Secret Love Story

Part Two

Levine's POV
I was a little disappointed that he thought I was new. I mean we've only had at least two or three classes each year together since elementary school.

I guess I should've expected it. What I didn't expect was for him to talk to me at all. He's never payed attention to me before, so what's changed I know I haven't changed. At all.

"Oh I'm sorry. I guess I don't see you around much." He rubs the back of his neck nervously. I stare at him curiously, under my eyelashes. This is strange. Him talking to me, and being all nervous.

"I-it's f-f-fine I g-guess." Ugh my stupid stutter it's so ugly. I was kind of wishing this conversation would end before I embarrassed myself even more. As I wished Stella jumped in between us giving Lucas a big hug.

"Lucas, babe!" He looked surprised and a little annoyed.

I took the time to slip away. Of course he has a girlfriend. But did it have to be her.

I check the time. 2:15, great I still have another three hours before I have to go home. I exit the school and start walking to the park. I love going to the park to read, and sometimes there's a group of kids from a daycare that come to the park daily. Whenever they come I'd play kiddy games with them like duck-duck goose, freeze tag, and little-sally-walker. They remind of the good old days. When I had my parents and I wasn't getting abused.

I get to the park to find the daycare kids there.

"Look Mrs.Kennedi Levine's here!" One of the kids, Reggie, says. Reggie's full name is Reginald but he doesn't like it so we call him Reggie. He's my favorite. He's a ten year old who's always positive and has a big heart. Call me crazy but I told him about my parents. Now I only did it because he's been through something similar with his dad. His dad died when he was a baby. I wanted to let him know he should always be grateful for having a mother and older brother, because I had no one.

But I told him to keep it a secret and so far so good.

"H-hey Reggie. How's your m-mom." My stutter isn't as bad around the kids because I'm comfortable around them. I giggle as he runs up to me and hugs me. We do our little handshake while we talk.

"She's fine getting better. Me and my brother are there for her you know." I nod my head as we clap our hands together and do a silly dance we made up.

"T-that's good is sh-she coming to pick y-you up today?" I say as we do our final double fist bump and explosion. We catch our breath before he answers.

"No. My brother is." I was surprised at that.

"What, y-your b-brother never picks y-you up." I really don't know much about his brother except the fact that he goes to my school. He doesn't come into many of our conversations.

He shrugs.

"Hey Levine! The other kids wanna play little-sally-walker." Hannah the youngest kid runs up to us. Oh the kids love that game. Mainly because it a game where they dance and chant together. To be honest I love the game too. We give each other two syllable names so we don't call everyone Sally though, the boys had a problem with it.

"Okay c-come on R-Reggie." I grab his hand and we all make a circle. It's not that big considering there is only nine kids in this daycare class.

"Okay ready who w-wants to s-start it off!Rosalee h-held her hand up f-first so she goes!" I say.

She steps in the middle of the circle and we start to chant the song.

"Little Rosie Walker walking down the street!" She starts to skip around the circle.

"She didn't know what to do so she stopped in front of me!" She stopped in front of a girl named Annabelle.

"I said hey girl do your thing, do your thing!—"
She starts to dance something she learned in ballet maybe.

"Now switch!" She switches spots with Annabelle now it's Annabelle's turn to dance.

"Hey girl do your thing, do your thing! Now skip!" Annabelle starts skipping around the circle, and the game continues from there. We shared a lot of laughs and jokes until it was time to leave.

"Bye guys!" I said to the last couple of kids whose parents picked them up. I go to a bench to pack my stuff to see Reggie still there with a sad face.

"Your brother is late huh?"

"Yeah, mom is never late." He kicks the wood chips.

"Well if it makes you feel any better we can play another game. He automatically lights up.

"Concentration?" He asks.

"Sure kid." We position our hands and start.

"Concentration." Clap clap clap. "Sixty-four." Clap clap clap. "No repeats." Clap clap clap. "Or hesitations, at all. I go first and you go second. Topic is names that start with A.

"A-Annie." I say.

"Annabelle." He says on beat.

"Arthur."

"Andy."

"A-Athena."

"Ashhdjsoamva." He says.

"W-what kind of n-name is that?" I ask laughing so hard it hurts. He puts his face in his hands.

"I cracked under pressure. I should've said Andrew." He whined.

"Wh-who cares. I won! I w-won!" I get up and do a victory dance. "I-I won! I—"

"What going on here?"

A familiar voice interrupts. I go completely still. Staring at Reggie for a sign. He looked passed and his smile dropped to a serious face.

"You're late Lucas." I turn around shyly to see his brother is—

LUCAS!! Lucas Grey is his brother.