Pretend (49 page)

             
"So can
I
," he whispered as he looked me up and down.

             
"Yeah but I'm not scared of you sweetheart," I said sarcastically.

             
"R
eally?
Just wait till you get back tonight, let's see if those words still roll off of your tongue so easily," he said as he began to smirk.

             
I should probably start worrying now, I sense tickling.

             
"Yeah, yeah.
Well as much as I would love to stand here talking to you all day, I think I had better be going now," I said.

             
"Ok, I'll be waiting up," he said as he winked at me.

             
"Ok, bye," I said as I walked away with a smile plastered across my face.

             
How did he still have my stomach doing back
flips?

             
"Ready?" Kyle said as he smiled at me and got into his car.

             
"Yup," I said before slipping in myself.

             
The journey to Kyle's house wasn't very long and was pretty much spent in silence, other than the odd comment about school.

             
"Home, sweet, home," he said as he pulled up outside of his house.
I smiled at him and then slipped out of the car. I was so excited to see Mimi that I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face.

             
"Wow, he has you smiling that much?" Kyle asked as we walked up his path.

             
"He does but it's not him," I said.

             
"Oh
, t
hen
why do you look so happy
?" He asked in a confused tone.

             
"Mimi, I've missed her," I said as the excitement ran through my entire body.

             
"Of course, I s
hould have known. I'm sure
that
she'll be just as happy to see you when she finds out that you're here," he said with a smile on his face.

             
"She doesn't know?"

             
"Nope, I thought that it would be a nice surprise," he said as he opened the front door with his key.

             
"April," Mrs Edwards said as soon as she seen me walk through the door.

             
"Hi," I said as I felt her arms tighten around me.

             
"It's so lovely to see you sweetheart. Billy, look who's here," she shouted.

             
"Thank you," I replied as I listened to the footsteps that were heading in the direction of the hall.

             
"Oh my, it's April. So how did this silly boy manage to win you back? I mean, I for one am happy, I didn't take to that other girl one bit," he said as I felt my cheeks heat up.

             
"Oh Billy be quiet, you're embarrassing the poor girl," Mrs Edwards said as she slapped his arm.

             
"I'm only telling the truth hone
y. You can’t say that you actually liked that Rochelle girl can you?"

             
"Well
,
that isn't really important is it and her name was Rachel," Mrs Edwards said as she glanced at me with sympathy.

             
"Rochelle, Rachel who cares, I'm just glad that this boy has finally come to his senses. Seen the light he has," he said as he gave Kyle two, stern pats on the back.

             
"She's not my girlfriend dad," Kyle said in a frustrated tone.

             
"Huh?" Mr Edwards asked in a state of confusion.

             
"We're just friends Mr Edwards," I said in a bid to mask Kyle's annoyance.

             
"Oh
,
I see," he muttered as his face went a bright shade of red.

             
"I tried to warn you, you silly man," Mrs Edwards said, quietly.

             
"She
's come to see Mia," she
continued.

             
"Oh
,
well that's lovely isn't it," he said as he shifted his eyes from me to his wife.

             
"It is, now why don't you let these kids go on upstairs and go back to whatever you were doing," she said as more of an order.

             
"Yes honey, see you kids later."

             
"Bye Mr Edwards," I said before following Kyle who was already making his way up the stairs.

             
"Sorry," Mrs Edwards mouthed as I glanced back at where she was stood.

             
"It's ok," I whispered before continuing up the stairs
.
That was very
awkward
,
however the whole Rochelle or Rachel line did put a sneaky smile on my face.

             
"Sorry about that, I know how embarrassing that must have been for you," Kyle said as I continued to follow behind him.

             
"No, it was fine," I lied.

             
"April, I know you too well to even believe that response," he said.

             
"Ok, it was pretty embarrassing but no harm done," I replied as we walked towards Mimi's room.

             
"Ok, wait out here for a minute," he whispered before pushing Mimi's bedroom door open and walking in.

             
I nodded my head and waited patiently.

             
"Jeez Kyle
,
you're supposed to knock, I am a girl you know," she huffed as he stepped inside of her bedroom.

             
"Sorry squirt but I have a surprise for you," he said as he let out a small laugh.

