Turns out the blue fish was actually a betta and, yes, we ended up buying it.
"You're fucking weird," he chuckled. From the corner of my eye, I saw him glanced at me before focusing on the road again.
"You're fucking weird for letting me get this," I protested, hitting him playfully in the arm. I looked back at the fish, smiling, "don't listen to daddy. He loves you."
"What?" He laughed. I looked at him, pouting. His eyes were almost closed because of him laughing.
"Hey, eyes on the road," I yelled, laughing with him - or rather at him.
"Sorry," he said, trying so hard to stop laughing but eventually failling as the traffic light turned red. He looked at me, shaking his head, "what did you just said to that fish?"
"It's Jeff," I snapped. "This fish is Jeff."
"Jeff?" He laughed harder. "Babe, if I'm his dad, I ain't naming him Jeff."
"Okay, say a name till we find something we both like," I rolled my eyes.
"Mason."
"James."
"Harry."
"Not my brother," I protested. "How about..."
"Blue," we both said in unison. We looked at each other, both grinning.
"He's basically blue, you know," he chuckled, as we started moving again.
"I was thinking of Jurassic Park," I said. "That blue velociraptor."
"Yeah, nice," he agreed. "Now, we're officially Blue's parents."
"Yay," I cheered, sarcastically yet laughing. "Should we, uh, set days?"
"Oh," he chuckled. "You're serious about us being fish parents. Okay."
I giggled.
He continued, "well, Blue can stay with his mom if he wants to. I can visit. I mean, I can, right?"
"Like you said, you can put a ladder across our windows and cross each other's room," I said, winking at him as he glanced at me.
He carefully parked the car at their driveway, turning off the engine, before facing me. He smiled at me and said, "my friend's having a party tonight, wanna come?"
"Oh, you do have friends, ei?" I said sarcastically, laughing.
"Are we not?" He said in a hurt voice, yet grinning, as he opened his door.
I laughed, doing the same and hopping out of the car. "What time?"
"I'll pick you up at 7, sounds good?" He said, as he checks the shopping bag and took the mint chocolate flavoured ice cream out before handing me the whole bag. "I believe this is mine."
"Want some chips with that?" I asked, taking the bag from him before he walked towards their front door.
"I'm good. Just give it to Harry," he called, smiling at me. "See you later, princess."
"Thanks for the ride," I grinned. I jogged to our driveway and to the front door. As I was about to reach for the knob to open it, Ashton came out.
"Good, you're back," he said, smiling at me. He grabbed the shopping bag from me, pulling me inside the house and closing the door behind. "Let me help with those. Okay. Oh, tampons."
"Hey," I snapped, snatching the tampon from him. "That's mine."
He grinned at me, before checking the bag again. "Oh, that explains the chocolate chips. Why, thank you, Mikee's red days, I get to eat my favourite."
"That's rude," I pouted at him.
He ruffled my hair with his free hand, chuckling. "Love you, sis."
"Love you, too, Ash," I smiled at him. "I've missed you."
"Me, too," he sighed. "Sorry if I haven't been around much. Nor mom. We just wanna give you and Harry everything."
"I totally understand, Ash," I shrugged - not in a mean way though. "Got Harry. Even though he annoys me sometimes."
"Ah! He's growing up," he laughed. "Thank you for taking care of him, Mikee."
"No, Ash, thanks for taking care of us," I said. "I just wish we get to see you more often. Harry would love that, too."
"Well, don't tell them yet, but I'm trying to look for a job nearby so I get to stay here as much as possible," he said, smiling.
My smile widen, excited for his news. "Really? Awesome."
He smiled, pulling me in for a quick hug as he kissed the top of my head. "Hey, kiddo, I'm going out. Me and the boys are playing at a house party tonight."
"Uh, I was actually gonna tell you that I'm going out, too," I said, pulling away from him.
"You never go out at night," he raised his eyebrow, eyeing me. "Who's he?"
"What?" I looked at him confused. Then I laughed and said, "no, no, I'm just going with a friend. Also, I never go out before, that's the point. Just, please, tonight?"
