Salvia High School

Chapter 17: Why Me

Kaila was skipping down the hallway with a smile on her face as she rushed back towards the group in the living room. When she got there she could feel the air had changed somehow. Alex, Lain, Mallix, and Nina all looked at her with nervous eyes. 'What happened? I was only gone a few minutes.' She walked closer to them standing in the middle of the room.

"Are you guys alright?" She asked them all.

"Of course we are." Nina was the first to speak.

"Then why are you all looking at me like I did something wrong?" She shrunk into herself.

"Kay you didn't do anything wrong." Lain assured making her way towards the small girl. "We were just talking about...o-our futures. Things just got serious for a second." Putting a smile on she held her hand out. "Why don't I give you that tour now?"

"Alright." Kaila seemed put off about Lain's explanation but put that in the back of her mind for now. Accepting the tall girls hand, Lain guided Kaila away from everyone else. While he kept his distance Mallix was following closely ready for what was to come.

The tour had taken nearly half an hour so far. It would've gone quicker if it weren't for the little girl stopping in every room admiring every nook and cranny. From room to room Kaila wandering around carefully examining them.

Finally with only one destination left Lain guided Kaila to a large room in the back. They had passed by a closed room with a light pink door. Kaila was eager to see what was inside it. But when Lain continued past it without a second thought Kaila whined looking at it. "Sorry Kaila, that room is off limits for now."

'For now?' Kaila questioned keeping up with Lain's quick movements.

Instead they got to a door only a few feet away which Lain pushed wide open, "and lastly this is our room." She showcased the neatly made space.

At this point Lain was used to Kaila awing and curiously looking around. "Your bed is so comfy!" She smiled as she pressed her small hands into the mattress before jumping onto the bed landing on her stomach.

Lain couldn't help but laugh back. The mood was quickly changed when Mallix peaked his head in.

"Sorry," Kaila noticed him and got off not wanting to disrupt his space.

"No you're fine Kay." He walked in gesturing for the girl to return back to the bed. Shutting the door behind him Kaila sat up on their bed concerned. The butterflies in her stomach were moving like crazy.

"Do you think we can talk to you for a minute?" He asked taking a seat besides her while Lain followed suit.

"Of course. Is this about the other room?" Kaila asked Lain still curious about the pink door.

"In a way." Lain answered before grabbing onto Kaila's wrist securely. As strong as her grip was, Kaila strangely didn't feel intimidated by it—but rather instead felt comforted.

"Kaila there's something Lain and I have been meaning to tell you." Mallix gulped already feeling himself at a loss for words.

"What is it?"

Lain felt her grip on Kaila loosening has her palms began to sweat. "Well you see...um well Mallix and I...we uh we..."

"...we wanted to know if you knew about ageplay?" Mallix spat out knowing if it didn't do it now then he would never have been able to get it out later.

Kaila's eyebrows immediately furrowed trying to understand what was happening. She shook her head.

"Alright before we get any further can you promise me that you'll keep an open mind throughout this." Lain asked of her.

Kaila nodded waiting anxiously as her confusion continued to grow.

"So ageplay is when someone acts like an age that isn't their biological one. And well they usually need someone, called a caregiver, to take care of them while their at a different age. Lain and I are both caregivers and we've always wanted someone of our own to look after."

"And you want that to be me?" Kaila asked feeling her stomach drop the more information was thrown at her.

With some hesitation both Lain and Mallix nodded. As the words set in Kaila's mind was going all over the place. She had questions for as far as the eye could see.

"Why me?"

"Because when I first saw you I knew you were perfect. You were so innocent and all I wanted to do was keep you safe. Lauren made that apparent. I talked to Mallix later that day and he couldn't have agreed more."

"Is that why you told me to eat my vegetables and cut my steak up at the restaurant?" Kaila looked up at Lain with furrowed eyebrows and a pout.

She nodded letting go of Kailas wrist and silently cooing at the sight before her. Lain just stared directly down into the small girls eyes watching as the information began to really sink in now.

"What about the others?!" Kaila worried.

"Don't worry about them. Nina and Alex both know about it." Mallix softly smiled.

"What about Zander?"

"Zander...well he's a little more complicated. See he knows but we don't talk about it that much with him around."

"Why not?"

"Can you keep a secret?" Mallix asked quieter than before. When Kaila nodded he continued, "well Alex wants to be Zander's caregiver. But he just isn't ready for it yet. He doesn't want to mess up what he already has going on with him. And whenever we talk to Z about it he always ends up joking with Alex about being a 'wild child' for him and it does something to Alex's head."

"Oh." Kaila turned away looking at the wall in front of her as she was letting everything process. Now this definitely wasn't like any of her previous friend encounters. She hadn't expected the night to take a turn as big as this one. But the longer she let the idea process, the less scared she became by it. Was the idea of letting go some of her responsibilities such a bad thing?

"What, uh, what kind of stuff would I do? You know if I agreed." Kaila fumbled around with her fingertips.

"Well that all depends on you Kay." Lain answered. "You see whatever age you take on can lead to different activities. An older age gives you more freedom while a younger age means we'd be looking after you more."

"And what exactly do you mean when you say you'll be looking after me?"

"What we mean is that Lain and I will be here to comfort you, to protect you, to provide for you, we'd do anything if it meant keeping you safe and happy." Mallix's words made Kaila feel choked up.

"And healthy. Can't forget that one." Lain chuckled trying to ease the growing tension.

"Look the decision is up to you Kaila. Of course we would absolutely love for you to say yes but if this isn't something you want then just say the word and well drop it." Mallix made clear. The last thing either of them wanted was pressure her over this.

"So what do you say?" Lain's voice trembled as her entire body filled with worry.

Both pairs of eyes were glued on the small girl staring ahead of herself still messing around with the tips of her fingertips. Kaila had taken a deep breathe before clearing her throat looking between the couple. The silence was becoming unbearable.
——————————————————————————
Let me know what you think. Thanks Lexx signing off