             
"Why didn't you say, step into my office," she replied as I silently began laughing.

             
Mimi was quite possibly the funniest child that I knew.
 

             
"
Mmm
,
I'm not sure if I can give it you just yet," he said, teasing her of course.

             
"Oh please Kyle, please, please
please
!" She shouted in excitement.

             
"Ok, ok calm down. You can have it now," he said before I walked into her pink room.

             
"April!" She screamed as the excitement filled her face.

             
"Hello baby," I said before sitting on her bed and throwing my arms around her.

             
"I've missed you," I said.

             
"I missed you too, I didn't think that I was going to see you again because of Kyle," she said as she scowled at him.

             
"Nothing would stop me from seeing you," I said as I smiled at her.

             
"Good because I've got some things to tell you!" She said as she bounced on her bed in excitement.

             
"Ok then, tell me," I said as I began to giggle.

             
"
Erm
..." She said as she raised her eyebrow at Kyle and folded her arms across her chest.

             
"This is girl stuff, you need to go now," she said in a serious voice.

             
"Ok, ok, I'm gone," he said as he walked out of the door laughing.

             
"Now
that
he's gone we can get down to business," she said with a huge grin on her face.

             
"Mimi you're like a woman trapped in a child's body," I said as I began laughing.

             
"
Mmm
,
I'm guessing that's a good thing. Anyway I have to tell you about Tommy," she said, smiling.

             
"Who's Tommy?" I asked as I stared at her.

             
"Well he's sort of my bo
yfriend," she said as she began
giggling.

             
"Oh is that right?" I asked in a motherly tone.

             
"Yeah and he made me a card when I was in hospital and him and his mom brought it here," she said as she started bouncing on the bed again.

             
"Well he sounds nice," I said as I stroked her head and smiled at the idea of seeing her wire free.

             
"He is, he always gives me crayons, he lets me use his ruler and he let me use his Spider Man rubber before. That's his favourite
one
and he never gives it to anyone," she said with a huge grin on her face.

             
"Oh wow, he sounds great," I said as I continued to smile.

             
"He is, now enough about guys can you play with me?" She asked as she pushed a Barbie doll into my hands.

             
"Ok," I said as I looked down at her sorting out some doll’s clothes neatly on her bed.

             
"We're playing shopping," she finally said when she was finished.

             
This should be fun I thought to myself as I got into role and did my best dolly voice.

* * *

             
After I had played several different games with Mimi, Mrs Edwards made us an amazing dinner. There was rice, lamb,
veg
and beautiful gravy. She said that the gravy was a secret recipe passed down through the generations. I gue
ss that since me and Kyle
were
no longer together,
my chances of ever discovering it
were
very slim
.

             
"Right
,
time for bed," Mrs Edwards said as she stood to her feet.

             
"But mom I want stay up and play with April some more," Mimi pleaded.

             
"No, no, the doctor said plenty of rest and besides April's probably tired now," she said as she picked her up in her arms.

             
"Don't worry baby I'll come back again
,
ok?"

             
"Ok," she said as she rubbed her sleepy eyes.

             
I gave her a quick hug and kiss
,
and waved her goodbye.

             
"Night," we all said as Mr and Mrs Edwards, and Mimi went off to bed leaving me and Kyle sat in the front living room, watching the TV.

             
"That was nice," I said as I turned back around to face Kyle.

             
"Yeah, like old times," he said with a smile on his face.

             
Suddenly I felt the vibration of my phone
.

             
“Sorry,” I whispered before unlocking the screen to see who the text was from.

             
I think I M-word
you
lol

             
As I read the text from Aiden a huge smile took over my face and I completely forgot where I was.

             
I’m sorry but I don’t know what the ‘M’ word is...

             
I knew
what it was
reall
y but this was much more fun than
admitting it.
After a few seconds I felt my phone vibrate again.

             
Oh I think you do...

             
I quickly typed back in excitement.

             
Well if you can’t tell me then maybe I’ll just stay out all night
             
and then you can ‘M’ word me some more.

             
I giggled, quietly as I re-read my message.

             
You’re really going to make me admit this?
Lol