My Presence Won't Be Ignored

I knocked on my friend, Stefanie's, front door, waiting for her to answer. As soon as she opened the door, she held a finger up to her lips and whispered quietly,

"Shh! We're playing hide and seek and if she knows that I have help right now, we'll have to start over again."

"Who's we?" I asked her softly, laughing to myself.

"My friend's four year old daughter. Now come on!" Stef said, sounding slightly exhausted.

"Alright," I sighed while stepping inside, closing the door behind me gently. I slipped my shoes off and followed her up the carpeted steps.
I heard slight giggling downstairs so I touched Stef's shoulder and pointed towards her basement. She gave me this hand signal as to say what are you waiting for?! Go! so I descended the first set of steps, Stefanie not far behind me. I waited a little bit as I stepped on the beige carpet of her main floor. She quickly passed me and bounded quietly down the last pair of steps, the giggles spectacularly stopping.

I followed her, slowly, down the stairs to look for this little girl. I rounded the bottom of the staircase to see Stefanie slowly peeking behind every piece of furniture in her sight. I saw a little flash of flowing, copper hair swish beside me and hide in the office. I was just about to go into the room and let her know that I had found her, but then I thought about it and remembered how little she was, and how she didn't know me. I thought about how freaked out I would be if I were four years old and some strange guy came into where I was hiding.

"Stefanie," I whispered harshly to my friend. I saw her head snap up to look at me.

"What?" she asked, wiping a few pieces of blonde hair out of her face.
I pointed into the room that I was currently standing a few feet from and mouthed in there. Stef stood up and walked as softly as possible over to the room.

"Where, oh where, could Alyssa be?" as soon as she spoke those words, she quickly picked up the little red head from behind the computer desk.

The little girl squealed in Stef's arms as she was carried out of the room and onto the couch. "You, missy, are WAY too good at hiding!" Stef told her as she started tickling the little girl.

"STEF!" Alyssa laughed. "Stop it! I can't breathe!" As Stefanie took her hands away, I could see Alyssa with a big smile across her little face.

As soon as Stefanie pulled her hands away from Alyssa, the little girl took a look at me with a curious expression evading her facial features, "Who are you?"

"I'm Brian, who are you?" I asked her, smiling.

"I'm Alyssa; that's Stefanie. Why are you here?" she asked, saying whatever came to her mind.

Little kids always seemed to do that for some reason. "I'm here to see Stefanie; we're friends."

"Who drew those? My mom always told me not to write on myself," she gleamed proudly.

I couldn't help but laugh a little, "There was a guy at a store that drew them for me. They're permanent. Want to see?" I asked as I knelt down on the carpet padding beneath my body.

Alyssa looked up at Stefanie as if asking if it was okay. Stef nodded her head as Alyssa pulled herself off of the couch and stood next to me. She put her hand on my arm, tracing the lines of my tattoos. She started rubbing at them with her tiny hands and then groaned, "They don't come off! My mom would hate that! Why do you have makeup on? I thought only girls wear makeup."

Stefanie chuckled at the little girl's spit-fire questions and then announced, "Alright, Alyssa. It's time for your nap, come on." When Alyssa whined, Stefanie reminded her that I'd be here when she woke up and she could ask me more questions then. "Say bye to Brian."

"Bye Brian!" she smiled and waved slightly.

"Bye Alyssa. Sleep well," I smiled back at her.
"I'll be right back," Stefanie smiled as she followed Alyssa up and into her spare room.

As soon as they were out of sight, I stepped into the kitchen to grab a beer out of the fridge. I grabbed one for Stef, too, and walked into the living room, waiting for her to return. As I saw her walk down the stairs, I opened my mouth to speak, "So, she's cute."

"Yeah, but she's a handful," Stef laughed. As she sat down, I offered her the beer, but she declined, claiming that while watching Alyssa, she didn't want to drink.

"She's really sweet, though. I felt bad; she's not used to not being around her mom. Kinda freaked out when she found out that her mom was leaving her here."

