4.

Enzo:

Unlike how Bentley's place had turned out after the party, my place was clean. The guys made sure to clean up after themselves. At least my threat worked because my furniture and decorations were still intact.

"Goodmorning sir." The cleaner Tabitha said with a smile. She was young, probably in her early twenties and undeniably beautiful. The countless times my hormones were acting out, it took great self-control to keep my hands to myself. I smiled as I recalled the day I made her drink with me. We had both gotten drunk and her professionalism was kept aside. We ended up sharing a kiss but that was as far as it went. It took a miracle for nothing to happen between us. And I'm sure that experience is something we'd both like to forget.

"Morning Tabitha." My groggy voice came as I yawned.

"I reckon the place was alive yesterday." From her implying tone, I knew she knew about the party. Not that I was trying to hide it.

"Surprise birthday party from my friends. It was really thoughtful of them. And cleaning up after themselves was even better for them." I wasn't going to tell her that I had threatened to snap their necks if they didn't. "You didn't come in yesterday, why?"

"Oh, um, my parents were in town. Surprise visit. I'm sorry sir, I should have called to report my absence." I rolled my eyes at the huge formality. It wasn't like it a company and she had missed work. It was just a house that she didn't show up to clean.

"You're boring me right now Tabitha." And it wasn't a lie.

"I got you a gift though. Though it was really a struggle considering the fact that you already have a lot and what you might want, I might not be able to afford." Everyone knew my parents got me the best of the best.

"So what did you get me?" I asked, placing my hands on my cheeks while supporting my elbow on the kitchen counter, mimicking an eager five year old.

"It's a... here, open it." She handed me a bag and I took it, opening it curiously.

"It's a picture frame. You framed the picture we took the last my parents were here?" I really wasn't expecting it.

"I know you miss them and cherish every time they come around. So I just decided to get it done for you. Do you like it?"

Tabitha despite working here for such little time understood me well. I missed my parents and I wished they'd stop being so unavailable. I had expected some object or material from her but what she got got me was beyond that. It was a picture from when my parents took me ice skating last year. She had tagged along upon the request of my mother. I didn't even know she had taken a picture there.

"I love it." I rubbed the glass frame, feeling my eyes about to go teary. "It's the best gift I've had in a while. You know, I might just marry you." I cocked a smile at her as she rolled my eyes.

"Lily hasn't come yet?" She inquired.

"No. But you should be expecting her in..."

The door bell rang on queue and the elderly woman walked in. Lily was a second mother to me. She took care of me when my parents weren't around.

"Happy belated birthday Enzo." She grabbed my cheeks and kissed my forehead. "You're a big boy now."

Tell me something I didn't know. My phone disturbed the little gathering and it was a call from Luca.

"Sup dude." I greeted.

"You interested in playing basketball in college? Coach is giving out applications to those interested in playing in college. I just called to let you know. He didn't tell you?" He asked and I could hear the noisy setting he was in.

"I haven't gotten a call from him yet. Maybe he forgot?" I replied.

"Well get here now. It's urgent. We're in the basketball field, downtown." He was as brief as possible when talking.

"I'm on it chief." I teased.

"See you captain." Back to the title they all called me.

"Going somewhere?" Asked Lily.

"Yeah, meeting up with some people. I might not be home till evening so don't make lunch for me." I informed here.

Another beep from my phone and it was coach Michael calling.

"Santana get your ass over to the basketball field right now. You've got good skill in basketball and I sure as hell hope you're not planning on dropping it." He sounded more like he was enforcing me than telling me.

"No coach." I simply replied.

"Good! Now get your ass over here before I get impatient. Dickson is giving me a hard time over here." He complained while I held back my laughter. Trust Bentley to drive anyone insane.

"I'm on it chief, I'd be there in ten." I disconnected the call and raced to the shower.

I didn't want to piss off coach Michael and end up getting to run some laps. As it is, my joints were already aching and running some wicked laps weren't on my to-do list at all.

I got dressed in grey joggers and a red T-shirt along with my dark brown hoodie. I pulled on my grey nike air jordans and grabbed my sling bag. I ruffled my hair and dashed out of the house and into my car. My phone beeped and this time it was Daniel calling.

"Aren't coming for the meet up? Wait, don't tell me you've quit basketball that's why you're not coming." He rambled. "Coah wants us to register under the NCAA. Stanford has the athletes division. "

"I haven't quit basketball. I just didn't know anything about the meetup till like fifteen minutes ago." I explained, while trying to not steer myself to death.

"I left you a text and so did Carter." He further said.

"Geez, I guess if I hadn't have not been hungover again, I would have seen it." I sarcastically replied.

"Anyways coach is helping us apply to our various college of choice. He says submitting our sports application while waiting would be killing two birds with one stone." He said and I hummed. "By the way, my mom called today. She said college acceptance would be out next month but some colleges might give theirs earlier and since majority of us filled out Stanford, I asked her to check out their status so we'd know if admissions from them would be coming in earlier or later."

"Thanks buddy now please get off my line before you'd be attending my funeral." And I seriously wasn't being dramatic.

I really was looking forward to college. I'd be far away from home and with my friends. I couldn't have wanted more. I honestly didn't know what I wanted to major in in college. But since Luca always talked about how his parents were medical doctors and still cool, I decided to go for it and so did Bentley and no surprise about Daniel. He was brainy as hell as was really good in biology. As for me, Chemistry and Physics were my zone. I never fancied Biology but I never failed or got below a 'C plus' either. As long as I never got to retake Mr Wesley's class or do summer school, I was good. My CGPA would also be good because I was sure to make 'As' in all my courses, especially my mathematics, statistics, english, physics, chemistry and likely a 'C' in Biology.

I looked up medical courses and it turns out I'd be doing anatomy, physiology, histology in my first semester, then biochemistry, embryology and neuroanatomy in my first year. My second year would have me doing pathological, microbiology, immunology and pharmacology, then I'd have to sit for the USMLE-1, which I can't afford to fail. It looked like a hefty workload and I was seriously beginning to wonder if I was going to have anytime for basketball in Stanford.