𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆. [UNEDITED]

T H I R T Y

"Right! Another sign! And we don't even argue! But I feel better, kind of reminded me to consider you the same way you consider me." India leaned back against his chest and he pulled her into his lap.

"Don't think you don't take care of me and I just be babying you. You kind of balance out my crazy and remind me to treat people okay."

"Mhm." She cheesed, squeezing his cheeks while he talked.

The dream seemed to be a movie of everything that could possibly go wrong between them going wrong. Sometimes she could be impressionable and insecure but it just reassured her that he had her back. Jade never let his mom get out of line with her before.

The first time the two met she did violate and he put her in her place but the dream was the exact opposite. Almost as if it was to remind her that he'd always have her back.

"I was having a dream too, I was on a boat and I fell in the water and it was sharks and octopi and shit. Then they tried to fight me but I wasn't going for it and I got back in that damn boat. But I fell off again and it was like.. a different ocean? It was just fish everywhere and they was singing and shit like a Disney movie." He rambled sleepily, still rubbing his eyes as he tried explaining it well.

"Weirdo."

"And I want a sharknado blanket. Get me one."

".. Eli wants one?"

"No I do." He looked at her with a straight face when she began laughing.

"You could've bought it.. when you saw it. It might be gone now but I'll get it if I see it." India shrugged.

"I wanted you to buy it for me though. Coochie is not a present, I want gifts just because. Scratch my scalp my stomach hurt." Jade laid flat on the bed and turned his head to face her so he could be comfortable.

Sometimes she thought about it and he really was like a baby. There'd been a couple of times where he got sleepy in the doctors office and laid across her lap to sleep.

"You drink anything yesterday?" He had a strange habit of not drinking anything with his food because sometimes there wasn't enough in a cup of soda or a bottle of water to evenly match the number of bites he'd take.

It was a three to one ratio, three bites and one sip. If he was sure that the cup size didn't fit the amount of food he'd eat he'd rather not drink anything at all because buying a large drink then leaving it to water down annoyed him too.

"No because my stomach hurts and heavy stuff makes it worse. I think I'm just gonna lay down all day." Jade closed his eyes and began whining, not even ten minutes into starting his day.

"When you feel better you wanna go eat?"

"No I want that thing you make that makes my throat burn but in a good way."

"Ceviche?"

"Yeah. Imma brush my teeth and stuff." He sat up again and walked to the bathroom and she just smiled to herself, following behind him quietly to do the same.

India felt good about everything going on in her life, she felt like things were getting back on track for her and was more curious about things being on track for him considering he never really talked about his problems.

The dream made her wonder if he really was okay. No, it convinced her that he really wasn't okay and she probably needed to watch him more carefully. His nonchalant and calm demeanor was often mistaken for him being alright but she knew him. Despite knowing she gave him the benefit of the doubt and tried trusting that he'd be honest.