Dylan POV
The drive back home felt longer than it should have. The car was filled by a deafening silence that was unfamiliar with Sophie present. Every time I look in the rear-view mirror, there was Sophie; looking right back at me like some creepy China-doll. After looking back for the hundredth time I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Jesus, Sophie-“ I started.
“Can’t say I’ve met him.”
I sighed. For a six year old, she had more sass than half my school year combined. She’d been hanging around Sally too much.
I gave her a warning look before continuing. “Would you stop staring at me, you’re creeping me out.” She kept on staring. “Well, can you at least say something?”
“I thought you said Alec didn’t like boys?”
“He doesn’t.”
“But you are a boy, aren’t you?”
“Yes, Sophie. I am a boy. What I meant was that although Alec may like me, it doesn’t mean he likes all boys.”
She eventually stopped staring at me and shifted her gaze to look outside the window.
“So is he your boyfriend?”
“Yeah, he is,” I replied, and I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face. The joy I felt at being able to say that was indescribable and that fact that I could say it and know it was true was unbelievable.
“Have you told mum?”
“Not yet. And I’ll tell mum. Okay?”
She nodded, a small smile spreading across her face. I knew that look.
“I mean it Sophie.”
“Okay, okay.”
I pulled up outside the house and headed round the other side of the car to open Sophie’s door for her before she pulled the handle off. Child locks: the greatest thing ever invented. Or, you know, the reason Sophie doesn’t go flying out the car like an inexperienced superman.
I expected Sophie to make an instant run for it as soon as I opened the door, but she surprised me by waiting until I locked the door of the car and walked up to the house with me. However, form this point on wards, I know that she was just lulling me into a false sense of security.
As soon as I opened the door she ran for it. Straight down the corridor and into the kitchen.
I chased after her, but small six year olds are surprisingly fast.
“MUM! MUM! DYLAN HAS A BOYFRIEND!” screamed Sophie as I tackled her and swung her up over my shoulder.
Mum was up and sitting at the table in her pyjamas with a cup of coffee reading the newspaper. She looked up at the sound of Sophie’s voice and nearly choked on her coffee.
“What?” she asked as I spun Sophie around.
“WHAT DID I SAY? SOPHIE YOU LITTLE-“
“Dylan, put your sister down before she pukes all over you.” I put her down, and glared at her. “So who is this boyfriend?” she asked me.
“Nobody you know-“
“ALEC!” screamed Sophie before sprinting out of the kitchen before I could grab her.
I looked over at my mother, who was looking at me. She kept looking at me.
“What?” I asked shyly, looking at my shoes which I didn’t have time to take off when I came in.
“Alec, huh?” she asked as she sat back down. She pointed at the chair across from her and I sat down.
“Yeah.”
She took a sip of her coffee, studying me.
“I thought he was straight?”
“What can I say,” I said, putting my hands behind my head and leaning back in my chair, “I’m irresistible.”
She scoffed and leaned forward, stretching her hands towards me. I sat back up and took her hands.
“Just be careful, okay? I’m not going to lecture you, because I know you’re capable of making your own decisions, and I know in this situation you probably wouldn’t listen to me anyway.”
“You really do know me.”
She chuckled and brought both of my hands to her face and kissed my knuckles. It was such a simple gesture, and it meant so much to me. Alec always complained about his family, how he felt ignored and had a very distant relationship with both his parents. I couldn’t put myself in his shoes. I couldn’t even imagine what I would be like without mum, and I didn’t want to. She was, scrap that, she is my rock. She is one of my best friends, and without her I never would have got over Jayme. The support from her is unreal, and looking at her now the overwhelming amount of love in her eyes is why I never needed a dad. My mother was my parent, and the only parent I need.
“I love you,” she said, and she was one of the few people I could believe when they said that, “and I like Alec. And I can see that you’re happy, and that makes me happy. I just need you to promise me that you will be careful.”
I stood up and walked around the table and hugged her. I kissed her hair and softly squeezed her shoulders. “I will. I promise.”
She looked up at me and smiled. “Well then, I hope I don’t have to give you the talk about safe sex and-“
“NO NO NO NO NO,” I chanted, backing away with my hands covering my ears. “All is good!”
She laughed as I backed out of the kitchen and headed towards my room. I closed the door and collapsed onto the bed, burrowing my face into my pillows. I could smell Alec, feel his lasting presence, and I hoped I could keep my promise to my mum and to my heart.