The Babysitter ✯ Kellic

Chapter Nineteen

There's a few reasons I'm not excited for school: one, it's less time with the people I enjoy spending time with; two, my friends and I are on strange terms right now since I got so angry the last time I saw them; and, three, I don't get to see Copeland. Well, that's just the stuff most teens don't have to worry about while they're in highschool. Because, I have the other worries and problems the other students have; and I have my own unique problems, as well. At least I have a carpool to and from my education so I don't have to ride the bus or something.

I thank Vic as he drops me off, saying my goodbyes to Copeland and him. I don't care about being seen kissing him considering the popularity ranks as a senior don't even matter. I mean, if I was just a year or two younger and I kissed a boy my age, I would be shit of luck. But, by this point, everybody finally just grew up and stopped caring.

I walk to the gym to wait for the bell to ring, somehow managing to not run into any of my friends. That is, until I see Oli and he waves me over. "There you are, mate!" he says as if he hasn't seen me in years. "How is Copeland doing?" he asks curiously, scooting over for me to sit down next to him.

"She's good. She had a pretty nice late Christmas, too," I reply, smiling. Oli always was one of the few friends to actually care about what I had to say about Copeland. I think that he really likes children, but he told me he never wants a kid himself. But, like I said before, some people want them, and some people really just don't.

"We're going out to the field," Oli's friend, Gerard says, grinning. "You coming, Kellin?" Oli flashes me a semi-begging look and I shrug, agreeing. "Okay, let's get going so that we don't get there right as the bell rings and then we have to walk all the way back to the main building," Gerard says, standing up.

I trail loosely behind Oli, not really caring about the other guys. Oli is my only true friend in that small group, the rest of them I hardly know. What I know, however, is what I'm getting myself into by following them to the football field. "You don't care that you're going to smell different when you get home?" Oli asks me quietly.

I shrug, smirking. "Please, it's just weed," I reply. "I haven't gotten high in a while, and I think now is a good time to restart the stoner streak," I say, referencing this one year we all called the "stoner streak". We would get high out of our minds, and then we would go to class like that. The last person to get kicked out of a class won.

Oli glances at me, a worried expression plastered on his gentle face. "You have Copeland now, that's why we didn't have the stoner streak last year," he points out. I shrug again, honestly not caring.

"Vic can watch her if I'm too high, which I doubt I will be anyway," I reply simply. He nods, but still manages to give me that "I'm warning you; be careful" look.

Gerard hands out a pre-wrapped blunt and keeps another just for himself. I thank him when it gets passed my way, waiting for the lighter to follow. Once it does, I light up and take a drag, my problems already starting to seem distant. Everybody else does the same before Gerard gets his lighter back. It's oddly sad how he's addicted to popping pills and other shit along with a mix of dangerous drugs and weed; it's really not good for him. I rarely every worry because I just forget about his existence sometimes (cold, I know), but when we used to smoke together every day a few years back, I couldn't go a day without being concerned for him.

Once my mind mellows out even more and we're all already starting to feel the high creeping up on us, I decide to start talking. "Fuck, you guys won't believe who I saw at the park near my new place," I say slowly. I take another drag and relish how sweet it is.

"Who?" Oli asks, sounding like nothing has gotten into his system at all. I chuckle and stare at my feet before answering.

"Katelynne," I say, the name like it's venom in my mouth. They all gape at me and I nod, still in shock myself. "We weren't close enough to talk to each other, but I know it was her."

• • •

"Wait, you saw Katelynne?" Vic asks, shock in his voice. I nod, still feeling the slightest buzz from my participation in "smoking the marijuana" this morning. "Your ex, Katelynne? Copeland's mother, Katelynne?" I nod, licking my lips. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I wasn't high sooner, but look at me now," I reply, grinning. Vic rolls his eyes and parks the car in his driveway. "Wait, dude, Gerard gave me an extra baggie t if you want to light it up," I say, grabbing his stomach to hold him back. He brushes my hand off and turns the engine of the car off.

"I'm good, thanks," he replies, unbuckling his seatbelt. I do the same and walk after him. "Kellin, please move your hand," he says, swatting my hand away from his ass.

"What? Last night you tried to fuck me," I remind him, giggling. "Is it suddenly wrong now because the tables have turned?" Vic rolls his eyes again, clearly getting annoyed. "We could have so much fun if you just smoke up and mellow out," I whisper in his ear before he pushes me away.

"First of all: I had to come pick you up from school just now because you 'felt sick to your stomach', and nobody wanted to deal with you; and second, I'm not doing anything because that would be taking advantage of you," Vic says calmly. "And last night was different. Everybody was asleep but us, and I actually had to leave Copeland alone to pick you up today."

"I don't care," I reply, grabbing the sleeve of his hoodie an pulling him towards me. "I want you now." He pushes me away again and I sigh. "You know, being stoned isn't much different from not being stoned," I say.

"For you, apparently it is," he says, opening the front door. I walk in and he shuts the door behind us. "Just go take a nap or something," he continues, taking his hoodie off. I go and lay on the couch, quickly passing out like Vic said to do.

• • •

"What? Why the hell would he do that?" I hear Vic's voice coming from another room. I sit up slightly and rub my eyes, already interested in whatever he's talking about.

"I don't know," I hear Mike reply, pain in is voice. I furrow my eyebrows and listen harder. I wonder who they're talking about and what that person did. "I don't even know what I did!" Mike says, louder this time.

"I don't know, either," Vic says. I decide to get up and go see what they're talking about. I'm just nosy, that's all. "Do you want me to call his parents?"

"No!" Mike yells. "I'm not a little kid, and even if I was, I'm not yours!" I pause for a second, rethinking my choice of walking in there. Clearly, Mike is pissed off, and I've never seen him angry, so I don't know what to expect. I mean, when Vic got angry he ended up in the hospital. "Just - fuck, why do you have to act like Dad all the time? I'm your brother, and we aren't even that far apart in age."

"I'm sorry, Mike! I'm trying so hard to take care of you, but it isn't that easy!" Vic yells. I decide to walk in at that time, hoping they'll stop fighting with me in the room. I was wrong, though, they act like I'm not even there.

"Well maybe you should try a little harder! Get your head out of Kellin's ass!" Whoa, that was uncalled for. Mike stands up from where he was sitting and finally notices me, guilt flashing across his face for a second. "Just - ugh, don't talk to me right now, Kellin," he says angrily, brushing past me.

I look at Vic who's standing by the kitchen sink. He looks like he's about to cry, so I reach over and hug him before he can push me away. I hear him take a stuffed, shaky breath in my neck as I rub his back slightly. "Don't worry about Mike," I say quietly. "I know you're trying your best, and I love that about you."

That was so close to me saying something I would regret. "Thank you," Vic whispers as we pull apart. "I just can't help but worry about Mike," he explains, "and I love him so much. He got me through a lot, and I really don't know what I would do without him."