where i'm safe

skye

kai pov.

i wait outside on my porch playing games on my phone as i wait for aria. minutes go by and i hear her drive up.

i smile and put my phone in my pocket and skip over to get inside.

"hi bubba" she says softly as i buckle my seatbelt.

"hi ari" i mumble back.

"you slept good?" she asks me and i nod my head.

she hands me over a ziplock bag and a drink. "i brought you a muffin and orange. you said you didn't eat breakfast."

"you did?!"  i accidentally shout. "is it blueberry?" i ask. i only like blueberry muffins.

"it is." she giggles.

"i love blueberry!" i say opening the ziplock bag and taking a bite. so yummy, i mumble to myself while chewing.

aria drives to a nearby park and we sit on a bench as i finish the muffin and some of the orange juice. "i'm full" i say handing her back the ziplock bag.

"good." she smiles taking it and throwing it in the trash.

"what should we do now?" she asks and i just shrug my shoulders and look around. "let's go to the mall."

"ok" i whisper. i don't usually go to the mall because it's so loud and crowded, but if aria wants to go i will go.

we head back to the car as aria drives to the mall. she gives me her phone so i could play music on the way there and she loved all the songs i played!

we go to the mall and i follow aria around as she goes into multiple stores looking around a buying a few things and asks me if i want anything every now and then. but i say no. i don't see anything i like and i'm starting to get a little sleepy.

we walk past a store with a bunch of plushies inside and i freeze without meaning to. something catches my eye through the window. a plush dragon. soft, round,with sparkly wings. it's red with blue feet and a star on its belly.

i want it. badly.

aria turns around, realizing that i stopped "something catch your eye?"

i shake my head no fast "no, let's go"

she gives me a look before saying "alright"

we keep walking and i get quiet while walking behind aria. i don't understand why i can't just ask. i should be able to. i'm 18. i shouldn't want toys. i shouldn't want someone to buy them for me. my eyes start to sting. i shouldn't be getting teary over something so stupid.

on the way out the mall, we pass the store again. i stop walking and aria notices instantly.

"hey love, what's wrong?" she says gently as she crouches a little to look at me.

i just shake my head, covering my face with both hands. i feel the tears come out anyway. i hate this. i hate how big everything feels sometimes. i don't even know what to say. i don't even know what i'm crying for!

"bubba" she whispers. "you gotta breathe for me,okay?"

i sniffle and nod, but don't say anything.

she reaches and grabs my hand and asks "is it the dragon in the window,baby?"

i freeze.

"it's okay if it is" she quickly reassured.

i peek at her from behind my hands. she's not teasing. she's  just smiling gently, like she already knew.

"you want it?"

inod.

"okay," she says like it's the easiest thing in the world. "then let's go get it, yeah?"

i nod again, tears still on my cheeks.

she doesn't make me walk in alone. she walks right beside me, gently guiding me with a hand on my back. we walk out a few minutes later, and she hands me a little bag.

"say hi to your new friend," she teases.

i pull the dragon out slowly and hug it to my chest, breathing in its soft new-plushie smell.

"feel better now?" she asks as we walk out the mall.

i sniffle and nod. "thank you aria"

"of course lovely. what are you going to name it?"

"skye"

"i love that name." she says as we get into the car

"okay so, do you want to go home or do you want to come to my house and we can watch some movies?" i'm also off tomorrow so we can hang out again if you'd like" she asks me.

i think for a moment. "watch movies."

"alright."