𝑨𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒓 | KAI PARKER X OC

CHAPTER 1

Song: "Cry" by Cigarettes After Sex

The year 1980

"Eric!! Lunch's ready!" a woman in her late thirties calls out from her home to her 8-year-old child who is on his bike with his neighbours on the road, eric hearing her responds with "In a minute Mama!" turns to his friends "well, I'll be back here after lunch-" voices called out from all over the neighbourhood houses calling their kids in for lunch. the 3 boys giggle, "yea we'll be back here later too, goodbye Eric!" the kid waves goodbye to Eric and takes his younger brother with him, "bye Grayson and John!" Eric runs with his bike up his house's drive-through and leaves it there, running to the house.

"Hey, Mama!" Eric embraces his mother as always "Hello there, my baby." his mother giggles and kisses his head as she embraces him back, Eric pulls away and sits on the dinner table waiting for his mom to bring his plate.

"Mama, where is Daddy?" Eric looks around for his father seeing as he's always there waiting for his son at the end of the table. The mother tenses up, taking a deep breath, she turns to Eric with his plate full of food and places it on the table in front of him. Smiling up at his mother, Eric waits for his mother's response to his question.

"Daddy has left to bring a friend that will be staying with us all summer." Eric gets more curious. "who mama?" says Eric as he tilts his head. "someone who needs daddy's help with his magic," the mother says as she strokes Eric's hair.

"When are they coming home?" the mother cups Eric's face and tells him "Tomorrow morning baby" The mother kisses Eric's forehead and brings her plate to sit with her only child.

"So... how's Ariel?" the mother asks holding in her small smile. Eric turns red, "I don't know mama... I haven't seen her today." the mother senses her child getting sad. "Eric you'll see her after lunch with her brothers and especially John since they are twins that would hardly leave one another." she tried to comfort him. "yea I guess..." he sighed "She doesn't like me, Mama."

"What makes you say that baby?" concern all over the mother's face. "well because everyone would tease her about our names... says stuff like we're boyfriend and girlfriend or that we're married" The mother releases a sigh "Eric I'm sure she likes you and is just tired of being teased by everyone." hope fills his eyes. "really?" the mother smiles to Eric. "yes, now finish your food."

An hour passes as Eric runs out to his bike to get to the road seeing as Grayson and John bring out their little sister. "Hey, Ariel!" Eric says on his way to the three Gilberts. Ariel hearing him, hides behind her oldest brother Grayson. When Eric reaches them Ariel peaks at him from behind her brother and when Eric looks at her she turns red and hides once more.

Eric deflates as he realises that she won't talk to him or even look at him. 6-year-old John exclaimed to his older brother by 2 years and Eric "The first one to the park wins!" and sprinted to his bike with his brother following leaving Ariel to fall forward, Eric noticed, and held out his arms to catch her.

"Are you okay Ariel?" Eric Asked and Ariel looked at Eric as she stood straight once more "Uhh yea- I mean yes." both of the kids red in the face. "you wanna ride with me to the park?" asked Eric and Ariel contemplated for a few seconds seeing as she doesn't have a bike as it has broke because of her brother's roughhousing. "yes please Eric."