"Poor kid," I muttered before I brought the bottle up to my lips and tipped it back slightly. Awkward silence set in after that. Which was weird; normally that doesn't happen with my friends and me. A while later, I asked,

"Do you watch after Alyssa often?"

"Not too often, no. It's just that her mom needed a night out tonight, and she didn't know who to let Alyssa stay with. I love the girl, so I offered. Now that that's out of the way; it's Friday, Gates! Why aren't you out and about?" Stef inquired.

"Eh, not too much to do. Shads is hanging with Val, Johnny and Jimmy went to a club with their girls, and Zacky's out with Gena somewhere, I think. I really need a girl," I laughed bitterly as I took another huge gulp from the bottle.

"How about two girls? Spend the night over here with Lyssa and myself. Could be fun…I'm sure Alyssa would love doing your hair and makeup. Hell, I need an adult to keep me company until Corey gets back in town," she winked at me and then ran upstairs. I bet she missed him at times like these. Those two had been talking about having kids non-stop for a good sixth months. Stef trudged back down a few minutes later with a sleepy looking Alyssa not too far behind, a small bear clutched in her teeny hands.

"Weren't you here before?" Alyssa asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Yeah, I was. I think I'm staying for a bit," I smiled up at Stef.

"Really?!" she squealed.

"Yeah, I think so," I turned my attention back to the red head that was now standing directly in front of me. "What's the name of your bear?"

"I didn't name him yet! Help me name him!" she demanded. I chuckled at her audacity.

"Lyssa," Stefanie warned. "Say please."

"Please help me name him?" Alyssa asked, making the cutest, most innocent face.

"Alright, I'll help," I laughed slightly.

After we had figured out a name for her bear, we just kinda sat around and talked- or in Alyssa's case- giggled. She was really talkative, but when she wasn't talking, she was usually giggling like crazy. She loved the color purple, loved being around her mom, and adored anything colorful. I found out her favorite pizza was just plain cheese pizza. I found this out because when Stefanie asked what kind of pizza to get, that's all she'd say. And then she made sure that I said cheese, too.

Sitting in the living room after dinner, I looked at Stefanie and Alyssa talking. Just made me think how much I missed Michelle. She and I always talked about possibly having kids together. That never happened, obviously. She found someone that was better for her. Far be it from me to keep her from being happy. But I decided I didn't want to dwell on the past, so I quickly left the living room in search of the bathroom. I quickly did my business and left, but not after taking a good look in the mirror.

My long hair needed to be re-donebadly. As soon as I entered the living room, I quickly made my presence known,

"I need to dye my hair. I'm going to run to the store; it's only five thirty. Do you guys want to come with?"

"Why do you want to kill your hair?" Alyssa asked honestly.

I chuckled slightly at her response, "I'm not going to kill it, Lyssa. I have to color it."

"But you just said that you wanted to die it."

"The kind of dye I was talking about is spelled d-y-e; not d-I-e. I need to color it. There's a special thing at the store that I need to get to color it. Do you guys want to come with?" I tried again.

"Yeah! I want to dye my hair, too!" Alyssa exclaimed.

"You can't dye your hair, sweetie. Your mother wouldn't be happy with me," Stefanie sighed, glaring at me. She gave me this, 'what is wrong with you?!' look.

"Oh Stefanie, lighten up. We'll get her the dye that washes out when you wash your hair," I retaliated. "She'll just wash her before bed or something."

"Fine, let me go grab her car seat," Stefanie sighed, defeated. She mouth a quick 'you owe me' before heading out the door.

"Come on, Alyssa. I say we should either put blue or green in your hair, what do you think?" I asked.

"I can color my hair blue?!" Alyssa asked, wide eyed. I nodded and she squealed, "I want blue hair!"

"Alright, let's go," Stef said as she poked her head through the door way.

