《Kai Lynn (as told by an autistic girl)》 Why dont you talk more? (KAI¡¯S POV) > > > > An acquaintance I talk to in school asks me, ¡°Why are you so quiet? You should talk more.¡± < < < < I¡¯m out with friends, having Chinese food. Looking at the chopsticks, Izzy frowns. ¡°How do I use these?¡± I start, ¡°Uh, if you look at the side of the holder-¡± Talking over me, Charlie says, ¡°Maybe see if it¡¯s on the paper thing?¡± I try again, ¡°Y- yeah, if you turn it you¡¯ll see-¡± ¡°It¡¯s on the back, Izzy.¡± Sam talks over me. I lower my head and focus on my own plate of food, not caring anymore. < < < < We¡¯re out on Halloween, and Sam squints at the sky. ¡°Does it look like it¡¯s about to rain?¡± I rub my arm. ¡°It¡¯s definitely going to rain soon.¡± Charlie raises an eyebrow. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Well I just got bit by like, two insects...¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Well bugs do that before a storm. They can sense the change in barometric pressure and know they need-¡± ¡°OKAY, KNOW-IT-ALL!¡± Charlie interrupts, ¡°Anyways! We don¡¯t need to worry about rain because I have an umbrella with us.¡± < < < < I¡¯m sitting with Lori and her friends at lunch, and they¡¯re joking about the Homo-Neanderthalensis (AKA, cavemen) Lori jokes, ¡°For all we know, they rode dinosaurs around.¡± I say, ¡°Well, actually, there¡¯s archeological evidence that dinosaurs and cavemen never actually met each other. The cavemen fossils are above the layers of earth the dinosaurs are all buried in. There¡¯s a huge amount of time difference estimated... uh, I don¡¯t remember the exact number but I know it¡¯s millions and millions of years worth of difference.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Looking up from her phone (that she just pulled out) Lori gives a rather pointed, ¡°Sorry what were you saying?¡± Catching her tone, I tell her, ¡°Uh, Nevermind.¡± < < < < Blythe notices something and groans. ¡°Ugh... where is my earbud?¡± As she starts looking around her seat, I joke, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s lost in Narnia.¡± Blythe looks at me confused. ¡°What?¡± ¡°N- Narnia... it¡¯s... it¡¯s a place from a book... uh, my sister makes that joke all the time- heh... about, uh... things getting lost...¡± I quickly realize she doesn¡¯t care what Narnia is or what jokes my sister makes. < < < < Jana is venting to me about a person she¡¯s messaged, and this guy is trying to hit on her but he just won¡¯t take the hint and keeps texting her things that make her uncomfortable. ¡°And then he said I¡¯ve heard that one before- like what?¡ä Trying to be helpful, I offer, ¡°If it¡¯s bothering you, ask him to stop.¡± Jana looks at me, seeming annoyed. ¡°I did. He didn¡¯t stop.¡± I look back at her. ¡°Then block him(?)¡± ¡°You¡¯re not listening!¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°Ugh. Anyways, I told him that I was telling the truth and he was like yeah sure whatever and I was like -¡± < < < < Owen Hayes stops me. ¡°Wait, what did you just say?¡± I repeat slower, ¡°I have a pillow that looks like that...¡± Hayes snickers a bit. ¡°Oh my gosh...¡± ¡°What?¡± Instead of explaining, he taps someone else on the shoulder. ¡°Listen to the way she pronounces Pillow! Haha¡± < < < < We get numbers assigned to us to know who uses which calculator. Every so often, the teacher changes the numbers. Andrew (who sits next to me and chats with me) just got calculator 11. Aww~ I¡¯m jelly~ I note, ¡°You know, in the bible, 11:11 usually is assigned to a passage detailing some sort of judgement, even in disaster form.¡± Andrew gives me a weird look. ¡°What? It¡¯s a random fact I know...¡± ¡°Some random fact...¡± < < < < My mom and I are talking about the actions of historical figures. I add, ¡°Well George Washington was a...¡± the word gets stuck in my mouth, and I vocally stumble. ¡°A- a- s... sh... sho... sho... suh... s...¡± I close my mouth and give up, feeling embarrassed. Why can¡¯t I say the word ¡®soldier¡¯? I managed ¡®pepperoni¡¯ the other day! My mom puts an arm on my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know what you meant.¡± Just feeling more ashamed, I look away from her and let her hand slide off my arm. < < < < Ajax sneers, ¡°Your voice is so annoying¡± < < < < A little girl asks, ¡°Why do you talk like that?¡± < < < < Tara laughs. ¡°Is English really your first language?¡± < < < < Molly sing-songs: ¡°Boring~¡± < < < < Charlie says, ¡°I don¡¯t need all that extra detail.¡± < < < < My sister whines, ¡°That¡¯s because you weren¡¯t listening!¡± < < < < Interrupting me, my English teacher shakes her head. ¡°Kai, you gotta finish this up. We don¡¯t have time.¡± < < < < My dad says, ¡°You need to tone it down, Kai.¡± > > > > I look down and shrug while mumbling, ¡°I dunno...¡± Comfort items I sit down in my next class, feeling frustrated and exhausted. It''s just been a bad day. Between sensory issues and forgetting my phone at home and losing my math notebook (with my notes and homework in it!) and bumping into stuff and just a general bad mood - It''s not a good time. I tug on the straps of my backpack like I usually do, but I notice the edges of the traps are hurting my hands a bit because of the rough texture and how tight I''m gripping them. Crap... too much happening... but- no- I don''t wanna accidentally SIB (* Self Injurious Behaviour: autistic people stim, often in accordance to their feelings, so negative emotions often lead to intense stimming that may be harmful. Think like "tearing out hair" or "scratching into arms", or in Kai''s case, hitting her head on a table. More often than not, Autistic people don''t want to do these things to themselves but it''s like an urge you can''t avoid) I need to calm down.... On impulse, I grab the small Squishable hanging off my backpack. It''s an orange and yellow icecream cup but the cup has a cow''s face. Sam gave me it recently because she got a new backpack decoration and thought it''d be funny to give me it (to be ironic~) I haven''t played with anything like this in years but here I go! As I silently squish the calm-faced animal, I feel all my energy focus onto that object. In seconds, the mental chaos and static and fizzing has been rounded up and kept in one place.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Then it evaporates. Holy sh!t... that worked??? I continue to rub my finger over the soft fabric, and a wave of relief washes over me like the feeling of easing into a hot tub. As soon as I realize this, my first instinct is to throw this thing into the garbage... Then my next thought reprimands myself for even considering harming this little half-icecream half-cow squishable. (it''s so cute!) But it''s a plushie... Well... so what if things like this calm me? It calms me and it''s not hurting anyone. I don''t care... Why did I stop carrying stuff like this? When I was little I always had a small hand-sized plushie or a fidget toy with me... ... Oh ...I remember now. I was 11. Mom took me to someone else''s party at a bowling alley. I had a small Squishable in my hand but I noticed nobody else had anything like that. I felt embarrassed like I was being immature. If they don''t need it, I don''t either. The next day, I abruptly stopped carrying anything with me and within a week, my parents noticed this. They praised me for not needing "security items" anymore and I took it to mean I was right to think it was a sign of immaturity. After that, I gave away every single small squishable, fidget toy, and plushie I owned to anyone I could. I felt angry at myself. It felt like I had been kicked in the heart. (I realize now the kicked feeling is because of separating from those things too harshly) I remember that for a while, I''ve silently looked down on Bella because she carries around most the stuff I gave her- and still does to this day. Mom and Dad have never told her not to have those things with her, and even praised Bella for having a quick easy way to calm herself. (That conversation happened way more recently than me separating from my stuff so I doubt it was favoritism... not that I care) Sigh... yeah... I need this WHAT- no you don''t- cave people lived for thousands of years without it so you can too! But I really do feel a lot better! Then go be a circus clown and bring me some popcorn because you''re being silly!! >> Kai carries her thing to study hall and her friend Makayla (surprisingly) instantly likes the thingie and Kai is shocked, and starts to feel less shame around it << I... guess... it''s not THAT weird then... uh! It''s not like that makes me happy or anything random Kai moments (SERIES OF KAI MOMENTS) My civics teacher told us to open to page 55 in our guided notes binder. We store those on the shelf so I head over to get mine. I try to pull mine off the shelf but I guess I didn''t aim my hand right because the binder just falls onto the floor. Sh!t I try to pick it up but it slips out of my hand. Sh!t It''s a thin binder!! I promise I''m not weak or clumsy. I''m just autistic... I pick the binder up with both hands and manage to get it to my seat. I then try to open it but somehow fail to do that. Sh!t Feeling embarrassed, I look down and grumble, "f#cking executive dysfunction..." ~~~ I raise my hand. "Wouldn''t you be able to get the same answer by subtracting the solved part from the total value?" My chemistry teacher almost seemed miffed as she looks at the gratuitous graph of numbers she just made. "You''re right. Infact that actually might be easier." I can''t help but grin... and then lower my head onto the table because I hope nobody is looking in my direction. ~~~ "Now, when identifying different angle pairs, it''s important to keep in mind..." I begin to turn out my math teachers voice as I glare at her flumbling across the white board. You are wasting a significant amount of time. if you had used color coding, you wouldn''t have had to redraw the example figure to explain a rather repetitive and simplistic concept... literally all the angle pairs are named literally - I don''t understand why this is hard for others.