Young Blood ~•~Timothée Chalamet

Chapter 12

"And everyday I am learning about you. The things that no one else sees."

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I'd been going to Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America for a couple of years now. Being able to bring a smile to these kids faces made me feel a little better about my own life. They've seen nothing but pain, nothing but sorrow and if they were able to keep going, then I told myself that I could too.

I sat and colored with a young girl named Lily. She was a quiet little one. I had been told that she had barely spoken a word to anyone since they'd found her. She had been out alone at night roaming the streets of L.A. She looked to be barely older than five years-old.

"That's a very pretty picture," I commented.

Her tiny hand drifted across the paper, creating a scribble out of orange and red crayons. Her head nodded a tiny shake towards me.

I got some craft paper and started doodling myself. I eventually concluded that I wasn't cut out to be an artist and went back to watching Lily.

She started drawing a stick figure against the bright colors. "Who's that?" I asked.

She ignored my words, obviously lost in her own world. I went back to my picture. I didn't even notice that I had begun writing Timothée's name in loopy cursive.

"Mommy."

I looked up. She had actually spoken a word other than her name. "That's Mommy," she repeated.

"Oh...where is your Mommy?" I wanted to keep her talking. Maybe, she'd give me some information that could be helpful to the system.

"Gone." Her tone was hard.

"Where did she go?"

"Bye-bye with the angels."

"Oh my god. You got her to talk." My head turned towards the familiar voice. 

Lauren sauntered over to our table, pulling herself up a chair. "No one has gotten her to talk yet."

"Well, I guess I did."

I hadn't seen Lauren since that last house party. My memory recalled her bubbling over in apology on Stacey White's couch. When all that alcohol had been in her system, she had seemed genuinely interested in talking to me. Now, she was here and still held that friendly smile. The only thing different being that she was a hundred percent sober.

"It's good to see you, Violet." She grinned at me.

"Dido," I responded.

Lauren invited herself to join the party, grabbing a few markers and a piece of blank paper. The three of us didn't speak a word to one another as we colored in silence. The whole room breathed with children and even bigger children sharing a moment of life together. Both of us failing to acknowledge the fact that we were all connected. The hindrance of domesticity weighing down on all of our shoulders.

I was eager to get more out of Lily, but I hesitated with Lauren so close.

Lily eventually got up from her chair and gave the both of us a small wave goodbye. She headed off to another station littered with legos.

Now, it was just Lauren and I at the table. I continued drawing, wondering if she would get up and leave.

"Doesn't being here make you think about a lot of things," Lauren said, breaking the silence.

I stopped my pencil from moving and glanced at her. Did Lauren, Lauren Jones, have a soft side?

I responded, "I guess, but I don't come here to think; I do enough of that already."