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ATTICUS AND RENNA HAD RAN, much like Renna had done that previous morning, to meet the other's back in the car before spending the night at Kiara's. However, they left early the next morning before the other's woke up, leaving a note on one of the many tables. Atticus needed to talk to his mum, it was eating him alive.
"I'll stay out here, okay? Just, keep calm, alright? That's all you need to do," Renna told the curly-haired boy as they stood out the front of his house, rocking back and forth from the heel to the toe of her feet.
"Keep calm, okay. Yeah, alright, I can do that," he nodded.
"You got this." He took a deep breath before walking into the house, leaving a hopeful Renna standing on the front steps.
"Mum? Are you here?" She walked around the corner at the words - the voice -, eyebrows raised as her eyes softened. "Mum," he sighed thankfully before rushing towards her, instantly engulfing her into a warm and meaningful embrace. "I'm so, so sorry, mum. I didn't mean any of it, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say-"
"It's okay, darling. It's okay." She ran a hand up and down his back.
"I can give you the money?" He offered.
"No, take it back to him. Give it back." He sighed as he pulled away but nodded nevertheless.
"Is Alex here?" She hummed.
"And he heard the whole thing," she told him.
"Shit."
Meanwhile, outside, a little boy had run around the corner of the house with a ball in his hands, stopping once acknowledging the presence of the girl on the steps. She was sitting in the still wind with her hands hanging from her lap, fingers twisting the ring on her index finger as she looked up at the cloudy sky.
"Renna!" He cheered as he bounded towards her, the girl looking over to him with wide eyes and a grin in return.
"Hey, Alex! What are you doing?" She asked with a smile. He was just the person she needed to distract her.
"Playing with the ball, it's very fun." He threw the plastic ball towards her, the girl catching it before lightly throwing it back.
"Is Atticus here?" He asked, his voice dropping just a little as he threw the ball back. She frowned.
"He's inside talking to your mum. Do you wanna go say hi?" She threw the ball towards him softly. He widened his eyes, shaking his head almost immediately. "Why not?"
"He's scary now," the boy muttered with a dramatised frown. Renna felt a tear form down the side of her heart as she examined his distressed expression.
