Tough Love (Completed)

Chapter 1

Dean - 5 years old

I don't want to go to this stupid party. I hate parties. I hate cakes. I hate sugar. And there is no party without cake, cupcakes and chocolates. I hate them.

I also don't like to give away the gift mom bought at the shopping mall yesterday. It's the same lego set I wanted for Christmas and Liam is getting it before me. He is not even my friend. Kyle said Liam has cooties so we are not friends with him.

We reach Liam's house and it's decorated like Lego blocks. After we park mom helps me out of the car, adjusts my tie and tells me to be a good boy. I nod and get inside and see all the kids from my class are here. It's like the annual day at our school last year except for the decorations. It's cool. I told Mom that I need the same decoration for my birthday party and ruffles my hair saying

"I thought you hated parties".

"I said I don't like sugar, not parties. We can have hot dogs and burgers at mine"

She laughs and tells me to go play with my friends. I look around for Kyle and don't find him. Kyle doesn't come to parties mostly. He says it's because his father is a construction worker. I don't understand why he can't come though. Mom says I can invite Kyle to my birthday party. So that's cool.

Soon we gather around the table and sing "Happy Birthday to you", while Liam cuts the Lego shaped cake. All the kids are given a piece and my mom insists that I eat at least a piece. I lick the yellow cream and want to puke immediately.

When my parents are not looking, I slip away to the garden with my cake. I go around the flower beds and find a spot to bury the cake before anyone sees it. I find a small shovel-like thing in a tub and start digging with it. When the hole is big enough I dump the cake and cover it with dirt. I called help but be proud of my idea. I dust my hands and turn around and collide into someone. I immediately panic that I have been caught red-handed and step back. I step on the plate which I forgot to take back and lose my balance falling on my butt.

I look up to see the most pretty girl I have ever seen, stand in front of me. She looks like a princess in the cartoons I secretly watch because Kyle says princess cartoons are for girls but I like them. Her hair is long. Longer than any girl in my class. Her eyes are big, round and green. Her lips are red like strawberries which is my favourite fruit.

" What were you doing?", she asks with her hands on her hips, looking as scary as mom, when she found me playing with her lipsticks.

"I was burying my cake. I hate cakes", I tell her. She looks confused and then looks down at my hands.

" You hurt your finger", she says kneeling in front of me and taking my pointer finger in her hands where there is blood.

My eyes fill with tears as soon as I see blood and I don't want to cry. Boys don't cry my cousin Wayne said when I cried last time at a family dinner. He said only girls cried.

"Nina says to put the finger in your mouth if it bleeds", the girl says.

" Who is Nina", I ask examining my finger and trying not to cry.

"My nanny", she says and pulls my hand to her mouth and puts my finger in her mouth. She sucks the blood.

"Are you a vampire? Why are drinking my blood?"

She removes the finger from her mouth and tells me to suck it. I do as told. Drinking my own blood seems okay.

"We just kissed", she says pointing to my mouth.

"No", I say still sucking on the finger.

"We shared spit", she says.

"That's not how it's done"

"Kissing is sharing spit", she says adamantly.

"No, it's not. I watch my parents kiss all the time"

"Show me", she says.

I move forward and press my lips to her. Her lips are soft like marshmallows but without the sugar. Then I do what my dad does. I suck her bottom lip like how I was sucking my finger a few seconds ago. Hmmm.. Its weird sucking lips. It's like sucking the pacifier only lips are much softer. Why do my mom and dad suck each other's lips all the time? At least the pacifier is clean. Lips come with spit. Gross. Are soft lips with spit better than clean hard pacifier? Maybe it's the adult thing. Pacifier is for kids and lips are for adults.

" What the hell is going on here?", a woman yells above us and I fall back on my butt once again and the girl scrambles to stand up.

"Where are your parents?", the lady shouts and before I can straighten up my mom and dad come rushing asking the angry lady what happened.

" Is he your son? He is kissing my daughter.", she yells again and I step back and hide behind my dad. A crowd is formed around us and I feel so scared. Dad crunches down and asks if it's true.

"She asked me to show how people kiss.", I say pointing a finger at the girl.

A man standing near the angry lady burst out laughing.

" Oh... These kids. They start young these days... I thought I had few more years before I would be fending off boys...", he says.

"We are so sorry. I didn't know how this happened", mom says trying to calm the angry lady.

The man waves his hand.

"They are young and curious. My daughter is equal part naughty", he says.

" I am Henry Fork of Fork industries. This is my wife, Clara and My precious daughter Bethany. Beth", Mr Fork says pinch Beth's cheeks and adds, "We moved here a couple of weeks ago."

"That's great to have you here. I am Mathew Knight. This is my wife Melanie and that little kisser is our son Dean.", My dad says shaking the hands of Mr Fork.

" Oh. Knight as in Knight foods", Mr Fork asks my dad and my dad nods and then they start talking business.

Mom tries to talk to Beth's mom but she still looks angry and storms off. I hide behind my dad scared I will be scolded again.

"I am sorry. My wife is not doing well today. Please excuse us. Beth Sweetie, say bye to Dean.", Mr Fork says pushing Beth forward.

" Thank you for kissing", she says and everyone starts laughing again. I don't understand why they are laughing. Mom says I should always thank if someone gives me something. Beth did the right thing. But why is everyone laughing?

Once the Forks leave, mom and dad hurdle me back into the car and we head back home.

"Little kisser, how was it? Your first kiss", Dad asks adjusting the mirror and looking at through it. Mom punches him on his shoulder and says

"Oh God..  Don't encourage him."

" Dean. Sweetie. You can't kiss girls", Mom says in a soft voice that she uses whenever I make mistakes.

"Why not? You kiss each other all the time", I say and Dad laughs again earning another punch from mom.

" Sweetheart, we are married. Only married people can kiss", she says.

"Then, I will marry Beth", I say even though I don't want to kiss her again. I have decided clean pacifier is better than lips with spit, soft or not. Dad parks the car to the side and roars out laughing.

"Like father, like son", mom mutters angrily but Dad only laughs harder.

" You can't marry until you are an adult. So no kissing until you are adult. Okay", she says.

I nod and start counting.

"13 years is too long", I mutter and look out the window. Dad starts laughing again and mom joins with him this time.

"What are we going to do with him? He is already a player", mom says between laugh.

They laugh the whole way and I don't understand why all the adults are acting weird today.

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