How Do I Make You Feel

The New Kid

Emmitt sat at his desk, doodling the tree that stood tall outside his window. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ms. Shepard's dark grey car pull into her driveway. He fixed his gaze on the car, curious. He saw Ms. Shepard get out of the driver's seat. A boy, who looked his age, got out from the back seat, walking slowly with his head hung low. 

Maggie jumped around, running to Emmitt's room. "Emmitt, Ms. Shepard's back! And she brought her son!"

Emmitt quickly broke out of the trance and turned around to see Maggie. "Number one rule is to knock, thank you."

"Isn't this so exciting?" Maggie asked, running up to where Emmitt was sitting, trying to peer out of the window. "I wonder if he's nice."

"Yeah, I guess so," Emmitt answered, also looking back out of the window. "I don't get why you're so excited."

"There hasn't been any cool kids on this street. All my friends from school live in the next neighbourhood over, and most of them have boyfriends."

"Oh sure, boyfriends. Like those will last, what? Two weeks?"

"That's not the point, idiot. It's a boy, who's moving here. On our street."

Emmitt looked at Maggie in disbelief. "You aren't seriously thinking of dating him?"

"Why not?" laughed Maggie, her ponytail waving around. "I think he looks cute."

"He looks like he's my age, Mags. You're only ten, you realize that, right?"

"Mom and dad are like...eleven years apart or something."

"They're only six years apart, Maggie."

"I don't care," Maggie said reluctantly. "You're just jealous."

Emmitt felt his stomach drop a bit. He looked at Maggie. "Why would I be jealous?"

"You probably want to be his friend, and as his girlfriend, he will want to spend more time with me."

Emmitt sighed, laughing it off. "Right. You're crazy."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ms. Shepard got inside her house, placing her keys on a shelf at the door. She walked into the kitchen to place some papers down. She looked up at Gavin, who still hung low, timid, and afraid. He stood still.

He hadn't spoken the whole plane ride. He didn't speak driving to the airport and didn't speak driving on the way home. He had just stared out the window, keeping his hands tucked into his pockets. His brown hair was frizzy now, and his eyes looked more tired.

"I have an office area that I don't use right now. I was thinking that could be your bedroom. Of course, we'd have to make it a bit more... your own. But as long as you have a bed and are comfortable, that's all that matters."

She nodded, as Gavin didn't say anything back. She walked to the office and started picking up sheets of paperwork and lined school paper. She scrambled around to pick up garbage, clearing up a space that had a single mattress with some sheets and a pillow. "I've had this extra bed for a while now. Got it from a friend and never used it. My room is actually down the hall."

Gavin slowly walked over, staring at the bed.

"It's nothing amazing, really," Ms. Shepard stuttered, moving her hands around. "But, it should do. It must be better than what you had before. I mean, sorry, no, I shouldn't speak like that. My bad."

Gavin slowly bent down to sit on the mattress, still staring at the ground.

"I'll get the suitcases from the car, okay? If you need anything, please, let me know."