The Raven's Reflection

Chapter 5 - Crush

"Did Saul's family ever make it tonight?" Samuel asked seeing Cerno come up the service staircase. He quickly realized the birthday boy was in full smiles and off in his own world. "By that daydreaming look on your face, I'd guess you got your first kiss tonight," he teased.

Cerno froze and his face instantly flushed. "What? N-no!" he exclaimed, his hand immediately reaching up and rubbing the back of his head. "Why would you think that?"

Samuel laughed. "Because of how far off in La La Land you are?"

Cerno looked both directions down the hallway then opened the door to his bedroom, motioning for Samuel to come in. "I'll talk if you don't say anything to anyone."

Once inside, Samuel folded his arms across his chest and smirked.

"There's this girl and..." Cerno paused, his brow furrowed as he tried to put it into words. He laid his hands on his stomach and chest.

"Did she poison you? Are you feeling stomach cramps and chest pain?" Samuel asked with a quirked brow watching the teenager's body language. He didn't radiate worry because he already knew the real answer...he was once a teenager himself.

"No," Cerno scoffed. "But she makes me think different."

"She also makes you smile."

"Have I really not smiled since the fire? I've heard these words tonight..." Cerno asked, looking troubled.

"Not that I can ever recall seeing. Today's been the first time I've noticed it, right here in this very room this afternoon in fact. And then again during the banquet. Figured you really were ill," Samuel chuckled.

"Ha. Ha."

"What's her name?"

"Kinsley," Cerno said softly, the smile returning to his lips.

"Saul's eldest?" Samuel hummed in thought. "No wonder you invited his family tonight. She's the girl from the stables this morning if I'm not mistaken."

"Yeah, she is," he confirmed. "Am I sick, Sam?" Cerno frowned. "Why do I feel like this? My stomach goes in circles and my heart races when I think of her green eyes."

Samuel laughed, even more hearing Cerno call him 'Sam' since it was out of the boy's character to do so. "I think you've got your first crush."

"Crush?"

"Yeah. You say she's your friend, right?"

Cerno nodded as he looked at Samuel with questions all over his face.

"A crush is when your heart wants her to be more than just your friend," he explained, never realizing until now how sheltered Cerno really was.

Cerno blushed a deeper shade of red. "Like...like a court?"

Samuel laughed. "Yes, like a court."

"May...may I have one of those father-son moments with you since mine is gone?" Cerno asked quietly, lowering his head as he sat down on his bed. There was a sudden seriousness flowing off of him as he felt the surprised emotion coming from Samuel. "I mean, you made it sound like you would have been my step-father anyway...so...may I?"

Samuel's heart thumped hard in his chest at Cerno's request. He walked over and sat down next to the teenager and put his hand on the kid's back. "As many moments as you need," he replied sincerely. A thought struck him and he groaned, "Unless you're going to ask me about sex, because I don't know if I can handle that responsibility!"