Dancing in the Rain

5: Mighty Ivan, King August, and Queen Sam

"Alright, Ivan. What do you want to do?" August asked, standing up. Ivan shrugged and said nothing. I took a big last swallow of my water bottle and stood with August. "Well, it doesn't sunshine here often, so why don't we just play outside?" I suggested. August and I nodded and Ivan finally stood and began walking around to the back of the house. It was still pretty muddy, so I ran into the garage and grabbed a few large tarps from under dusty lawn equipment.

I ran outside to the boys and laid out the dirty tarps. We all hopped onto the plastic blanket and sat down, the sun shining down on us. "What do you wanna do?" August asked again. Us Porters shrugged our shoulders and said nothing. "How about," August paused to think, "Hang on, Ivan. Do you think your are big and strong?" Ivan answered immediately, "Yes!" "Then I bestow upon you, Ivan Porter," August scrambled a bit to stand, "Mighty Ivan the most exalted knight in the land." Ivan giggled and bowed.

"And you," August turned to me, and extended his hand. "Will be the Queen." I took his hand. I smiled and curtsied. "And I shall be King," August smiled. We all laughed. "What would a mighty knight be without his sword and shield?" I asked and bolted back into the garage. I swept the broom off the hook on the wall and searched for a suitable shield. I decided the trashcan lid would do fine. I grabbed my items and worked my way through the piles of yard tools and hardware equipment to the door.

I trotted over to the tarp, where August was pretending to die as Ivan 'stabbed' him with a fairly short stick. August toppled over and cried, "Betrayed by my best knight! Woah is me! Aargh!" After a few moments of flopping around like a fish put of water, his magesty stopped, and 'died'. Ivan lifted his arms in triumph and yelled, "Huzzah! My quest is completed!" Ivan then let out the most evil laugh I've possibly ever heard come from him, ever. My eyes widened, and looked towards August, who's emerald green eyes where almsost as big as my fists.

After witnessing the 'murder' of my 'husband', I threw the broom as far away as I could chuck it. No need for an impromptu jousting tournament. I rolled the shield away from me in the general direction of my little brother. I fell to my knees in fake grief and cried, "No! No! Noooooo!!! Not my love! Not the love of my life!" August tried but failed to suppress a small snicker. I leaned over and lugged the King's head into my lap. As August looked up at me, his green eyes continually sifting shades of green, light to dark green; red hair fluffed up a little in the front, I felt the urge to kiss him.

He cocked his head a little and gave a little half smile that I couldn't resist. I bent down from my cross-legged position and planted a small kiss on his forehead. He smiled so bright it could have outshined the sun. I smiled too. "AAAARUUGH EW!!!" Ivan yelled in disgust as he covered his eyes. We blushed and laughed.

August jumped up suddenly. "I have RISEN!" He cried out. I cheered, Ivan yelled in pretend anger. He charged August with a small stick as a dagger but August was armed with his own weapon. The tarp. He gapped me in his arms and we flew to the ground, I on top and August below me. Our faces so close, our noses almost touched. "Hold on!" August said excitedly. "Wait wha-" I tried to ask, but alas, August had already grabbed the tarp and we began rolling.

We tumbled, becoming more and more entwined in layers of tarp until we reached Ivan. He tripped over us, the wrapped up high schooler burrito that we had become. We stopped rolling, I was on bottom. "Ugh, you're crushing me!" I gasped. "Oh, sorry," he said, and we rolled over once more. We chuckled. We heard Ivan stand up. "You think a person burrito could defeat me? The Mighty Ivan?!" He ran over to us and propped his foot on us, as if to claim land.

"You are my prisoners now!" Ivan announced. "Oh no!" I cried out, "Please no, oh Mighty Ivan! We shall leave and never return!" Ivan's face clouded. "I-I don't want you to leave," he whimpered. His eyes welled with tears. "Oh, nononono! It's just in pretend!" I assured him. "O-okay," he nodded, and the tears vanished. Ivan grabbed the end of the tarp, allowing us to roll free. He was filthy, mud all over his pants and his arms. I hugged him anyways.

"Hey now," I smiled reassuringly, "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." Ivan grasped me tighter, and I picked him up. "I'm scared," he whispered in my ear. "You're scared?" I asked him, "What of?" He sniffled, that cute, sad little sniffle only an 8 year old could muster. "That you're going to go away with August and never come back to see me." "Oh no no no no," I said as I shook my head, "I-I could never leave my little brother!" I glanced expecting to see August but felt him behind us instead.

"Ivan, hey buddy," August said sweetly, his green eyes full of care, "I would never even dream of taking your sister away from you." "Y-you promise?" Ivan sniffled. "Yes, I do." "Okay then," Ivan nodded, "Pinky swear?" August smiled a little and nodded. "Pinky swear." They locked pinkies and the deal was made. Wow, I thought, I'm actually in love with this man.

I allowed a small smile at August. The sun began clouding over, and it became dark once more. We cleaned up our stuff and went inside. We all plopped down on the couch. A few minutes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles always helped the mood. Just as Raphael was hitting Michelangelo, the garage door opened and my mother strolled in.  "Hello00... Anyone home?" She called out. "In the living room mom!" Ivan called.

She walked in, digging through her purse. "Hey Sam, have you seen my-" she looked up at August, "Um, who are you?" "August Bell, Mrs Porter, nice to meet you! I just moved in two doors down," They shook hands. I had my moms violet eyes, and black hair, but hers was cropped up closer to her shoulders, whereas mine was almost to my waist. "I was just leaving," he said. "Aw, do you have to go?" Ivan complained. My mother looked surprised. Ivan never complained when people left, he usually rejoiced.

August chuckled, "Yes, unfortunately I must." "I'll walk you out," I offered. "I'd like that," he smiled. "Pleasure to meet you, Mrs Porter," August smiled as they shook hands once more. "You as well, young man," Mom nodded. I rushed and grabbed Augusts hand as we walked through the hallway to the door. "Want me to walk you home?" I asked. "Nah, it's okay if you don't want to," August said. "No, really," I said, glancing out the door window.

"It's pouring." "Really? It was just sunny and warm 15 minutes ago!" August said, bewildered at Cinico weather. I laughed. "Yep, that's how fast weather changes in Vermont! So," I grabbed a umbrella from the stand next to the door, "I will walk you home." August smiled and gave in, his head falling to his chest and arms flopping, and he sighed. "Fiiiine," August said, fake exasperation in his voice, "We will both have to take the harrowing journey two doors down."

"Mom! I'm walking August home! Be back in a few!" I called. August held the door open as we exited my home in to the cold rain. The umbrella in front of us opened with a soft yet hard sounding spoof. I raised the umbrella for us and we began our journey two doors down. We walked in silence past the neighbor's house between ours. "Do you think your mom can see us?" August asked. "I don't think so, why?" I asked. "I just don't want you to be teased at home after this," he said shyly. "After what?" I asked, very curious now. "This," he said softly, and he kissed me.

No, not a peck on the cheek, but a full on kinda thing. It took me so by surprise that my grip on the umbrella loosened... Sending a small cascade of water onto both our heads. He pulled away quickly. I wish he hadn't, but it was cold and we were both soaked already so what was the point of the umbrella now? I put it down. He blushed and turned away, "I-I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean to- I mean I- Uh I meant to-" I cut him off by giving him a small kiss. "It was perfect," I smiled. We both blushed as we giggled and made our way to August's house, holding cold hands the entire rest of the way.