I'll show you

FOUR

"No fuckin way" Nico says when I give him my address.
"What's wrong?"
"We live pretty close actually" he chuckles.
"Really?" I say.

"Yea like only 2 blocks over" he looks at me. I act like this is new knowledge to me, I've seen him walk past billions of times. I don't know exactly where he lives but I've always known it was near me.

"Who do you come with to school?" he questions, turning on his car. It's so nice, it smells like him. It's also surprisingly clean.

"My bestfriend Franny" I nod.
"Oh yea I know Fran, cheer team right?" He looks over to me.

"Yea, I didn't know y'all knew each other" I say surprised.
"Oh that's pushing it, I know of her, half the team has a crush on her" he nods.
"That's honestly understandable" I laugh. "She is genuinely beautiful inside and out" I agree.

"Why are you laughing?" He smirks. "I didn't think y'all had good taste" I shrug.
"Oh don't group me in with them, I actually do have a good taste in women" he jokes.

"Oh yea? Franny too young for your liking?" I poke fun.
"Very funny Kingston" he rolls his eyes making me laugh.

We are almost at my house and I actually feel almost sad that our time together has come to an end, I know that tomorrow all things will go back to normal. We will both go back to never talking again.

I look over to him, his gaze focused on the road, one hand on the wheel and one on the middle console. No Remi don't even think about it.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" he smirks. I turn my gaze to outside my window. I know he felt me staring at him.

"School" I answer.
"After school?" He says.

"Probably homework, or chores" I shrug. I immediately regret it, way to sound boring Remi.

"Oh forget that, let's go do something" he suggests. I bite the inside of my cheek, he wants to hangout with me?

"On a Thursday night?" I laugh. "Well you said you work on the weekends" he looks over at me for a second. Well that is true.

"What would we even do?" I bite back a smile.

"I don't know we'll figure it out as we go" he shrugs. He's spontaneous, something I'm not use to.

"Nico, I told you. You don't have to buy my silence" I say.

"Maybe I just wanna hang out with you" he shrugs pulling up to my house.
When he stops outside my house, he turns to me. I know I shouldn't, I don't have time for this, I don't have time for any distractions.

But this boy who I didn't even think knew my name, wants to hang out with me.

"I take care of my siblings after school, I have to make sure they eat, do their homework, do their chores and clean up themselves for bed" I say honestly.

I cant believe I'm turning him down. Pretty much the whole school and I guess the teachers as well, want to be with him.
And I didn't think I did either before he gave me a ride home and basically asked me out.

"Huh not free during the weekdays or the weekends? Your a tuff one Kingston" he shakes his head. What does that mean?

"Trust me, I would've loved to go and do something spontaneous, like go swim in the ocean with my clothes on" he chuckles slightly.
"But I have shit to take care of, and it sucks but if I don't do it then know one will, you know?" I continue.

He smiles slightly at me, I cannot believe how fast my feelings have changed about him. He has genuinely surprised me, and I do actually think outside of this situation outside of high school general we would got along really well. I can feel it.

"Thank you for the ride, I really appreciate it" I nod before taking off my seat belt.

"Anytime Kingston" he nods. "You just can't stop saying my last name can you?" I roll my eyes playfully before throwing my bag over my shoulder.
"It a pretty dope last name" he shrugs.
"I'll see you around Nico" I chuckle before closing his car door.

He waits to when I get to my door before leaving. I let out a breath when I come into the house, I hear the voices coming from the kitchen.

I take off my jacket and throw my hair into a bun on top of my head as I walk into the kitchen.

"Okay guys I can take it from here" i half laugh.
All they have done is boil pasta noodles but they look like they've been cooking for hours.

A sigh of relief comes across their faces when they see me. "Go ahead and do your homework I got this" i shoo them off to the dinner table.

"Antony did you put a load in?" I call out to the oldest of the three. Antony is 13, he's smart, has an incredible work ethic for someone his age.
"Yes it's in the drier already" he says.
I get the pan out of the cabinet so that I can start on the beef mince.

"Thanks Ant, Tori, hows grandma, did she need anything else today?" I ask. Victoria, she's compassionate, empathetic loves taking care of people especially grandma. She is only 11.
"She's already had lunch, I made her tea earlier, she's taking a nap now" she nods.
"Good girl" I smile, running my fingers through the ends of her long dark hair.

"Mellow?" I call, my youngest brother looks up at me. he's only 9 so I'm still learning about characteristics. He's going to be 10 soon but it looks like mom and dad won't be joining us for that occasion.

"Did you clean your room?" I ask.
"Yes" he nods proudly.

"No he didn't"
"He's lying" the other two say at the same time.
I turn back to mellow eyes narrowed, "is that true?" I ask.

He presses his lips into a thin line, making his dimple more prominent. He just shrugs.

"After you homework, you will go and clean your room. Understood?" I say sternly.
He nods his head. I run my finger through his hair.

"Did grandma tell you about the text" I turn to my other siblings.
"No, I saw it pop up on her phone" Tori looks up from her work briefly.

I sigh, "well thanks for starting for me, I'll be done in a little bit" I smile at them. I know they are starving.

I turn back to my beef mince which Is already browning, a smile comes across my face as I remember my ride home with Nico.

Maybe I shouldn't have turned him down, I could've asked franny to watch the kids for a night. No that would be unfair, they are no one else's responsibility but mine.
And I have to accept that.