Teresa

Hi again
Sorry abt the thing two weeks ago.
It was meant nicely, not to make you feel worse or anything. I'm sorry

I get this text exactly two weeks after Sage showed me the invitation to go get some coffee or something with her, Brenda, and Sonya.

I had forgotten about it. My immediate 'no' only ever left my mouth. It was never sent in a text.

I left her on read and didn't show up.

Very well done, Thomas.

Hi
It's okay. I get it. I didn't mean to leave you on read. I just don't really believe in the friends after relationship thing. & I'm with Vi now.

Oh okay
Does vi believe in the friends while dating ex thing?

I'm sure she'll still be your friend.

Okay
Thank you

I sigh. I'm being rude to her. I sound rude, at least. But it's just weird. Wrong.

How did the move go?

Can show a little bit of interest.

The school kinda sucks and I haven't made any friends but I'm sure it'll be fine. Just another half year and I'll be done. Trynna spend as much weekends in the old town as possible, with brenda & sonya etc

Oh, that's not nice to hear
Hope you begin enjoying it soon
Have a good day

Bye thomas

Back in the days, it would've been 'Bye, Tom.' with periods and capitals and everything correct. Now the grammar is different. She's changing. Not in a good way, I guess.

But there isn't a lot I can do about that, so I let go of it and turn back to the kids I need to watch.

Their parents went on a date together. I have to watch them for a while and at seven o'clock, tuck them in. Then I get to spend three hours on their couch with snacks and drinks they told me I was allowed to take, so it's not even that bad.

"Thomas!" Billy, the oldest of the two kids, jumps up. He's seven years old, with long brown hair. "Can I climb you?"

"Climb... me?"

"Yes." Giggling, his five-year-old sister gets up, too. "We take your hands and then we climb up your body. It's a lot of fun."

I have no idea what they mean, but sure.

I place myself on two feet. Billy takes my hands. Presses one of his feet against my leg, and then the other one, so he's hanging against me. Then he proceeds to climb up until he has reached my shoulders. I twist him around with my arms, so he can sit properly.

"See?" Little Ella claps in her hands. "My turn!"

I yelp when Billy suddenly lets himself fall off me, directly onto— oh. The couch is behind us.

He begins laughing. Before I can tell them to maybe not do that, Ella grabs my hands and climbs. First foot, on my upper leg. Second foot, on the other upper leg.

Third step, straight into my crotch. Yay.

I grit my teeth together to stop any sounds from coming out of my mouth, and have to do my best not to fall down to the ground. Then the same cycle repeats a few times. Billy, Ella, Billy, Ella.

"Alright. Time to go to bed," I announce.

A wave of protests erupts from the two kids. They run off into the kitchen.

"Hey!" I follow them. The laughter proves that's exactly what they wanted.

A good ten minutes later, I've caught both of them in my arms, and am walking up the stairs. "Now you better not make me run around again," I tease.

"You're a slow runner." Ella sticks out her tongue. "Took you waaaaay too long."

I smile. "Mhm. Whatever you say." I put them down once we're upstairs. "Okay, Ella, go the toilet. Billy, go brush your teeth, and then go to the toilet."

If either of them wet their bed tonight—

"Do you have an annoying brother like mine?" Ella whispers while Billy is on the toilet. I'm brushing her teeth, so her words come out weirdly.

"Nope. I'm all alone. But, I'm getting a sibling."

"Really? How old are you?"

"Almost nineteen. Pretty weird, isn't it?"

She gasps. "Will it be a girl?"

"I have no idea."

"When will the baby come? Can I see the baby?"

"Somewhere in June. And I'm sure you can."

I haven't known Billy and Ella for that long. Their mother is my mom's client and she shared the news about me wanting to make some money by babysitting. A few days ago, I had a short talk with their parents, so they know what I'm like, and then I saw the kids for the first time. Today, it's my first time babysitting them.

Billy then reveals himself. I help them get dressed into their pajamas, then take them to their bedrooms. Ella first. Billy needs to read a few pages of his book alone anyway. I have to read Ella.

Guess what book it is.

My Mom's.

At the end of the chapter, "And that was Zeus, the king of the Gods, almost eaten by his own father! Now we may be very grateful that Zeus handles the weather for us."

Speaking of Zeus, the fuse box explosion definitely had to do with that.

Minho and Oliver had to do a few checks at the hospital to see if they had any internal damage, but everything was okay. As long as they don't start feeling strange, they can be at home.

