The Closet-a Ralbert Story

Chapter 14

Picture Day is today but it's school pictures so I have to wear the school uniform:'( and I'm not a big fan of pictures.

But I'm trying to be positive today lol kind of like this chapter.

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"He's totally flirting with you", Elmer says, doing his homework with Albert at the kitchen table. He glanced up. "You already know he likes you."

"I know. I didn't know I liked him until last Friday", Albert sighed, tapping his pencil against his hand. He waited a few days to tell Elmer about what happened in the closet, then he had to cover his ears from the younger's shrieks of joy. "Should I flirt with him?"

Elmer snorted. "Al, you can't flirt."

"Yes, I can."

"I have never seen you flirt in your entire life."

"You haven't known me that long", Albert pointed, pointing the pencil at his brother. "And just because I don't doesn't mean I can't."

Elmer shrugged and went to his work, just as Ralph walked in. "Hello, my children."

"Hey."

"Hi."

"Albert", he starts, sitting next to the red head. "I have reason to believe that your sentence should be shortened."

Albert's brows furrowed. "Really? Why?"

"I was...convinced", Ralph glanced at Elmer, who giggled, "that you were standing up for a friend. Because I have no evidence, I simply have to trust this. You're not grounded anymore, I guess."

Albert was baffled. He wasn't even grounded for a week yet- it was only Thursday- and here he was, free. "Uh, thanks."

Ralph tousled his hair, a proud smile on his face. "Keep makin' me proud, kid."

Albert smiled and leaned into the touch slightly, going back to tapping his pencil.

"So, what you working on?" Ralph shrugged his coat off of his shoulders, looking at his son's papers. "You guys seem real focused."

"I'm doing math, right now", Elmer mumbled, studying his journal. "Math test."

"And I am writing a paper for English class", Albert informed, tapping his paper. He moved it over to Ralph. "Check how much I've written."

Ralph, placed his hands on the paper. "Wow. Nothing."

"Exactly", Albert sighed, rubbing his eyes. This project was stressing him out. For a while, he didn't have to think about it, mostly because of parties and new friends. But now, how is he supposed to explain, "The meaning of love."

Ralph hummed, nodding. "Mrs. Harris?"

"Yeah. You know her?"

"Ugh, she was my English teacher when I was a junior", Ralph explained, rolling his eyes. "She always told me not to speak Spanish in English class? Told a bunch of kids, actually."

"Well, what'd you do?"

"I spoke Spanish", Ralph shrugged, crossing his arms. "She was so sick of me by the end."

Albert chuckled, twirling his pencil between his fingers. "Yeah, she's a pretty sour lady."

"Bonjour, famille!" Fred shouted throughout the house. He carried bags into the house, walking over to them. Albert could tell his smile was huge when he kissed each of them on the heads. "Que se passe-t-il? What's going on?"