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ((Literal minuets later)) homework... uh... sh!t, where did it go? ... ooh, paper. I wanna drawww ~~~ It''s English class and I couldn''t care less. Yes, writing is my hobby and I love reading. But English classes are just boring. If they wanted to encourage people to communicate better and read more, this isn''t how you do it. My phone dings and I look and see it''s Bella. Ooh, fun, distraction. BELLA: I''m so flabberghasted. I always smirk when I see Bella end texts with periods. Dork. ME: Why? BELLA: What''s the point of naming the Atlantic and Pacific oceans? They''re all the same ocean! ME: Well that''s why they all have "ocean" in the name; they''re all ocean I then smirk at myself for having most grammar excluding periods BELLA: well obviously. ME: But the ocean is big so sectioning it off and naming the sections is highly efficient so you know what part of the ocean you''re talking about. BELLA: I guess that''s true ME: and it''s not like the names don''t make sense- the Artic ocean is by the artic and the Indian Ocean is by India BELLA: Fine, it''s not pointless. I don''t know why but proving my sister wrong about something being pointless puts me in a good mood. ~~~ I just witnessed a student take a photo of the history teacher before their phone was taken... Humans are stupid... and they say I''m the slow one. wait... what if the reason people don''t like autistic people is because we have better senses, have a weird ability to predict the weather, can read people a lot better than you''d think, and our brains don''t prune so we technically have more potential for various things neurotypicals don''t... what if it''s not that we''re "slow", we just operate in such a different way that the neurotypicals are just... jealous petty windbags? ... damm... science. Forget Girl-Math, that''s AuDHD-math! ~~~ I plop down in the study hall room. In my brain, I let out a sigh. Jeez, lunch was a pain. ... wait, why is nobody here? Wait... it''s not a study hall day... Oh sh!t-fucks I sling on my backpack in run up the staircase. ~~~ As I get off the bus, the wind blows off my hood. I murmur, "what a d!ck..." Wait, did I really just curse at the d!ck-less wind? - - - When Kai gets home, the first thing she does is wash her hands and change her clothes (Byebye contaminants from the outside) ~~~ Sometimes Kai stays in her room and wraps herself in her favorite blanket, has her plushies nearby to snuggle, and she just sorta lays in her bed like this with nothing else happening. This is her way of recharging. ~~~ Funfact, Kai believes anime is a "five thirty PM and past" thing and won''t watch anime before that time. Usually Kai works on homework or her stories or plays video games until then. ~~~ Funfact, Kai actually doesn''t use her phone very much. Aside from randomly googling things and texting her sister, she doesn''t use it much. As for her laptop computer, Kai spends a LOT of time on it. Whenever Kai does spend a lot of time on her phone, it''s almost always because she''s scrolling down jokes and memes and short stories and writting prompts on pintrest. ~~~ Funfact, Kai loves acoustic and piano music most. She almost always has a relaxing playlist playing, and this helps with her audio-sensory-issues. If she''s in a really good mood though, it''ll be early 2000s pop music she heard as a kid, or her favorite songs from various anime. The first tab open on her computer is always YouTube for playing music. ~~~ Because Kai usually eats dinner foods for breakfast, naturally, dinner is usually breakfast foods. Kai & Bella (early years) ode to juvenile (preschool to kindergarten years) (before Kai met Charlie and Sam in first grade) July of 2009. It''s the summer before Kai Lynn starts kindergarten. Kai and Bella Lynn are dropped off each morning at a summer daycare run by their school. Though there''s some stuff like scheduled quiet naptime, lunch, snacktime, exercise in the gym, outside games on the playground, Movie Fridays, (and the occasional mini-field trip), most of the day is just the kids playing together in a large room full of many toys, board games, art supplies and paper. But in a corner of the room are two book shelves that make a little reading corner, and Kai loved reading all those books alone. While the other kids ran around and played with dolls and car and board games and drew pictures together, Kai just sat in that corner and read all day. This was normal for Kai- Bella knew- but the younger sister also understood it wasn''t normal for the other kids, because nobody else was alone and nobody else was in that corner all day. Bella found other kids a bit tiring and confusing at times, but she made her best efforts to join in their antics and have fun like the others. Bella wasn''t gonna be alone like Kai. Bella had seen her sister be alone all the time. While Bella craved attention and wanted to make friends and even chat with the teachers and daycare leaders, Kai almost never spoke and was always on her own, refusing to join any activities. In preschool, Kai didn''t want to take naps and would just stay awake, playing educational children''s games on the only computer in the room. (Why the teachers allowed this, I have no clue) During playtime on the playground, Kai sat alone on the ground and organized leaves into groups based on shape, then pebbles or mulch wood chips into groups based on size. Other times, Kai would just walk the perimeter of the playground, watching other kids play while she just hummed to herself. Kai also ate snacks and lunch away from everyone else, and not even the preschool''s Movie Fridays interested her. Even now, Bella could see Kai, hidden away in her corner. Why doesn''t she want to play with us? It''s not reading time... it''s playtime. Bella''s attention is brought back to pretending with the doll in her hand, while two other girls (Anna and Grace) lead her in a game of imaginative play with dolls. In a little voice, Anna speaks for her doll. "Welcome to my city! I am the mayor!" Grace interrupts, "What''s the mayor?" "I make the rules for the town!"This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Grace drops her doll and pouts. "No fair! I wanna make the rules!" Clenching her doll, Anna insists, "No! I''m the mayor!" Unsure what else to do, Bella declares, "No, I''m the mayor!" Grace points a finger at Bella. "You can''t be mayor! I said it first!" Anna cries, "You liar! I said it first!" As the two continue to bicker, Bella thinks to herself "maybe I should''ve played with someone else..." (LITTLE KAI''S POV) I feel a small part of my mouth turn up seeing Skippy John Jones visit a colorful alien world in outer space full of cats. But only for a second. Then my face calms down again. Then some kids run past yelling, and it bothers me. As they run past, I wish kids weren''t so loud. (* Narrator: Kai! Aren''t you a kid??) I turn so I''m facing away from the rest of the room, because books are better than the games they''re playing. Playing with them would be boring. It''s nicer over here anyway. They all need games and friends to have fun. But I don''t. This is easier. I can read all these books, and I can even change the shelves. I learned that it''s called organizing. We learned about it in school. We had to put circles with circles and triangles with triangles, but then we had to keep the green circles with the green circles and blue circles with the blue circles. Books are harder to organize. But I know how to organize. I can put the books with the same first letter in their name together, or books with the same color together, or the size. I learned that there''s nonfiction books, and fiction books. Fiction books are made-up stories, but nonfiction really happened. There''s a lot of fiction books on this shelf, but there''s