Thirty minutes and 2 containers of hair dye later, we were all back at the house and up in the bathroom. Alyssa was sitting on the closed toilet as I stood in front of the mirror, a towel over my shoulders, and had Stefanie helping me out slightly with dying my hair. I only asked for her help 'cause I can never get it right on my own for some reason. Yeah, I'm in my twenties and I can't dye all of my hair on my own; kiss my ass.

Normally Gena helps me, but since Stef has helped Corey with his multiple times, I figured she could help. As soon as it was all in where it needed to be, I crouched down in front of Alyssa, shaking the silver can of dark blue dye.

"I think we should do blue streaks. That would look awesome! How do you want it dyed?" I asked.

"Blue stripes!" Alyssa smiled. "I'm gonna look like you!"

"Something like that," I responded. "Alright, close your eyes so this doesn't get in your eyes, 'kay?"

"Okay," she spoke as she squinted her eyes tightly, making her whole face scrunch up.

I sprayed stripes in her hair, each about an inch apart. When I was done with it a good twenty minutes later or so, I told her she could open her eyes. I grabbed a small mirror to hand to her so she could look at it as I stood up in front of the wall mirror again. I was about to go lean over the side of the tub to wash my dye out, when I felt Alyssa tug at my jeans. I looked down and she had a gigantic smile plastered across her face,

"THANK YOU!" she shrieked as she opened her arms, waiting for a hug. I bent down slightly, hugging her quickly and then pulled away before I rubbed some of her blue out of her hair, or getting my black hair dye all over her clothes. I leaned over the tub, adjusting the temperature of the water and then pulling the shower head down to my own head so I could start rinsing the black dye out of my hair. I heard someone faintly lean down next to me while I was washing the stuff out of my hair.

"Why is the water turning black?" I heard a quiet voice ask.

"It's the extra dye that's not staying in Brian's hair," I knew Stef was explaining to Alyssa.

After everything was washed out of my hair, and I had combed through it and what not, I tried to do something with it without having to straighten it, but my hair just went back to it's natural wave. I followed Stef and Alyssa out of the bathroom, and then lost track of them. I just took a seat in the living room. By this time, I realized it was already 8 o'clock. I looked over at Stef when I heard her walk down the stairs and she just nodded. I was confused at first, but then I saw Alyssa come downstairs with a bunch of hair stuff. I really hadn't wanted to deal with that right then, but the little girl had to go to sleep soon, didn't she? Or maybe, if I was lucky, she'd just pass out from exhaustion?

That whole night, up until 9:30, was spent with her experimenting on my hair, and then taking pictures so she could show off her new blue hair. She was going to make a good teenager, though. She had an excuse as to why she needed to do my hair. "Stefanie doesn't leave her hair down, she always keeps it up in a ponytail so I can't do it! And momma doesn't like me touching her hair. She says it bugs her when people play with her hair. I don't know why."

The rest of the night, Stefanie and I just kind of…hung out. Time flew by so fast, and before I knew it, I was passed out on the recliner, a blanket folded over me, and Stef managed to drag her ass upstairs to bed.

The next morning, at eleven o'clock, I felt something jab my arm. I opened one eye slightly, revealing a little redhead smiling really wide.

"Can I help you?" and with that I closed my eye again.

"Waaaaaaaaaaake uuuuuuuuuup!" she demanded.

"It's too early. How about you go and wake Stefanie up, okay?" I asked her rhetorically, hoping that she might possibly go away, leaving me to sleep for another hour or so.

"I already woke her up! She said that you need to wake up. She told me to tell you that you slept too late already!" Alyssa laughed. "Your makeup's on your cheeks!"

I scrubbed at my face quickly, in some lame attempt to clear away the smeared makeup, "Alright, I'm up," I sighed.

"Good! LET'S DYE MY HAIR!" she screeched.

I chuckled, "Sorry kiddo. That's a once in a weekend kind of the thing. Next time I see you, we'll do it again, okay?"

She pouted before huffing and storming off, "Fine."

