Your Smile, Bert

"How've you been Laycie?" Bert's mother asked me.

"Fine. Just babysitting Bert," I said smiling.

"At least if he's with you I know he's no in much trouble." she sighed.

"I keep him in line." I said.

"Who me?" Bert asked.

"Yeah you." his mother said, "You better hope your dad doesn't smell that pot on your clothes."

Bert groaned. "You can still smell it?"

"I did when you walked in."

"Well, Laycie tried to stop me."

"You need to listen to her."

Bert's dad walked in the house. "There's the son that decides not to come home." he said.

Bert sighed. "Laycie was just leaving."

"I was?" I asked nearly pushing me out the door. He came outside with me. "I 'd walk you home but I better not."

"It's alright." I said and gave him a tight hug. He kissed me softly.

I wanted to stay in that moment. But, he turned around and went to the door.

I walked home alone. Alone was kind of nice and kind of peaceful. The first time I've been alone in a while. I noticed the scenery more. It's actually a quite nice day. Early fall and warm.

That reminds me that Halloween is soon. I love Halloween. Gee, Mikey, Bert, and me always help out at this haunted house that raises money for the nursing home. It's really fun...

Made me think about Bert again.

I arrived back at my dads a little too soon.

"Is he gone?" Jennifer asked.

"Yeah, he is..." I said going up the stairs.

"Laycie..." Gerard said.

I looked into his room. "What?"

The cool thing about this house is, everything is down stairs except Mikey and Gerard's bedroom then mine.

"Don't take it out on me." Gerard said.

"I wasn't! Jesus!" I said entering his room. "Now, what did you want?"

"I like Bert and all but that's as much as I can do." Gerard said.

I sat on Mikey's bed across from Gee. "I know." I sighed.

"You like Bert as more then a friend..." he said. "Don't you?"

"What?"

"You do."

"What?" I mean, I do...but I don't. I can't...