Don't forget me

A challenge

"Mum! I'm back from school." I call as Kia and I dump our bags at the bottom of the stairs.

"In the kitchen!" I hear her call back, "Is Kia with you?"

"Of course, I am Mrs C." Kia sings as we step into the kitchen.

We're met by the squealing calls of a tiny demon as it scrambles down from a chair and barrels towards us, immediately latching itself onto Kia's leg.

"Hey buddy," Kia coos down to my little brother, as she picks him up from her leg she groans dramatically, "Wow you're getting so big Ty Ty!"

"That's because I'm a big boy now Ki Ki! Look at my chart!" He grins widely and struggles to get out of Kia's arms as he drags her towards his height chart that's marked against the kitchen wall. I laugh as Kia entertains Tyler for a bit, Tyler already pulling out his fancy dress box so that he can play princesses. I wander over to my Mum and she grins happily at me.

"So, my little girl is no longer a high schooler huh?" I chuckle at her knowing that no matter what age I am she's always going to see me as her 'little girl'.

"Yeh Mum, high school is no more. I was actually going to ask if you minded if I slept over Kia's tonight, you know bit of a celebration. We... ugh might even go to a party." I mention quietly at the end.

My Mum swivels around quickly, "A party?"

Excitement quickly floods her face, "Oh my little girl is an adult now! Kia what the heck did you say to get her to say yes." There's a murmur from the corner of the room where Kia once was, and I presume she's too busy being captured by a dragon to give a decent answer.

"Of course, you can go to Kia's and anyway you're eighteen it's not like I can say no." She chuckles.

"Yeh I know, but I didn't know if you needed me to watch Ty for a bit?" I sigh thinking about her long hospital shifts.

"It's fine Jess, I'm not working tonight anyway so me and Tyler will probably curl up on the sofa and watch a bit of The Lion King."

"Alright well I'll see you tomorrow then, love you Mum." I give her a quick hug before disappearing upstairs to my room, leaving Kia to deal with Tyler once again.

I fumble around my room stuffing clothes and chargers into my bag before stumbling back down the stairs to find a tired looking Kia awaiting me by the door.

"Tyler felt the need to chase me around the living room dressed as a lion for the past ten minutes." She explains before I even ask.

I giggle, knowing she loves spending time with Tyler really and would die to have a little brother.

"We're off Mum, see you later."

"Bye Mrs C!"

"Have a good night girlies!"

"Ki Ki I haven't finished chasing you yet..."

I close the door behind us quickly and glance over to see a very relived looking Kia, we giggle quickly before making our way back into her car and towards her house.

Kia's house is a short drive away from mine making our friendship even easier, beside that her parents are rarely home. Kia calls them free spirited but sometimes I wonder if she gets lonely when they're away. It's probably why we've pretty much adopted her into my family.

"So where are Mummy and Daddy Russo this month?" I ask jokingly as we make our way up her old, battered staircase. The walls are decorated in a range of pictures from family portraits to sunsets in foreign countries.