The summer into sixth grade was
In a word, hard.
Shadow made it better
And worse.
"Go away! You especially! Set the example. Teach your little sisters how to stay out of my room!"
"Good job Kaybug.
I've taught you well."
"Thanks."
Shadow resumes to braid my hair.
"Shadow?"
"Yeah Ladybug?"
She rests her hands on my shoulders.
I face away from her,
She uses her thumbs to rub soft circles
Into my upper back and neck.
"Ca-can I have friends this year?"
Shadow stopped rubbing circles,
She pressed down on my shoulder blades
With her pale thumbs.
"Why do you ask?"
"I had three friends last year
But then you started taking me
To your far away places more often.
I-I just didn't know."
"You can have your friends
Okay lovely?"
Lovely?
"But you have to do two things for me,
One. Just a few friends
Too many is risky."
I nodded.
"I know that Shadow."
I turn and face her
Cross legged and smiling.
"And two?"
"And Two.
You will forever be mine.
Never forget that, Okay?"
"I know Shadow."
Slight annoyance
In my low toned voice.
I love Shadow,
But she calls me "Hers."
I don't know what to think of that.
"Mine."
She looks at me,
Sitting with her feet underneath her
Adjusting her black dress.
She looks at me with fierce eyes,
I cower backwards
But there's nowhere left
But falling off the bed.
Not only her cornea
But her whole eye has gone obsidian
And her teeth are barred,
Shadow grabs my wrist
Tight.
"Mine."
Her dark eyes soften
And her teeth tuck back into a smile.
"I love to scare you Ladybug."
She kissed both hands.
"Mine."
Shadow whispered once more.