CLOUDED MINDS , NATE MALOLEY

.7// night out

kassidy

i picked benjy up from school. he was still quiet like this morning. i buckled him in the seat belt.

"benjy, are you okay? you know i love you right? and i only did it for you." he nodded.

"why do we have to hide it?" he asked.

"because we have nobody else to take care of us. and i'm not old enough yet to adopt you myself." he sighed.

"why cant we live with jack!" he asked.

"because jack doesnt know, and he wont understand why." i replied, driving home.

"why doesnt he know, kassidy?" he asked.

"because i couldnt put that burden on him, benjy. think of it this way, if no one else knows we'll stay together and you want to stay with me right?" i asked, he nodded.

"yes." i nodded back.

"then jack cant know, or anybody else." he looked out the window.

"hey, benjy, jack's gonna come with us to go shopping. does that sound fun?" he nearly jumped up.

"yeah! yay!" he smiled widely, i drove to jack's house. we waited for him to come home since we got there earlier than him. he pulled up behind me, i got out of the car.

"hey, wanna go shopping with us now? benjy really wants you to come." he nodded a giant smile on his face.

"is it alright if gilinsky comes?" he asked.

"madison with him?" i asked, he shook his head. i nodded.

"alright, yeah come on." both jacks followed me to my car, johnson got in the back and gilinsky went up front with me.

"you're not still pissed off at me right?" gilinsky asked, i shook my head.

"nah, its alright. you said sorry forget and forgive." he smiled.

"good, and i'm sorry that madison did that." i shrugged.

"dont apologize for what she did, i'm still waiting for her to fight me, but you and i are good." he nodded.

"so, i didnt get to properly meet you." gilinsky said, but was interrupted by benjy's laughter. johnson tickled him and made funny sounds. i smiled.

"sorry about that, im kassidy you can call me
kass if you want." he chuckled.

"i already knew that." i nodded.

"i know," i shrugged. "i just didnt know what to say."

"why not just tell me the things you like." i nodded.

"um. i like music. i like art. thats about it." gilinsky nodded.

"i like music and art too. what about your favorite color?" he asked.

"uh. black. purple. blue. green." i answered, he nodded.

"those are some good colors too." i nodded pulling up to the store. johnson unbuckled benjy and put him on his shoulders.

"please dont drop him." i asked, johnson chuckled.

"oh please, i wont drop him." i shook my head walking into target.

"alright, benjy, its summer lets pick out some shorts for you." i said, he nodded smiling and holding onto johnson. we walked to the boys section and picking out some shorts for him. with jeans and shirts.

"why not get some toys, kass?" johnson asked.

"well we need to focus on clothes first, then we'll see." johnson looked up at benjy.