Our Little Secret (h.s.) // editing

Six

"Alright, bud. Tomorrow well go pick out a bed, and maybe some paint, yeah? This will be your room." I place my hand on the small of his back, slowly guiding him into the room. Not much was in there, just a chair or two. He dropped his bags, and ran right into my arms. His small arms wrapped around my neck tightly.

"Where do I sleep tonight?" He whispered quite frightened. I noticed years forming in his eyes, making my heart break for the small child.

"Well, tonight you can sleep with me if you want." He quietly nodded his head as an answer. "Are you hungry, bud?" I questioned. When he nodded his head, I scooped him up, and carried him into the kitchen. Placing him on the counter, I asked what he wanted to eat. It was strange, he usually was loud around me. Well, not loud, but he was never this quiet. Jess brought his small hand up to his eye to wipe away a tear. "Listen, Jess. I'm not going to pretend that I know what's going through you mind, but i'm trying to help here. Why are you being so quiet?"

He answered me with a shrug of his shoulders. All I could do was give him a half hearted smile, turning towards the fridge. What if he's allergic to something. "How about we go to Mrs. Janissa's for dinner?" At the sound of her name, he opened his eyes widely.

"Do you still like Mrs. Janissa?" He laughed at my expression. My face flooded with heat.

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?" Jess crossed his small arms over his chest, making a small pouty face. His bottom lip stuck out, it was very... cute. Why do I feel like this kid knows more about my love life than I do? He's very observant I guess, but even then, he still seems to know more about love then I do.

"Why do you want me and Miss Janissa together so badly?" I question, crossing my arms against my chest. Jess starts laughing... again. His eyes flicker around the house, landing on a picture behind me. His small hand pointed to the small picture fame on the staircase wall. I held Janissa on my back, both of us making a crazy face. I remember taking that picture. It was a few years ago. We would always meet at this small little cabin in the woods that we built. Whenever one of us were upset, we would always find the other there. There were candles, a small couch, and a single bed.

Some nights we would end up sleeping there. There was one time we slept there before the couch was in the cabin. We both slept on the bed. I'm sure that's the first time I ever thought about her like that. Having her body so close to mine, the heat radiating off of her body kept me warm. I even woke up with her in my arms...

"What about it?" I snap back into present time. I fucking hate remembering shit.

"You guys have fun together. You laugh, play, smile. Every time you talk her, your face turns into an alien. Then when you argue with her, it gets... You look like you want her to be safe..."

That did not just come out of a nine year-old's mouth...

"Alien?"

"You get all red," He laughs, bows his head, and whispers, "like a monster..." Then laughs again... My face is sarcastically amused. I even fake a laugh. Not a very convincing one, but a laugh. "Harry and Janissa sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes lov-"

Swiftly, I throw him over my shoulder, making sure to contain his struggling body. His feet kicking while I felt his hands grip the back of my shirt. More of his laughter filling the room. I place him on the couch, and take a seat next to him.

"Okay, bud. What color do you want the room?" He brings his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around himself. When, what a presumed to be his 'thinky face' took over, I pulled out my phone to call Janissa. As I was about to hit call, the screen lights up, her picture visible. Yet, another picture of us being all cuddly. "Hello?"