We're All Gonna Die

Chapter 2

Myles walked into school, meeting up with his friends, Ashley and Lewis, in the canteen.

"Great, you're here. You can help us settle our argument. Does vanilla coke taste nice?" Ashley placed a bottle in front of him as he sat at the table.

"Vanilla?"

"Yeah, it's a new flavour and I think it tastes like shit," Lewis chimed in.

He took a sip from the bottle, "it's alright."

"Just alright?" Ashley asked. "Are you okay? You usually have more to say."

"Yeah, I'm just tired."

"Aww, my poor baby," she ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead.

"Where's my kiss?" Lewis whined, trying to get her attention on him.

"Don't try to make this about you, Lewis. You always do." She continued stroking Myles' hair as he laid his head down on the table.

"Oh please, what about me? I got like 3 hours of sleep last night. I think they'll be fine." Ashley sighed, tired of her boyfriend. He always wanted to be the centre of attention.

"Lewis just stop. Clearly, he's upset, even you should be able to realise that." She told him, emphasizing the he to remind him Myles wasn't using they/them pronouns anymore.

"I'm supposed to be your number one," Lewis grumbled and began to sulk.

Ashley ignored him, choosing to deal with him later as she turned her attention to Myles, who seemed half awake.

"Myles? Myles? Me-les? My les? My lesbian?" She giggled at the incredulous look she got from him. "Have you had breakfast today, love?"

He nodded. "Have you actually?"

"Yeah, I promise I have."

"Okay, good. We have about 20 minutes before school starts, so you can take a quick nap."

He fell asleep soon after that, and she turned back to Lewis. "Lewis, what the fuck was that? You promised you'd get yourself in check."

"You kissed them."

"Him Lewis not them, he's a guy. And it was on the forehead he is just my friend. I used to do this with him long before we started dating."

"I should be your number one now that we're dating though."

"This isn't a competition. I don't love anyone more. Stop being jealous." This only caused Lewis to get more upset. He expected that as his girlfriend she would put him on a pedestal.

"Look babe, I just feel you should have at least asked me first. It shows you have respect for our relationship."

"Respect for our relationship? You're unbelievable, Lewis."

"Trouble in paradise?" Issy asked when she joined Myles and Ashley after watching Lewis storm off.

"He's being twat." Ashley replied.

"So the usual."

Issy turned her attention to Myles, "aww the duckling looks adorable in his sleep. Is he okay?"

"He's had a rough morning, but I think he's okay."

The two settled into a comfortable silence, allowing him to sleep some more before he had to be woken up to go to tutor time.

Time went fairly quickly and the school day was rather uneventful. Myles got picked up by Veronica after school.

"Hey Ronnie."

"Ay papito, qué pasa?" Veronica asked, sensing something was wrong from his tone of voice.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"We both know that is a lie, but I won't push. What do you want for lunch?"

"Quesadilla?"

"Of course, baby. How was school today?" She asked as she started the drive to her house.

"It was okay."

"How's Ashley?"

"Still dating Lewis," he grumbled. "Why do good people date horrible people?"

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

"I wish she'd realise she deserves more. Lewis is such a dick to her sometimes."

"She'll realise. She's smart and will realise her worth."

"And if she doesn't?"

"Well, she has great friends to help her through."

They pulled up in front of her house, "come on. Kenny's still at work but he should be home in a few hours."

"Can we have Ronnie time?"

"Of course, baby. Let's get you out of your uniform and into more comfortable clothes, hmm?"

He nodded as he got out of the car. Ronnie time allowed him to regress and forget about his worries while she looked after him.

She led him to his room and helped him change into a toothless onesie. Mentally taking note of his hair, his locks needed a retwist.

She took him down to the living room and put on big city greens. "Why the long face papi?"

"Sir quackinton is not here."

"Oh baby it'll be okay. We have your other stuffies upstairs."

"But sir quackinton will get lonely," he whined tearing up.

She wiped off a few tears, "shh don't cry baby. We can go get him."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Go put on your shoes." He ran off to put on his shoes and waited for her at the door.

"Do your laces up bubba. I'm gonna go get my purse." When she came back he was staring at his laces still undone.

"Do you know how to do your laces bubba?" He shook his head no. She knelt in front of him and did up his laces as he fidgeted impatiently.

She gave his foot a pat when she finished and stood up to open the front door, catching him by the hood of his onesie as he attempted to run out.

"Ronnie," he whined.

"Nuh uh don't give me that little boy. You know you're not allowed to step out of the house first, let alone run out like that. What if something happens?"

"Sorry." He whispered as he avoided eye contact.

"It's okay papi. I just don't want you getting harmed so you need to be careful, okay?"

He nodded in response and she led him out of the house towards her car, "good boy."

She drove to his house, luckily his mum wasn't home yet so it made retrieving the stuffed toy that much easier. They drove back to her house and Myles sat in the living room, watching tv as Veronica went to get lunch ready.

Half an hour later lunch was ready, "Myles go wash your hands. Lunch is ready." The little ran off to do as he was told and returned soon after with dripping hands.

"Did you use soap?" He nodded. "Good boy," she commented as she dried off his hands and led him to the dining table. There was a plate of Quesadillas and a sippy cup with apple juice in it.

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome baby." The two sat to eat their food. Myles ate a majority of the food on his plate before pushing it away declaring he was full. Veronica was proud he ate that much and let him go back to the living room with his sippy cup.

When she was done tidying up she joined him in the living room where he enthusiastically told her about what Cricket had been up to. She smiled as she listened to him talk. She was glad he found a healthy way to destress. She ran her fingers through his hair as he leaned on her shoulder.

"I love you bubba."

"Love Ronnie too."