The sun had barely risen when Cubis, with his usual burst of morning energy, came bouncing into the living room. His dad was still settling into his chair, sipping his tea, when Cubis suddenly blurted out, “Dad, I need some money. Urgently.”
His dad raised an eyebrow, already suspicious. “Urgently? What could possibly be so urgent at seven in the morning?”
Cubis puffed out his chest and replied with mock seriousness, “Coffee, Dad. I need coffee. You wouldn’t want your son to suffer from lack of caffeine, would you?”
Dad tried to keep a straight face, but the corners of his mouth twitched. “Coffee? Since when did you become a coffee drinker?”
“Since now!” Cubis declared dramatically. “Everyone knows mornings are impossible without it. Imagine me falling asleep in class, drooling on my desk—it would be tragic.” He threw his arms wide like an actor performing a grand play.
Dad chuckled and shook his head. “You’re too young for coffee. How about milk?”
Cubis wasn’t giving up that easily. “Milk won’t cut it, Dad. Coffee makes me smart. I’ll be able to solve math problems in half the time. Imagine how proud you’ll be when I bring home straight A’s, all thanks to this one investment!”
By now, Dad was laughing openly. “So this isn’t about coffee, it’s about bribery and academic performance?”
“Exactly,” Cubis said with a grin. “Think of it as… funding my future.”
Finally, Dad reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and handed them over. “Alright, future genius, here’s your ‘coffee money.’ But promise me one thing—you’re actually buying hot chocolate.”
Cubis beamed, snatched the coins, and nodded enthusiastically. “Deal! But we’ll call it coffee, just to sound grown-up.”
As he skipped toward the door, Dad shook his head with a smile. Cubis might not have gotten real coffee, but his humor, wit, and determination turned an ordinary morning into a memory they’d laugh about for years.
