"Chris!" I yelled as I ran inside their house. "Chris where are you!"
"Shh, i'm right here, I got you." He spoke soothingly and hugged me.
"I sorry I such a bother." I cried.
"No, you're not a bother Noah. Like I've told you, we're always here for you, no matter what." He kissed my head and I hugged him tighter. "And I'll keep telling you that until you understand. Let's go get you into something comfy, okay?"
"Mhmm." I nodded. Chris held my hand and led me up to my room. He grabbed me a clean pair of fuzzy pajama bottoms that had little bunny rabbits on them and a matching shirt.
"I love these ones!"
"How are your legs feeling?" Chris asked.
"Ummm, they hurt, but not like earlier. She hurt me bad."
"Oh no, don't cry. It's okay, you're going to be fine. Can I see your legs?"
"Y-Ya." I standed up and pushed my pants to the floor.
"They really red. Will they fall off? I don't wanna lose legs, Chris! What if I no legs?"
"Noah, look at me."
Through watery eyes I looked up at Chris and sniffled.
"Your legs aren't going anywhere. They're just a little red, but they'll be okay buddy." He wiped my eyes dry.
"P-Pwomise?" I held out my pink finger.
"Promise."
Chris helped clean off my legs with a cold cloth then helped me into my clothes and we went back downstairs together.
"Do you want something to eat? Chris had me pick these up from the store for you." Anthony was just walking through the front door when he pulled out a big box that had my mouth watering and my tummy grumbling!
"Dino nuggets?!" I shrieked excitedly. "Those my favorite!"
"Then it's settled. You sit on the couch, I'll get us some juice and Anthony will make some food!" Chris led me to the couch. I crossed my legs and set my hands in my lap while I waited.
When Chris came back he had the blanket from my room, Mr. Snuggles and two big cups of juice!
"Thank you Chris!" I wrapped myself in my blankie and tucked Mr. Snuggles inside to keep him warm.
"You're my best friend." I giggled happily to Chris and grabbed my juice with two hands to take a sip.
"Yummy, this is good!"
"I had a feeling you'd like it." Chris smiled. "You've got a sweet tooth just like me."
"Your hair so curly today. It looks like ummm a spinny noodle! But a pretty noodle! Oh! Or a curly fwy." I giggled, poking one of the bouncy curls.
"A noodle?! Noodles aren't pretty, Noah! Neither are curly fries!" He said dramatically, putting his hand over his heart. "I declare this friendship over!"
"No! No, I take back. I take back! Bestfwiends don't leave."
"I'm kidding buddy, we'll always be friends. Are you feeling okay? Do you need anything else?"
"No, just you. I a little sad."
"I know you are. . . You really like him, don't you."
"Y-Yeah. I want him to b-be my daddy. I wanted him take care of me but n-no one want to love me."
"I know you feel alone buddy, but I promise you won't feel like that always, okay? For now me and Anthony are happy to take care of you when you're little. Now come cuddle." Chris opened his arms and I laid down with my head on his lap.
"I love you. And Mr snuggles love you." I lifted him up and pressed his shiny button nose to Chris's cheek.
"You're adorable." He laughed.
"What funny? It true, we love you." I blushed in embarassment.
"I love you too. And yes, I also love Mr. Snuggles."
"Give him kiss back!" I smiled and held him up.
Chris leaned in and gave him a kiss! It made me laugh cause he looked so silly!
"Cheating on me with a bear? Didn't think you had a thing for furries." Anthony came in to the living room with a big tray in his hands and was looking at Chris in a silly way.
"He like furry. This Mr. Snuggles, he furry." I grinned, showing him off to Anthony.
"No talking like that in front of him!" Chris shouted.
"Talk like what? You no like Mr. Snuggles?" I felt my lip trembling.
"We like him, don't worry. Look, we got food! Anthony, set the damn tray down!" He smiled, but his smile looked kind of scary.
"You two are so weird!" I scooched off the couch and sat my bum down on the floor.
"Thank you for food, I hungry!" I clapped my hands together and grabbed a chicken nuggy that was shaped like a T-Rex!
