Perfect For Me

CHAPTER 5 (Liam Williams)

"Lili, Lili, get up!" I just groaned and turned over which just caused Ethan to giggle and he started pocking my sides. I played along and complained to him while trying to catch his little fingers but of course he is way too fast. Or that's what he thought.... 

Suddenly I opened my eyes and before Ethan could react I grabbed him by his sides and turned us so he was laying on his back and I was hovering above him. "No, Lili, please don't!" Ethan shrieked but I acted as if I hadn't heard him. Merciless I started tickling him 'til he was laughing so hard that tears streamed down his cheeks. "Will you behave now?" ,I playfully growled and loosened my hold on him. "No!" he quickly shouted and slipped away under my body and began running. I just laughed and started chasing him until he was tired and ready to give up. I then picked him up and carried him back to my bed, hoping I could get at least another hour of sleep. I layed down beside him and cuddled him 'til he started giggling again. This was one of the moments where I suddenly felt like the luckiest person on earth. Having Ethan and living the life we did, even if it wasn't always easy, was all I needed. "I love you" I whispered into my brother's little ears. "I love you too" and a tiny giggle were the last things I heard before drifting into sleep once again.

When I opened my eyes again my watch told me it was 9:30. Laying beside me was Ethan, still sleeping soundlessly. I decided to provide special breakfast today and went into the kitchen to make pancakes. I didn't like them that much. They didn't taste really yummy without marble syrup but that didn't go with my diet for soccer.... But Ethan loved them. While grabbing everything I needed and putting the ingredients into a bowl I thought about yesterday.

I really hoped Ryan wouldn't tell anybody about my job. Not that I was somewhat ashamed of the fact that I was working, I just really didn't want to answer all the questions about why I did it. Apart from Nate nobody at school knew about the fact that I lived alone with my baby brother and the reason why exactly I did, I didn't even tell Nate. Apart from that, I lied in my job application about my age. Fanny, the boss wanted only people who were at least twenty-one years old. I really needed the job so I added a few years to my actual age and if she found out that I was still in high school I was sure that I would be fired. But I wasn't actually afraid that Ryan would tell anybody. He really didn't seem like he wanted to take the risk that everybody would know that he got lost. I mean, seriously? Getting lost in your own city? He had been living here his whole live and he still couldn't find his way home? What a loser! Not that I expected anything else from him though. 

Being deep in thought I hadn't noticed Ethan coming into our kitchen/ living room area and jumped about a foot in the air when he greeted me, which caused him to laugh. Starting to laugh too, I put the now done pancakes on two plates out on our small kitchen island, the only place to eat comfortably in our apartment aside from the couch.

After I had spend approximately thirty minutes to convince Ethan that he at least had to wear either long shorts or long sleeves because it wasn't summer anymore, we made our way to the mall. I really liked the second-hand shop there. In my opinion it didn't really make sense to buy new clothes as long as Ethan was still growing this fast and the clothes there were cheaper but still in a good quality. I definitely was not looking forward to our day. I loved that I would spend time with my brother, but honestly? I could do that at home too. 'Cause believe me, going shopping with a four year old is no fun! Ethan may be more modest than most kids his age but he still told me very clearly and very often if he liked something.

After we finished restocking my brother's wardrobe, we, mainly Ethan, thought it would be a good idea to get some ice cream. Walking by a Disney store unsurprisingly had caused Ethan to throw a tantrum in the middle of the hallway because I wouldn't buy him some strange stuffed animal. God, I still can feel the judging looks of elderly women, thinking I was a young teenage dad not being able to control my child. Technically that wasn't the case but in reality it didn't make much of a difference. And in my defence: Toddlers are far more stubborn than one might think. It's a miracle I had been able to convince Ethan to get some clothes instead. 

So kinda as an excuse for not buying that toy I agreed to getting ice cream. But before we could turn around the corner, I stopped Ethan who started pouting at me and carefully watched a blond boy who was currently saying goodbye to a brunette girl. They seemed really close. And the boy looked suspiciously like my best friend. How had he not told me about his girlfriend? The girl was gone now and before I really could take in the blush on Nate's cheeks Ethan had noticed him as well and started running towards him while shouting "Nate!" repeatedly. Right, he could pronounce Nate but not Liam which was definitely the easier name here. I really started to think he called me Lili just because he knew I didn't like it.

"Hey Nate!" I also greeted my friend who had picked Ethan up who immediately started talking about our day. Me and Nate did this bro hug kind of thing which was rather awkward having Ethan in between us. I had to laugh which made my brother pout, thinking I was laughing about him, which had me laughing even harder at his cute face. I swear sometimes something is deffinitely wrong with me.

When we all had our ice creams and sat on a small table, I started firing my questions: "Who is she and how come that I've never heard about her?!" "I don't know who you are talking about." Nate decided to play dumb. I just gave him a disapproving glare. 

"Okay, okay. But she really is nothing special. Today was just our second date and I don't think she even likes me. And I don't even know if I like her...." Nate trailed of, the visible blush on his cheek evidence enough that he, in fact DID like her. "Bullshit!", I called him out. "You know damn..." with a quick glance in Ethan's direction who didn't seem to have caught the "bad word" I went on. "...well, that you like her! And the way she kissed your cheek as a goodbye didn't seem like just a greeting between friends!" Nate blushed even deeper and continued to eat his ice cream in silence. Oh, this conversation was not over yet!

I really was happy that my best friend had found someone he was interested in. He always complained about not having a girlfriend and I think he really deserved someone who made him happy.