Usernames || A Garmau Fanfic

Twelve

I sit on the steps leading out to Aphmau's backyard. We decided to take a small break from working on the project for today, so we're all waiting for our parents to show up. Laurance is sitting out on the grass, playing with Celestia. He's always been a dog person.

"I got lemonade!" I hear Aphmau shout from behind me as she emerges from her sliding, glass door with a tray of three lemonades. She passes me on the steps and places the tray on a patio table nearby.

"I'll grab mine in a sec!" Laurance calls, throwing a tennis ball for Celestia to chase. Aphmau giggles and brings two glasses over to me.

"Here, Garroth." She hands me one and sits next to me.

"T-Thanks." I try not to let it show how nervous I am with her being so close. My heart thumps hard against my ribcage. I try to distract myself by sipping on my lemonade.

"So-" She opens up her sketchbook to a blank page. "-talk to me, Garroth. I know you like baseball, but I want to know more about you."

I nearly spit out my lemonade. Me? She wants to know about me?

"U-Uh, t-there's not much to s-say..."

"Sure there is! Tell me about...family life. Like, siblings and your parents and stuff."

"W-Well..." Think of something, Garroth! She's actually trying to make conversation! "...I have two brothers. T-They're Zane a-and Vylad. Zane's a freshman, l-like you've seen, a-and Vylad is in eighth grade. He's actually transferring in February to our school, so..."

"Really? That's so cool! Is he, like, really smart?"

I nod.

"What about your parents? What are they like?"

"Mom's nice. She...likes gardening and shopping. Oh, and Beyonce. She'd probably kill me if I didn't add that."

Aphmau giggles and I feel accomplished.

"My mom is completely obsessed with Beyonce! She listens to all her stuff! We all usually fall asleep to her playing Single Ladies."

I try not to laugh, but her smile is contagious.

"What about your dad?" she asks and my stomach drops a little.

"He's...he works a lot. We rarely see him."

"Oh. Sorry." She frowns and I panic.

"N-No! No! I-It's okay! We see him sometimes a-and it's not like he's abandoning us or anything. Don't worry!"

Lies.

"You sure?"

"A-Absolutely."

She smiles in relief and a lightning bolt shoots down my spine.

"Good. I was worried for a second."

She was worried. About me. LAURANCE, HELP! I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!

Aphmau goes back to her blank page and begins sketching something. I watch her in the most non-creepy way possible.

Her amber eyes sparkle like a giant jar of glitter was injected into them. A small smile slips onto her pink lips, tongue slightly poking out in concentration. Every once in a while, she'll glance up, probably in thought or inspiration.

I look down at her sketch and see the figure of a woman, hands outstretched in front of her body. Aphmau's in the process of drawing her hair.

"Is that Irene?" I ask before I'm able to stop myself. Her caramel gems find my dulled blue eyes. I freeze under her gaze.