There was so many sauces too! I dipped one end in ketchup, one end with ranch, and one end with barbeque sauce! "Mmm! Is so good!"
The three of us stayed up really late and we watched movies and laid on the couch and we laughed until we all fell asleep!
____________________________
The next morning I woke up with a smile on my face! I was feeling like my big self again. I had such a fun night with Anthony and Chris! I love showing them that side of me because they're both really nice and accepting of me and it doesn't make me scared to show them the other side of me.
I don't know why I let fear over take me, but I'm really really happy they know. It feels really good to let my little side out more. I didn't think it would be so nice doing it around other people! The thought made me blush.
I pushed myself up on the couch and stretched. Me, Chris and Anthony all fell asleep on the couch and were a big tangled mess! I couldn't stop the giggle as I looked at Chris. His whole head was hanging off the couch!
"Good morning, sleepy heads! We have to go to work!"
"Ugh, five more minutes i'm begging you." Chris groaned.
"Okay fine, I'll shower but then i'm waking you up!" I got up off the couch and ran up the stairs, almost slipping because of my fuzzy socks, but I caught myself before I fell!
I showered and got dressed in my big oversized work outfit and went back downstairs to see Chris standing at the kitchen island, drinking a coffee with his eyes half closed! His hair was sticking up everywhere and I assumed Anthony was still sleeping.
"Hi! Good morning!"
"Oh god, I feel like I have a hangover and I didn't even drink." Chris groaned. "Want some coffee?"
"Mm, yes please! I'm going to make an iced coffee though because hot drinks are nasty and they burn my tongue!" I grimaced. I hate the feeling of your tongue getting burnt! It always feels tingly for at least two days.
"I'm used to it now. I used to hate it, but now I can't live without it. Hot coffee just hits different." He sighed. "Anyways, I bought some new flavored syrups, the caramel is my favorite though."
"Oh I love caramel!" I grabbed a big Starbucks cup from the cupboard. It was one of those custom ones! It had sparkly gold liquid inside of it that moves around when you flip the cup. It was so pretty!
"It's nice to see you still smiling. We're going to have a great day today, okay?"
"Yeah! I don't want to be sad anymore." I shrugged, taking a sip of my coffee. "Oh that's good!"
"Give me a sip!" Chris ran towards me and took a sip of my drink.
"Holy fuck that is good. Damn, Noah. You're making me one of those tomorrow."
"Of course I will! I'll make you five if you really want." I grinned.
Eventually the two of us made it to the bar. Chris brought me back to my office and he showed me step by step how to do everything again. He even had me put in an order for some of the alcohol we're running low on! It was much easier than I thought it was going to be!
After we finished some of the regular things, Chris brought me back to the bar to show me how to well, bartend.
"I don't know how good I'm going to be at this, Chris. . ." I hesitated, looking at the endless bottles sitting before me.
"It takes a bit to get used to, but you gotta know the basics. You most likely won't be back here, but there will be the odd time you'll have to make a couple drinks. Don't worry, you don't have to do anything fancy like I do." Chris said as he spun the silver cup thingy all crazy like. I never understand how he can do that!
"Yeah, I definitely won't be doing that." The thought made me shiver. The embarassment of spilling a drink everywhere, or what if the cup flew out of my hands and hit someone. . . Oh god.
"Here, make a vodka soda." Chris said and put a pretty crystal glass in my hand.
"O-Okay."
"To know the amount you're putting in, you can use the shot glasses or you count to three when you're pouring and that should be a shot."
"I think I'll stick with the shot glass." I blushed and filled one with a shot and poured it into the cup that I thankfully remembered to put ice in. Then, I took the handle with all the drink buttons on it and clicked the soda one. The force of it made me jump, but I did it.
"Here! One vodka soda!" I slid it over to Chris who was smiling.
"Great, now make a rye and coke."
I took a breath and grabbed a glass. It took me a while but I found it and made another perfect drink!
"I'm going to be a pro by the end of the day, Chris!" I smiled.
