Phil's Kid

Ch-97-Skirt-?

. . .

"So." Tommy said. "You younger than me, aren't you?"

. . .

I had to stop myself from laughing. "And what if I am?" I asked a smirk plastered on my face.

"So you lied?! Your younger than me!" Tommy yelled. "To be fair I don't know how old you are!" I yelled back. "You can always google it." Techno said.

I sighed. "Well, technically I'm seventeen." "Technically?" Tubbo asked. "Just wait till next year." I said.

"You are younger!" Tommy yelled excitedly. "I'm seventeen!" "Tommy is seventeen too!" Wilbur joined in on the yelling."You're making such a big deal out of it Tommy!" He stopped yelling so he could start laughing.

"I mean, I do act older than you." I said to Tommy. "WHAT?!"  I heard a few others laughing with Wilbur, then I joined in on the laughing too.

Even if Tommy didn't feel older, it was weirdly nice to feel close to people older than me. Like Wilbur and Techno, they actually acted older, well, Wilbur did most of the time. In a weird way, it's like I had older cousins, or siblings, that I could actually look up to. Yeah, I looked up to Phil and Kristen, but they were my parents. It makes sense for me to look up at actual parents. Will, and Tech? I could actually see them as older cousins/siblings. I'm not sure which ones they are yet.

.   .   .

"Were home!" Finally. I ran downstairs to greet them. But the curse of the bottom step stopped me. I stepped off the bottom step and made my way closer to them slightly confused.

Dad and mom were each holding a bag. Karter was also holding a shopping bag, but on their back was their old backpack. Where did they get that from? Maybe they just got a new one?

"We made a quick stop on the way home." Dad said noticing my confusion. I nodded my head. "I got new clothes." Karter smiled holding up the plastic bag in their hands. Karter didn't seem that upset. Maybe they didn't stop at their old house and went somewhere else instead. "You can put them on top of Alex's dresser for now. Do you mind making room in your dresser?" Mom asked looking at me. "Yeah, I can put some clothes into the closet." I smiled. Maybe Karter is fine and I'm just overthinking. They do seem really happy compared to the last few days.

. . .

"Why don't you let me see what's in the bag your holding?" I asked knocking on the bathroom door. "You already saw what's in the other bags." Karter said from inside the bathroom. "Yeah but I want to see what else you got. And besides, I already made room in half the dresser and closet for your clothes. The closet was too big for me anyway." It was silent so I knocked on the door again. "Karterrrrr." I wined. "I'm almost done Aleeeeeex." Karter wind back imitating me.

"Why are you taking so long?" I asked knocking on the door. "I don't know how these things work." Karter said. I heard some banging around on the other side of the door. "What do you mean?" I asked.

Karter opened the door stopping me from knocking on it again. I stepped away from the door letting Karter walkout. "I didn't know there was a zipper." Karter said annoyed. "Apparently there's one on the side. They should put instructions on this thing." Karter fully stepped out of the bathroom.

"It's my second day of new school outfit." Karter smiled nervously.

Karter had on a white skirt that rested just above their knees. On the skirt were small flowers made of orange and yellow thread. They also had on a tan shirt neatly tucked into the skirt. The tan shirt went down to their elbows with baggy sleeves at the end. It match the skirt they had on.

"Why not the first day?" I asked admiring Karter's outset. "I don't want people to get the wrong idea..." I nodded understanding. "But I have a different outfit for that." They said.

"Well, I like your new outfit." I smiled. "Thanks." Karter smiled then did a little spin. "I've never owned something like this before." Karter said when they stopped spinning. "You can always get more." I suggested.

Karter ran into the bathroom them quickly came back out almost running into me. "That's what this bag has." They smiled holding up a plastic bag to my face.

I giggled. "Alright, I see you're ahead of me." I turned and started making my way down the hallway to our room. "But we still need to put those clothes away." I called back. "I'm keeping this one on." Karter said catching up next to me. "Sure. But we still have to put away that bag." I gestured to the plastic bag in Karter's hands.

"Well do out know how to put away skirts?" Karter asked with a smirk thinking they got me. My smile wavered. "Actually I do." I smirked back.

"Fine." Karter said running into our room. "But I get to fold them!" They shouted closing the door. I ran up to the door and knocked on it. "But you don't know how to fold them properly."

The door swings back open. "Oh yeah... Can you show me?" Karter asked embarrassed. "Of course." I said ruffling their hair. "Ah!" Karter stated my hand away and tried to flatten their hair again.

I took that as an opportunity and walked past them back into our room. "I didn't say you could enter." "Karter, it's our room." Karter pouted in defeat. I smiled at them.

Karter seems to be a lot happier now, the happiest I've ever seen them. They're talking more, joking more, smiling more. Even opening up to me more I feel. Is this what it's like to have a sibling? Maybe mom and dad are making them open up more, like how they made me feel like I had a home. Or maybe Karter is being their true self after leaving that place. Whatever is making Karter more happy, I'm thankful for it. Karter is finally being themselves, being free.

I remember when I first came out of my shell to dad and mom. I know things will only get better for Karter. At least until we start at the new school. There's no telling what could happen. But whatever happens, I'll protect Karter like I couldn't last time.

. . .