𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐋! [𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐆𝐇𝐄𝐑]

TUTORING AND SURPRISES

Carl stopped as Poppy turned to him with a smile.

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot, Owen's eight."

For some reason, Carl felt relieved.

She turned back around and greeted Owen happily. "Hey, Owen!"

Once the small boy heard Poppy's voice, excitement filled his face. "Poppy!"

Owen ran up from his seat and rushed to engulf Poppy in a hug.

It was then Carl noticed what the young boy was wearing. They were some clearly old, faded out jeans and a dirty sweatshirt.

It instantly made him feel bad.

Not that Carl was one to judge, but sometimes he forgot that there were people who even had it worse than he did.

Poppy gladly returned the hug before the two sat down.

"Owen, this is my friend Carl," Poppy introduced, making Carl step forward and take a seat as well.

"Hey, kid," Carl gave him a small, awkward smile. It wasn't that Carl didn't like kids, it was more that he really didn't know how to act around them. The only kid he had ever interacted with had been Liam, and he didn't count, since he was his younger brother.

"Is he the one who had the braids?" Owen asked Poppy after he gave Carl a wave.

"Hey!" Carl exclaimed as Poppy laughed. "They were cornrows," he defended sheepishly.

"Poppy said you looked like a little girl who just came back from a cruise," Owen told Carl, who's jaw fell to the ground and turned to Poppy.

"Owen!" Poppy gasped. "You just exposed me!"

"I'm feel betrayed," Carl mocked being hurt.

"I love you," Poppy told him, still laughing hysterically.

Carl flushed when seeing the look Owen gave him.

"Yeah, yeah."

•••

"So, what'd you think about tutoring?" Poppy asked Carl with a grin as they walked to Carl's house.

"I actually didn't hate it," he chuckled, for some reason finding himself admiring the way the sunlight hit against Poppy's long hair. It made her look like she was glowing.

He shook the thought away rather quickly, it quite startled him that he was thinking this way, or paying attention to details like that about Poppy. When did he ever do that with Dominique?

"You loved it," Poppy playfully rolled her eyes, "you and Owen hit it off, as well! I'm so happy about that."

"He's a wise-ass, but he's a funny kid. I can see why you two get along, though."

"Why's that?"

"Um- because he's a wise-ass," Carl said, as if stating the obvious.

Poppy gasped and gave him a shove. "Asshole."

They arrived at Carl's house and were instantly greeted by the large family.