the true mister young

Mr. Family Man

I do not own Pictionary.

Half way through the trash compactor scene Echo ended up burying her eyes in Adam's shoulder, that is until a knock came at the door. Adam groaned aloud and Echo could feel the deep rumble in his chest it was that or the tingle than ran up her spine. All of a sudden she felt a warmth on her forehead that she hadn't felt there before. the warmth spread throughout the rest of her body. when she looked up she saw Adam blushing slightly refusing to look at her but, looking confident. "Stay here. Just in case." With a new-found fire in his eyes. Adam took a deep breath to steady his pounding heart as he opened the door wide enough to see Ivy and his mom bearing shopping bags and three steaming pizzas. "You alright Adam?"  his mom asked as he took the pizzas from here. Ivy quickly retreated to her room, obviously still angry with her brother. "You look like you've seen a ghost!" his mom continued.

"I think the trash compactor scene might have been a bit much for him is all."  said Echo with a grin. "Hi, I'm Echo, and you must be Mrs. Young."

"Those movies do excite my little working man. It's nice to finally meet you, Echo. I've heard many wonderful things about you. Adam, when you said you were inviting a friend over for dinner you didn't mention that it was such a lovely young lady."

Adam grinned. "I thought I'd keep her a secret for as long as possible. Ya know, keep her to myself."

" You're welcome here anytime, Echo. Make yourself at home."  she said with a warm smile. Echo never thought it was possible to like a person so much so quickly as she did with Adam's mum.

"Mom, Echo, sit down I'll get the food ready and fetch Ivy. Adam offered.

"If you don't mind, hun." Mrs. Young kissed the top of Adam's head and sat down tiredly. She looked at Echo as Adam cut the pizza and set out the tableware.

"It's so nice to have someone besides Derby around. He gets too exhausting. Are  you in Adam's class? Is he too hard on you guys? I can talk to him if you need me too." The questions and answers continued on like this until they were trading silly stories about him.

"Oh, that's why Ivy was going on about a new mall. Did you really have to dress up like a bearded lady?" Unlike most teenage boys he was glad his mom and Echo got along well. He even laughed along with them at the funny parts.

"Echo, he said with false tenderness. If you don't stop talking i might have to tell a few of your stories as well. Parent-teacher conferences take funny turns sometimes."  he winked at her and she blushed beet red. Who knows what her parents might have told Adam, they could be so weird. But as Ivy came back downstairs in one of her new outfits Adam changed topics. "So how's Mr.Tickleshmootz?" Ivy was wide eyed at seeing Echo there and her flit back and forth between her and Adam for a while. Then they narrowed and she grinned evilly. "This could get interesting" she murmured under her breath. Echo shrugged, "Well enough after what you put him through."

"What was that, Ivy?" asked Adam with a dangerous look in his ice cold blue eyes.

"Oh, nothing. Just hungry, can we eat now?" she lied smoothly. Adam didn't fall for it but, he still handed everyone their plates and filled their glasses with the drink of their choice. Echo noticed and had to wonder why every burden fell on Adam.

Adam sat himself down beside of Echo on the opposite side of his sister. Ivy shot him a conspiratorial look and slid her eyes over to Echo and down her back up again and back to Adam. It was said amongst Young family members that Adam and Ivy despite their differences could carry on entire conversations with their eyes. Ivy wanted Adam to hold Echo's hand. He shook his head slightly to one side. No. Ivy furrowed her brow. Why? Adam took a bite of his pizza. He nodded his head almost imperceptibly towards Echo and shrugged his shoulders. I don't know if she wants to. Ivy gave Adam a quizzical look, blinked once and leveled her eyes at Echo who was talking to Rachel Young about the time she and Adam had set Rachel up on a date with Principal Tater. Are you sure about that? Look more closely. He looked more closely. She was nodding politely to Rachel but was more focused on picking at her fingernails in what , to Adam, was a ridiculously attractive way.Looking at Ivy he gulped deeply once and nodded.

Echo held up her hand to see what damage she had done to her nails. Out of nowhere came Adam's hand to take hers. It was extremely comforting. She had felt quite uncomfortable during Adam and Ivy's unspoken conversation about her. But with her hand in Adam's she knew he wouldn't say anything might hurt her. But just what were they talking about? Echo hated not knowing things.

After dinner Echo called her mom to ask for permission to stay over at a friends, being careful not to mention that that friend just happened to be her fourteen year old teacher. Then they played Pictionary. The teams were Adam and Ivy against Echo and Rachel. Echo did her best not to be hurt that Adam picked Ivy over her but it still stung until Rachel leaned over and whispered to her. 'Don't let it bother you. He always plays with Ivy. It's their bonding thing.' When Adam and Ivy played together they were unbeatable almost like they could read one another's minds. Adam's mom tried to explain that for them it wasn't unusual, but Echo most definitely didn't agree.

"Is it a side-effect of his particular brand of genius you think?" she asked quietly, thinking of his definitions of geniuses, while Adam and Ivy spoke telepathically about what looked like a pregnant stick man.

"I can't say. We've never really looked into it. we've always had other, bigger things on our minds." Echo lowered her head and muttered curses at Jack for the obvious heartache he had caused this loving family.

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 After a sound beating from Adam and Ivy then Adam and Echo, Mrs. Young retired for the night leaving the three teens to retire for the night whenever they might choose.  "What brought you here anyway Echo?" asked Ivy with an expectant grin. Adam had left the awkward tension to the two girls with the childish excuse of 'i gotta use the potty'.

"Ivy, you already know. Adam obviously needed help cheering up. I know what happened to both of you back then and i know what happened last night." Ivy winced despite Echo's compassionate tone. Whatever strange force that was making her do things againste her will struck again and she covered Ivy's hand with her own. "I'm sorry that that had to happen to you, and I'm proud to call you my friend." she said looking straight into Ivy's eyes that so mirrored Adam's.

Usually when someone said something like that to her Ivy would crack a joke, change the subject, to flee to avoid it. But this time she was so caught by surprise that she froze.Ivy blushed a light pink that showed up across the room on her pale skin. Tears fell unbidden down her cheeks.

Adam watched on from down the hall and marveled at the effect Echo could have on people. Sometimes she caught things that he thought only he noticed or saw. Such as the budding friendship between Slab and Derby,or the gentle ways that either Mrs. Burns or Principal Tater  would use with a struggling student that proves they care.If only everyone could see the good in people like she could. he wished.