"Okay, but what about Harry?"
"I can take care of myself as long as you come back before midnight," Harry interrupted, joining the conversation.
"Adults are talking," I snapped.
"Technically you're not an adult yet," Ashton chuckled. "Uh, not midnight. Be back before ten."
"Eleven?" I said, hopefully, smiling.
"Ten thirty, deal," he said. "Now, let's have some of this before it melts. And, cool fish, by the way."
"Oh, yeah," I said, raising Blue proudly. "That's why I bought him, you know."
We laughed as we headed to the kitchen to eat the ice cream. The three of us hanged out there for awhile, telling stories and laughing at each other's jokes. Until Harry and Ashton decided it's time to play that they headed to the living room while I started to prepare us a meal.
"Mikee, I'm going now," Ashton called, grabbing his keys at the counter. "Mali will check on Harry from time to time. She lives next door."
"Okay. Good luck on your gig!" I yelled, as I continued to wash the dishes.
"Thanks," he said. Before getting out of the house, I heard him told Harry to behave himself and not answer the door unless it's us or Mali.
"Alright, buddy," I said, tapping Harry on the shoulder as he plays Mario Cart on his playstation. He paused the game to look up at me. "I'll be upstairs preparing. Call me when you need anything."
"I'm a big boy now, sis, I can take care of myself," he said, pouting.
"You're forever our baby," I laughed, pinching him on the nose before running upstairs.
"Sup, neighbour," Calum called, the moment I closed the door. I smiled at the sound of his voice. He probably heard me shut the door. I walked to the window, waving at him, smiling. He was leaning on his window, smiling back at me. His right wrist was leaning for support at the lift.
"Hey," I called. "What exactly should I wear at the party?"
He chuckled. "Anything you like."
"Anything, huh?" I winked at him playfully. Oh, what am I doing flirting with him.
"Uh, make sure it'll keep my hands to myself though," he smirked. "Or I might pull you somewhere else."
"You wouldn't," I shook my head, laughing.
"You don't know what I'm thinking," he winked.
"I--" I was about to threw him a joke when I felt another discomfort in my abdomen causing me to apply pressure on it with my hand. "Ohhh, that hurts."
"Hey, you good?" Calum called, sounding concerned. "You know, we can cancel the party if you're not feeling okay."
"But---"
"No buts," he said. "I'll just tell him I can't come. There'll be another party to go to next time."
"Okay," I nodded in agreement, sitting at the chair I left by the window last night.
"I'll be over in two minutes, wait for me," he said before disappearing from the view.
True to his words, after a couple of minutes I heard our doorbell. Harry must have let him in, because a few seconds later there was a knock on my door.
"It's open, come in," I said, loud enough for him to hear from behind the door.
He opened it gently, smiling at me, then closing it behind.
"Hey, princess," he said, handing me some chocolates and a hot compress. "I grabbed these. Thought it might help with the pain."
"Thanks, Calum," I smiled, putting the hot compress on my abdomen.
"You like Kit Kat?" He asked, tearing the wrapper open and breaking it before handing me the other half. He looked around the room and spotted Blue at my study table. "Oh, hey, Blue. Daddy's here."
"He's feeling very at home," I joked, laughing.
"I feel at home with you, too," he said in a low voice. I don't think he meant for it to be heard.
"Sorry, what did you said? I didn't quite heard it," I said, denying.
"What?" He looked at me, raising his eyebrow. Then he smiled. "What do you wanna do now?"
I smiled. He probably doesn't mean it to be heard.
"Well," I started, getting my laptop from the table before setting it down at the bed. I climbed the bed carefully then patted the empty spot beside me, looking at him. "Don't be a stranger, stranger. Come here."
He chuckled, getting the chocolates he brought before climbing the bed beside me. He put the chocolates between us.
"You like cartoons?" I asked, opening my laptop. "I got Monster Inc., Scooby Doo. Look."
"Nah," he simple said. "You already got me at Monster Inc. I love it."