"Neil, I already told you that I didn't want to date you," I told him.
He chuckled. "I know. I was talking about someone else."
"Oh," I said, very embarrassed. "Who?"
"There's this guy that I know and he knows another guy who knows another guy-"
"Let me stop you right there."
"I'm just kidding," He chortled. "Anyways...There's this guy that I am about to be in a movie with. The thing is, he knows a musician-I can't say who yet-"
"Why not?"
"Let me explain!"
"Make it less confusing by giving names."
"Okay, the guy who I know (who's going to be in the movie) is named Steffan."
"Steffan, got it."
"Steffan knows a musician that fancies you."
"Fancies?!" I chuckled.
"Fine, has a crush on you. I wouldn't call it a crush, though."
"He wants to get to know me?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"I don't know."
"Why not?"
"I think I just need a little break from dating. I just found out that my mom lied to me and I don't need other shit piled on top of that."
"Sorry."
"But I still want to meet him."
"You do?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Because I want to meet new people. I have been talking to the same people for years now-there's nothing wrong with them-but I want new friends in a way. You know what's sad? You're the only person I talk to that's not family."
"Jesus!" He chuckled. "That sucks!"
"It does," I swam over and grabbed Ashton. "So, I still want to meet that guy (or girl)."
"It's a guy."
"It could be a girl."
"It's not a girl!"
"How do you know?"
"Because I know."
"Good enough. You ready to go inside, Ashton?"
"No, not yet!" He said.
"Okay," I let go of him and he went back to swimming.
"I have a favor to ask you," Neil said.
"What is it?"
"I want to dye my hair blue. I got the hair dye and everything, but I need someone to do it. Will you?"
"Today?"
"Yeah."
"Sure. Do you have two shirts that you don't mind getting ruined?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. Ashton, buddy!"
"What?!" He yelled.
"Time to come inside!"
"No."
"Excuse me?!"
"No!"
"He needs to take a nap," Neil said.
"Okay," I picked Neil up and he kept kicking and trying to get out of my arms. Neil eventually grabbed him and carried him inside.
I wrapped a towel around myself and went inside, too. We put Ashton down to bed and went into Neil's bedroom. He grabbed two shirts and we went into the bathroom.
"Where's the hair dye?" I asked him.
"Here," He grabbed a box of blue hair dye out of his cabinet, then handed it to me.
"Thanks," I took a quick glance at it and put on the shirt Neil grabbed. "Take off your shirt and put that one on."
"The one I grabbed?"
"Mhm."
"Are you going to put shorts on?"
"Not right now. I don't really want to."
"Okay."
"Do you have a towel you don't mind getting hair dye on?"
"That one right there," He pointed to one hanging on the rack.
I grabbed it and handed it to him, then noticed something from the corner of my eye: something tiny walking. I looked out of the doorway and saw Ashton walking around.
"The lock is on the outside of the door, right?" I asked Neil.
"Yeah."
"Why didn't you lock it?!"
"I didn't think that I needed to."
"Ashton hates naps, Neil," I grabbed Ashton and put him back in bed. "Stay in bed, okay?"
He grunted them turned away from me. I walked out, locked the door, and went back into the bathroom. I grabbed a mixing bowl, dumped the hair dye in there, mixed it, then grabbed the color brush, and dumped it in there. I swirled it around, then tried to put it in Neil's hair, but he was too far away.
"Neil," I groaned.
"What?"
"My breasts are going to press against your back; Is that alright?"
"Fine by me," He said, smiling.
I shook my head and pressed my breasts against his back and put the hair dye in his hair. "So much easier."
"How are you taking the whole Richard-Being-Your-Dad thing?"
"Hmm, I don't know. I've tried not to think about it. Look to the right."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want to."
"He's your fucking dad, Adette."
"I understand, but, that's not easy to take in."
"You're going to have to try."
"Why are you so upset by this?"
"Because if I was in Richard's shoes, I would be pissed."
"Everyone is pissed right now, Neil. Till is mad at my mom for lying to him and Richard is mad at my mom for cheating on him."
"Who's your mom mad at?"
"Me."
"Why?"
"Probably for not talking to them about it. I bet that she's going to call me immature."
"I could see her saying that."
After getting all the hair dye in his hair, I told him to take a shower.
"Make sure that you get most of the hair dye out," I told him. "Don't get it on the walls or anything because it'll stain. If there's a little left in your hair, I guess that's fine, but try to get most of it out."
"Got it," He said. "Can you get out?"
"Why?"
"I'm going to take a shower."
"I need to clean up."
"Fine."
He took off his clothes and got into the shower. I couldn't help but stare as he got in there. I was always attracted to his body. But, most of all, it was really hard not to kiss him. I wanted so bad to be with him, but I couldn't. It would be too much work-especially with him leaving soon to go film that movie in Florida-and I just needed a break from dating. I was always so dependent on other people and I needed to stop.
I heard Ashton crying and groaned. As I looked at the time, I gasped-it had already been two hours.
"Neil, when do you have to leave to go to Florida?!" I asked.
"I think a couple of months."
"Okay."
"I know it's in September."
"Okay. Neil?"
"Yes?"
"Do you have any milk?"
"Why?"
"I'm done pumping. Do you have any milk?"
"Doesn't he need breastmilk?"
"No, he's one."
"I have milk in the fridge."
"Thanks."
I grabbed Ashton, brought him downstairs, poured him some milk in his bottle, and watched him feed himself. Right as I was about to lean in to kiss his forehead, the doorbell rang.
"I'll be right back!" I told Ashton making him giggle. I walked over to the door to open it up and saw my mom, Till, and Richard standing there.