Remus came over today with his brother and his dad. Dada answered the door while I hid around the corner, listening and praying that Dada wouldn't invite them in.

"Hello." Dada said politely. "Do you need anything?"

"Daniel, wasn't it?" Remus' dad asked. "I'm Patton and these are my two boys, Remus and Roman."

"Yes, I remember." Dada said a little icily. "Is there any particular reason you are at my house?"

"Remus keeps insisting that there's a little boy in your back garden and that the little boy hasn't come outside to play for a while."

I peeked around the corner ever so slightly and I could see Dada stiffen slightly. "I'm sorry but I don't have a son." He said, starting to close the door.

"No! There he is!" Remus yelled, pointing at me. I quickly hid around the corner.

"Remus honey, there's no one there."

"Yes there is, Papa. I'll show you!" Remus said, running underneath Dada's legs and pulling me out from my hiding space by the wrist.

"Oh. Hello." Patton said kindly. I dipped my head, untucking my hair and letting it fall over my face.

"H-H-Hello." I muttered quietly. Dada sighed and let Remus' brother and dad into the house. Remus' brother ran up to me and squinted at my face.

"Why are you hiding your face?" He asked, reaching out to pull my hair away from my face. I pulled back but he had already seen my scars. He started laughing.

"What's on your face?" He asked, laughing. Remus let go of my wrist and growled at his brother.

"Don't laugh at him, Roman!" He growled.

"No, it's okay." I muttered, my eyes filling with tears.

"Roman Winston, it is not nice to laugh at people. Apologise to the poor boy now." Remus' dad said firmly.

"Soooorrrryyyy." Roman said, dragging each syllable out. I shrugged and pulled my hair in front of my face, tears spilling down my cheeks.

"Papa, can I go and play with Janus?" Remus asked.

Remus' dad shook his head. "I think we'd better go home now, Remus." He said. "Say goodbye to Janus here."

Remus turned to me but I pushed past him and ran upstairs to my bedroom. Once I got there, I locked the door and curled up in a little ball in the middle of my bed.

So that's what people are like, huh? They laugh at me and they point and invade my privacy. Remus was probably pitying me, being nice. That thought hurt even more than the memory of Roman laughing at me. Dada was right. People will hate me. I'm never going to talk to Remus again. He's probably repulsed by me anyway and never wants to see me again.

***

I was playing in the sunshine, drawing the birds in the sky when I heard a noise.

"Hello!" Remus said cheerfully, popping his head over the fence.

I ignored him, feeling tears prick the corners of my eyes.

"Janus? What's wrong?" He asked and I could almost hear the pity in his face. I shook my head and continued drawing. "Is it about my brother?" He asked. I didn't answer him. "I'm sorry about him. He laughs at everything and if he says something mean to you, 9 times out of 10 it's meant to be a joke."

"Well it isn't funny." I mumble.

"I know! Hey, d'you wanna hear a funny fact?" Remus asked, bouncing up and down. "Did you know that peanuts are used to make dynamite?"

I looked up at him, unable to tell if he was joking or not. Then, I laugh slightly at how ridiculous the fact is. His face lights up even more.

"I like your laugh! It's pretty!" He says.

I look at him, confused. How can a laugh be pretty? "Um, thank you?" I muttered.

He beams at me. "You're welcome. Papa says that we should always compliment our friends, to make them feel good about themselves."

"Oh, I-I-I'm not your friend." I say hurriedly, looking back down at my drawing.

"Well, you are now so live with it, buster." Remus says, making me laugh again.

"I should probably go inside now." I say, standing up. I look up at him and smile slightly. "Bye Remus." I say before running inside.

I ran past Dada and up to my bedroom. I knew I would probably get in trouble later for ignoring Dada but at that moment, I didn't care. I locked my door and fell face-first onto my bed, grinning like anything. Remus said that we were friends! I was so happy. Remus was really kind and funny and I wanted to get to know him better. He seemed to really care about me. I think I've got a crush. I think I've got the biggest crush on Remus Winston.