If Love Tread Water

If Love Tread Water {{Chapter Two}}

I should have considered being a therapist when I got older.

It was Saturday morning, and I was sitting upside-down on my bed with my head dangling off the edge. Lauren sat in my computer chair and spun around a few times before stopping, staring down at me. She raised an eyebrow and released a mouthful of air at the same time.

"So? What do you think?"

I pulled myself up and sat with my legs crossed on my mattress. "I think you're too young to be dating, especially when the boy in question is in high school."

"He's only in ninth grade," she countered in exasperation. "And he asked me to go see a movie with him; it's hardly a date. I don't want to hurt his feelings."

"Well, I don't want to see him hurt you."

"He wouldn't," she replied. "He's so sweet."

I sighed. "But he's a high-school guy, Lauren. High-school guys are usually looking for one thing."

"He is not using me. Eric is so nice."

"Well, you do whatever you want to do then," I told her.

She smiled. "I want to go to the movies with him."

"Then go ahead," I responded. "But I want to meet him first."

"Sure." She nodded before grinning and pulling her phone from her pocket. She dialed a number and pressed the phone to her ear. "Hey, Eric?" She said into the receiver, standing up and heading for my door. "It's Lauren. When do you want to go to the movies?" I smiled as she walked out of my room, closing the door behind her.

I rolled off of my bed and pranced over to my closet, figuring that I should get dressed. I picked out a pair of plain denim skinny jeans and a blue v-neck sweater, putting them on. Then I slipped into my grey Converse low-tops and pulled my hair into a side ponytail. After applying a light dusting of makeup to my face, I went downstairs to get myself breakfast.

"You're still talking to him?" I asked Lauren, who had propped herself up onto the kitchen counter and was chattering away. She nodded, smiling at something that he had said. She was too cute.

I grabbed my Fruit Loops from the cupboard, pouring them into a bowl and dousing them with milk. I loved my Fruit Loops. I barely had time to stick a spoon into them when I heard Ryan's distinct cry. Sighing, I stood up and walked to his room where he was now sitting up in his crib, looking at me with tear-filled eyes.

"What's the matter, baby?" I picked him up and kissed him on the forehead. He grabbed my ponytail and pulled it gently, like he always did when I wore ponytails. "Are you hungry? Do you want food?" He nodded and pouted, and I hitched him onto my side and carried him to the kitchen, setting him down in his highchair.

"Hi, Ryan," Lauren chirped after she had covered the receiver of the phone. "Oh, no, I was talking to my nephew," Lauren said to Eric on the other line. Ryan grinned at her, and she patted him on the head before grabbing a granola bar and exiting the kitchen.

I ate some of my Fruit Loops and then crouched in front of Ryan. "Okay. Let's see what you can eat here." I went to the fridge and peered in, looking for something suitable. I pulled out a carton of eggs and raised an eyebrow at Ryan, who was looking at me expectantly. "Scrambled eggs?" I wasn't sure if he knew what I was talking about but he nodded anyways. I took another bite of my cereal and then proceeded to cook his breakfast.

Scrambled eggs didn't take that long, about five minutes, actually. Afterward, I cut them up into extremely small pieces and put them on a plate, setting it in front of him. He extended his arm outward and pointed across the room, and I looked to where he was gesturing. Fruit. I picked out an apple, a strawberry and a pear, showing each to him.