Hello everyone! I lied! Lol. I know I said the next chapter wouldn't before for a month or two, but I've been fortunate enough to have a bit of free time as of late between my classes, so I was able to write this. To start, I would like to reply to a review from Ariel Louise thank you so much for your review! I appreciated so much hearing from my fans and it makes me so glad to know that you took months of your time to read my work. Seriously, just thank you all so much again for all the support on this series. Enjoy! :)
({No POV})
It was a Tuesday morning and Mikey was getting started on making Irma and their sons breakfast before work and school since this was his week off.
Irma was already down and setting up Sammie in her high chair and Tommy and Benji weren't far behind and both of them pretty much attacked the pile of pancakes on the table.
"Hey whoa, eat slowly. I know you guys are hungry, but the food isn't gonna walk away, a'right?" Mikey says, making his boys sit back and eat their food slowly. But then Mikey looked around and did a quick head count of his kids, 3 out of 4, before saying, "Hey, where's Tony?"
He looked toward Tommy and Benji and Tommy just shrugged as he guessed, "Still sleeping?"
Mikey ran to the bottom of the stairs and cupped his hands around his mouth as he yelled, "Tony!" Mikey heard a loud groan from upstairs, indicating Tony was still sleeping.
"C'mon rise and shine, dude! I got breakfast ready! There are pancakes and bacon down here for ya!" Mikey then heard Tony roll out of bed and heard his body hit the floor as he called back, still groaning from being woken up, "Okay!"
Tony was still face down on his bedroom floor, partially covered in his comforter that he dragged down with him from his bed. He got up and slowly made his way to his feet as he walked over to the dresser in his, Tommy's, and Benji's room.
He squinted at the dresser as he picked up his glasses and looked toward the mirror above it as he put his glasses on and let his eyes adjust to the light of the room. He was about to reach into a drawer to grab a shirt when he looked back at himself in the mirror and started yelling at the top of his lungs, almost in a state of horror, at what he saw.
Back down in the kitchen everyone heard it, Mikey and Irma exchanging slightly shocked and concerned looks, as Benji yelled, "Tony's dying! MEDIC!" and running toward the stairs and up to the room and immediately ran to the bottom of the stairs.
But, before anyone else had a chance to react, Tony ran past Benji and into the kitchen with a beyond freaked out look on his face as he yelled, "WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!"
Tony was gripping his hands into his hair as everyone stared at him, even Sammie was looking at her oldest brother with her undivided attention. Irma got up immediately and walked over and put her hands on Tony's shoulders and kneeled down slightly as she looked her son over with a concerned look on her face.
"Tony, honey, what's wrong?" Tony immediately snapped out of his freak out and looked away from his mother, now looking hesitant. "Anthony Michael Hamato, look at me. I want to help. Just tell me and your dad what's wrong." Irma reasons.
Mikey walked up behind her and kneeled down slightly as he said, "Yeah, just tell us Tony. It can't be that bad."
Irma couldn't help but notice one of Tony's hands was still on his head and covering part of his forehead. Irma reached out and was able to pry his hand off his head and Tony looked freaked out as he asked in a panic, "What is it? Is it bad? Did aliens plant something in my head? Am I gonna die?"
Irma just slowly smiled a little at him at what was really going on that he didn't realize and looked to see Mikey doing the same thing. "Hey just chillax son, no need to freak out. You just got a zit." Mikey said.
Tony looked even more confused as he looked toward Mikey and said, "A zit?" Then Tony looked back at Irma and said, "What does that mean? Is it bad?"
Irma couldn't stop herself from smiling a little bit, amused. Thinking to herself that Tony was definitely like his father in the cluelessness department and then combine that with him being a slightly naive 11 year old and it makes for an interesting combination.
"No Tony, it's not a bad thing. Like your dad said, it isn't a big deal. It just means you're hitting puberty." Irma explained and Mikey added, "Yeah Tony, it's no big deal. I used to get zits too. Just means you're growing up, dude." Tony was standing still with his eyes wide as he processed everything.
Then he gripped his hands into his hair as he shouted, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Mikey and Irma were both frozen in place as Tony now started to freak out again, "This can't be happening! I'm only in 5th grade! I can't be old! I don't wanna get married or have a job now! I don't even know if I like girls yet?!"
It wasn't long after that Tommy did a fake cough from his place at the table and said, "Bologna." "Huh?" Tony said confused as he looked at him brother.
"Dude you are so lying, cuz you like Hannah Burns." Tommy teases, knowing his brother had a crush on this girl that was in the same grade as Tony that lives down the street.
"NO! I mean… uh." Tony stutters nervously as his face turned red. "Dude, you so like her." Tommy taunts back with a knowing grin. "No I don't!" Tony says back defensively.
