The Dating Game

EIGHT

I glance between Naomi and Chase, who has now heard the only name my sister ever calls me. I can already hear the mockery coming.

"Naomi," I say, walking over to her. Maybe introducing them is a good way to clear my mind.

"I want you to meet someone."

"Who?" she asks as I gently grab her wrist and lead her deeper into the living room.

"Him," I say, gesturing to Chase sitting comfortably on the couch.

"Who is he?"

"His name is Chase," I explain to her. "He's my boyfriend."

"Hi, Naomi!" He greets her with a big smile. So big his gums are just barely visible against his perfectly white teeth.

"He's cute," she mutters to me. How would she even know? She's five!

Chase chuckles after hearing her admit he's attractive—a five year old admitting an eighteen year old boy is attractive—and he thanks her quickly.

"Yeah, he knows," I say flatly, rolling my eyes.

"But that's nasty, Michelle," she complains, her chest huffed and mouth in a frown. And I couldn't agree more. I just wonder why she so confidently thinks so.

"How?"

"You don't want cooties, do you?" She crosses her arms. "Boys just give girls cooties."

"And babies," I hear Chase say. I look back at him with a deadly stare and elbow him right in the gut.

"Huh?"

"Nothing!" The two of us shout simultaneously as we turn our attention back toward her. She just glanced up at us curiously, and I keep shooting Chase my notorious glare as preparation for the punishment he's going to receive eventually.

Naomi's stomach suddenly growls and she makes a face that tells me she's either going to cry or throw up—neither of which I would like to any extent. I had forgotten she told me she was hungry when she first walked into the room.

I shake every thought of Chase from my mind as I make my way to the kitchen to fix her up something to eat. She's still picky since she's just getting used to eating bigger meals, so there's not much I can do for her. Not to mention I'm not exactly Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen. So I guess macaroni and cheese is going to have to do for tonight. Cons of having a five-year-old sister: you constantly have to make her food. Pros? Well, there are no pros, really.

I hurry up and heat up one of those microwaveable single serving packages while Naomi makes some pointless conversation with Chase on the couch. She warms up to him quickly, to my surprise, and they seem like they're getting along perfectly. I feel bad that I have to get rid of someone she likes in a month, but I guess that's just how things are going to have to be.

"Thank you," she says when I hand her the plate, her polite attitude slowly starting to become a normality now. Mom and Dad have been trying to teach her manners ever since she bit me the last time I was alone with her for more than ten minutes, and it seems to be working pretty well so far.

I nod to her and move to sit down on the couch. Chase is still there, sitting on his phone like he's been doing the whole time, which I am actually thankful for. Usually, I would say guests being on their phones forever is insanely rude, but it's Chase. I couldn't care less. At least he isn't annoying me.

"Where's my food?" he asks in a whisper, completely ruining my serenity of not being annoyed by him for ten seconds. I think he recognizes the rage in my stare as he immediately responds with "Just kidding!"