I shook my head slightly, thinking how much Alyssa reminded me of my sister when she was younger.

As soon as I stepped foot into the kitchen, I heard someone laugh, "Ahh. Sleeping Beauty awakes."

"Zip it," I mumbled. "It's too early to be cracking jokes like that."
"Well, it better not be. I just got a call from," Stef stopped herself. "Hey Lyssa babe? It's time to bring you home. Would you be okay if Brian brought you home?"

"Yeah," she smiled and nodded her head.

"Alright. Then why don't you go into your room and start putting your toys back in your backpack, okay?" Once Alyssa was out of the room and out of ear shot, Stef continued with a laugh, "I got a drunken call from my ass of a boyfriend. He's at the airport and wants to come home but he's way too drunk to drive. I've got to go pick him up. Will you bring Alyssa home for me? Please, I'm afraid to leave Corey alone there too long," she winced.

"Alright, I'll bring her home. Just write down the directions, yeah?"

After getting the directions, I jumped in the shower and then started to get ready. After kicking myself for not getting more clothes, I ran to Corey's closet and stole some of his stuff for a day. He won't mindor at least he shouldn't; he won't really notice, anyway. Shoving it all on without really looking at it that much, I grabbed my three belts from my pants and quickly wrapped them around myself. After I was completely dressed, I ran into the bathroom and drew eyeliner on my eyes until I could get home. Running back downstairs, I saw Alyssa and Stefanie, sitting at the kitchen table, just talking. Alyssa was talking while waving her hands around wildly in some attempt to create a better picture in Stef's head while Stefanie just sat there, wide eyed and an amused smile playing across her lips.

"Hey Lyssa. Ready to go?" I asked as she looked at me. She nodded with a smile and then grabbed her bag and ran to my car to go put it away. I walked back inside and saw Alyssa trying to wrap her tiny arms around Stefanie's middle, and Stef's arms wrapped around her back in return.

"Bye Stefanie!"

"Bye Alyssa! Tell your mom I said hi, okay?" Stefanie asked rhetorically as Alyssa grabbed my hand and started pulling me out of the house.

I soon got Alyssa in her car seat and buckled up and walked over to the drivers side to hop in, "Got everything you need?"

Alyssa nodded and mumbled a faint 'mhmm' before I started the car and backed out of the driveway. I followed the directions that Stefanie had given me, finding that it was only about a fifteen minute drive. As soon as we got to Alyssa's house, I killed the engine and jumped out of the car. When I got to Alyssa's door, she had locked the door and was laughing like a maniac inside, thinking she was hilarious locking me out of the car. I knocked on the window and mouthed "come on". She just shook her head, not liking that idea. Thinking about how stupid I was, I grabbed my keys out of my pocket without her noticing and put my hand on the door handle. As soon as she didn't have her hand anywhere near the door, I clicked unlock and opened the door,

"So you think that's funny, huh?"

She nodded her head furiously, letting a bunch of giggles escape her mouth. I laughed slightly and undid her car seat. I grabbed her out of it and helped her down. Cars that are high up plus small kids equals nothing good. I snatched her car seat out and slammed the door. I grabbed Alyssa's hand as to keep track of her and she ran up to the front door, dragging me with her. I knocked on the front door three times and waited. Not too long after, I saw a gorgeous woman with Alyssa's red hair and green eyes. Her skin slightly pale with a bit of a red tint; too much sun.

I was about to introduce myself and explain why I was holding her kids hand when Alyssa shrieked next to me, excited to see- who Im assuming to be- her mom.

"Who are you?!" she spat, grabbing Alyssa's other hand and gently yanking her inside and away from me.

"Im Brian; I'm Stefanie's friend. Stef told me to tell you that she would've brought Alyssa home herself, but her boyfriend called from the airport about half an hour ago and said he needed a ride home. Apparently he was slightly intoxicated. She said that she would've brought Alyssa home but she was afraid of what Corey would do- being drunk and what not at the airport- so she couldn't chance him being there any longer than absolutely necessary," I said, trying to fill in the gaps with what I thought Stefanie would say.