some nonfiction, like the world encyclopedia and the dictionary. I like those better because they have more words and they''re longer, and you can learn things from them. But I also like fiction books because they always have drawings and I like looking at them. Some fiction books are funny, too. Nobody gets mad when I move the books around, so I can organize many times. Sometimes adults come to the corner and ask if I''m okay or if I''m unhappy. I don''t know why. They should be asking the other kids, because they''re making so much noise. I think the kids don''t like playing as much as they say, or else they wouldn''t yell like that. I''m making their job easy. Mom said a teacher''s job is to watch over the kids, and I''m just reading and organizing. Other kids are being loud or running around or crying or getting in trouble. Being alone is the better idea. If the kids were alone and reading like me, it''d be quieter and the adults would not have to worry as much. "Sister!" WHO DARES INTERRUPT MY SOLITUDE?? (jk, Kai doesn''t know that word yet... I think) I look up and see Bella, and she seems unhappy... Go away. Go ask someone else for help. "Sister, I don''t know what to do." I glare at her and hand her the Skippy John Jones book I was just reading. "I don''t wanna read that." I point at the shelf, silently telling her she can choose other books. My sister stamps her foot. "No!" I turn away from her, not sure what else to do. Bella whines, "I wanna play with someone but everyone is playing with someone else!" I want to cover my ears. I hate when people whine. Instead, I shrug at her, because I don''t know how to help her. "Play with me." I shake my head. "Please~?" I shake my head again and turn away from her. "Pleaseeeee~?" I hate when people say please like that. It''s so annoying. (LITTLE BELLA''S POV) My sister is being mean! Why won''t she play with me? It''s not hard! I tug in her shirt (not that hard) and Kai falls over onto the floor with a loud sound. I gasp. "Kai! I''m sorry!" Please don''t be mad, please don''t be mad! Oh! She hates me now! Kai slowly sits up again, and when I see her face, she doesn''t look mad. But her eyes are big, and her mouth is open. What does this mean? Then, Kai says the first words I''ve heard her say all day! "Do you know what a scavenger hunt is?" ??? I don''t know what that is, so I shake my head. Kai reaches at me, and says, "pa... pa... paper?" I don''t get it, but then I guess she wants paper. I go and get her some paper and bring it back to her. She has a pencil, and she starts writing on it... oh no... I''m not good with reading... When she''s done, she hands the paper to me. I read it aloud slowly. "Rainbow... sca... ?" "Sca-ven-ger... hunt" I look at the other words. "Find ... some... thing... in... this... room... from... every... color... of... the... rainbow." Kai nods, then stands up. Is she going to help me? I gasp, feeling excited. "Are you gonna help?" My big sister nods again. She speaks, this time quietly and slowly. "not... alone ..." ? ? ? ? At the time, I thought she just meant I''m not alone and she''d play with me sometimes. But now, I wonder if maybe she was reminding herself, too. TIME DOESNT FLY (ft. OliKai) ~ Kai and Oliver meet in late February of 2023 in a college computer class during Kai¡¯s first year of college and they become friends. ~ January 16, 2024, Oliver confesses feelings to Kai, and Kai asks him to be her boyfriend the next day and then they¡¯re officially a couple ~ In late April of 2026, Oliver and Kai move into a small apartment and live together, splitting their finances evenly and eating together and living together. Kind of a test run to life together seven days a week.) At this time, Oliver still has film classes with a college, and Kai still is working to work in a library full-time. Living paycheck to paycheck and working jobs. ?? ?? ?? ?? First week of May, 2026 (KAI POV) ¡°Cha?o bu??i sa?ng, Baby~¡± (Good morning) Technically we¡¯ve been up for a while but I haven¡¯t said anything cohesive yet. We haven¡¯t moved off our bed, even though the sun is up. It¡¯s a Saturday, so there¡¯s no rush at all. We¡¯re just cuddling/snuggling each other. This is to make up for all the mornings of weekdays we were in a cuddle-mood but had to separate and do outside-life. But now it¡¯s just us. Me and my Vanillabean angelic cinamonroll boyfriend. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I¡¯m around the peak of my asexual-fantasies when Oliver puts his hand on my arm. ¡°Kai, Sweetie-¡° I stop him. ¡°Sweetie?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Olly blushes. ¡°Well you call me so many cute names, I thought I¡¯d try something with you.¡± He¡¯s being so f#cking cute I turn my head away. ¡°Well you¡¯re gonna have to do better than Sweetie. I don¡¯t think it suits me, Angel.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Okay¡­ Darling.¡± My heart misses a beat (or three) SERIOUSLY?! It was that easy?! ¡°Ooh, you like that one~¡± My face heats up and I look away from his adorable smile. Why is Darling what makes me blush?! ¡­ I guess I know how Olly felt when we realized he likes being called Baby. He grins at me. ¡°Darling ?¡± Oliver rubs my back, feeling the entirety of my spine, making sure to linger on the back of my neck, a place I¡¯ve recently discovered is sensitive to touch. I close my eyes and murmur, ¡°So you¡¯re sticking with that?¡± ¡°Darling ? we really should be getting out of bed soon¡­ weekend or not, I still have my morning routine.¡± Oliver is the kind of autistic person that¡¯s developed a routine that entails stretching in the morning before breakfast, then after eating then brushing teeth, taking a one-lap walk or jog around the block. Meanwhile I guess my ADHD has kept me from developing anything like that. Usually I just roll out of bed, get dressed, brush my teeth and leave the house for work/college. On weekends, I would normally wake up a little before lunchtime (noon). Oliver adds, ¡°Plus, I need to give Buddy his breakfast soon.¡± Buddy is Oliver¡¯s pet bunny (Oliver having a bunny just makes so much sense~). When Olly was 20, he moved into a small apartment complex that allowed him to keep pets, and he¡¯d always wanted to try having a bunny, and bunnies aren¡¯t overly expresnive aside from the initial costs of things like the cage, bedding, foodbowls and whatnot. ¡°If I asked for ten- for five- more minutes¡­?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Oliver caresses my cheek. ¡°Ten minuets.¡± I let out a contented sound and squeez Olly tightly. He runs a gentle slow hand down my arm. ¡°You¡¯re so strong~¡± ¡°I¡­¡± My face heats up as I grumble, ¡°I was until you did that.¡± I nuzzle into Angel and we continue to cuddle and gently kiss and murmur sweet things. At some point, Oliver asks, ¡°How much time do we have?¡± I reach over Oliver and pick up my phone. ¡°It has been six minutes.¡± ¡°That didn¡¯t feel like six minuets... felt longer.¡± Oliver shrugs, ¡°and they say time flies when you¡¯re having fun.¡± ~ I¡¯m suddenly overcome with what I can only describe as a poetic epiphany ~ ¡°I think when you¡¯re in love¡­ it¡¯s both¡± ¡°When you¡¯re with someone you love¡­¡± Moving back under Oliver¡¯s arm, I continue, ¡°You cherish every single thing in that moment¡± ¡°Every scent, every sound, every word, every sight¡± I nuzzle closer to his ear. ¡°Every detail means the world in that moment, where time slows down.¡± ¡°A long beautiful magical moment that we draw out on our own in the pursuit of romance¡± I press my head against his neck. ¡°But as soon as that moment is done¡­¡± I slide back away from him to look at him. ¡°All that magic feels like it¡¯s been ripped away, and you can¡¯t help but think that moment wasn¡¯t long enough.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why it feels long in the moment but short afterwards.¡± In my normal way of speaking, I say, ¡°Or something like that¡­¡± Oliver looks amazed, completely in awe. ¡°... I can see why your hobby is writing¡± I cover my face with my hands. ¡°I made that up on the spot- please forget everything I have said¡± ¡°That was gorgeous.¡± ¡°Shut up¡± ¡°You¡¯re gorgeous¡± ¡°Olly!!¡± ¡°Come on Darling, it¡¯s almost 10, we really should feed Buddy.