𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑅𝑒𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑙𝑦.

#28

-D.F

I ran into the elementary school deeply out of breath. Fifteen minutes late on a Friday, it couldn't get worse than this. I gripped my purse as I entered the school.

"Vee," Spear jumped off the bench along with two other kids. Angelica and Adriano, both smiled up at me with excitement. Essence stayed sitting on the bench with the same smile.

"Hi" Spear hugged my legs which comforted me, Essence finally stood up and walked towards her kids.

"Thanks for staying with him" I mumbled rubbing Spears back, she nodded with her hands holding each other in front of her.

"Of course, we're friends" She shrugged her shoulder, the statement sounded more like a question and choosing to stay on the safe side I nodded and looked down at the little boy by my feet.

"Can Spear come over" Adriano looked up at me with his giant grey eyes, they pierced into my soul so much that it pained me to shake my head.

"I don't think that's a good idea" This caused Spear to pull away with confusion.

"Why?" He asked dropping his hands. I sigh and glance at Essence who pressed her lips together meshing her lipgloss nervously.

"Because I said so" I didn't know what else I could have said, there was no reason that would have justified to a child with so much innocence. I wondered if Essence's kids knew anything of what they did.

"That's not even a reason?!" He fought back.

"Pretty please" Angel rocked on her heel while fluffing her pink tutu, it matched her little high heels and the giant bow in her ponytail.

"We have a busy day ahead of us buddy" I ran my hands through his hair just for him to push it away from him. "Spear-"

"I don't want to go to Dalia's today." He huffed.

"You're not going to hers."

"Then why can't I go?" His doe-like eyes widened and his pink lips pouted pulling his oh-so-famous puppy face. Fuck.

"Spear, no means no," I said sternly. Why couldn't he just take no for an answer? I started to feel uncomfortable with the idea of Spear at their house. I hadn't looked into the logistics of being in the mafia but I knew that it wasn't safe for a child.

"But why?!" He stomped his foot.

"We have to go home, let's go" I grabbed his hand and turned around without another word. The two kids that watched pouted at their mom who just looked at them sadly.

Spear ranted as we walked towards the car, I tried ignoring the things he was saying but it continued while we were in the car.

"You don't even have a reason" he whined looking out of the window. "You said no all week" That was true, they'd been asking the same question for the last week and each time I had denied it. I also haven't been working as much solely because I had no one to watch Spear.

I still hadn't spoken to Dalia no matter how many times she's texted and called. I felt bad ignoring her but this secret was bigger than our whole relationship itself.

"Spear I said no, just leave it at that" I opened the door to our house with annoyance trailing behind me. He whined from behind me even more.

"You're so mean! You always let me go why not now!" He stomped into the house. The fact that I rarely ever said no to Spear was coming back onto me, Spear didn't know how to react to no's I always said yes or had something even better for him that would subside the previous thing. But I had nothing today, no reason to give him, no fun event I could do, no friend's house to go to. It was just me.