Then Benji walked back in and Tommy looked toward him with a grin as he said, "Nice, tie breaker. Hey, Benji, does Tony like Hannah?" Benji's response was almost immediate as he said, "Yeah." Tony gave Benji a shocked look that even his 8 year old brother knew.
"I. Don't. Like her!" Tony said, still trying to deny it. "Oh really? What about last Friday when we got off the bus?" Tommy teased as he got up with a slightly playful grin.
Tony was about to say something when Tommy just started to almost look like he was playfully taunting his older brother, "Oh Hannah, I'll carry your backpack for you." Benji started laughing to the point where he was holding his stomach on the floor at Tommy's impression of Tony.
Tony looked completely embarrassed and also looked angry by his younger brothers making fun of him. "Dude, NOT cool!" Tony yelled as he started to chase after Tommy and Benji for laughing at him.
Sammie was watching her brothers in fascination as she watched Tony chase Tommy and Benji.
Irma and Mikey were looking at each other, not knowing what to do and just eventually shrugged and they were able to stop the boys long enough to get them to finish eating and get ready for school.
As crazy as this morning seemed, this was what usually happened on a daily basis. Three boys with high energy and all of them being relatively close in age? Yeah, Irma and Mikey will freely admit that their house runs by the rule of slightly organized chaos, but neither of them would lose it for anything.
(Caitlyn's POV)
I was sitting with Kaito on the rooftop of his family's dojo and we were just drinking sodas and chilling out after I got done with another archery, or kyudo, lesson.
I've actually been coming here a lot lately. With the exception of that one weekend I've been coming here for the past 12 nights. I don't know, ever since the whole Brad thing, Kaito's kind of become my confidant and I've kind of become his too after that one time.
I still found his story totally crazy, but I knew it wasn't a lie. There was no way anyone would make all that up. But it also makes me wonder why Kaito likes to hang out and talk to me.
Kaito's this extremely interesting person, he's a ninja that came from generations of ninjas before him for crying out loud, and I'm just… ordinary. I'm the daughter of a hair stylist and a fireman, so I look like a boring blank piece of paper compared to him.
I just don't really think I'm that interesting.
We hit a lull of silence and I just started thinking again, but it wasn't about what you think.
Kaito caught me spacing out and asked, "What's up?" I just smiled as I shrugged and shook my head before saying, "No, it's nothing." "No really, what is it? Don't you trust me?" He inquires in that semi-teasing tone.
I nudged him on the arm with a smile as I replied, "I do, but this isn't some dark secret. I was just thinking about homecoming in a couple weeks and about how sad my life is since I'm not going to have anyone to dance with me."
"Why? I thought you said Zach always went with you because Brad never wanted to go?" Kaito recalls, looking slightly confused.
I clicked my tongue on the roof of my mouth and replied, "Yeah… that's the thing. Well, look I have a feeling Zach's not going to be an option for me this year. Let's face it, he's been going out with Molly and they seem to be getting serious and he's definitely going to ask her and I don't want to ruin his first dance with an actual date by forcing him to be shelped along by me. Just because I dated and got dumped by a scumbag doesn't mean I want to punish him for having a good relationship and ruin his fun. And then all my other friends already have boyfriends or girlfriends or a date that they're going with… and then there's me, Caitlyn the poor lone idiot. Fabulous."
I let out an indignant laugh as I took another sip of my soda.
It was quiet between us as Kaito processed my whole spiel. "Well, if you want… I could go with you." I shot my head in his direction with a surprised look on my face. I was about to ask if he was kidding but his expression looked completely genuine, like he was serious.
"Kaito, it's fine. You really don't have to go with me out of pity if you don't want to." I say, just to let him know that he really didn't have to. He quirked an eyebrow up at me as he said, "No really, I mean it. Besides, I don't know why you said pity. I thought we were friends, so it's not pity. What do you say?" He says, holding out his hand to me with a grin.
I thought a little bit about it before smiling a little back and shaking his hand and saying, "Alight Kaito, you got the job." That made us both laugh a little. But then Kaito gave me a hesitant look as he said, "Fair warning... I can't promise anything about my dancing ability."
I immediately gave him a weird look, thinking he had to be joking, as I said, "No. Are you saying Mr. light on his feet ninja extraordinaire can't dance? I don't buy it." "Well... kind of, after I went with Molly to homecoming freshman year… let's just say that's why I've never made time to go to anymore school dances, and why Molly won't dance with me anymore." He explained, letting out a slightly indignant laugh, looking hesitant.
I gave him a look and smiled as I said, "Well, I won't believe it until I see it."
I got up and pulled out my phone. I smiled as I glanced over at Kaito giving me a semi-confused look as he asked, "What are you doing?" I just ignored him as I continued to smile and then I found it. I pressed play and started to play my music, it started on a medium speed song, something easy.
I set down my phone and looked at Kaito with a smile still glued to my face. Kaito smirked as he clasped his hands together and looked to the floor before looking back to me.