Through her scrutinizing glare, I could tell she was processing the information I just gave her, trying to figure out if it was a load of bull shit or not. Finally coming to a conclusion, she told me, "Well, thank you for dropping Alyssa off. She seems happy, so that's a good sign.

"Yeah, uh," I rubbed the back of my neck, not sure whether I should be nervous or happy that she was accepting this explanation. Then I remembered that I had set the car seat on the driveway when I closed the car door, "I'll just go get her car seat and then I'll get out of your hair."

I started walking back to my car, cursing myself internally for sounding so dumb. As soon as I walked back, I handed her the car seat. She pushed Alyssa behind her slightly. I'm not sure why, though. I mean, I had just spent a whole weekend with her and she didn't have any marks on her what so ever. I heard her soft voice speak up, "Well, thanks again. I really appreciate it."

"No problem at all," I replied truthfully. I laughed slightly, remembering her hair dye antics, "She's cool, anyway. Well, I may- or may not- see you later. Good bye?"

"Rachel," she told me and nodded solemnly.

"Well, good by Rachel. Bye Alyssa," I waved at Alyssa.

Alyssa looked up at Rachel with a slight sad look in her eye and then at me and replied with a quick, high pitch, "Bye Brian!"

I laughed softly and turned around. As I was walking away from the house, I heard the door swing shot quietly. I looked back at the blue door and smiled. Alyssa was really cool for a little girl, that's for sure. I hopped back into my car and started the engine. I drove a little while down the road and then, as I glanced in my rear view mirror once more, I noticed Alyssa's bag sitting on the backseat. I stopped over on the side of the road, grabbed the bag to set it next to me, and turned around and started driving back.

I got out of the car, this time with the bag in my hand, and ran up to the door. I rang the doorbell and waited for someone to answer it. I saw Rachel's green eyes stare at me for a second before she started walking away. I stood there dumbfounded for a second before I heard her yell slightly, "Come on in. I have to get Alyssa her lunch. You can leave your shoes on."

I walked into the kitchen after Rachel and heard her talking to Alyssa, "Hey princess! Okay, lunch will be ready in a few seconds, promise!"
I just stuck to my place in the entrance of the kitchen, not knowing what to do or say when Rachel looked at me and then said, "Sorry about this; Alyssa needs lunch. So, what can I do for you?"

"I just came by to drop this off," and then I help up Alyssa's bag from the weekend. "Where do you want it?"

"Oh, um, can you just set it on the couch for me?"

"Sure, I mumbled as I walked into the living room. I took a look around. The walls were a plain white, but she had a red couch and two black chairs. I set the bag down and then turned around. I was about to walk back into the kitchen when I noticed some pictures.

I quickly walked over to them to look at them. They were mostly of Rachel and Alyssa together during fall, hanging out in the leaves. They were definitely candid pictures. In one, Rachel was tickling her daughter's stomach, in another, Alyssa was jumping into a pile of leaves, while Rachel was doing her best to rake them back into the pile, most likely in anticipation of Alyssa jumping into them again. There were some more, but they had a guy in the picture, too. He had long-ish shaggy brown hair and bright blue eyes. He was pretty tan, contrary to mother and daughter.

I figured Rachel would find it weird if I was gone any longer so I walked back into the kitchen to see Rachel handing Alyssa her lunch, "Well, I'm gone. Maybe I'll see you later" and with that, I started walking to the front door.

I heard Rachel's voice behind me, stopping me from going any further, "Hey, wait up a second, please? Just stick around for a little if you can? I kind of want to talk to you. Alyssa has to go down for her nap after she's done here, so we can talk then."

"Alright, sure," I agreed hesitantly. I took a seat across from Alyssa.

"Hi Brian!" Alyssa cheered as she took a piece of her cut up hot dog.

"Hey kid," I smiled at her.