Church Boy (Kellic)

Twenty-two

"Um, sorry about this, sir. Don't worry, I wouldn't be a bother to you and I'll be out of your hair as soon as I earn enough for my own place and I'd pay you back-"

"Alan, don't worry about it." My dad chuckles, patting Alan's shoulder as we settled inside the house. We just got home after hanging out in the diner until they closed. We talked with Mimi and Joe about nothing in particular. My dad basically said yes with the idea of Alan staying with us right away, without hesitations. On his way here, I had already explained it to him and told him that I really don't want Alan to sleep in the diner anymore. He was very considerate about it and was worried about Alan, too, so here we are.

"Oh, um, okay. Thank you very much. I really do appreciate it." Alan gushes, making both my dad and I smile. My dad looks at me with this certain look, nodding as his eyebrows rose. What the heck does that look mean?

"Don't thank me, Kellin's the one who told me about you." My dad says as he went to the kitchen to grab himself a glass of water. "I've heard so much good things about you, too."

"Okay, that's enough talking for now. I'll go and show Alan his room. Night night." I say as I jog over to my overly talkative dad, kissing him good night and going back over to Alan and guiding him up the stairs. I was going to help him carry his things but he only really has one duffle bag with him, which he insists doesn't weigh much so I let him be.

"So, what good things exactly did you tell your dad about me?" He asks and I don't need to look at him to know that he's smiling at me cheekily.

I huff, making him laugh."Alrighty, so here's your room. And that's my room right there, just across your's!" I probably sounded too excited for my own good but I didn't care because I really am excited that Alan's going to be living with us now. "You can put your stuff in the closet over here and that door's to your bathroom and stuff. The towels and extra blanket is in that drawer over there and toiletries are in the drawers in your bathroom. Hm, you need anything else?" I ask Alan, finger tapping my chin in thought as I think of what he'd possibly be needing.

Alan chuckles, shaking his head, a warm smile on his face. "No, I think this is more than enough. Thank you, Kellin." He says, looking at me with twinkling eyes. His eyes are so soft and nice and pretty, I kind of actually like them, now that I took time to look at him.

"It's, um, it's nothing, really."

"No, like, really. Thank you so much. I don't know how and what I did to deserve this and you're just a fucking blessing, Kells." He says, that one particular f word catching me off guard. His thanks and praise made me smile but what made me stop is that one word. Is it weird? Is it that weird that I just stopped because that one stupid and foul word reminded me of Vic? Vic and his stupid, rude face that I can't seem to erase in my head.

Ugh, if he wasn't so weird and mean to me, he'd be perfect. Then again, I've always seen him as the literal definition of perfection. "Uh, Kells?" Alan snaps me out from my Vic-filled thoughts and I smile up at him, shaking my head.

"Uh, yeah. So if you need anything else, I'd be just across the hall, m'kay?"

"Yeah, I think I'm good. Thank you so much again, Kells. To you and your dad." He says, getting really serious now and I just hug him again. He needs to know and feel that this isn't really that big of a deal. I like helping people and he's a nice guy so of course I'd help him.

--

"G'morning!" I sing, skipping my way to the kitchen, excited of what my dad is preparing for breakfast. My dad's a very busy man but he still cooks breakfast most days since Steph doesn't come in until around eight am.