Pretty Eyes & Bow Ties

Mary, Mary, Call The Toothfairy

A blaring alarm made me jump awake with a gasp. Eri groaned and felt up his nightstand for the stupid clock, smacking it silent. The boy sighed and stared blankly at my shirt.
"What are we going to do about Mary?" He whispered.
"Who cares." I mumbled, cupping his cheek. "You're my best friend and she can't do shit to change that."

He grinned and wiggled his feet childishly, making me laugh.
"We should get ready." I sighed.
"True." Eri grunted as he untangled our legs and sat up.
"You can borrow some clothes. And I think we have a spare toothbrush somewhere." He smiled, going through his dresser.
"I'll tell my Dad to meet me at school with my backpack."
-
"You two sleep well?" Estrella smiled, sipping her coffee. Her hair was done up in a tight bun and her mug had a cartoon police badge on it.
Eri ducked his head and poked at his cereal while I simply laughed.
I jumped as a handful of dry cereal smacked me in the face.
"Romeo!" Eri scolded before Estrella could.
The little boy's laughter halted, eyes widening.
"Say sorry!"
"Its okay. No blood, no foul." I soothed, effectively sating the older boy.
I turned to Eri's nephew and smiled. The boy grinned back, flashing a missing front tooth.

Next to him sat his twin sister, the girl busily coloring a picture of a castle rather then eating; her pretty hair done up in a fishtail braid.
"Rosita. Eat, hun." Estrella nudged. The girl looked up and instantly locked eyes with me.

"Are you Tio Eri's girlfriend?"
Estrella and I laughed while Eri choked on his cereal.
"No." I chuckled.
"His boyfriend."
"No."
"Then what are you?"
"I'm just his friend."
"And Haven is neither a boy nor a girl, Rosie." Eri mumbled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

The little girl's eyes widened in wonder.
"Well you're really pretty." She smiled, a tooth gap between her two front teeth.
I felt my face get hot.
"Thank you." I mumbled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
"Alright kids. Time to go." Estrella clapped.
We cleared the table and made our way to the door.

"Tio Eri!" The twins squalled, reaching up towards the boy.
Eri sighed and handed me his backpack before picking both of them up, one in each arm.

Both kids had dark brown hair but Rosita had light brown eyes like her father while Romeo had dark ones like his mother.
Eri carefully strapped the kids in their car seats and sat between them, insisting I sit up front with his sister.
-
"See you later, kids!" Estrella called, driving off to take the twins to daycare. Eri and I walked side by side to the main office, where Dad stood holding my backpack.
He hugged me goodbye and waved to Eri before leaving.

Before we walked out into the main hall I grabbed Eri's hand and laced our fingers, my stomach churning.

Eri's thumb brushed over my knuckles as he lead me out, sensing my unease.

'She told them. All of them. Probably announced it over the loud speaker. Probably-'

"You don't learn do you?"
I looked up and met the eyes of the devil herself.

"I could say the same about you." I snapped back despite the tremble in my hands, feeling Eri's grip on my hand tighten.

"I can't wait to put you on blast. Everyone would love to hear that their beloved pink haired freak has a death count over their head."

I clenched my teeth as Eri gasped behind me.

"It was an accident."
"Poor little Davie. Didn't see it coming."
"It was his own fault."