We were all set. I had volunteered to drive us all back to Sophie's house, so she could get ready and we could pick up Jessie to take him out. Thank god both of her parents where off to work, which I found unusual as it was a Sunday but Sophie told me this was a normal occurrence for them.
As Sophie suggested me and Michael stayed put in the car while she left. We didn't have to wait long until I saw her locking her house door with Jessie standing next to her. He had a little minion backpack on his shoulders as he smiled fondly at the truck.
Sophie surprisingly managed to get Jessie and herself in without my assistance, but I was glad.
"Hi Michael and Luke," he beamed as Sophie strapped on his seatbelt across his chest.
"Hi Jessie," I said with a grin and Michael also greeted him.
"I am so excited to go shopping, there's so many things I want to buy." He bounced in his seat as he looked out the window.
"Oh really, what?" Michael asked him as I started driving again.
"Well Sophie promised me that we could have lunch at Rock' your Pizza and she promised me to buy me that minion ball I wanted, oh and also the massive minion balloon we seen the other day." I looked over my shoulder to see him grin as he told us with a passionate glimmer in his eyes. My gaze travelled to Sophie who sat there with a tight smile on her face.
"Why would you promise him all that?" Michael chuckled to Sophie, and I gave him a small glare. It wasn't his place to but into their business and ask irrelevant questions.
"He's been a very good boy lately," she replied calmly but I could feel how anxious she was really feeling.
We made eye contact again and her eyes showed me clearly the reason why. She must have promised Jessie all this stuff to distract him from her parents. She was such a good big sister, a sense of pride overwhelmed me. I hoped she could feel it.
~
We arrived at the shopping centre, just before twelve. We asked Jessie what he wanted to do first and of course he wanted to have lunch at his favourite pizza place. Michael obviously didn't object to the idea and Sophie thought it would be good since the place wouldn't be too busy. So it was then settled.
Lunch took us around an hour and once our stomachs where full, we all made our way to the massive Toys' R us. Michael and Jessie walked in front of me and Sophie, as we walked side by side, hand in hand.
She still didn't seem fine all at, even when we where eating lunch she still seemed a little too quiet. I moved my hands position from directly holding it to weaving my fingers through hers and giving it a tight squeeze.
"I'm here for you okay babe." I spoke so only she can hear me. I stopes walking and she followed my lead. She turned so she was now facing me. He eyes looked dim and unhappy, I hated seeing them emotions in her eyes. I wanted to make her smile for real not just this cover up fake smile she showed the world. I could see straight through it.
"I know Luke, I'm sorry for being so out of it lately." She replied and I knew she was feeling guilty but that was stupid, it was natural for her to be acting this way.
"No don't apologise, you haven't done anything wrong. Please baby, I just want to make you smile again. I know this whole thing with your parents is bothering you more than you let on but you can let it go you know. Just for now, don't think about them and have some fun." My words hopefully made her feel better.
"I don't think I can Luke," she looked at me unsurely.
"We have a whole centre to ourselves. Anything you want you can have it. Jessie's safe with Michael so we could go some different shops or something." I suggested cupping her face in my hands.
"Ok I'll try not to think about them anymore but it would make me happiest to just go toy shopping with Jessie, you and Michael." She replied.
"Are you sure?" I asked her one more time, still feeling like she wasn't being completely truthful with me.
"Well..." She trailed off, a little smile placed on her lips. And there it was.
"I'm glad you've fessed up, now come on, tell me where you really want to go." I cracked a smile, happy that she was finally distracted from all her parent troubles.
"I've always wanted to go to the photo booth, the one over there." She said faintly, so quiet I could barely hear it. But I did. My gaze traveled to where she pointed, to see a large photo booth with its curtain drawn across on the other side of the centre.
"Yeah sure lets go." I took her hand but she tugged at it, stopping me.
"We should get Jessie and Michael to come along as well." She said with a smile, and even though I would have liked it to just be the two of us. I couldn't help but agree, just as it brought the most realistic smile I had seen on her face all day.
"Sure," my hand never left hers as we made our way after them to the massive toy store.
~
After we bought Jessie everything he was promised, everyone happily made our way to the photo booth which was thankfully empty.
Drawing the curtain, I looked to see one long seat.
"We can all fit, but Jessie will have to sit on someone's lap." Sophie piped in behind me. I nodded.
Me, Michael and her at took our seats with me sitting next to Sophie. She motioned for him to come sit on her lap but he shook his head, going to Michael instead.
"Jessie," she looked at him with a confused raised eyebrow.
"What, Michaels way cooler than you." He stated and I when I saw her jaw drop I could help but let out a chuckle. She looked at me with narrowed eyes.
"Your suppose to be on my side." She said with a fake angry tone and I put my hands up in surrender.
"Hey hey, let's not fight the truth." Michael chuckled and picked up Jessie, playing him on his lap. Sophie stuck her tongue out at Jessie and he did the same back, it made me smile. Seeing her happy.
