Mr. Misty-Eyed | Josh Dun

reality | twenty-one

"Don't forget about me."

. . . . .

A light smirk tugged at my lips as my eyes moved back and forth, following Johnny as he pranced around the living room. His hands moved through the air above his head as he complained on and on about how school started back up the next week.

I glanced toward the tv screen he was blocking with his small body, before I averted my eyes back to him as he leaned over to coffee table to stare up at me. My eyebrows rose instinctively in question and grinned as he sighed dramatically.

"School really isn't that bad, Johnny," I spoke up. "Just wait till you get older. You'll be begging to be back where you are now."

The young boy groaned loudly, sliding from the table and falling back against the carpeted ground that covered the living room floor. I checked my phone for the time and noted that Bryce would be back soon with the Chinese food we had decided to order for dinner. I watched Johnny with an amused expression on my face as he rolled around the floor of their house still going on about school.

This was the first time I had been left alone to watch Johnny and in their house no less. It warmed my heart to think that Bryce and her sister trusted me enough to keep an eye on him. I don't know how I did it, but I had weaseled my way into their lives and I planned on soaking up all the time I could with them.

"Josh!" Johnny's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"Huh?" I looked down at him dumbly and he just laughed at my expression. 

I shook my head and shot him a playful glare and swiped at his body as he quickly ran away from my grip. He giggled loudly as he fell back onto the floor once again.

"I want you to take me to school on the first day!" He said excitedly.

My chest tighten at the thought, not knowing if his mother would be all right with me driving him somewhere, even if it was to school. "We'll have to ask your mom if it's okay."

He nodded his head quickly, before the sound of the front door opening stole his attention. Bryce walked into the room then with a big smile on her face. I bit at my lip nervously as I watched her cross the room, setting the takeout bags onto the coffee table in front of me. She glanced my way as Johnny began to unpack the cardboard containers. She smiled and pushed some of her long wispy bangs from her face. The red tint on her cheeks from the cold air outside only deepened as I gave her a big smile.

Bryce looked away from me just as Johnny went to stick his hand into the container that held the fried noodles. "Stop right there!"

I covered my mouth with my hand to hold back a laugh as Johnny pouted up at his aunt, while she pointed toward the kitchen. "Go wash your hands first."

Johnny huffed loudly, but went and did as he was told. The room fell silent as Bryce pulled the last few things from the plastic bags. She was tense, but I couldn't quite figure out why.

"So..." I tilted my head in question as she took a seat next to me. "I was thinking maybe you'd might want to stay over tonight."

I took a shaky breath, my heart instantly speeding up at her words. My eyebrows raised in slight shock and awe about her forwardness. I knew by no means that she meant if I stayed over that we would do anything other than sleep, but I was perfectly okay with that. At least for now.

"I mean," She cheeks flushed and I couldn't help but smile at her flustered actions. It was nice to see her like this sometimes. "Only if you think it's okay. We don't want you walking out at 3 in the morning again."