Reading Mr. Reed ✔

01| Baby B

DYLAN

"Baby B, this is for you," I told the little six-year-old as I handed her a stuffed baby bop toy.

Baby B was the little girl I stayed with at the foster home the state dumped me in at the age of twelve. The day I turned eighteen I had to leave her all alone with those fucked up monsters.

She was a pale skinned six year old with rosy cheeks. She missed two front teeth and every time she smiled she showed off her dimples that were indented in her cheeks. Her eyes, pure blue and sad. Sad from losing both her parents and now sad from losing me.

I called her Baby B because she loved Baby Bop from Barney. I always found those dinosaurs the most creepiest shit I'd ever seen but if it made her happy then it made me happy.

"Big brother, promise me you will visit," Baby B asked as a tear escaped her innocent eyes.

I swallowed hard and nodded, trying to seem convincing. I knew these people wouldn't allow me to visit the only person I had ever actually cared about, the only person I thought I could truly love.

"I promise, Rose," I hooked my pinky finger with hers, "and you have to promise to always keep Baby Bop with you."

She kissed my cheek and said, "Promise!"

Then the monsters dragged her away from me. I screamed. I shouted. I wanted to take her with me. But I couldn't.

I woke up drenched in sweat. It wasn't the first time I dreamt of Rose, Baby B. I hadn't seen her in three years. They never allowed me near her. I missed her. Fuck, I missed that kid. She always seemed to brighten up the most fucked up of days.

My phone indicated that it was still early in the morning. One in the morning to be exact. I groaned as I got out of bed and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water.

I tried to be as quiet as I possibly could. After all, I did share an apartment with someone else who attended college with me. I wouldn't refer to him as a friend because I didn't have much of those but he wasn't too bad. He was tolerable, to say the least. He never minded my business and I never minded his and I liked it that way. I liked being alone, by myself. Probably because I was so accustomed to it.

I made my way back to bed, tossing and turning for a bit before finding a comfortable position while I let sleep cloud my mind, blocking every thought I had.

~~~

"Fuck!" I groaned, sandwiching my head in between the pillow and the mattress.

The sun shone brightly through the open curtains in my room. I shut my eyelids tightly trying to ignore its harsh rays but to no avail.

"Wake up dick! You know Malik will skin you alive if you are late again," Conner said calmly but his words were laced with warning. He accompanied his calm words with a brutal pounding on my bedroom door that was sure to break the door if he continued.

I groaned as I got out of bed and opened my room door. Conner, my ever so lovely roommate, was a morning person. Whilst I couldn't wait to start sipping on my first cup of coffee for the day. However, I knew he was right and Malik would surely fire me for coming to work late yet again. I seemed to always turn up late whenever I had the morning shift because of my lack of sleep. My body knew I needed eight hours of sleep but my brain decided that three would be more sufficient.

After my morning ritual of bathroom duties was conducted I got dressed in my plain black shirt, pants, and boots and then tied a black apron around my waist. Malik was a stickler for wearing the stupid apron because it was part of the uniform. The uniform looked just fine without the ugly apron though, but I needed the job so I wore it nonetheless.