GROW

pinky promise

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pinky promise
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"Mimi!" Xavier screamed at the top of the stairs while Naomi pretended to sleep. It was a strange tradition every time Xavier came over for a playdate. Naomi pretended to sleep and Xavier would wake her up. Naomi laid in her bed and hid her face under the sheets and listened for the sounds of Xavier to pad into the room. She closed her eyes and began breathing slowly, even adding a dramatic snore when she heard her door open. Xavier jumped onto the bed and shook Naomi.

"MIMI, EVERY TIME I COME OVER YOU'RE IN BED" Xavier shrieked.

Naomi let out a giggle and sat up abruptly, causing Xavier to flop onto the floor. Xavier had fallen on his knees and got a rug burn on the carpeting and groaned, holding onto his leg. Naomi noticed he was looking at his leg.

"Xavi are you okay?" Naomi peered over the edge of the bed and Xavier quickly pulled his shorts down to hide the scratch, "Yeah, I thought I hurt myself but I didn't." Xavier lied.

Naomi and Xavier at the time were six. Xavier had just recently found out he felt different about her compared to all the other girls in his class. He wanted to kiss her but Naomi had already expressed her interest in another boy in their class.

Naomi smiled at him and flopped off the bed just like he had, hitting her knees and all but she hadn't felt any kind of pain, except for a moment.

Naomi stood up and held out her hand for Xavier to take. Xavier took her hand and as soon as he touched her hand, a feeling of euphoria rushed through him.

"Let's ask to go outside. We can play house in the creek. I have to ask my mom though." Naomi said, "Wait here. I will come upstairs after I ask." Naomi practically sprinted out of the room screaming "MOMMY, I HAVE A QUESTION!"

Xavier realized his knee no longer hurt and he lifted his shorts and watched as his rug burn faded into nothing. He gasped and plopped back onto the floor, holding up his shorts to watch all of his bruises from careless accidents throughout the week, fade away to nothing.

Naomi flew back into the room and grabbed Xavier's hand, "XAVI. SHE SAID MAYBE, LET'S GO!!!"

Naomi dragged Xavier down the stairs, he was able to keep up but kept his eyes on her little hand in his. His heart was racing.

Naomi stopped when they reached the garage, she grabbed sheets of paper and markers and threw them into a red wagon. A wave of exhaustion hit her. "Xavi. Can I sit in the wagon?"

Xavier smiled and lifted her and put her in the wagon.

Xavier dragged her down the sidewalk. Naomi yawned before saying, "Xavi. Can we pretend we live in the woods and I can be the mom and you can be-"

"The husband," Xavier said confidently.

Naomi scrunched up her nose, "No. I want you to be my son."

Xavier stopped pulling her and crossed his arms looking at her, "No. I'm older than you."

Naomi nodded her head, "Oh yeah. So then do you want to be my dad?"

Xavier continued to pull, "No. I'm the husband and you're the wife and we take care of each other in the woods."

Naomi sighed, "Fine. I'm only okay with this because you're pulling the wagon, Xavi."

They got to the creek and Naomi grabbed sheets of paper and Xavier grabbed the markers and they climbed to the top of the treehouse next to the creek.

Naomi's treehouse was built with a roof and windows. It was Naomi's Christmas present and it was all Xavier and Naomi had played in for the past two years.

Naomi and Xavier played house until they both became bored of it. Naomi had a CD player in the corner of the treehouse and played old songs her mom had burned onto a CD for her. From Queen to Billie Holiday.

Naomi and Xavier started coloring, laying on their stomachs in the treehouse.

Naomi had drawn a couple kissing, while Xavier sat next to her and attempted to draw a picture of Naomi. Xavier kept comparing his drawing to hers, noticing his drawing was terrible and hers was very good. He stopped coloring and ended up just watching Naomi neatly color.

"Is that us?" Xavier asked sheepishly.

"No. Only people who get married kiss each other. We don't kiss each other." Naomi said, in a-matter-of-fact tone.

Xavier felt his face begin to heat up and stared at Naomi. Naomi continued to color in her couple.

"Mimi, can I kiss you?" Xavier blurted out.

Naomi threw her head up, her curly hair flopping into her face. She looked offended.

"Xavi. That's illegal. We aren't married!"

Xavier went silent and watched her bend down to finish her coloring. She popped the cap on and put the marker back in its box.

"What if we get married now then?" Xavier asked quietly.

Naomi smiled at her drawing and then looked up at Xavier.

"Xavi. If you get me a diamond ring and a big cake. Weddings are basically birthday parties except you don't get to have one every year," Naomi paused and thought, "Unless you're Aunty Claire..." she muttered.

Xavier jumped up, "For my birthday, I want to get married to you, Mimi."

Naomi stood up next to him and shrugged her shoulders, "I want a diamond ring and cake, and if you don't get those two things then we can't get married and I'll say 'I don't' at the wedding."

Xavier had a huge smile on his face and hugged her abruptly, "Okay I'm proposing to you now and we can get married on my birthday."

Naomi nodded, "Ok." while thumb tacking her paper to a cork board and they left the treehouse.

Naomi got back into the wagon and Xavier began to drag her back, "Hey Xavi."

Xavier turned so he was pulling the wagon, his body facing her, "Yeah?"

"Since I'm your Fiancé now, you are only allowed to have one other girlfriend... okay?"

Xavier shook his head and scrunched his nose, "No. You are the only one. You are allowed to have no other boyfriends. I will be your only one."

"Wait one second, stop the wagon."

Xavier stopped pulling and Naomi held out her pinky.

"I feel better if we pinky promise on this Xavi."

They intertwined pinkies and Xavier kissed her hand, before beginning to pull the wagon back to the house, feeling triumphant.

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