"Anyway, I've never been in here before," she said her gaze travelling to the controls of the photo booth set before us.
I shuffled about and took out the amount of change it was asking for out my jean pocket and she gave me a grateful smile as I inserted in the correct slot.
"So according to the instructions, you press this button and then look at then cameras over there. Once you hear a clicking sound it means your photo has been taken." Michael read of the instructions stuck of the wall of the machine.
"Seems simple enough." I said, my hand finding Sophie's again.
"Okay so tell me when to click the button." Michael said.
I looked to see Jessie already finding his pose, sticking his tongue out at the camera. Sophie turned to look at me with a small smile and I smiled back.
I bought up my finger, directing her face to the camera. Her smile was the perfect pose.
"Okay now," I said to Michael and once he did the clicking sound of the camera was heard.
"One down, four to go." He said.
~
We spent around fifteen minutes taking goofy pictures together and honestly it was the most fun id had in a while. We printed out three copies of the photo strips and I could help but smile as I looked at how happy Sophie looked in each picture.
In one picture I had swooped down and kissed her cheek, catching her by surprise, she looked the cutest in that picture.
"So where to next." Michael said as we walked aimlessly around the shopping centre.
"Can we go to the park?" Jessie asked with excitement laced in his voice.
"What do you say?" I asked Sophie who didn't really seem up for the idea.
"We have enough time so I guess we could go." She replied looking at Jessie and he bounced in joy.
"Yay, I could try out my new ball and this time Michael can sit on the other side of the sea-saw instead of Sophie." Michael laughed and nodded his head while Sophie looked at him in surprise.
"I feel like I'm being replaced." She said with a little huff which made me chuckle.
"Don't worry babe, your his sister. He will always have a special place in his heart for you." I explained to her as I wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
The park was close by so we left the truck in the parking lot while we just walked over here with ease. It was next to a pretty busy road which didn't seem like a bright idea but there was a gate separating the attractions and the road.
A few benches were scattered around the area and luckily one was free. The one furthest away from the gate, so that was good. Jessie didn't waste anytime to dump all his stuff on the bench and take his ball once we reached the bench after a couple minutes of walking, well Jessie running ahead of us.
Michael went after him as me and Sophie sat down, there was a lot of children here with their parents as the sun was shining brightly above of us.
"I'm glad that your happy again." I said with a grin placed on my lips.
"I wouldn't be this happy if it weren't for you Luke." She said returning the smile and I couldn't help but lean forward, my lips latching onto hers.
Two seconds later she moved her head and gave me a little glare. An empty feeling returned to me and I wanted nothing more to kiss her senseless.
"There's kids Luke." I rolled my eyes not giving one fuck, pesky little kids couldn't stop me from kissing my soulmate but I didn't push it any further.
We sat there for about ten minutes just talking and of course me stealing a few kisses here and there. I was confused however when Michael came up to us, running like he was out of breath.
"What happened Michael?" Sophie said worriedly once we noticed a certain five year old was not trailing behind him like we where use to.
"One second Jessie was there and then he was just gone, I haven't looked for him yet but I thought I would tell you first." He seemed panicked and scared, making me also feel worried.
"Oh my god." Sophie shot up along with me and I squeezed her hand.
"It's okay babe. Don't worry he'll be close by." I reassured her and looked around the park, my gaze travelling to everyone but there was no sign of Jessie.
"You guys look on one side and I'll look on the other, I'm so sorry Sophie." He looked at her with his eyes full of guilt and regret.
"Fine but it wasn't your fault Michael, everything will be okay." She said holding onto to all her strength because she new if she let it go, she would break. I could sense it.
We wasted no time and got searching. A couple seconds later we saw Michael freeze.
"Wait is that him?" Michael questioned and we all followed his gaze to a little boy who was patting the heads of two dogs who's leashes where tied up to the gate, no owner was in sight.
"Yes it is," she said and we all ran as fast as we could to him, but our fast wasn't enough.
Before we knew it, one dog had hit the ball which Jessie had placed down on the ground with its paw, the ball rolling away in the direction of the road. I could tell what was going to happen next.
"Oh fuck," I said and picked up my speed but I was too late.
Jessie had already unawarely tried to stop his ball and made his way onto the busy road.
"No," Sophie shouted in horror, shock masking her face as a car swerved trying to break but still managed to bump into Jessie, making him fall to the ground.
Sophie ran ahead of me, almost going onto the road but I acted on instinct and my arms wrapped around her waist, stopping her from making the same mistake her brother did.
~
Longish chapter for the massively long wait. I'm so sorry guys for the long update but I really don't know how I feel about this chapter. I'm sure a lot of you guys are confused but don't worry, all will be cleared up in the next couple chapters.
I have exams in less than a month so sorry if the updates are monthly rather than weekly for the next couple months. I hope you guys can understand.
Thanks to everyone for voting and reading and getting me to over 100k reads. I'm so grateful I that I even have people interested in the work I write.
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-Nisha xx