He sighed as he smirked a little and said, "You want me to dance, don't you?" "Yes." I say to the point and walk to the center of the rooftop, waving him on, almost like I was challenging him.
"And I'm assuming I also have no choice?" He inquires, smirking in my direction still. "That's correct. Now c'mon." I say, smirking a little mischieviously back.
He let out a laugh as I just stood there smiling at him waiting for him to get up. He put his hands up, almost in a mock surrender as he said, "Alright, alright. But just remember I warned you."
He walked up to me in slow but sure strides with a smirk on his face until he walked up to me and held his hand out to me. I smiled as I grabbed his hand and I was caught slightly by surprise when he pulled me closer and grabbed my other hand and we just started kind of moving and then I was a little more surprised when he spun me around in kind of a playful and slightly showing off kind of way and brought us back to what we were doing before.
I gave him a look as I said, "Seems like someone was bluffing?" He didn't respond as we just kind of kept on dancing together.
I didn't get it. Kaito was actually a pretty decent dancer to me. So I was really wondering what he meant by Molly won't dance with him anymore?
I just internally shrugged it off as we kept dancing. I was actually having a lot of fun. It's been almost a full year since the last time I actually danced. We danced through a couple more songs until… it got to a slow song I had on my playlist.
Kaito just kind of stopped and I smiled as I just casually took a step forward and rested my hands on his shoulders, my arms bent slightly. He slowly smiled back as I felt his hands slowly go to my waist, but… I saw something about his expression.
I just shrugged and kept smiling as we started to moved in a slow circle until…
(Kaito's POV)
I saw her face contort as she winced and bit her lip to hold back, and me knowing exactly what I did since I felt her foot under mine, and she said one word to sum it up, "Ow." I just stopped and immediately said, "Caitlyn, I'm so sorry."
I knew I stepped on her foot pretty hard on accident.
This was what I was talking about when it came to dancing. I can dance normally just fine, but slow dancing is just too slow and awkward for me. Caitlyn still was shaking it off until she said, "It's okay, I'm not dying… Well, I atleast can see Molly's point. Geez, are your feet filled with lead?"
I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, feeling embarrassed, as I said, "Yeah, as you can tell I can't slow dance." "How is that possible? Everyone can slow dance. The worst dancer on the planet can slow dance." She says, almost like she couldn't believe that I couldn't do it.
Which I agree with her.
What kind of loser am I if I can't even slow dance? Although my Aunt Mona told me it was a trait I inherited from my father. Apparently her and my father went to a dance together when they were about my age and he stepped on her feet… multiple times. Although for me it only took one because I accidently stepped on Molly's foot so hard that I bruised a couple of her toes, pretty badly actually.
I sighed as I said, "Well, then I'm worse than the worst dancer in the history of time and I completely understand if you'd want to withdraw from my offer."
She gave me a look and shook her head as she said, "No, Kaito, it's okay. I don't give up that easily. We just need to find what will work so I won't lose any toes." I knew she was trying to make me feel better by making light of the situation, even though it didn't soothe me of my incompetence when it comes to slow dancing.
"Why? Do you mean something like this?" I start and extended my arms to put her far away from me like two kids awkwardly learning to dance together as I continued, "Because this doesn't look completely idiotic at all." I said that as sarcastically as possibly because slow dancing arms length away does look ridiculous.
"No, not middle school dance style, anything but that." She agreed.
But then she bit her lip and looked like she was thinking, until she smiled knowingly. She had an idea and I had no clue what was on her mind. She stepped closer to me and then I felt her stand on my feet and her arms slowly wrapping around my neck to keep her balance and she gave me a smile and a nod.
I gave her a look as I smirked, getting the picture. I started to move a little bit and we just kept going. She looked up at me and smiled knowingly again as she said, "This works right?" I smirked back as I replied, "This definitely works."
I just kept moving in a circle and I secured my arms a little more around her lower back.
As it went on I smiled a little to myself when felt her rest her head against my chest a little bit and I just rested my chin on top of her head. Okay, this may not be a conventional way to slow dance but… I don't know, I really liked this.
I kept moving us in a slow circle as the song changed to another slow song, not that I was going to complain about a little extended time to stay like this. "Well, I'd say this is an improvement from me giving you some potential broken toes." I say, trying to laugh off my incompetence.
She looked at me and smiled as she said, "Kaito, you don't have to sound so dramatic. If someone else stepped on my feet we might have a problem, but you're part of my list of exceptions." "Wow, I'm on the list of Caitlyn Spencer's exceptions? I feel honored." I reply with a slight smirk. "You should, not everyone makes the list you know?" She replies back jokingly, making both of us laugh a little.
She looked back up at me and was smiling at me, making me smile a little back.
