Trust Falls

Two Sides to Every Story

"Yeah, I got it. Allahafiz!" I closed the door after my family as they left. I was babysitting Aqsa and Adam tonight because I didn't want to go to anyone's house. Mom reminded me to put them to bed in half an hour or they'd wake up late.

My phone pinged. Sighing, I threw myself on the couch, sliding the phone out from under me before I sat on it. What now.

You home?

I hesitated.

Yeah. Why.

Let's talk.

Grr. I didn't want to see him right now.

No.

Yes.

....you can't tell me what to do.

Please?

I can't. Adam and Aqsa are here too.

Just come into the backyard. We're not going anywhere.

I groaned.

Fiiiine. I'll just put them to bed first. Give me twenty minutes.

K.

I trudged up the stairs, calling for my little siblings to put away their building blocks. They squealed when I entered the room and knocked down the tower they were building against the door. Twenty minutes later, they'd cleaned up, brushed their teeth, changed into their footie pajamas and were wiggling around as I tucked them into bed.

Aqsa kicked her blankets off and giggled as I went to work pulling it back over her. Adam laughed and did the same, this time rolling over and laying upside down in his bed. I groaned. "Stop that, both of you."

My phone pinged and I picked it up to see another text message from Yousuf.

You done?

Hold on. They're not listening to me. This'll take a while.

Ok. Take your time.

I shut of the screen and put the phone down to grab Adam from running off. Immediately it pinged again, twice. I groaned. "Whaat...I just told you I'd be a minute."

"Oh." I stared at the message I'd opened. It was from Taylor.

Hey. What's up? :)

I pursed my lips and studied the screen. Noiselessly I put the phone down and went back to work getting the little troublemakers to go to sleep.

Finally, I slipped on my shoes and wandered outside, flicking on the light switch so there wasn't total darkness. It had rained in the evening and everything was dripping wet. The air smelled like the dirt under my feet. Yawning, I searched for Yousuf. Putting kids to sleep made me sleepy. Making my way to the fence, I texted him to come outside. The response was immediate and I looked around, hearing a rustling on the other side of the fence.

"Look out!"

I glanced up to see him swinging himself over, his eyes going wide as his hand slipped from the fence. I shrieked, feeling his arm come down on top of me as we both fell into the mud, my head knocking against the wooden planks.

"What's wrong with you?" I sat up and rubbed the back of my head.

"Nothing! I didn't know you were gonna be standing right here like a moron. What's wrong with you?"

"What? Nothing. I'm brilliant! Screw you. You're the one who called me out here, and now you're getting mad at me." I glared at him.

He raised himself up on his elbows, frowning at me. There was mud smeared across his cheek and in his hair and clothes. "Yes. What's wrong?"