¡± Oliver sits up slowly. For whatever reason, I suddenly feel full of motivation. "Alright, let''s go down~" I literally jump out of bed and grab one of my jackets off the floor on my way out, Oliver following behind. My Bestie, my Blood (Kai & Bella) Bella misses how she and Kai used to be . . . Even as an unspeaking baby, Kai was distant and a bit cold and tried to distance herself from others (just a result of developing an Avoidant-Attachment style due to being adopted) but Kai has always had a soft spot for her sister. Maybe it''s because Bella was and still is a clingy girl with a desperate-to-please Anxious-Attachment style, or maybe it''s because a part of Kai always knew Bella was biologically related to her, or maybe she just truly felt like Bella would always be there. Whatever the reason, when they were little, Kai had no issue entertaining everything Bella wanted, and took pride as Bella''s older sister (even if it''s just by 15 months.) ~ ~ ~ 4-year old Bella tugs on Kai''s arm. "Read it again! Read it again!" "Okay, but this is the last time! We need to get to bed before Mom and Dad tell us!" Kai clears her throat and starts reading Hop on Pop again. ~ ~ ~ Under a few chairs and all the blankets the girls own, a 6-year old Kai calls, "Get under here, Bella!" "I''m coming! I found the flashlight!" "Great! We can search through the tunnel now! We can navigate" Bella repeats the word "Navigate". Kai nods. "Yep. Navigate. It''s finding your way through something." "Okay! Let''s navigate to find lost treasure!" ~ ~ ~ Kai laughs as her sister tries to imitate Pinkie Pie''s voice while playing with the small pink pony doll. "She doesn''t sound like that!" "Well you do it then!" Kai does a super low and slow voice on purpose. "I ... am... Pinkieeeee... pieeeee" Bella falls over laughing. ~ ~ ~ Kai puts up her hands like a monster. "I''m gonna catch you!" 6-year old Bella starts running and squeals,"NOOO~" through her laughing. "I can run faster than you!" "No you can''t!" Kai quickly catches Bella and pulls her onto the couch. "I''m gonna tickle you!" Bella screams and laughs, then Kai holds Bella close and shushes her. Kai then says, "Ah~ This pillow feels so nice~ Naptime!" Bella laughs. "I''m not a pillow!" "Shhh! Pillows don''t talk." "Kaiiiiiii!!!" ~ ~ ~ "Hey Bella." "What?" "The floor is Lava now!" Bella laughs and jumps onto the couch. Kai puts her blanket onto the floor and gets on it. "Bella, jump onto the raft! We have to sail around and find another island!" ~ ~ ~ Saturday morning, Bella and Kai would get up early because they wanted to always catch the newest episodes on Nickelodeon. By the time their parents let them see TV on their own, it was 2012 and things like Wonder Pets and Backyardigans and Spongebob and Dora the Explorer and Winx Club were their favorites to watch. Anytime the Winx transformed into fairies, Bella jumped up and spun around like she''s transforming too, and so did Kai, and they''d both twirl around, singing along to the Enchantix song. They''d watch things like Littlest Pet Shop and Power Puff Girls and Sofia the First and My Little Pony, too. ~ ~ ~ Bella suddenly cries, "I lost Lottie!" Kai knows Lottie is Bella''s favorite stuffed animal, a bunny. "We''ll find her, don''t worry." Kai spent ten minutes helping Bella find Lottie. ~ ~ ~ Kai declares, "I''m the teacher now!" Bella, along with a "class" of stuffed animals, listen attentively as Kai explains to the class how to properly peel a banana: stab it with whatever you can then pull it out of the skin. ~ ~ ~ 8-year old Kai taunts, "I can finish the drawing faster than you!" Drawing the same thing, Bella replies, "No you can''t! I''m almost done! ~ ~ ~ 8-year old Bella announces, "And this is how you host a tea party!" Keeping one of the plushies from falling on the plastic cup Bella took from the kitchen, Kai asks, "It is?" "Uh... this is what it looks like in books!" "But these are normal cups." "Just pretend it''s tea cups!" ~ ~ ~ They''re out with their mom getting icecream. Bella hides from the sun in her 10-year old sister''s shadow. Kai laughs. "What am I? A palm tree?" Bella leans against Kai happily. "Yes" "I''m not a tree!" "But you''re getting so tall, Kai!" "I guess I am~" "Well I haven''t grown in years!" "Maybe you''ll catch up to me one day." "Really?" "Nah. I''ll never let that happen." "Why?"You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. "Because I wouldn''t be able to do this." Kai picks up Bella and starts to spin her around, Bella screaming with laughter. ~ ~ ~ It''s a loud and stormy night. Bella pushes Kai''s door open. It''s late at night, though Kai is using a flashlight to read the second book of the Percy Jackson series. Bella murmurs, "Sister... I''m scared... can I sleep in here?" Kai nods and lets Bella come next to her and she lays her head on hers. ~ ~ ~ (Bella, Age 11) "Can you hold my hand, Sister?" "I''m not holding your hand, Bella." (Bella, age 12) Bella comes into her sister''s room and sees her playing video games. "Sister, do you wanna go to the park?" Not looking at her, Kai says, "No... go ask mom to go with you" (Bella, at age 13) "Sister, do you wanna draw?" "You can draw on your own." (Bella, age 14) Kai finds her sister sitting on the bed in Kai''s room. "Bella, get out of my room!" "But the new season of Winx is coming out today..." "I don''t care. Watch it with Dad or something." ~ ~ ~ (BELLA POV, AGE 15) If Kai didn''t braid my hair every morning, I''d think she was unaware of my existence. I know Kai is kinda abrasive, but in the past, I was always the exception to her cold edge. Now she only nods as I talk like she''s about to fall asleep. (I don''t know if she''s even listening) I want things to go back to how they used to be... But how do I ask that? And even if I knew how- what would I say? It''d probably just be annoying to her anyway. It seems like everything annoys her now. I think even I annoy her (past just the usual sister annoyance) I think it''s the teenager-years making Kai more emo and broody. I don''t understand why- I mean, I still feel happy and bright. Sometimes I feel down but I still wanna talk with my sister. Now she only talks with me if I ask her to, like for help with my homework or something. I just Want to hear her say (or for her to show me) That she loves me still (KAI POV, AGE 16) As I sit on the bus, I look at Bella out of the corner of my eye. I''m so bored... I watch as Bella talks excitedly to her new friend, Rayla. She used to only talk to me on the bus... A memory of me and Bella always playing tag after getting off the bus appears in my brain. Don''t think about that... stupid. I don''t know how but... I guess I''ve drifted apart a little from my sister. Okay - maybe a lot and I know deep down it''s my fault because that''s just what I do- I guess- ruin sh!t. But I''m not just walking up and telling her that! She won''t believe me or something! And it''s not like it''s exactly easy for me to reinsert myself! Bella mostly just chats with me in the early morning and I''m too tired to think then. When we get home from school, she''s always busy playing roblox or working on her art (not that I''m much different, I have my video games and anime and my writing) But it''s not like I''m incapable of putting that down and spending time with her... ... But I''m not gonna actually ASK her. If she wants to spend time with me, she''d ask me, right? She''ll probably say no anyway. She''s got hobbies of her own and new friends now. She doesn''t need me. She always seems happy when she talks about all her new friends and the Art Club... meanwhile... I can barely speak enough to be marked down for attendance... How lame is it my only friends are two people who go to different schools that barely text me back... and my little sister? And she''s started hanging out at her friends'' houses more and more... But anytime she asks for my help, I''m going to give it. Maybe I''m not in a position to be her emotional comfort blanket, but I can still help her anytime she needs it. Even if it''s just some of her math homework, I can''t deny (to myself) I feel good about being able to help her with something. I just want to feel... needed. (or whatever! It''s not like I really care that much or anything!) ~ ~ ~ (That week ~ Kai POV) It''s lunchtime, and usually I eat on my own, but Bella has come to me. "Kai, I need some help, I think..." I resist the urge to half-joke "I basically live for those words at this point" and just give a chill "What''s up?" She sits down next to me. "Uh, remember that boy, Chase, I mentioned?" Uh, no... sh!t... sorry... "Yeah." "Well I told him to stop flirting with me but he won''t stop... and it''s starting to get really uncomfortable" Wait.. WHAT? How did I overlook this? "Did you tell a teacher?" "Yeah but... that doesn''t really stop anything..." Of course. Ugh- I hate it when this happens. And not my sister! She asks, "What should I do?" Maybe it''s the frustration of other various things building up right now, but I direct all that energy into a plan. "Leave it to me, Bells." I smirk and tell my sister not to worry because I know what I need to do, and only ask she try her best to hold out for a few days. (three days later) As soon as the lunch period ends, I follow Bella back to her classroom, walking with confidence. We get to the room and she points to Chase, and I tell her to stand back because I don''t know how this will go. This is incredibly stupid... but I am going to teach this slob a lesson the best way I know how: being a d!ck. After pushing my hair from my face, I yell, "Hey! Chase!" He turns and looks me up and down. "Who are you?" Projecting like I''m on a