As the time went on and I kept moving us in a circle, we just kept looking at each other as our eyes continued to lock as both of our expressions started evening out. I focused on and studied every alternating green and light brown fleck in her eyes, completely captivating me. But then I noticed it was almost like she was doing the same thing back with me.
I felt myself going on instinct and slow impulse as I slowly lifted my hand and rested it on the side of her face. Her eyes widened and I saw the color go up on her cheeks slightly as she continued to look at me, but she didn't stop me.
I slowly ran my thumb over her cheek as I slowly leaned in a little closer and I saw her eyes slowly closing as she started to reciprocate what I was doing. I was completely caught up in the moment and we were about an inch away, but then I froze and tilted my head in complete confusion when she all of a sudden turned her head away and said, "Um…"
She let go of me and I just stood there confused and felt this weird feeling like concrete turning into a solid block in my stomach as she walked away and turned off the music on her phone and put it back into her pocket.
"I should probably go. Got a test tomorrow morning." She says, smiling, almost like what went on before didn't even happen. I recomposed myself as I said, "Yes, of course."
Then she smiled at me and said, "This was fun." I smiled back and said honestly, "Yeah, it was."
She walked over to me again and gave me a hug and I slowly returned it as I heard her say, "Thanks for coming with me, Kaito. I mean it." I had to hold back a slight sigh as I smiled a little to myself and I said, "No problem, Caitlyn."
She started to walk away and smiled and waved at me when she got to the edge of the roof. I smirked and waved back before she disappeared over to the side and onto the fire escape. I slowly walked over to the edge of the building as I just watched her walking to the bus stop.
I don't know what's happening.
It's like I just constantly feel confused and I have no idea where I'm going. Like someone stranded me somewhere without a map, water, or any means to survive. I just have no idea. I've never felt anything like this before.
She stood by the bus stop sign and smiled to herself as she looked at her phone as she waited. I smiled slightly at her until she got on the bus and left.
I scratched the back of my head before slowly running my hand through my hair as I just stood there… thinking.
The next day
(Molly's POV)
Even though it was the middle of the week, Zach asked if I wanted to meet up for a burger or something.
I had my homework done, my mom wouldn't be back until tomorrow, and my dad was just going to order pizza for dinner, so I figured I'd get out of the house. That... and I wanted to see Zach again.
Also, I don't know why he was so shocked from yesterday that I said yes to going to homecoming at his high school with him. Honestly… I really like dancing and the fact that I can go to another high school and avoid seeing Nick at a dance makes it that much better. Even though he has been leaving me alone a little more since he saw me with Zach at Coney Island.
I haven't been to a dance since freshman year when I had to bandage up my foot because Kaito stepped on my foot by accident. But, I digress.
Zach and I kept eating and I couldn't help but notice something. Even though Zach was smiling, I saw something behind his expression. also he was fiddling nervously with the straw in his soda glass, just spinning it in a circle repeatedly.
"What's going on?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at him, wanting to know what's up with him. He whipped his head in my direction. "Huh?" He says, almost like he didn't hear what I said because he was so zoned out.
"Zach, are you okay? You look like you want to say something." I point out, wanting to know.
He pursed his lips as he looked away slightly before looking back at me. "Alright, you really don't have to, but… if you aren't doing anything Saturday night… my parents want you to come over for dinner, to meet you." He finally got out.
I smiled but still gave him a skeptical look as I said, "Yeah, I'd like that. But, why do you sound so hesitant about me meeting your parents? They can't be that bad."
"No, it's not my parents... It's Walt." He says, still looking hesitant about the idea. I remembered everything Zach told me about his brother and that they aren't really considered close, at least not anymore.
"Zach, I've caught and put away more criminals than I can count. I think I can handle it." I say, completely confident.
Besides, Zach and I have been seeing each other a lot lately and he's met my parents several different times. I haven't even met anyone in Zach's family yet and I feel like it's only fair and seems right that I should meet his parents too. Especially if they're even nice enough to invite me over for dinner, giving me the impression that his parents really want to meet me.
Also, as much as Zach looks hesitant about me meeting his brother, I could also see that he did want me to meet his family, or at least his parents.
Zach leaned forward at the table. "Sure about it?" Zach asks, looking really hesitant. "Zach, it's just dinner. I'm pretty sure I can handle it." I say, giving him a knowing look, and that got him to laugh.
Seriously, I'm a kunoichi and a vigilante… I'm pretty sure I can handle Zach's older brother no problem.
Hope you guys enjoyed the look at a morning in Mikey and Irma's house and the sibling interactions between their sons. Also, looks like there's something going on between Kaito and Caitlyn, possibly? Also, I hope you enjoyed the short Zach and Molly interaction at the end. But I'll leave it to you guys to give your views on the interactions. Thank you guys again so much for taking the time to read and reviews are always appreciated.
Stay classy everyone!
Dexter1995
