Boy Wonder (Phan)

Six.

"Lester!" Raising my head I looked at the teacher but sighed when I realised I wasn't the one she was yelling out, "Hold onto the bar!" Christopher had been signed up for ballet and since Daddy and Papa didn't want him to feel all alone they'd managed to convince my teacher to let him join my class. Even though it was a little bit to advanced for him. "If you keep trying to bend over like that without holding onto something of course you're going to fall over!" There were tears in his large dark eyes and I felt the urge to run over and protect him, but I really hated getting scolded by Miss Alexandra, even though she wasn't nearly as scary as when Auntie Louise was when she got upset. But that was mostly at Daddy and Papa. Rubbing at her face Miss Alexandra snapped her fingers once and pointed right next to Christopher, everyone could've realised that was my cue. "Winnie, would you be a dear and hold your brother up while he bends over?" Nodding with silence I hurried over to him and held one arm securely, smiling at him to tell him it was okay.

Nodding he took a deep breath and bent over while his right leg went backwards into the air. I could see that Miss Alexandra wanted to yell at him again but there were two things stopping her. For one, he was really trying his best now and she always appreciated that, and two. .. the class had just ended and parents were beginning to arrive. Clapping her hands she told it had been a good session and that she would see us next week. Taking Christopher's hand in my own I smiled at him, "You did really well! Miss Alexandra is just used to teaching kids who have been in ballet for a couple of years, she'll warm up to you eventually." Patting the back of his hand I pulled him along to were Daddy and Papa always waited, "It was great!" But I think they knew something had happened because Christopher clung to Daddy as he tried to put him in his seat, a scared mewl escaping him. "Miss Alexandra yelled at him because he kept falling over." My words were a whisper and I kept my head down as they both looked towards him with sympathy.

Playing with my fingers I sighed as they continued to coo Christopher, as if though he were a newborn baby rather than a 4 year old boy who'd been yelled at by his ballet teacher. He again opened his mouth to say something but clamped it shut, he was still reluctant to let them know that he could speak. Though I knew they had their suspicions. "Are we gonna go get some ice cream like you promised?" I was out of my self pity mode that I'd put myself into whenever they gave Christopher all the attention and looked up with a bright smile, "I want Pink Lemonade!" I saw the smile they shared and the slight head shake but they turned left instead of right to go home and I wiggled happily in my seat, "What kind of ice cream do you want?" Turning to my brother he gave a shrug, still sucking on his thumb with a few tears lingering in his dark eyes.

Waiting at a stoplight I looked at and suddenly gasped, it couldn't be her? "Daddy! Daddy!" He looked at me with concern, since Papa was driving he couldn't really tear his eyes away from the road, and looked to were I was pointing. "I swear! I swear I saw Tabby!" The car that I knew from years of school together and playdates that her mum drove his to was now gone and Daddy gave me a sad smile, saying he knew that I missed Tabitha but that didn't mean I had to make stuff up. She'd moved to America as well, but apparently Daddy and Papa had lost Eve's number so we were unable to contact them anymore. "But. .. I'm not making it up! I really saw her!" It had been years since I saw Tabby so I had no idea if she still looked the same or if she'd cut her hair or something but I knew from the bottom of my heart that it'd been her. "It really was her."

Crossing my arms over my chest I stayed grumpy even when the ice cream shop came into view and Christopher willingly let Daddy pick him up. But I about bit off Papa's hand when he went for me, "Hey!" He waved his hand around a bit, I guess I had nipped him or something, and gave me a frown. "You do /not/ act out like that just because somebody says something that you don't like! Now do you want ice cream or would you like to watch the rest of us enjoy our afternoon?" I stuck out my tongue and got out on my own, walking a few feet away from them. While they stood in line to get their ice cream I saw a familiar face and wandered off without even thinking to tell them that I was leaving. It had to be Tabby. When she'd left it was almost like magic that Miles had popped up. Now that he was gone maybe she was back? I ran faster, I had to catch up.

