All Alone

Chapter 6

Author's Note: You will notice that I do not use cuss words, though if you wish to imagine the actual words that are fine. I understand that high school boys don't say things like frickle-pickle, but I find the substitutes so much funnier, and they match my values.

Kaden's POV

I don't why we always hang at Logan's house. Logan is actually kind of a dick, maybe that is why we are such good friends. They texted me while I was in the middle of feeding my baby sister, whom I found on the floor in the laundry room, sleeping right next to the heater. As a two-year-old, I don't think she fully comprehends that her life isn't normal at all. She looked at me with wide eyes when I picked her up and placed her in the high chair, I only broke the stoic facade for one person and that is Lanie, my little sister. Her baby blue eyes seared into mine as she refused the chicken. 

When my phone buzzed she looked excited like she knew she was about to get off of the hook.

Group Chat: Idiots

Hey K we are working on the car today, you coming?-Logan

I need you to help me beat up J! He ate my frickin sandwich!-Aiden

Aiden is chasing me around the garage! SOS!!!!-Jacob

They are being idiots-Luke

HEY!-Aiden, Jacob, Logan 

Shut up I'm coming!-Kaden

Shutting the cursed phone off, I turn back to Lanie, who somehow seems smug. I give her a small grin and lift her out of her chair before walking over to the sink. How does she manage to get so messy when her food sits on the tray untouched? She giggles splashing the water around, seeming especially pleased when the spray hits my face. 

Getting the child into clean clothes was always rather tiresome, I do not know how I manage every day. After wrestling her wispy espresso hair into pigtails, I dress her in a little blue skirt and her favorite gray t-shirt. Setting her on the floor in my room I move to change my shirt, which had been effectively drenched. The wooden drawers creak open, and I grab a clean gray t-shirt. Lanie watches as I switch tops and gurgles when she spots my leather jacket, her chubby fingers reached for the sleeves, almost voicing her approval on my taste in outfits. Placing her back on my hip, I grab the keys and we walk out the door, equipped with nothing more than a pocket-knife and a sippy cup.

Lanie struggled out of my grip after the first block, eager to show off her jumping skills as we walked to Logan's house, she was a fan of their cat, and Logan eased his mother into the arrangement that resembled babysitting. 

By the time we reached the house it was 2:00, and I could hear the strands of obscenities from the bottom of the driveway. I picked Lanie back up, and we strolled up the cement, Lanie pulled my unruly brown hair every two seconds. As we reached the garage door, I noticed the conversations stop and the fawning begin.

"Awww, Lanie you look so cute today!" "Say hi to your favorite uncle Aiden Lanie!" "What?! No, say hi to your favorite uncle Jacob!" 

I handed Lanie to Jacob, much to Aiden's displeasure, and nodded at Luke who regarded me with a lazy salute. Logan broke off from Aiden and Jacob, making his way to my side and flinging an arm over my shoulder's. 

"How does it look? We've been working on the engine for a couple of hours now", Logan seemed extremely proud of the handy-work, but I shattered whatever delusions he was having. 

"I almost forgot how truly crappy you guys are as mechanics when you don't have Luke or I helping you", I threw a glance over at Luke, who gave a weary shrug, making it obvious that he had not been helping at all.