stage, I answer: "Doesn''t matter. I''ve got a little surprise for you." Everyone in the classroom watches as I pull out a long slip of paper with 30+ signatures. "What the heck is that?" "This is the list of people you''ve p!ssed off. Most of them girls you couldn''t take a damn hint from, some of them boyfriends who don''t like that you harassed their girlfriends, and many others who despise everything you do." "What?" "By signing this, they agreed that if anyone sees you harassing anyone again, well" I let a heartless smirk come onto my face. "F#ck knows what 30+ angry teenagers could do to you if we let them loose." The other people in the class are shocked to silent stillness, and the teacher is just staring at me with stone eyes. Chase looks bewildered. "Are you threatening me?!" I give him my coldest glare and speak clearly. "Of course not... I''m warning you, Chase... Don''t mess with my sister... or anyone else... again. You hear me?" "You''re kidding." I move closer. "I am very serious, actually." Suddenly, a girl stands up. "Let me sign that list." Another girl stands up. "Me too." Another girl adds, "Me three." I look at them amazed. "Thankyou." The teacher finally speaks up. "Alright alright, everybody sit in their seats!" Everyone sits down, including Bella, but I stay standing since I don''t have a seat in this room. "What is your name?" Feeling my adrenaline running out, I answer, "Kai ... Lynn... uh, Ma''am... er- Miss...(?)" Bella points at me. "She''s my sister" "I figured as much." The teacher walks up to me. "Well, Kai, you... are a very brave person." Chase yells, "What?!" The teacher snaps at him, "Quiet, Chase. I think the Principal will have a fun time listening to me inform him that there are over thirty accounts of you harassing other students, including people in this room." I stare at the woman, amazed. She asks me, "Where''s your next class?" I tell her, and she writes me a hall pass so I can get there without being penalized for being late to class. I''m amazed. I was sure the teacher would get me in trouble... but guess she knew Chase needed a stern talking-to. Teachers pay more attention than you think! Then I''m amazed at myself! I did that! I actually spoke infront of a whole room of people! And I didn''t even stutter or stumble! I hope he doesn''t bother Bella again... (At the end of the day) I wait near the bus, knowing my sister will want to talk to me. As soon as Bella sees me, she runs and gives me a hug. My sister hasn''t hugged me in... a long time. For a moment, I let myself feel happy, and acknowledge how much I need this hug... But then that part of me that always comes in times like these fizzes up and I gently push her away. "That was amazing!" "It was?" "All the girls in my class were talking about it! They were saying it was about time someone stood up to Chase, and they all thought you were so cool!" I laugh. "I''m just glad the teacher was so nice about it... and I hope this works. I really do have thirty two people who promised to make Chase''s life heck if he doesn''t get his act together." "Wait, I wanna see the names" I hand Bella the list, and she gasps. "So... so many of these people are in art club!" I look away from Bella. "I... kindaaa sortaaa found them and asked they help you out... they all seem like really nice people." "Yes! But, who are these other people?" "Like I said... many people have been flirted with by Chase... they don''t like knowing he''s still at it. I asked anyone in any class I could to help" "You did?" "Yeah... I mean it was nerve-wracking talking to all those people... but I thought it''d help you" "I think it did! Thankyou, Kai!" Bella hugs me again. Closing my eyes, I mock-scold her. "Alright, that''s enough. Get off. I still have a reputation." The bus horn honks and we remember we need to get on. As we get on the bus, Bella sits next to me for the first time in a while, and she starts talking about how shocked she was as I told off a fairly popular guy in front of a whole classroom. When the bus drops us off at our stop, I nudge Bella''s arm. "Hey... remember how we used to race home?" "Yeah? You always beat me!" "I bet I can still win." I run off, and I hear her whine, "Hey! No fair! I wasn''t ready!" Bella and I laugh as we run down the sidewalk. This just feels... so much better! The next day, Bella ate lunch with me (usually I''m on my own) and for that, I decided to play a song from My Little Pony on her phone. She really loves the song "Flawless". Suddenly, someone from one of my classes- Finley- stops. "Are you watching My Little Pony?" I quickly turn away from Bella. "She is." Before Bella can whine at me, Finley says, "Hey, no shame- My Little Pony is the best." I raise an eyebrow a bit before nodding slowly. Finley walks on, and I murmur an apology to Bella. "Sorry... reflex." "It''s fine." She smiles at me, and I believe her. DOING COKE(A-COLA PEPSI) ft. Lucas (This starts as a flashback to when Oliver was 13 and Lucas was 14) (OLIVER POV) We''re on a school field trip, but since it''s taking the whole day, we stop for lunch in a restaurant. I''m sitting next to my best friend since- well- birth, Lucas. Lucas has a noticeable lisp when he talks but I can understand him fine. Plus, over the years, he''s gotten better and better as speaking. Everyone has already gotten their food and drinks, and I''m looking at my chocolate milk curiously. I wonder aloud: "I wonder why my cup is smaller than the others." Lucas finishes chewing his food then says, "Well milk is notably more condensed than most the drinks they serve here so it makes sense that proportionally, they''d serve it in a smaller container. Plus, that''s styrofoam which is only used once, while these big glasses can be cleaned over and over." "I... guess that makes sense." I''m kinda glad Lucas is friends with me because he knows a lot, and I ask a lot of questions. Some people get annoyed when he talks about random facts but I enjoy it. I even get to tell other people. "Also, the only milk served here is chocolate milk which is considered a little kid''s drink, hence the smaller size and you''re the only person here with a lid on your cup." I suddenly regret my choices a bit. "Wait- so..." I lower my voice. "I''m the only person here with a little kid drink?" "Uh," Lucas averts his gaze from me. "On the bright side- if you think about it- what you drank was more hydrating and nutritional and filling than what most the people at the table''ve got." I glance at Lucas'' brown bubbly drink with ice curiously. "What did you get?" "Diet Coke. Want some?" Oh... what?? "I can''t have that." "Why?" "I''m not supposed to. My parents always said never do coke" Lucas looks... confused "You know, it''s just one of those things you''re told..." I look up at the ceiling briefly. "Which I never understood because they drink Coca-Cola and other Pepsi stuff all the time..." Lucas suddenly seems like he''s had a revelation. Then he laughs a bit. "Olls... do you mean cocaine?"Stolen novel; please report. "What?" "I think your parents meant don''t have cocaine ... not Coca-Cola..." My mouth drops open and my eyes widen. "What?" "Buddy, are you serious?" "What-" "I mean carbonated drinks aren''t the best for you but unless you''ve got a sugar issue, I highly doubt anyone would say don''t ever drink it." "Wait, I wanna try some right now." Lucas moves his glass towards me. I notice his straw, so I decide to drink from the side of the cup instead of from the straw. I have zero clue what to call what happens next anything other than a warped out of body experience. What on earth was that and can I have more of it? Lucas looks amazed. "That was... the best reaction to a Coca-Cola ever!" "I wasn''t expecting it to be..." I''m just surprised. "My tongue tickles" Lucas leans forward as he laughs. "Can I have another sip?" "Yeah." But Lucas adds, "You could always get your own drink." "We can ask for a second drink? I know there''s like- refills, but..." "Yeah, it''s fine." Lucas pints at a nearby waiter, talking to another tabel. "Call that waiter over and ask if you can have a drink." I whisper, "Can''t you do it? Please?" "No" Trying to help me - I guess- Lucas whispers, "You can do it." I look down at my hands that fidgeting with each other. Ugh- why is this hard? I see the waiter walk past. "Uh, excuse me...?" the waiter doesn''t stop. I think I''m too quiet... aaa, this is embarrassing... Lucas sighs, before raising his voice."Excuse me?" The waiter turns around, and Lucas nods at me. Here it goes... I ask, "C... Can I have another drink?" One of our classmates jokes, "Yeah, get''m a Mickey." Lucas rolls his eyes. "A Coca-Cola, please." "Just one?" I nod. "Yes please." "Alright, I''ll be back with that." Lucas and I both say thanks. I then thank Lucas for calling the waiter over. "No problem. You just need to be a little louder next time." ~ ??~??~ ?? ~??