HIS SIDEKICK

46.) Secret, Secret

I laughed at Reggie's shocked expression, before pulling out my phone and recording his O shaped mouth as he looked up. I angled the camera phone to the ceiling to show the stuck waffle on the ceiling. I laughed, posting the video to my Snapchat and tucking my phone in my back pocket.

"I never thought I'd meet someone as bad at cooking as me, but I guess I've met my match." I giggled.

"Oh please, I actually wanted that to happen." He grinned, bumping my arm with his elbow. 

"Yeah right." I snorted. 

I watched him as he poured the second serving of mix into the waffle cut out. "So, what's been going on with you?" I asked him.

He glanced at me, before focusing his attention at what he was doing. "I'm just not like everybody else." His voice all of a sudden got serious. "I can't just get over Mikey's de-

He cut himself off. "I can't act like nothing ever happened." He explained. 

"I know Reg. None of us have." I rested my palm on his shoulder in an attempt to soothe him. 

"You know Shawn... don't tell him I told you this, but he's not just smoking weed anymore." He sighed. 

"It's hard taking care of myself already, but taking care of a teenager. One who just lost his brother? I can't- his voice broke off in his throat. 

"I'm sorry, can you?" He dropped the spatula, motioning for me to take over. 

I muttered a quick 'yes,' before grabbing the handle and flipping it over. 

"As much as I love Shawn, he's not your responsibility." I told him. 

He scoffed, lifting his cowboy hat. He ran a hand through his hair before pulling it back down. "You don't understand. We are brothers, he is my responsibility." For the first time in a long time Reggie was actually letting me in. 

I could almost physically see the burden he was carrying and the affect of it in his eyes. He was carrying the world on his shoulders. and I didn't even know it. 

"Fine." I shrugged. "If he's your responsibility than he's mine too." I shoved the spatula under the waffle, sliding it on the plate next to the stove. 

I turned to see his perplexed expression. I placed a hand on my hip like a stubborn mom. "Mhm, you guys are going to move in here- well I would have to ask the Mr. and Mrs. Scott first, but as soon as I get the okay you guys are moving in so I can help you keep and eye on him." I hummed.

"Do you think they would say yes?" He gripped the countertop like an excited toddler. 

I smiled at him, "Yes." 

*****

"Absolutely not." 

"Mrs. Scott, if I must. I've noticed a decline in Jaxon's mood lately, and when I asked him what was wrong he told me he just missed his friends.. and you know I wouldn't be asking if I thought that it wasn't super necessary." 

"Jaxon can have friends over during the day, those are the rules." She replied, sternly. 

I held in my frustration, before readjusting the phone to my ear. She was practically yelling in it! 

"Mrs. Scott, Jaxon won't be walking for months and he's already lost so many friends." Since plan A was a no go, I figured I'd resort to plan B instead.. the guilt trip.

"He worry's so much that I'm afraid he might need to take some anxiety medicine. His hands are beginning to shake a lot, and his heart rate was out of control last night."

"And I care about your son which is why I came to the conclusion that his friends must move in. Without them, I don't know how long we will have our version of Jaxon... The version we both love." I finished with a mental high-five. I could do this for a living if I wasn't already chasing after a  degree in computer design. 

I silently cheered as I heard a sigh come from her mouth. She's caving..

"I suppose his friends could stay in the guest rooms till we get back to Missouri." 

"Thank you, Mrs. Scott. I'm sure Jaxon will be glad to hear it." I tried to keep my professionalism until I heard the dial tone of her hanging up. 

I swung the door open to the kitchen before holding both my arms up in victory.

"They agreed?" Reggie stood up from the island, excitedly. 

"Pack your bags cause you and Shawn are moving to Casa de Jaxon's house!" I cheered, pulling him into a hug.

"Thank you, Jasmine." He hummed in my ear. 

I squeezed him tighter as a way to tell him 'you're welcome.' 

As if on cue the door to the kitchen flung open. I turned around at the motion before making eye contact with the one and only Ryder. 

I sensed Reggie tensing beside me at his entrance, but I didn't say anything. 

"It looks like your swellings gotten worse, you should put some ice on that." He grumbled, picking up a waffle from the counter and throwing it in his mouth.

"Don't tell her when and where to put anything." Reggie fumed next to me. 

"Jesus dude, I didn't realize it was a sin to give someone advice." Ryder eyed him, before brushing past him with his shoulder. 

Reggie turned to face him, but before he could do anything I jumped in between them. 

"Please don't." I spoke sternly to Reggie, pushing a firm hand in his stomach, 

"What's your problem dude?" Ryder asked, cluelessly. 

I rolled my eyes, before turning to face him. " I told him." I blurted, crossing my arms. 

"I thought we were telling Jaxon and Riley." 

"Yeah, well I told Jaxon and Reggie. It's up to you to tell Riley." I said, before grabbing Reggie by the wrist and pulling him in the direction of the kitchen door.

The door to the kitchen opened up to reveal a nappy headed Riley standing in the frame. "It's up to you to tell me what?" She asked with her arms crossed. 

Oh shit.

Reggie gasped in shock at her sudden appearance, but I held mine back in an attempt to look less guilty. It was Ryders responsibility to tell her. Not because I was too scared, but because that's what we agreed on. 

Right? I wasn't too scared to tell Riley.. I could tell her anything. But could I tell her something that would crush her? Could I tell her something that might break her?