"Tabby! Tabby, wait! Please!" Calling out she didn't seem to hear me or see me until I grabbed her shoulder and turned her around, she had earbuds in her ears. "Tabby!" I beamed because I had been right! It was my friend Tabitha Caspar who had moved away years ago and now she was suddenly back! "I-I didn't know you were back! Were is your mum?" She opened her mouth to answer when suddenly I heard a shout for my name and there were Daddy and Papa running with Christopher in arms and an angry expression on their face. "See!" Beaming I put my hands on my hips and gave them a smug expression, "I told you it was Tabby!" Tabby was giving me a weird smile until Eve came up behind her and gave a large gasp of surprise, and then a smile.

Eve sounded more American and I was beginning to wonder if I'd made a mistake running after her. I was remembering /my/ Tabby, the girl with the dark hair and light eyes who always knew how to make me smile and said she would always be there for me, the girl who made me wonder if I liked her like she seemed to like me. "Winnie?" It was odd, hearing my name spoken by her again because it didn't sound like her. She sounded like every other American girl I'd ever met and it made me back up a little bit, it's not that it scared me -- okay, it scared me. She wasn't the same person that had left. "Are you okay?" She held out her hand but I just shook my head and grinned at her, not letting her touch me, this was gonna take some getting used to. "Hey! You have a little brother now, that's so cool!" Placing her, I guess her phone, into her pocket she gave a large grin towards Christopher and I felt sort of betrayed when he gave her a large grin. He was my brother not hers, I was his sister, she wasn't. He reached out for her and she took him into her arms before setting him down and beginning to play with him. "You're just the cutest boy!"

"How about you guys come over?" I looked towards Papa feeling more betrayed than ever, it's not that I wasn't happy that they were back. I was just uncertain about how to feel. Eve seemed very happy for the chance to catch up and tell where they'd been and ask how we were doing so before I knew what had happened we were in our separate cars and headed towards home. "Well I guess you were right, Little Cub." He beamed at me because Daddy was driving this time but I didn't even look his way, "What's wrong? Aren't you glad you're friend is home?" I was. I think. I really didn't know how to feel. Once we got home Christopher was told to stay with the grown ups and me and Tabby were told to go to my room. Like they thought we would just reconnect after years of not seeing or talking to each other. But I guess if I expected that to happen with me and Miles when he came back then I guess I could expect it with me and Tabby. But she was --

Before I could finish that thought I saw her hold up the picture of me and Miles and give a long whistle, "Wow! He's a real cutie, who is he?" Grinning at me, those light eyes of hers sparkling, I mumbled out his name and who he was to me. "Best friend, huh? Well, when he comes around again how about you introduce him to me? I'm sure me and him could become real close as well." Something about the way she said that made my skin bristle and I growled as I took the photo out of her hands, placing it back where it had been carefully. "Well geez, I didn't know you liked him that way, what happened to you and me?" Sticking out her tongue she placed her hand on her hip and gave a smug expression. This was not the girl who I'd become friends with. She was starting to act like Alice Blackwell. I bet if they'd met they would have a great time making fun of me, especially with all the embarrassing stories Tabby could tell them of me. "You know you've become a real baby since I last saw you, so clingy. I bet if Miles was here right now you wouldn't even let me talk to him." Cackling at my saddened expression she flipped her hair over her shoulder and collided into me roughly before going back out into the living room. What. ..?

They had already left by the time I'd gotten out into the living room and Papa was the first one to see that I was sad, "What's wrong?" He placed me on his lap but I just shook my head. This was my problem and they already had enough of their own. I didn't want a fight to start between Eve and them, Eve still seemed really nice. Something had just happened to Tabby while she'd been in America. Wiping away my tears he smiled, "Hey." Looking up at him he kissed the top of my head and sighed, "I got you some ice cream in a pint. It's in the freezer when you want it." There was a sweet smile on his face, "It's Pink Lemonade. You're favourite." Laying my head against his shoulder I sighed and wondered what I was supposed to do at school. Miles I really wish you wouldn't have left me. The only other person in the world I thought of as a friend changed once they left, are you gonna be just as different and mean when you come back?

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I know these chapters just keep getting shorter and shorter but my friend Vee made a very good idea for this next chapter and I promise it's gonna be a little longer!