My Mate

Chapter Four

Mom walked past the kitchen with a basket of clothes but backtracked upon seeing me sitting at the island.

I looked away from her and took another bite of my apple pie. It seems I'll be the only one enjoying it this year.

"What are you doing? Why are you home?"

Confused, I looked up at mom. "Ugh...school doesn't start until next week." I reminded her. Maybe she forgot?

"No, why are you in my house? Don't you have friends to go play with?" I stared at her with a blank expression for awhile. Did she want me to admit that I have no friends? Like none. Not even an acquaintance that I can say hi to in passing. Not even a human friend. It's embarrassing and sad really.

We heard Calvin coming long before he actually entered the kitchen. He was dressed in his usual plaid shirt and worn jeans and mom looked at his outfit with distaste.

"You should shave, sweetie." Mom suggested as Calvin opened the fridge for a bottle of water. His beard wasn't messy, at least not to me. It looked like he kept it trimmed and there was never food in it.

Calvin just shrugged in response to mom and I ate the last piece of pie on my plate.

"Torin go get dressed, you're going with Calvin."

"What?" We said together, Calvin saying it a bit more angrily. I hesitantly looked over at him. We've never really intentionally hung out. In fact, I would go as far to say he avoids going out in public with me. A fact that I use to cry about actually.

"He can't come with us." Calvin grumbled.

"And why ever not?!" Mom snapped. We all knew she was going to get her way. Biting my lip nervously, I put my dirty dishes in the sink before going up to my room.

I was hopping into a pair of jeans when I heard the now familiar rumble. Pulling back the curtains, I watched Robby pull in front of the house, ignoring the driveway. He stepped out in all black today and leaned back against his car with his arms folded over his wide chest.

When he removed his glasses and looked up at me, I stuck up my middle finger and laughed when he clutched at his chest as if in pain. Backing away, I pulled on my converse and ran back downstairs to where Calvin was still grumbling to mom.

"Bye, have fun!" Mom said, waving for Calvin to bend down so she could kiss his cheek. She didn't have to do that with me and instead had to bend down herself to kiss my cheek. I smiled and waved bye as I followed a grumpy Calvin.

Robby pushed off his car when we made it to him and raised a thick brow in question, looking between the two of us. "Mom made me bring him." Calvin said gruffly while walking around to get in the passenger seat.

"That's okay, little Torin can tag along." Robby teased.

"Thanks, Robert." I said with a cheerful smile that became genuine when his jaw ticked.

"Get in." He said, opening the door and pulling his seat up so I could climb in the back. It was a good thing I'm small because there's barely any room back here.

After I was seated, Robby fixed his seat and got in. "Buckle up." I told the both of them while buckling myself in. They grumbled but listened anyways. "So where are we going?" Truthfully, I was always excited when mom made Calvin take me with him. I finally got to hang around my big brother and I'd never say it aloud or tell him, but Robby was pretty cool too. More than a few times they'd end up ditching me somewhere but I take what I get.

"Town." Calvin said shortly.

Robby chuckled and opened the glove compartment, pulling out a cassette tape. "We're going to the fair."