You walk home with the young guitarist sticking close beside you, not that it was anything out of the ordinary for her to do so, but something did feel off. She seemed to stand closer to you than usual, going as far as to hug your hand when you'd stop at the curb to wait for the light to change.
"W'as gotten in to ya, luv?" You ask, attempting to shake your hand free, but the child has a death grip on the appendage.
"Toochi-san, mine!" Noodle exclaims. You stare at her now. Has this child gone completely bonkers from ice cream withdraws or something scientific like that?
"Uh...no, luv, i's meh hand, not yers." You pat her head with your free hand as you attempt to retrieve your stolen arm, but Noodle is having none of it.
"Mine!" She exclaims yet again, hugging the arm tighter.
"No, luv, i's meh hand." You try to explain again, but the light has turned, so you quickly make your way across the street.
Once you two return safely home, you are surprised to find your mother there, already hitting the scotch to calm her tense nerves.
"Ignorant doctehs, dun know the different between a bee sting an' a snake bite." She set her glass down, rubbing a sore temple. You stared in awkward confusion before heading up to the bathroom. You need a long shower after the day you had.
You reached the top of the stairs, looking down the hallway to make sure the bathroom was open. You were just about to dash to the door, but something was stopping you; there was Noodle, clinging so hard your fingers turned purple.
"Uh...Noodle...?" You wiggled your fingers to try and regain feeling, but that only made her hold on tighter.
"Mine!"
"No, luv. I tol' ya. I's meh hand."
"No, no! Toochi-san mine!"
"What? I'm yours?" You kneel to look at the girl. She nods quickly.
"Toochi-san mine. No Carmon!"
"Oh..." It was at that moment, you realized something; Little Noodle had a very big crush on you.
"Uh...Noodle..."
"Hai?" She smiled brightly up at you. It almost breaks your heart the way she smiles so brightly at you, but it had to be done.
" Noods...'m oldeh than ya...a lot oldeh..." You rub the back of your neck with your free hand. The child stares at you curiously now. Maybe she didn't know what you meant.
"Toochi-san...old?"
"Uh...yeah...somefink loike tha'." You smile a bit. Noodle nods slowly.
"So no Carmon?"
"Uh, well...ya see...Carmon is oldeh too."
"B-but...Toochi-san mine!"
"Yes, luv, I 'm still yer best friend."
"No!"
"No?" Now its your turn to be confused. Noodle looks utterly betrayed right now.
"Toochi-san my boyfriend! No Carmon!" She finally lets go of your arm in order to fold her's. You rub your freed arm to get feeling back in to it, but nothing seems to help.
"Luv, yer too little t-"
"No!"
Oh boy...this would deffinately be a long summer.