~?? ~ That''s one of my favorite memories with Lucas. It''s kinda silly since there''s been a lot of other great moments we had, but that one just sticks out to me. Anytime I even see a Diet Coke now, I smile and think of that time. The time I basically had what''s called "a brother from another mother". Lucas was my neighbor and we went to the same school and we''ve just always been around each other. I would go over to his house all the time and sometimes we argued and got tense like brothers, but more than anything else we were best friends and were always together. But the summer after I graduated high school, which was the year after he graduated, Lucas got accepted into Carleton University- one of the best universities in the capital of Canada. (Ottawa) Ever since we were little, Lucas has always loved science- especially anything about rockets or space- and I always knew one day he''d do something amazing to help everyone, just like he''s helped so many people in Leduc County. Including me. I think I was too busy cheering him on while he studied his hardest to get in to realize what getting accepted would mean. Lucas was leaving Leduc County... leaving Alberta... and moving to the other side of the country. Throughout my life, I''ve cried around Lucas a lot (ranging from me falling on my face as a toddler to me getting just overwhelmed as a teenager) but when Lucas had suitcases and was standing in front of his dad''s truck, I didn''t cry, because I was just shocked this was really happening. But for the first time ever, I saw Lucas crying, so I finally comforted him for once. I guess it was scary for both of us. I mean imagine having someone whose always just sorta been right there... just not being right there anymore. I mean it''s not like he died or anything, but still. Now, Lucas is pretty busy with the workload of university, but he still texts me and we still FaceTime a lot. Sometimes I get worried he''ll forget about me since he''s got a bunch of new friends now, but everytime we FaceTime, he looks incredibly happy to see me. I always tell people about my best friend Lucas, and I always feel very proud of my bond with him. I''ve even told my lover about Lucas a lot. Speaking of which, my phone is making electrical bubbling sounds so I know it''s my reminder to meet Kai at a restaurant for our date. >>> ??? <<< "What can I get you to drink?" I say, "I''ll just have water, please." The waiter looks at Kai, who says, "I''ll have a Diet Coke. Please." I suddenly feel a smile crawl onto my face. Kai and I thank the waiter, who takes the menus then leaves. Still smiling, I ask, "Hey, wanna hear a funny story about Diet Coke?" "Sure." "When I was ... like... 13, I think, I was on a Field trip, and ~ " RANDOM ROMANTIC MOMENTS (My OC pairs starring in "imagine your OTP") (**Taken from various posts online) (note one: this will jump across various points in the timeline so just go with it) (note two: Mike and Charlie are a Queer-Platonic-Relationship but I lump them in with the pairs) ???????????????????????? ("Me, my partner, and another thing in bed" meme) ~ NOTE, the labels may be inconsistent as different characters will sleep in the same bed at different times (KAI POV, about Oliver) "Me, my boyfriend, and his racy little manga in bed" (OLIVER POV, about Kai) "Me, my lover, and her laptop in bed" (BELLA POV, about Jack) "Me, my husband, and a large copy of the holy bible in bed... I''m not sure how to feel about this." (JACK POV, about Bella) "In bed: Me, my wife, and her phone to edit stories in google docs." (ASHTON POV, about Hugo) "Me, my boyfriend, and three old animal plushies in bed" (HUGO POV, about Ashton) "Me, my boyfriend, and some script for some play in our bed" (SAM POV, about Lori) "Me, my girlfriend, and an old moldy sandwich in bed... finding that was so gross" (LORI POV, about Sam) "Me, my girlfriend, and her bracelet weaving kit in bed" (MIKE POV, about Charlie) "Me, my queer-platonic partner, and her large bunny Smashmallow in bed" (CHARLIE POV, about Mike) "Me, my forever-roomie, and ... well... us and my Squishmallow don''t leave room for anything else in bed..." ???????????????????????? (at a restaurant, sitting together) Charlie asks, "What do you think you''re gonna order?" Mike looks at the menu. "Uh... jeez, that''s a lot... uh, you pick something." "Dude, just order it yourself." "Whyyy?" Mike whines. "Because" Charlie groans, "I''m gonna order something for you and then you won''t like it or you''ll think mine looks better and then you''re gonna eat some of mine!" "I would never!" ~ ten minutes later, Mike is leaning against Charlie, eating some lasagna off their plate, ignoring his pile of chicken wings. Arms crossed, Charlie looks mildly annoyed. "You know you''re the only person that can get away with this, right?" Taking a sip from Charlie''s drink, Mike grins. "I know~" ???????????????????????? Oliver, Kai, Charlie and Bella are eating lunch together, and they''re sharing some onion rings. Playing with his hoodie strings, Oliver mumbles, "You know, I think onion rings are basically vegetable doughnuts." Used to Oliver saying stuff like this, Kai nods happily. "Yeah, that makes sense." Seeming more confident, Oliver adds, "I have a theory that your stomach thinks all potatoes are mashed." Charlie laughs a bit. "Okay." Oliver starts rocking back and forth a bit as he continues, "Lasagna is just spaghetti-flavored cake." Charlie''s smile fades quickly and turns to a look of displeasure. Not noticing this, Oliver keeps talking. "Lobsters are mermaids to scorpions." Bella facepalms. "Okay, that''s enough." Kai shushes her sister and turns to Oliver. "No, continue, please." Kai looks at Oliver in adoration as he keeps talking, while Bella and Charlie are just like ?????? ???????????????????????? Jack texts Bella *Read Genesis 29:20, that''s us* After a few minutes, Bella replies, *Did you just tell me you love me... with a bible verse?* *Yes* *That''s hot.* ???????????????????????? Hugo''s family gets a large fluffy sweet dog, and every time Ashton comes over, the dog steals half of Ashton''s attention. "Your dog is so cute!" Ashton grins and starts snuggling with the dog, not even looking at Hugo. Arms crossed, Hugo turns away and scoffs. "You say cute, but I say absolute demon." Ashton pets the dog. "Hey! Things can be cute and absolute demons. Just take you for example." Hugo''s eyes widen and he steps back. "You- you think I''m cute?" Ashton''s face reddens. "Well... not as cute as this little guy~" Ashton resumes fawning over the dog. Hugo mutters, "Never in my life did I think I''d be jealous of a f#cking dog." ???????????????????????? "Do you know your gay name?" Lori asks. Sam almost laughs. "My... gay name?" "Yeah, it''s your first name..." Lori gets down on one knee "... then our last-names combined..." "WA DIUO!" Sam exclaims (* ‡WŒÅ, oh f#ck!!) ???????????????????????? Jack is currently trying to repair the rideable lawnmower, and Bella is there to help. (though she''s mostly just talking at him as he works) Jack asks, "Uh, Honey, can you give me a hand?" Bella places her hand into Jack''s. Jack grins briefly before looking back at the car. "You''re sweet but that''s not what I meant." ???????????????????????? Kai texts Oliver: *Hey, I''m home alone and bored* Within a minuet, Oliver replies, *Ooh, so your parents arent around???* *Nope?? we can do whatever we want??* *So we can play hide and seek in your whole house?* *Yes! ~ I love you so much* ???????????????????????? Hugo moves closer to Ashton''s face "Truth or dare." Leaning back a bit, Ashton mutters, "Truth." "Do you wanna kiss me~?" Ashton''s face turns red, but he tries to look annoyed. "I change my mind- dare." Hugo turns Ashton''s face to him. "I dare you to kiss me." Ashton looks away from him. "... Never have I ever-" "THAT''S NOT THE GAME!!" ???????????????????????? PET NAMES ~? Kai: she calls Oliver MANY things like Olive, honey-bunny, Olly, doofus/dork(affectionate), thi¨ºn th?n (Angel) but her favorites to use are Baby, Angel, Con-th? or Ch¨²-th? (bunny-rabbit), and Vanillabean Oliver: he doesn''t usually use pet names, but sometimes he calls Kai "Sunshine" or "Darling" Bella: she calls Jack the normal pet names: Darling, Honey, my love, but her love of France has added Mon-Amour, Mon-Cher Jack: aside from the usual stuff like Honey and Darling, he calls her SugarPie Sam: basically every Chinese petname has been used, but her favorite to call Lori is X¨©n-g¨¡n (which means heart and liver, meaning you''re someone I can''t be without), and L¨£o-Gong (the closest thing is hubby, it''s a male term but Lori''s fine with it) Lori: she usually just calls her Honey or Baby Charlie: since they''re in a Queer-Platonic-Relationship, petnames aren''t really used unless it''s humorous, though Charlie calls Mike "My Forever-Roomie" and "Dumbass"(affectionate) Mike: since he''s in a Queer-Platonic-Relationship, petnames aren''t really used unless it''s humorous, though he has nicknamed Charlie many things like Charles and Charr Hugo: