The Treehouse

F O U R

"Oof," She said startled by the sudden hug, but she instantly relaxed, wrapping her arms around him.

"Anytime bud," She replied, ruffling his hair a bit smiling down at him.

It was then I decided to make my presence known.

Knocking on the door I got their attention.

Kyle was the first one to recognize me.

"MYLO!" He yelled running towards me.

"Hey, Ky!" I replied just as happily, catching him in my arms.

His giggles echoed through the room as I spun him around.

"Okay!Okay! Put me down," He squealed out an ear-splitting grin on his face that matched my own.

"I thought you weren't coming anymore," Kyle said once he caught his breath.

"And why would you think that?" I asked kneeling down in front of him.

"Class ended awhile ago, and you weren't here. So, I thought you forgot about me, like dad." He answered his once joyous smile turning into a frown.

My heart hurt at his words.

There are not enough hands to count how many times my father forgot to pick me up.

It sucks that Kyle has to go through what I did.

But, back then I didn't have an older sibling to be there for me, but Kyle does.

I promise I would always be there for Kyle and that is a promise I plan on keeping.

"Hey, look at me," I said directing his light blue eyes to look into my grey ones.

"I could never forget about you, you're my little brother. I'll do whatever it takes to be here for you and nothing and I mean nothing will ever change that, okay," I said slowly making sure he understood each word I said.

"Promise," He said sticking out his pinkie.

"I promise,"

Once my pinkie linked with his a smile graced his face once more.

"Now, I'm sorry for being late, training ran overtime. But, to make it up to you how about we stop to get some ice cream on the way home," I said making his eyes light up.

"But, mommy says we can't have dessert before dinner," He stated with a pout on his face.

"Mommy doesn't have to know, it will be our little secret," I whispered into his ear making his eyes widen in understanding.

"Okay," He said giggling slightly, before running over to grab his things from the other side of the room.

Standing up from the ground, my eyes meet those of Jesse's.

It was then I remembered it wasn't just Kyle and I in the room and that she just witnessed our interaction with one another.

A silence fell over the room, neither of us knowing what to say, just the sound of Kyle packing away his things in the back.

"I didn't know you had a brother," She said breaking the silence, looking between Kyle and I in surprise.

I understood her confusion as not many people believed we were brothers as we looked nothing alike.

Kyle's golden hair and oceanic eyes were a huge contrast to my pitch-black hair and stormy eyes.

"Yeah, I do," I replied, not knowing what else to say.

It seems she didn't have anything left to say or more like she didn't want to ask any questions that could possibly offend me.

"Just ask it," I said