"Let's test your beer pouring skills." He smirked and my heart dropped into my tummy.
He grabbed a bigger glass and held it under the beer handle thingy and then he got me to do it and the whole cup was foam! It was no where near close to what he poured!
"Oh god, I think I did this wrong."
"Can I help you?"
I looked to my right only to see Myles standing beside me with an amused glint in his eyes.
"Um, yes. That would be great." I blushed.
Chris was off helping a customer so it was just the two of us.
"Okay, grab a new glass. It's really easy once you get the hang of it, trust me." He grinned.
"If you say so."
So I grabbed a fresh glass and stood back in front of the machine. Myles stepped up behind me and I felt my body tense. Not necessarily in a bad way either. It was just. . . Different.
"You have to hold the cup at a bit of an angle. Here, like this." His arms came around either side of me. Myles took my hand with the cup and lifted it to the tap, then took my other hand and held it over the handle to pour it. He didn't let go either.
"And you don't want to pull it too fast otherwise it'll come out to quickly." He added pressure to my hand and pulled it until the beer began filling the glass.
A few seconds of charged silence passed between us. I was starting to feel like I couldn't breathe. My chest was heavy and I didn't know how to feel. It's like the feeling you get when you're really nervous, which apparently Myles makes me more nervous than I thought!
"And that is how you pour the perfect beer." He let go of my hand and moved himself away from me. Before I even had a chance to comprehend what had just happened, Chris was a staring at me with a knowing look on his face.
"Don't even say anything, Chris." I glared.
"Me? I wasn't going to say anything, I don't know what you're talking about." He smirked.
"You smell amazing, by the way." Myles said in a husky whisper before walking away from us to serve a customer.
"Oh my good, look at your cheeks! You're blushing!" Chris teased.
"Leave me alone!" I held my hands against my cheeks and turned away. How embarassing!
"It's just so cute though." He cooed, pinching my cheeks.
"Chris! God, you're really annoying today, you know that?" I frowned, crossing my arms.
"Are we best friends or not?" He asked.
"Obviously."
"Well, that's what we do. We annoy and embarass our bestfriends because it's fun! Come on, I'll show you some more stuff then I gotta go grab lunch with Anthony."
"Fine." I mumbled and followed behind him.
We spent the next hour and some going over the menus and I got to talk with all of the other employees. It was just after 1:30 when Chris went for lunch and it was time for my break.
I decided to order some food from the kitchen and take a table hidden in the back. I got a BLT with sweet potato fries and an orange juice! It sounded really tasty. I only decided to get it because it was the special today and I didn't have to look at the menu.
"Hey, mind if I eat with you?" Myles asked holding up two plates. He set one down in front of me and stood there awkwardly still holding his plate.
"Sure, you can sit." I smiled and pushed my glasses up.
"Great! Thanks." He took a seat across from me. "Good choice on the sandwich, it's probably my favorite thing on the menu."
"I haven't had it before. Actually, I haven't had much from here yet. Usually the times I've come here was just to drink and not eat." I giggled.
"Good to know, looks like we might be having lunch together more often. I'll have you trying all the best things on the menu by the end of the week." He smiled then took a big bite of his sandwich.
"Sure, if you want to. Don't feel like you have to though." I answered.
"I know I don't. I want to though. Whether it be friends or more, you seem like a really great person to have in life. How would you feel about having dinner with me here tomorrow night? It doesn't have to be a date, but I'd love to get to know you better, Noah."
"Are you sure you aren't going to like, expect anything from me after?" I avoided his eyes and took the opportunity to take a bite of my sandwich.
"I'm not that kind of guy, don't worry. I'll never expect you to put out for me just because I buy us dinner." He chuckled.
"Anyways, I gotta get back to it. Enjoy the rest of your lunch. And if you don't feel like dinner tomorrow, no hard feelings, just let me know." Myles grinned and took his plate back into the kitchen.
I can't decide if I want tomorrow to be a date or not because in the back of my mind, there's Alek.
No matter how hard I try, I just can't get him out of my head.