Baby steps ∽『boy ✮ boy -EDITED

Thirteenth 👣-edited

When the next morning Ryder woke up along with the first rays of sun, fretting over his empty pack of cigarettes, I didn't spare him more than a fleeting gaze. I couldn't sleep too much because he spooned me all night and forced me to cuddle with him into his sleep. He wouldn't budge when I begged him to let me go, and the only time I succeeded to free myself, he caught me back in a tighter embrace.So I was pretty puzzled when he came back after a few minutes and both him and Kathy woke me up with a fan of yells and scolding.

"Woah, woah, y'all speak slower!" I sat up and then rubbed my eyes when they started tearing up because of my yawns. "What twisted your pants so early in the morning?"

"Why did you do this to Ryder? You have absolutely no shame?" Kathy shook her head at me, pointing to Ryder's face. I turned to look at him and suddenly burst in genuine fits of laughter.

"Oh my God!"

"Carter!" Kathy scolded, walking around the bed to be able to slap me over the back of my head. "This is not funny! How could you do something so-so disgusting?"

I opened my mouth to defeat myself, but Tommy started calling his mother so Kathy left the room, telling me to apologize.

"I thought you wouldn't play pranks on me anymore." Ryder said once Kathy was out of view, crossing his arms around his chest. I was trying not to look at him because if I did I would start chuckling again.

"It wasn't me who did this though."

"Yeah, because Tommy could come into our room and draw a dick on my forehead with a permanent marker." Ryder rolled his eyes, his brows lifting up and making the drawing wrinkle. I just shrugged.

"It really wasn't me this time. But wait, did you go to the shop like this?"

Ryder's face reddened and a short snort left my mouth.

"I didn't look in the mirror this morning. I didn't even realize why the seller was looking strangely at me until Kathy saw me and pointed it out."

"You were too eager to go buy your cigarettes?" I inquired, wrinkling my nose in order to show my disapproval.

"More like... I was lost in my thoughts."

"Oooo, thoughts about who? Are you in love, Ryder?" I asked and when that Ivy girls' face popped up in my mind I felt a weird thug at my heart.

Ryder didn't respond. Instead he took his shirt down and proceeded out of the room.

"I am going to try to wash this off." He said and when five minutes later Kathy told me to bring him a towel I said out loud that I will buy some towels and rags for this family because they terribly lacked them.

"We have towels in the bathroom, but I don't want the marker to stain them." Was her response.

"That's fair." I said and made my way to my cousin's bedroom, grabbing a towel from where she told me I could find it then placing it into my lap and making my way back into the hall. I didn't turn towards the bathroom though because the bell rang and Kathy told me to check out quickly who it was. When I saw her sweet neighbor a smile bloomed on my face and I've opened the door hastily.

"Hello, Aunt Ann!" I smiled up at her brightly, watching her eyebrows shot up for a moment before she responded my smile with a chuckle.

"Hi, Carter! Look how much you've grown!"

I took in Aunt Ann's appearance, enthusiastic to see her. She was the next door neighbor, the one who had lots of kittens, and one of my favorite people in the world.

"Of course I did! Three years had passed since we've last seen each other."

"Yeah, I have been visiting my grandchildren in Argentina. How about you? I didn't know you were in a..."

I looked at my legs and sighed.

"Wheelchair? Well, you know me, I've always been lazy. Now I have an excuse to sit down and do nothing all day long."

Aunt Ann shook her head, kissing my forehead but not once giving me the pity look everyone else tended to. This is why I loved her so much.

"Anyways, I came to give Kathy some basil because she told me she doesn't have any. Could you please take it to her, sweetheart?"

"Of course, auntie!" I responded, taking the small bag with greenery in my palm. At the same time a little ball of fur jumped in my lap, rubbing its head against my shirt.

"Hi there, kitten!" I began petting the fluffy animal's head, making it purr.

"Stop spoiling my daughter, Carter, or you won't get rid of her." Aunt Ann rebuked, picking up her pet with a reproachful laughter.

"Well, you can't leave without her so longer I keep her here, longer I could talk to you."

"I wish I could, but I have to go with Suzy at the vet. She has an ugly rash on her leg and I have to find out what caused it."

I nodded understandingly, cooing at the kitten in aunt Ann's arms.

"Aww, little baby! Get well soon."

"We will, thank you, Carter."

I nodded, watching Aunt Ann look at her watch before she offered me a small smile and said:

"Maybe you could eat dinner with me one of these days. How long will you stay at Katherine?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning, actually." I responded desolately, and the woman sighed, promising me the next time I come to visit she'll invite me to a sumptuous dinner with her 'daughters'. After that she left and I went to give the basil bag to Kathy, only now remembering about Ryder's forgotten towel.

"Sorry for making you wait so long." I excused myself when I reached Ryder, the boy only shrugging expressionlessly.

"It's ok. I used some toilet paper." He responded, still taking the towel in my stretched arms and rubbing his face with it. Looking at the panda colored cloth, I suddenly remembered Suzy, the kitten, jumping on it when I still had it in my lap.

"Wait, Ryder..." I tried to warn, but it's was too late when the football player began sneezing and rubbing his teary eyes.

" I really forgot...aunt Ann's cat jumped on my lap where the towel was, and now there might be fur on it."

Ryder threw the towel at the ground, washing his hands and trying to brush the fur off his face.

"Come here, let me help you!" I said when I saw he was struggling cleaning his face, leading him between my parted legs where he knelt.

I walked my thumbs along Ryder's closed eyelids, contouring all the lines of his face with the pads of my fingers. Unfortunately, this didn't stop his sneezes and to my horror, his face started to swell.

"Kathy!!!!" I screamed utterly terrified, watching uselessly how she lifter Ryder and called Sid to help her get him to the car, leaving me behind in order to not slow them down. Watching them out the window, I started wondering is this was what Ryder meant by "you'll do something you will regret". I didn't even do it intentionally this time.

My eyes fell to my lap and I rubbed my palms in worry, my eyes widening when I saw the fur between my fingers.