✔︎ | Part of Me (Trilogy)

20 | newfound friend

20 | newfound friend

M a r t i n  E m b e r

"Good morning beautiful," Mom clasps her arms around my shoulders and pecks my cheek. I'm too tired to be surprised when she walks silently into the kitchen, where I sit alone at the island in my pjs, drinking my morning chai tea.

I lift my arm and fold it over her head to hug her back, and smile. "You're up already? It's the weekend."

She sits down across from me in her candy cane jammies and pulls her creamy, blonde hair up into a topknot. "Of course," she cheers, "We're gonna make breakfast! Your dad'll be down any second. We discussed this last night remember?" When I frown, thinking, Mom goes on. "You know, Axel? His little sister. Their parents? The whole shebang?"

"Ah," I sigh. "Do you think it's a good idea to talk about it around Jasmine? I mean, what if it's serious?"

"What's going on?" Dad strolls into the kitchen, the sandy brown hair on his head all over the place.

"Hmm," Mom thinks, and pets Dad's head until his hair doesn't look like a rat's nest. "Well, we'll eat breakfast together, try to make Axel more comfortable around us. You know, he's Will's only friend here and we barely know him. You and Jasmine can hangout, maybe walk down to the beach? We'll talk to Axel."

Dad's making a coffee when he finally joins the conversation. "It's probably better that way anyway." He finds Will's almond creamer in the fridge and makes a face, pouring it and a heap of sugar into his mug anyway.

I frown. "Better that I'm not there, you mean?"

Mom and Dad look at each other. "No, not at all," Mom assures, "it's just, if it's a big deal, maybe he'll be more comfortable opening up around less people. I'll even leave too if he just wants Will and your father. You'll be helping so much of you take care of Jasmine."

"He calls her Jem," I mumble.

Dad frowns. "Hmm?"

"Jem, for short," I smile, "and she's adorable. If she wants to go to the beach with me or go do something outside, I'll go. I just hope it's not a big deal. Maybe there was just some miscommunication and Axel had to babysit and go to work. I don't know. You'll let me know what happens right?"

They nod. "Of course!"

I sigh. "Okay. I'm gonna go upstairs," I mumble softly, sliding off the chair. "Make something good," I wink, and Dad sticks out his tongue, accepting the challenge.

"Always do!" he yells after me, and Mom shushes him.

I shake my head and jog quietly up the stairs, wondering if anyone else is awake yet. I pass my room and peak into Will's, but the boys are still asleep, Will on the couch, and Axel in his bed, sprawled across it again, his legs and arms out, his boxer-covered-butt in the air. I chuckle and look away shyly, hoping to never witness such a sight ever again.

Closing the door quietly, I think to myself. I don't even completely remember what happened last night. I know I was the only one who wasn't high, but I'm pretty sure I had fallen asleep against Axel as we looked at the stars and one of the boys carried me inside and plopped me onto the couch before they went to sleep.

I don't even remember how long I stayed awake, but my head hurts right behind my eyes, and that tells me enough. I rub the sockets, hoping to relieve the pain of fatigue.

Padding across the carpeted hallway quietly, I go to my room. I turn the knob of the door and peer inside, wondering if Jem is still fast asleep in my big bed. I glance over at it as the sunshine streams through the blinds, and two little, brown eyes gape back at me, the owner's small body tucked completely underneath my big, white blanket.

"Hi!" Little Jemmy smiles, looking as if she was more than ready to get out of bed an hour ago.

I smile and shuffle up to the bed in my slippers. "Good morning, Jems. Do you remember me?"

She nods. "Avi!"

I giggle. "Are you ready to get up or do you wanna watch a movie?"

She moves her little arms out of the blankets and pats the mattress next to her. "Movie!"

I kick off my slippers and snuggle into the other side of the bed, grabbing my laptop from my night table: the most reasonable place to keep it, of course. Jem cuddles closer, taps the pillow and lays her head above my shoulder, her little arms enclosing around mine.

"What do you wanna watch?" I ask her, scrolling through Netflix.

Her head still smells like baby shampoo, and her warm hands are soft against my arm. I glance down at her, seeing the resemblance between Axel and her in her chubby, freckled face, but wonder how such an adorable little human being could be related to such an —

"Lilo and Stitch!" She whacks my arm when I scroll past it.

I laugh out, her body trembling with enthusiasm, and she only calms down once the movie comes on.

There's a knock on my door two minutes into the movie, and it opens slowly. Axel walks inside, now properly dressed in Will's Star Wars jammies, and smiles at us. "Good morning," he greets cheerfully.

I lay my finger against my lips and shush him. "We're watching a movie!"

He gasps. "Without me?"

Jem shoos him away by waving her chubby, little hand. "We watching movie," she groans, trying to copy me, and snuggles back into my arms.

I glance away from the screen to Axel, who rolls his eyes and shakes his head, but cannot seem to hide the smile formed on his face. I grin at him and he sighs, stomping out of the room. Jem is unbothered, and her little eyes flicker back and forth in front of the screen.

When she notices me watching her, she glances up and smiles. "I love you."

I laugh and peck her little brunette head of hair. "Love you more."