Wait...but you're like...my best friend!?: A Jackson Five Fanfiction

Childhood Innocence

"Tag! You're it!' he shouted. I shrieked in laughter and chased him down.

"Jermaine! Come back here!"

"Come and get me, slowpoke!"

I ran as hard as I could, but I couldn't catch him. He was too fast, like a race car with jets.

I stopped to catch my breath, huffing and
puffing.

I'll get Tito instead, I thought.

I turned around and ran in the other direction, surprising Tito.

He jumped and started running away. I laughed, knowing I was gaining speed.

Eventually, he started to get tired and I caught him.

"Gotcha!"

"Heyy, no fair! I thought you were going for Jermaine!"

"Well, I changed my mind. You were an easier target." I smiled.

He grunted and walked away.

"You really are a slowpoke aren't you?" asked Jermaine with crossed arms and a smirk.

"No, I'm not. I just don't feel like wasting my leg energy for rabbits on jet skis."

"Huh?"

"You were running at the speed of light silly!" I laughed.

He smiled. "I guess I was running pretty fast. I kinda have to if I'm gonna make it on the baseball team."

"You'll probably make it on the team without trying, knowing you." I smiled, nudging him.

He gave me a shy smile. "Let's go get some juice."

We were walking towards the house when suddenly my legs gave out.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah I think so," I replied getting up.

A sharp pain shot through my leg.
"Ow, ow, ow! No, I'm definitely not."

"Come on, you can ride on my back," he smiled.

At that moment, I knew we would always be the best of friends.

It was the summer before sixth grade.

1965.

We had been playing together all day. When we got inside his house, he dropped me on the couch.

"Thanks."

"No prob. I kinda owed you one after making you run."

I smiled and rubbed my sore leg.
"It feels better now," I said, getting up to get some juice.

Tito had already set out three glasses for us. I drank mine quickly and went to look at their record collection.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Jay fell 'cuz her legs were hurting, so I carried her inside."

"Oh," said Tito. After he entirely processed everything that happened he smirked and said, "That's just 'cuz you like her."

"That's not true!" Jermaine retorted.

"Yeah it is. Last night, you were like 'Tito, I think I have a crush on Jay. She's so pretty and funny.' Remember that?"

"No I didn't! Jay don't believe him! He's lying!"

I looked up from where I was.
"What?"

"Didn't you hear what I said? Jermaine likes-" Tito didn't get a chance to finish on account of Jermaine clamping his hand over his mouth real quick.
"He doesn't know what he's talking about," Jermaine laughed.