I slam the book closed. Tuck Ella in. Tell her good night. Then I tuck Billy in. Tell him good night, too.

Then just doing nothing at all for three hours.

SAGE ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

That is a valid amount of hearts.

Alohaaaa

Heyheyyyyy
How is babysitting??

Not that bad
They're really cute
But
They kick me in the crotch

What.

While climbing up my body
But I survived !!
Wyd

Was just scrolling on Pinterest until you texted

Of course
Hey
Laura, their mom, heard about you through my mom
And said
That
It
Is
Okay
If
I
Bring
You
Over
While
Babysitting
So can I bring you over

That sounds amazing
BUT

oh no

You can't kiss me

Who said I'm going to kiss you

If you could, you'd start a whole make out session the second we see each other ANYWHERE
And we don't want to traumatize the kids

They're asleep

But still
What's the address? I'll come over

Let Finn bring you
It's a five minute drive

If it's a five minute drive, he will not bring me
I'll go with the bike

NO.

YES.

Nonononoooooo
Rememberrrr
What happenedddd
Last timeeee
Just manipulate Finn again

Okayyyyy

Wait, don't ring the doorbell
Either text me you're here or use the key that's below the last tile

"Thomas?"

I nearly throw my phone at the direction of which the voice came.

Guess someone's habits are influencing me.

"I can't sleep," Billy says.

"Oh." I put my phone away. Straighten my back. "Do you know something we can do about it?"

He shakes his head, shrugging.

He does look a little tired, so I think turning on some kind of kid's show will put him to sleep in seconds.

"Here." I pat on the place beside me. Instead, he just climbs onto my lap, head on my chest. "What series do you like?"

"SpongeBob," he says.

After a minute of searching, the show is on. I pull a blanket on top of both our bodies. Billy snuggles against me, yawning.

Yeah, it's going to work. He's going to fall asleep eventually, and then I'll bring him to bed.

☯︎︎

Click.

My eyes jump wide open. It takes a second for my mind to recall where I am. My vision is a little foggy, so I blink a few times. When I try to rub my eyes, I find my hands stuck.

"Hey," a softer voice greets me. I feel the familiar shape of Sage's hand touch my arm. She's laughing.

"What was that?" I mutter.

"Cute little picture I took of you and Billy." She chuckles even louder. "I walked in on SpongeBob playing, and the both of you asleep on the couch."

"Ah." A smile touches my lips. "I guess SpongeBob is good to sleep to."

She smiles. "I'll get this one to his bed."

I don't get the chance to tell her I'll do it; she already has the sleeping boy in her arms, on her way upstairs. Her hand is on his back. The one one supports his body.

Wow. Amazing sight.

I can't deny it's something that would be awesome to see every single day in a few years.

Though those years might actually be months. My sibling first. She'll likely mother that one before coming an actual mother— stop. Something about these thoughts feels very off yet it's so nice to think about.

Anyway, a few minutes later, she's back, tiptoeing as if even the slightest sounds will wake these kids up.

"Hi," she greets. For just a second, she places her lips on mine.

"Hey! You told me not to do that and now you're doing it yourself," I complain.

"I manage to give a small kiss. You make it a whole circus act."

"A whole circus act?" I repeat.

"Yeah." She laughs, throwing her head back. Her hair falls perfectly beside her body like that, almost like it's hugging her curves— stop. Again, stop these thoughts. "One kiss turns into either a million kisses or the kiss lasts for forever. Or that kiss somehow ends up in my neck."

I cross my arms. "Not my fault."

"That's definitely your fault."

"No. If you would've been less pretty and everything, it would've been easier to stop," I point out.

At that, her cheeks flush completely. "Stop that," she murmurs.

"It's true!"

"Shh, you'll wake them up." With a few more laughs, she wraps her arms around me.

Soon enough, she has replaced Billy and it's us watching SpongeBob. It's quite entertaining.

Then a thought pops up in my mind, ruining half of the fun. But still, I should tell her. "Teresa texted and I texted her back," I say.

"Okay...?" Sage shrugs.

"You don't care?"

"Not that much, unless it was... serious, or whatever."

"She apologized for asking us to hang out with her and some friends. I accidentally left her on read and I guess she's also sad you didn't show up. She would like to be friends with you."

"Are you okay with that? With us being friends?"

"Yeah, of course." I run my hand through her hair. The soft strands feel almost heavenly. "You gossip all about how good of a kisser I am," I tease.

She pushes my head away. "Oh, shut up."