babe, baby, and Hugo has nicknamed him Ash or Ashie or Asha-boo, Asha-Babe Ashton: he gets shy about using names with Hugo but he''s nicknamed him Hugh. Ashton used to call Hugo sunshine mockingly but now he still uses it sometimes. ???????????????????????? Oliver smiles and waved at Kai. Her face heats up and her heart does those silly flips it always does around her crush. (Kai runs to Charlie)If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Kai needs a hug from her best friend. "What''s up?" Kai grumbles, "I can''t take it, I''m f#cking killing him" Charlie rolls their eyes. "Or you can toughen up and ask him out." Kai''s face heats up. "Uh... killing... killing is... easier..." ???????????????????????? "Alright, bye Honey." Jack is about to leave for work. Bella calls, "Jack! Wait! Aren''t you forgetting something?" "Oh, sorry!" Jack rushes back and kisses Bella. Face red with blush, Bella shrieks, "Your keys, Jack!" ???????????????????????? Sam grins. "I know you''re in love with him." Hugo''s face heats up and he yells, "I''m not in love with Ash!" His sister''s grin widens. "... I never said it was Ashton~" ???????????????????????? Mike and Charlie are shopping for groceries, but they''re being stalled... by oreos. Charlie laughs. "Mike, no." "Oh come on! Look at this! Cheeto-Flavored Oreos! We gotta try it!" "No, because it''s gonna taste bad and we''re not gonna know what to do with them, like the Kettle Corn Oreos and the Kraft Dinner Oreos" "This is different though! I mean look at that: CHEETO! COOKIES!" "Mike, let''s just get normal oreos like normal people and head home." The tall jock-bodied man whines like a child. "But I wanna try the Cheeto-Oroes! What if we come back next time and they''re out?" Charlie puts a hand on their hip. "I highly doubt anyone has bought any of those since they were put on the shelf." ???????????????????????? Bella leans in to kiss Jack. Jack, face red, slides to the side and pulls Bella into a hug instead. Bella is surprised. "Jack, wha...?" "S- sorry... I... panicked..." Bella bursts out laughing, hugging Jack back. Jack pulls his baseball cap over his face in embarrassment. "Don''t laugh!!" ???????????????????????? "Kai~~" "Yeah?" I look up at Oliver. "I can hold the whole world in my hands." I start, "That''s impossi-" Oliver cups my face in his hands. That DOOFUS! My heart flips and skips and it finally turns to mush as my face burns hot. I look away from Oliver and slowly push him away. "Shut up, you dopey moron, I have a reputation." Oliver pulls me into a hug anyway. ???????????????????????? The Judge asks, "How do you plead?" Mike looks at Charlie, who mouths *not guilty* With confidence, Mike pleads to the judge, "Hot Milky." Charlie faceplams. "Just lock him up." ???????????????????????? Bella looks at Kai curiously. "So you gave Oliver some flowers and he liked it?" Her sister nods. "Yeah, Primroses are connected to the month of February and it was his birthday and... yeah." "I never thought of giving a guy flowers." "You should give Jack flowers. Guys need to be given more flowers." "Hmmm... maybe I''ll try that." (a few days later) Bella looks up with a small smile. "It''s February and Valentine''s Day is soon, so for now, here''s some roses." Jack''s face gets red and he shyly takes the small bouquet of roses. "Uh... th- thanks, Bella." Bella grins, deciding she will do this more often. ???????????????????????? WOULD THEY EVER HAVE KIDS ~? (Answered by the writer) ~ Due to be asexual, Kai and Oliver Lee will adopt a boy from Vietnam after five years of marriage. They name him Danny because it''s gender neutral (Just in case). Danny is a bit similar to Oliver, though Danny prefers Super Hero comics over manga. Danny is very smart like Kai, and the boy is chattier than Oliver and Sam combined. He isn''t neurodivergent, but being raised by neurodivergent parents has given him similar mannerisms and he''s very kind to neurodivergent people. Kai makes sure Danny doesn''t grow up touch-starved like she did. When he gets older, Danny vents to his dad more than his mom. ~ Eventually, Bella and Jack have three kids in total. All with biblical names: Mathew, John (two years younger than Mathew) and Esther "Essie" (four years younger than John). Mathew is very similar to Bella''s sister Kai, but also holds the same values as Bella and Jack. John is like a sportier version of Jack and is the most religiously devout of the children. Essie has Bella''s pure heart and knack for creativity, but Essie''s got a curious adventurous side of her own. ~ Sam and Lori KaangYoo-Madlock would adopt a girl from China three years after being married. They name her Emma, and she calls Sam Mah-Mee, (maa1mi4, ‹Œßä), and Lori is Mom. Emma is a very quirky and energetic girl who came out to her parents as straight (the horror! Lol) and she loves painting. Sam taught Emma Cantonese-Chinese, and Emma picked it up way easier than Lori has (Sam likes to be able to switch back and forth as she speaks). When she gets older, Emma lives in the cottage core aesthetic? Emma and Danny meet a lot since their parents are friends, and the kids become cousins because Kai is Emma''s godmother and Sam is Danny''s godmother. They behave a little bit like a brother and sister: lots of teasing and being annoying but strong family bond ~ Ashton and Hugo could adopt a kid if they wanted but Hugo and Ashton don''t think they would make good parents so they decide against it. (that said, they love seeing their friends'' kids. Hugo particularly loves Danny and Ashton particularly loves Emma) That aside, the animals Ashton takes care of are the children. ~ Mike and Charlie would probably not raise a kid because they''d have to either make a kid or adopt a kid and they just don''t feel the need for that. However, Mike and Charlie love taking care of Danny and Emma and sometimes Bella''s kids. They get a dog named Maxie and their dog is the child. ???????????????????????? "Uh, Kai, I think it''s time we talk about... uh... the birds and the bees with our son." Kai agrees with Oliver. "He is 15..." "Yeah..." Oliver looks at the ground and scratches the back of his neck. "I can talk to him." "Oh thank god." Oliver waits in the kitchen, curious what''ll happen. "Danny, can you pause that, please? I need to talk with you." Lightly annoyed, Danny pauses the video game and looks up. "What''s up?" "Well, your father thinks it''s about time we discuss the birds and the bees." Danny''s eyes widen briefly, but he relaxes quickly. "Oh, Mom, I already know about-" "Did you know bees are rapidly declining?" "...What?" "Get your shoes on, son, we''re going to save the bees!" Oliver just watches in a mix of amusement and confusion and adoration as Kai drags Danny out of the house. As he hears Kai yelling something outside, Oliver hopes she does know what he actually meant... ???????????????????????? Hugo: you wouldn''t want to date me! I''m a handful! Ashton (deadpan/calm): I have two hands. ???????????????????????? Sam accidentally drops something on her foot. "Oh f#ck me!" Lori smirks at Sam. Sam laughs. "That wasn''t an invitation" Lori moves a little closer to Sam. Sam''s smile wanes. "Lori...?" Lori gets even closer, slowly. Sam gulps nervously, whispering, "W- wait...!" Lori''s sexy smile and ravenous eyes are mere inches from Sam''s face, and Lori lets out a brief low hum. By now, Sam has been backed to the wall, and she''s blushing so much, it''s slightly visible even with her light brown skin. Lori puts her hands under Sam''s chin, and pulls her close. Sam closes her eyes expectantly, but instead, Lori whispers in her ear. "I think we should have chinese for dinner." Lori then turns to walk away, swaying her hips. "Lori Madlock!" Sam stomps her foot like a kid. "You utter tease!" How dare she talk about food after doing that to me!! Sam KaangYoo (¿µÓꡤɽķ) frowns. "... wait... I''m Chinese..." As if on cue, Lori quickly turns back, pins Sam to the wall, and begins aggressively making out with her. ???????????????????????? Oliver gushes, "Oh my gosh, the newest episode of [insert some anime]" Isko Abe laughs. "Wait, you seriously watch-" The Asian male stops himself when he sees Kai''s cold glare, warning him to not tease Oliver, whose currently looking down like "uh, well, I just sorta-" Isko, a bit nervous, says, "Hey, I was just joking. You were saying?" Oliver lights up and happily info-dumps at Isko. ???????????????????????? Bella sighs. "Do you think he''s thinking about other girls?" Kai thinks for a moment. "Jackson is very loyal but you never know with guys..." *meanwhile* Jack and Damian are hanging out. Jack murmurs, "I wonder if I''ve ever eaten an egg from a chicken I ate..." Damian''s eyes widen. "Holy sh!t" (ALTERNATELY) Ashton is sitting in his shared room with his older brother. Ashton sighs. "Do you think Hugo is thinking about other guys?" "You never really know..." *meanwhile* Hugo is laying on a couch with his friend Blake.. Hugo asks, "If I