✒ Chapter 14 : Late Present

CENTER followed Ethan the whole day as the smaller boy was helping his father inside the shop.

"Hey, do you want to go somewhere?" Center asked as Ethan was wiping the glass walls outside the store.

"Go by yourself, I'm busy today" Ethan answered with a straight face. The smaller guy was busy wiping the glass as Center watched him struggled.

"There is a bird's poop above" Center said and sat on one of the benches. Ethan looked up and saw the disgusting dirt on the higher portion of the wall. The smaller guy could not reach it.

"It's not a poop,  it's just a rust from the ceiling." Ethan corrected and Center nodded. Center knew that Ethan couldn't reach to wipe the dirt off.

"Wipe it" Ethan ordered Center as the spoiled brat smirked and raised one of his brows. He was giving Ethan an 'are-you-commanding-me?' look which made the smaller boy frowned.

"Whatever, I don't need your help" Ethan hissed and picked a chair so he could step on it to reach the upper portion. Ethan tiptoed as he struggled to wipe the dirt off. The chair was shaking and unfortunately Ethan fell on the floor with his butt.

"Aw!" Ethan hissed as Center laughed at him while holding his stomach.

"Ahahahah! That was epic!" Center said while laughing at Ethan. He didn't even offered a hand for Ethan to stand up and just watched the smaller guy sat on the floor. Ethan got annoyed with Center's manic laugh so he threw his rag on Center's face. The rag landed right through Center's face which made the spoiled brat's laugh being replaced with annoyance.

"Hahahha how was that Huh?!!" Ethan teased as he saw the dirt on Center's face.

"Ethan!" Center shouted and grabbed the rag to wipe it on Ethan's face but the smaller guy immediately went inside the shop and hid behind his old man.

"Dad! Someone is bullying me!" Ethan said behind his father's back and pointed Center who was currently holding a rag. The old man looked at Center with wondering eyes as he said with a chuckle, "Wash your face, kid. You look haggard"

•••

CENTER was holding a water hose and washed his face. Ethan offered him a face towel but the spoiled brat didn't accept it. He smirked as he shot Ethan with water using the hose.

"Arghhhh! Center! What the heck!!" Ethan cursed as his clothes were soaked with water. Center continued laughing as he stared at Ethan. The water travelled through Ethan's collarbone down to his chest. His wet shirt revealed his slim figure underneath it as Center gulped unconsciously. Center stared at Ethan's wet locks as the smaller guy rubbed his wet face with his hand. Center got lost in thought and let the water continuously flew from the hose to the ground. Ethan grabbed the chance to steal the hose from Center's hand and he succeeded. Ethan shot Center with water and laughed at how shocked Center was.

"Now we're even!" Ethan laughed while shooting Center with water as if he was watering the plants.

"You'll catch a cold if you continue playing with water" Ethan's father said smiling as he watched the two boys having fun. Both Ethan and Center stopped and apologized to the old man.

"Go home and lend him clothes" Ethan's father said which made the smaller guy left no chance to protest.

•••

"You probably can't wear my clothes, I guess I should buy you clothes. There is a shop nearby, can you wait for a while?" Ethan said as Center removed his wet shirt. Ethan looked at Center normally, he wasn't attracted with the taller guy's body even for a bit. In Center's mind, it would be the best opportunity to seduce the innocent boy.

"Hey Ethan, do you think I'm hot?" Center asked seductively as Ethan was counting his money in his wallet, ignoring Center's seduction. Ethan thought, 'I will just buy cheap clothes and shoo him away later'

"Hmm, maybe" Ethan said as he thought his idea was great.

"Maybe?!" Center asked in disbelief. Ethan was busy looking through his wallet as Center ran his hand through his hair and stared at the smaller guy intensely.

"Aren't I hot?" Center asked as Ethan mentally calculated the prices of the shirt and the shorts, including the underwear. His calculations reached his budget which made him feel relieved.

"Yes" Ethan mumbled as he finished thinking wisely. He didn't realized his words matched Center's questions coincidentally. Center's eyes widened as he was not expecting Ethan to answer him boldly. Center grabbed one of Ethan's hand and looked at the smaller boy with tempting eyes.

"Did you say that I am attractive and hot?" Center asked with hopeful eyes.

"What are you talking about?!" Ethan asked in disbelief as he snatched his hand away and rubbed his wrist.

"I planned to buy clothes for you and you dare to harass me and ask me stupid questions? I've decided! Give me money to buy your clothes! I won't spend so much for you!" Ethan said with a powerful voice. Center's wild imaginations vanished inside his head as he stared at the rampaging puppy in front of him. He sighed and pouted as he picked his wallet from his pocket. He handed Ethan his wallet and sat on the bed sadly.

"Don't sit on my bed! Your pants are wet! Get out of my room and stay on the sofa instead!" Ethan shouted like he was a mother. He suddenly remembered his mother. Ethan's mother used to scold him everytime he was soaking from the rain. Later, his mother would offer him hot soup and hugged him to warm his tiny body up. Ethan smiled lightly when he remembered that warm memory. Center immediately went to the living room like a puppy and behaved properly. Ethan went outside the house to buy clothes and left Center alone. Center's eyes explored the whole room and he found something on the table. It was a pair of small hand made bracelets with names on it. Center picked them up and looked at the names on the bracelets.

"CENT and EETH" Center read the words out loud and he made a sad face. Center was not able to celebrate his birthday with Ethan when they were kids because Ethan left. Center spent his birthday together with his other playmates without Ethan. Center remembered how hard he cried after that night when all he ever wanted to spend his birthday with was Ethan.

"I was supposed to give it to you as a birthday present when you reached 11" Ethan said as he was staring at Center from the entrance door of the house. Center felt a sudden pain in his chest as he saw Ethan's smiling face. The spoiled brat felt it was unfair. Ethan got over with their broken friendship yet Center felt guilty all those times.

"Can I still have it?" Center asked as he held the bracelets tightly.

"Yes sure, you can have it" Ethan said and offered the paper bags in his hands.