake the strange feeling off too. Diego was coming back with the last of his goods.
"Do you need to buy this much food?" I looked around the truck bed that was half filled. "It's not like you're feeding a zoo."
He dropped the last of it, pushing things around and arranging them until he made more than enough space for himself to sit beside me. He effortlessly climbed up, sighing and clapping his hands together to get rid of dust. "Yeah, I do. The supplier rarely comes around here and the price of transportation and delivery is far too high to just buy in bits. Plus, we do have a lot of pets and we sell some of them out to customers who need them."
"Cool," my eyes moved from him timberlands to my sneakers. His thighs were bulk, the kind of one's you get from exercises, the kind that could knock someone out with one kick. "I still can't believe you're Go's manager."
His leg that I was distracting myself from staring at, nudged mine, "why? I look that unserious?"
"Yes and it's just a bit unbelievable," I shrugged. "It looks like a lot of job for two college student and how is it you and your sister both work there?"
"Hm," Diego scratched an itch on his chin that seemed to have a few strands of hair growing on it. "It isn't just two of us running it, Juana, a certified vet doctor works there on the week days, 9 to 5 together with one dude that is her assistant who's name I keep forgetting." He paused as if thinking about it then gave up after two seconds, "and Jody and I both work there because my dad kinda owns the building."
"What?" I did not expect that.
"Yup, also owns a few other buildings here, helped fund the huge ass library and a fucking other donations around."
"Whoa," I was grinning like an idiot now. "So you're like super rich?"
"My dad is but could I dress you up head to toe in Gucci," he smiled, a dimpled one that looked so strangely beautiful on it, pure and cute. He cocked his head to a side to look at, "yes, I can."
I couldn't help the giggles that escaped, "nice. Ryder always says and I might sound like a total golddigger saying it now, but I swear I'm not— 'wealth is so hot'."
Diego chuckled, sucked in a breath and swiped his tongue over his bottom lip. "Hm, sexy and hot, you're really tripping, huh Paxty?
I blushed and hit his leg with mine now, "no and shut up. Just take the damn not so much of a compliment and shut up."
Diego laughed at that, "yes, sir." Then he sobered up, "and calling me wealthy isn't exactly a compliment, it's my father's money, not mine." He scoffed, "Jody's has told me that more times than necessary."
I looked at him and he was looking ahead of us, his jaw set as if in an unpleasant memory. I didn't like seeing him like this, I sharply noticed, no matter how goodlooking serious Diego was. "I don't get why every rich person says that," I start saying and Diego turned to me. "I mean, yes, it's your father's money but it's yours too. Technically he worked that hard and earned all that to be able to take care of you both. To be able to feed you both and make sure you never get to lack anything. It's your money too because you're part of him and you're family. Technically it's your money because it's there for you." I shrugged, "poor people don't get to say 'it my dad's money or my dad's food or my dad's clothing' they share everything looking out for each other. I don't think there should be the division."
"So you think every child has a right to their parent's money?"
I started nodding before he finished asking, "Yes, every child has the right right to his or her parents money. I don't see why a child should live uncomfortably when your parent is freaking rich." My mind flashed to Sebastian, yeah I'm still skeptical about how right it is for him abandoning all his inheritance but in his case, I kinda get it. "Unless of course you're not in the right relationship and know that your parent doesn't exactly want your good and then you see their money and them as evil and you can't just touch it, then it's understandable."
Diego made a sound of agreement in his throat, "you make a good point Paxty."
I blushed, "don't call me that."
He snickered, "well, Jody seems to think that I get too comfortable with my dad's money and she doesn't agree with it saying that at any moment, he could turn his back on me and I would be so broken and lost. She's just letting him pay her tuition and she's determined to pay back after college when she gets a real job. Everything else she takes care of herself that's why she works three jobs and is so fucking exhausted all the time." Diego groaned in annoyance, raking his fingers through his soft curls. "I mean, I respect her and I think she's so freaking strong but I also think it's stupid. Yes, he made one mistake and because of it, she's determined on suffering herself left and right and taking shit from people she shouldn't even be dealing with in the first place."
From the looks of it, it was obvious to anyone that Diego was annoyed and angry because he cared. He cared a lot about Jody and I just hoped she knew. I wanted to ask what mistake his father did but I didn't want to make things more tensed and uncomfortable.
"And I work too, don't get me wrong," he glanced at me. "I try to earn my own money and take care of my basic needs and save up and yes, maybe I might not trust our dad all the way but-- everybody deserves a second chance and he has tried to prove himself. And I'm in college, I don't need to slave all the time just to be 'independent' there are many other ways to show that."
"You believe in second chances?" I asked, my eyes on him.
He turned so he was looking at me, his green eyes deep and thoughtful, "of course I do. I'm living and here right now thanks to second chances."
My heart went out for him, I had no idea what he was talking about or the experiences he had had but looking at his eyes I could see pain and heart in them and I just couldn't look away. It like I was drawn to whatever feeling was there and Diego seemed to feel the same way although I don't know what he could see in my eyes. Somehow, Diego's hand moved without me seeing it and it's only when I felt his slightly cold finger on my lip that the moment broke with me shivering and moving away.
Diego's eyes flashed with surprise at himself, like he wasn't the one controlling his hand and I saw the tip of his ears get a little red as he looked away, muttering a, "sorry."
I swallowed, nodding and deciding not to say anything. It was nothing and I probably caused it, looking at him like that. Argh, this is why big macho guys shouldn't bare out their feelings through their beautiful eyes. Macho people should remain macho and leave the softness to us.
Diego and I didn't say anything, sitting awkwardly in silence and I looked at my neatly trimmed fingernails like they were the most beautiful thing to ever exist.
"Um," Diego started, his voice rough with an edge that could give someone goosebumps. "Do you like ice cream?"
I looked up at him, almost laughing at the question but at least he was trying to get back into conversation instead of just admiring nothing like me, so I went with the flow. "Who doesn't like ice cream?"
He smirked, "true."
"Why are you asking me that?" I asked like I didn't know why.
He raised and dropped his shoulders, then peeked at me, looking fifteen years younger, "there's an ice cream shop down the road... and it's pretty hot now. All the lifting and shopping—"
I held in my laughter, "so?"
He sucked in a breath and looked at me, looking like the man he was with a determined look in his eyes. "Want to go grab some? My treat."
"Well," I jumped down the truck before I was forced to say damn to his showing macho-ness. "Do I feel like walking down the street to get ice cream? Not really. Do I want to check out the shop I know nothing about? Kinda." Diego was starting to look confused. "Would I ever say no to free ice cream? Of course not."
Then he grinned and all was right again.
"And I'm driving your lazy ass," he said when he got down.
"Awwn," I awed exaggeratedly. "What a sweetheart."
"You know it," he smirked.
"I wasn't going anywhere without your car," I deadpanned.
"Oh," he scratched his chin. "I am still a sweetheart though."
"A slow one, maybe."