sat on a voodoo doll of myself, would I be able to get up?" Blake sits up. "... BRO -" ???????????????????????? Mike gently shakes his eternal-roomate. "Charlie?" ... "Charlie, get up." ... "CHARLIE!" Charlie startles awake. "AYY! QU¨¦! What?" "You''re snoring and I can''t hear the movie." Charlie rolls over. "Then turn it up." "So you can get annoyed that it woke you up? No thankyou!" "You already woke me up, dumbass!" Charlie''s eyes widen. "OOH! Wait, is that How to Train Your Dragon: Hidden World?" Charlie sits up and moves next to Mike, all annoyance forgotten. ???????????????????????? Ideal activity / date ~? ~ Oliver and Kai mostly stay inside, watching anime together or enjoying parallel play (it''s a neurodivergent thing) as they engage in their hobbies or just chatting about whatever. Their go-to date has always been essentially touching grass together, just walking around outside and around town and seeing where the day takes them. That''s not to say they never do stuff like enjoying a skate park or late-night fast food runs. Stuff outside of their norm is usually prompted by a "double date." Charlie and Mike would often bring Oliver and Kai out to dinner, and sometimes Sam and Lori would invited Kai and Oliver to join in their various fun mini-adventures. Sometimes Kai and Oliver are roped into doing stuff with Bella and Oliver and the Lynn family. Oliver and Jack are just too different, but they are there for Bella and Kai. ~ Bella and Jack would go on the classic date. He''d pick her up in his car, give her some flowers, they''d go to dinner, catch a movie at a theater, go out for some ice cream, and be home before 9 PM ~ Sam and Lori like to watch TV together (they turn on whatever and make commentary and laugh and joke aroundy) When they want to have fun, they do the most epic stuff on a whim (attending a theater dinner or trying an escape room or seeing a comedy act together) but also, they like driving for long hours and visiting wherever on little mini-trips. ~ Ashton and Hugo when they first start dating, they''d do lots of high-energy things together like competing in an arcade or participating in a scavenger hunt. As they get older, it''d calm down to stuff like Aquarium dates. Hugo unexpectedly loves shopping (let''s go to the mall together!) and Ashton would have an unknown love of picnics (let''s look at clouds and enjoy nature together!). I think nature walks would be one of their favorite things. ~ Mike and Charlie aren''t a couple so they don''t really go out on dates but I think they''d go out to eat dinner together often since they both enjoy a good meal, and they''d go to see movies together in the theater. ???????????????????????? Ashton answers his phone. "Hugo, why do you insist on calling me on the phone?" His boyfriend hums, "It''s more fun this way, right?" "Not really.. Just text me..." Hugo admits, "Sorry, but I just.. Really love hearing your voice." Ashton blushes, and he''s glad Hugo cannot see his flustered expression. ???????????????????????? Sam proclaims, "I have no fears~" Hugo asks, "What if you woke up one day and Lori was taller than you?" Sam''s eyes widen. She looks away and murmurs, "I have one fear." ???????????????????????? "Please, it''s getting late, come to bed." Typing more of her story into her computer, Bella mutters, "I don''t need to go to bed yet. I''m not tired. It''s fine." Jack''s voice is soft. "But Darling, it''s so lonely over here, come here and curl up in my arms~" Bella finally looks at him. "Oh... Are you trying to bribe me into healthy sleeping patterns?" "Is it working?" "... a little..." ???????????????????????? Hugo''s eyes are wide. "I can''t believe you hid my game controller!" Ashton turns Hugo''s face to him, caressing his cheeks. "Not your game controller, Baby, ... my competition!" ???????????????????????? ~HEIGHT DIFFERENCE~ >>Height changes over time with age (growing or shrinking) and most my character meet at a point in their lives where they''re still physically developing but this will be the main height differences on record<< >>in my country, we measure height in feet, and after the apostrophe, we put the amount of inches because 12 inches are in one foot, and this could be written like 4''11, meaning four feet (ft) and eleven inches Kai is 5''6 ft tall and Oliver is exactly six feet tall. This would be a six-inch difference. Sam is a little under 5''5 ft, but she''s almost always in heels that put her to around 5''6 ft, while Lori is 5''2 ft tall, so even at Sam''s natural height, there''s over three inches difference. Bella is 5''3 feet tall, while Jack is a little under 5''10 feet tall, meaning that''s seven inches of height difference. Hugo is a 5''6.5 ft (fully grown) and Ashton is around 5''9 ft (fully grown). That''s less than three inches in height difference. For the first half of his teens, Hugo was 5''3 ft, and Ash was 5''7 ft. *I have to clarify growth because Hugo and Ashton met younger so they were still growing, while the rest the cast was mostly done growing in height Mike is under 5''10 feet tall (give or take) and Charlie is a little over 5''4 ft. That''s six inches of height difference. Note, some of my character are tsundere but they wouldn''t say THE phrase... so here''s them as not-tsundere KAI (To Oliver): >>basically her inner thoughts but aloud<< I''m so soft for you. You''re mine and I''m yours. I want you to marry me. I adore everything about you. I love your freckles and your glasses and yo HUGO (to Ash): I think about you all day and even after being around you I''ll dream about you some more. ASHTON (to Hugo): ???????????????????????? Jack: What''s your favorite color? Bella: Uh, I''m not really into small talk. Jack: Okay... uh, deep down, do you think you''re a good person? Bella: ... purple. ???????????????????????? Bella squints. "Sister? What are you doing up so late?" Seeming a bit frantic, Kai answers, "Making chocolate pudding" "It''s past midnight...." "So?" "Why are you making pudding at midnight?" Kai wails,"Because I lost control of my life!" Sitting at the kitchen table, Oliver speaks up, "Kai, it''s fine, I''m not that hungry..." Bella blinks slowly (didn''t even realize he came over...) ???????????????????????? FAVORITE SPOTS TO BE KISSED Kai: the nose and the forehead Oliver: the cheek, or (gently and briefly) on the lips Sam: collar bone, hips, Lori: anywhere on her chest Bella: anywhere on her hand or wrist Jack: on the belly or on his back Ashton: the spot below his ear, any nibble-bite kisses, being kissed on the inner thighs, Hugo: the nipples, and just on the lips Mike and Charlie a queer platonic relationship, so they don''t kiss much, but on rare occasions, they''ve kissed each other gently and quickly on the cheek. ???????????????????????? Hugo and Ashton are sitting in the study hall of school, and Hugo has been reading through some textbook, but as he does, he''s been fidgeting with a pen. Ashton usually has no issue with Hugo''s stimming, but the sound of a pen being hit against a wood table is annoying. He''s tried to let it be, but ten minutes is ten minutes. "Hugo!" Ashton finally breaks. "Enough with the pen!" Hugo sets it down with a small, "Oh..." "Seriously! How would you feel if I banged you on the table?" Hugo''s heart skips a beat. "... uh... I''m not sure how to answer that..." Ashton realizes what he just said, and his face burns red. "I- Ugh!" Ashton tries to act cool. "Obviously I just mean hitting the pen- I''m not banging you on a table." Hugo''s is blushing too, but his light brown skin kind of hides it. "It''s not like I want you to! It''s just how you made it sound! YOUR fault! Dumb Ash!" "Me? You''re the one banging a pen on a table!" . . . Hugo smirks. "You jealous~?" Ashton''s face somehow gets redder, but he tries to remain calm. "You''re just twisting my words." With zero logic or reason, Hugo tries to sound naughty. "I can twist something else??" "... what-" "I have no clue- please kill me now." Waiting for Kai (Alex POV) Sometimes, Kai has what I¡¯ve called Non-verbal Days. She will be unable to respond, and resolve to not talk instead. She¡¯ll just sit there with a blank expression on her face. I used to think Kai was ignoring me because she was mad at me, and I¡¯d sit away from her and ignore her too.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. But now, I know that sometimes, she just can¡¯t. Now, I know I should not leave her alone. Because I know Kai can hear me, even if she doesn¡¯t show it. I know she can see me even if she doesn¡¯t glance at me, and I know she¡¯s glad to see me, even if she doesn¡¯t say it. Even if we can¡¯t talk like usual, I can sit next to her and quietly be right by her. Because I know that this isn¡¯t all of Kai. Because in a day or two, Kai will be back to her usual self: talking about random fun-facts, making dumb jokes, talking about things she loves, and using too much sarcasm. So I¡¯m fine just sitting next to her quietly and waiting for her.