Incompetent (BxB)

Chapter 3

"Ayla! Show some manners. We have a friend here." Atlas scolded, turning to the impatient, rocking back and forth little girl. She took large bites of her ice cream, gave herself brain freeze, scrunched up her nose, and continued.

Ayla wiped her mouth. "Who's you?" She questioned, pointing dramatically at the innocent boy.

"I'm Eddie, and I think I can already guess your name." He assumed, displaying a friendly smile to the 6 year old. Ayla let down her arm and held her chin, displaying her thought process.

"Okay. Why do you have so many sad marks on you?" Ayla babbled.

"Ah- she means your bruises. You don't have to answer that!" He smiled awkwardly at Eddie, then turning to Ayla, glaring at her. "Don't ask disrespectful questions, Ayla!" He repeated.

"It's okay, I—"

"When did you get friends anyways?!" Ayla groaned, "You're always by yourself, Addy!" she revealed, close to throwing an outburst.

"Ayla, go back to playing. You have your ice cream with you, and it'd be super bad if it melted." Atlas sighed, he looked to the direction of the swings.

"I want mom." She frowned and ran back to the park, being sure her ice cream wouldn't fall over.

"Should you check up on her? She looks like she is about to cry." Eddie questioned, looking toward Atlas. Atlas glanced at the swings.

"She's fine. Ayla gets overstimulated often, she typically forgets about it when she's distracted by something she likes." Atlas said. He softly smiled as he pointed to Ayla, who was happily kicking her feet and swinging, enjoying her ice cream.

"I see!" Eddie looked toward the girl who had switched emotions in almost a blink of the eye. He was finishing up his ice cream, before feeling a liquid trickling down his arm.

"Eddie! Blood!" Atlas gasped. Without a second thought, he rushed over to grab his handbag and began rummaging through it. Eddie inspected his arm, and noticed he had a cut near his elbow.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—" Eddie panicked. He was moving to cover the wound, before Atlas blocked this motion, pushing Eddie's hand away.

"It's okay. I got you." Atlas reassured him, already disinfecting and bandaging up his arm. Eddie was unsure how to react, he was in disbelief.

Atlas looked up to Eddie, Eddie wore a confused expression. "I keep these things for my sister. She's really clumsy, so I carry these with me for her." He confirmed, then took out a Hello Kitty sticker, applying it to the bandaged arm. "You took that well, Eddie." He remarked, beaming.

"Woah." Eddie blushed, his heart just couldn't slow down. "I think I feel better already." He muttered, shyly while staring at Atlas.

"Haha! You're funny!" Atlas giggled at Eddie's remark, he placed his hand on Eddie's shoulder.

"You're so kind to me, Atlas." He admitted, in a blunt manner.

"I— I think you are very kind too, Eddie." The honesty caught Atlas off guard, it seemed like such a random comment. He couldn't help but feel just a little timid. "But it's what friends do. It'd suck if you were too hurt to hang out with me!" He jokingly remarked, patting Eddie's shoulder and moved to rub his own neck.

"Well, I'd better be off now. My older sister is expecting me home." Eddie said. He stood up, grasping at his bag straps.

"Oh— right. No problem!" Atlas stood up next to Eddie, and went in for a big hug.

No matter how many times Atlas would repeat this action, Eddie just couldn't get used to the feeling it gave him. He just knew it was a nice feeling, one that he didn't want to end. Eddie hugged Atlas back, with a firm grip.

After an extra minute or two, "Wooh, that was a long... hug!" Atlas blurted out. He released his embrace.

"Was that okay?" Eddie freed his hug, but let his hands fall onto Atlas's arms.

"Yeah, absolutely!" Atlas insisted, with a huge smile on his face. "That might have just been my longest hug." He explained. Eddie removed his hands from Atlas and put them into his pocket.

"Oh, okay, so I was your first." Eddie replied, he began backing away, facing Atlas.

"You can say that, sure!" Atlas chuckled.

Eddie glistened in the sun. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, right?" He questioned.

"Of course! I'll see you!" Atlas waved goodbye at Eddie, with a friendly grin.

"I will see you too!" Eddie responded, and turned back around to walk away, staring down at the sticker Atlas had planted on his bandaged arm.

Atlas sat back down on the bench, facing the park, thinking to himself.

"Eddie smells nice." He concluded.

-

At dawn, Eddie arrives home and opens the door to the entrance of the building. As always, the house's demeanour was cold and grey. It completely threw off his mood, his smile faded into a more neutral expression. He was not excited to be home.

As he removed his shoes by the door, he put down his backpack next to his sneakers, thinking to remind himself of cleaning them later.

"Eddison?" She called, as she entered the foyer to address the younger boy, with her phone in hand.

"Reina." Eddie stood face to face with Reina, his older sister.

Reina was nearing her 20s, she continued to reside in her family's manor, after recently being dumped by her long time boyfriend. They had planned a lifelong dream together, however he left her where she stands. In a wrinkled dress he'd bought her years ago, with dry mascara running down her face. Reina was having a difficult time moving on.

"Why are you late?" Reina's voice cracked, she stared at her phone. Eddie wished to comfort his sister who was evidently going through a lot, but knew it would not go too well if he brought it up.

"I stayed a little longer at the park with my new friend. I apologize for being late..." Eddie responded, he took off his sweater and hung it up on the coat hanger.

"You know how angry Noah gets when you pull this kind of stuff." Reina said. "Dad would lose his shit." She continued, as she put her phone down to meet eyes with Eddie. She seemed so grim, this look saddened him.

"I'm sorry, Reina. I'll say it's my fault, it's not yours." He suggested as he twiddled his thumbs, anxiously.

Reina stared at Eddie for a minute, then let out a deep sigh.

"Go to your room. As far as we know, you had your regular 4 hour study session." Reina ordered, as she put her phone into her purse. "I don't want anymore problems with you, just do as you are told. I'm headed out." She pushed him aside weakly, reaching for the door.

Ding Dong

She stopped. Then, opened the door with a halfhearted smile.

"Noah!"

Eddie flinched slightly, he was quite frightened. It was Noah, their youngest brother, just out of his preteens. The young, small boy ran up to Reina, and gave her a big hug.

"Rein! It's been too long!" Noah emphasized, and snuggled her.

He was the spitting image of his mother, with his fair skin, his newly cut straight brown hair, and bright blue eyes. His stare would give Eddie goosebumps.

"I missed you, Noah! How was your trip?" Reina questioned, with a grin on her face.

They pulled away from the embrace to converse as though Eddie was nonexistent, but he took this as his opportunity to slip away. He took quiet steps away from the entrance, in order to avoid any attention.

"Rein?" Noah swung his arms mindlessly.

"Yes, Noah?" She questioned.

He looked daggers at the harmless boy, midway his walk away. "What is that thing doing here, Rein?"

Eddie stopped in his tracks.