The Shade's Of You. | ✓

7

Sophia.

“Charlie that is unacceptable!” I scold, almost crying now because it's been two hours since his been wake and I've spent the last forty five minutes trying to explain to him.

“But you have the chain.” He fires back.

That is right, I do have the chain but I only have it because his brother gave it to me and when he gave me this ring, I hand thought he had bought it off from a cheap thrift store that he likes going in to. I didn't expect it to be stolen.

I really made a fool out of myself last night, claiming I'm engaged with his ring. I can tell he must have laughed much too hard once he left here. It's fucking hilarious.

I sigh and shake my head at the little grumpy boy who is slouched against the cream couch with his arms crossed.

Charlie says he thought it was mine because it's got the same blue stone on it, that's why he took it and it was only for that reason, because he thought I had left it there— I didn't even realize it wasn't fake but real, how stupid of me for not checking it out first. I tap his thigh with my finger.

“I hate to do this to you but I have to take away your games, as punishment for all these bad things that have been coming up recently, this week especially, Charlie. I don't understand what could be wrong, where I went wrong but you're just getting so bad and out of control— I feel like I'm failing you, is that it? You don't like living with me?”

He pouts and shakes his head no, I can see his eyes start to get glassy and honestly, I start to hate myself for doing this but how else would the little boy learn if I don't do it.

His eyes glance pass my crouched figure, over to his brother who stands leaning against the door, amused.

“I—” He pauses, bitting down on his lip, he looks at his fingers playing on his lap. “Sometimes I don't like my nightmares because brother is in them.” He quietly says and my eyes widen at the confession. “I see him hurting you and mummy and daddy and everyone but brother is too nice and he likes my hugs and he. . . he doesn't hurt people but my dreams says he does and I want to be like him so I, sometimes I hurt people too.” He whimpers.

Charlie flings himself onto me, curling his little arms around the back of my neck and weeping into my shoulder.

I hug him tighter to me as I stand and turn, looking curiously at his brother that can indeed hurt people if need be but my understanding of the situation has fallen flat.

I wonder now if my hands covering his eyes two years ago from when King did kill his parents, did he actually see everything? That could be the trigger for his nightmares.

King looks at me, deep in thought, he runs a hand down his face. “We should take him to see someone.” He says.

I nod my head, slowly rubbing his back to sooth him and his obvious shaken up demeanor— my poor baby boy. I wish he had told me all this sooner. I knew about the nightmares but I didn't know about this. It's why I allow him to sleep with me on nights when he isn't doing too well or nightmare prone. I feel like shit for not knowing about all of this— maybe I should take him to see doctor Catherine from the child's clinic, she's a therapist too.

“Percy?” I call and he turns his head, immediately, to face me. “Could you take us down cliffs? I would normally ask Jake but I think his busy today with his daughter—”