Is he really different ?

The last bell rang and I went to pick up Emma and Leo. They were already waiting for me. 'Hey, come on let's go,' I carried Emma and held Leo's hand and rushed to catch the bus while Emma showed me her clay giraffe. The bus just reached the station as we came, we got in and went home and I got the food I made for lunch in the morning, heated it and plated it for Emma and Leo to eat. Then went and looked at my dad's room it was empty though I always knew that it would be empty I always had a small hope that I would see him working in his room. I kept my stuff in my room and then came back down to see Mrs. Lambert my neighbor who was in her seventies sitting in the dining table talking to Leo and Emma like always. Since I started to work she came over to babysit them so I can be at ease she was the only neighbor who actually wanted to help me. She always was felt as my grandma to me as she would make pie every Sunday and bring it over to our place. 'Thank you MJ,' I said leaving them to her and stepping out of the house. As I walked down a few blocks I saw a moving truck and a lot of boxes being emptied out from it. As I passed it a box fell out from the truck and rolled over to me, I picked it up and went towards the house and a lady came to me smiling 'Thank you darling,' 'Your new here,' 'Yes just moved in yesterday,' ' If you need any help I would be more than happy to lend a hand,'' Thank you,' and saying so I started to move the boxes from the trunk to the porch of the house.

After we finished moving them in I saw a box filled with trophies that was earned for swimming and lot of other merits and also for championships and the lady saw me looking at it and said ' My son's,' ' He must make you proud,' 'Oh yeah he does he should be home by now though,' and she was right, a jeep drew up in front of the house and Jayden stepped out, seeing my surprised face the lady introduced me to her son 'Mrs. Elroy ,' 'You can call me Kate, do you know him,' 'Who wouldn't ,' I said smiling. 'I didn't know you could be so kind sharpe tongue,' Jayden half yelled from a distance and I looked at him annoyed. As he came closer I told 'Kate I need to get going see you later I guess,' ' Thanks again dear,' she said as I walked pass her and Jayden. 'Where are you going,' 'To the café,' 'I can drive you there ,' 'I'll walk,' 'Then I'll walk with you,' 'Your choice,' and he walked beside me staring at me. We reached the café and before he could push the door for me I pushed it and went straight to start my work. I got behind the counter and put on a apron as he sat down 'You work here,' ' Surprise,' saying so I started to wait tables while he did nothing except watch as I waited, made their food, cleaned the used tables and at last came to clean the counter where Jayden sat. 'Honestly what are you doing?' 'Why, am I not allowed stay,' 'You tell me, do you randomly come to a café ,order nothing and just sit and wait for at least two hours,' which made me feel warm for some reason 'Fine , I'll have a latte,' I raised my eyebrows 'Your mad that I didn't order so I ordered,' I shook my head and made him a latte when I gave it to him I saw that he noticed my scars on my hand he looked at me and then I thought he might make a fuss about it but he just sipped his latte.

My shift went for five hours and through the whole shift he just sat there looking at me. I finished everything and came to the counter and wiped my forehead and saw that it was dark already all the customers were gone. I took off my apron and Jayden got up and followed me out as I locked the door.' I'm surprised that you can walk,' 'Well though I can walk I can't partially feel my legs,' he said, I laughed and we were on are way home he stopped in front of his house and 'Where do you live, I'll walk you home,' 'It's fine it's anyway only a few blocks from here,' ' Are I sure ,' 'I'm perfectly capable of walking myself,' saying so I turned but before I began to walk he yelled 'I didn't get your name,' 'You don't just get it you earn it,' ' And you think I'm still not worth it ,' 'Well I guess not,' ' Yet,' he added as I started to walk home. When I reached MJ was still there with Emma and Leo having dinner and as she saw me come in. She got up 'Good night dears see you tomorrow,' and left closing the door behind her. I went and sat on the table and served myself some rice and ate. Then I washed all the dishes including theirs and got there books to see whether they have done there homework as always Emma had done her coloring and Leo had left his math. I looked at the sums ' Didn't I teach you this last week,' ' Yeah but it's a bit confusing ,' ' Leo I'm serious your gonna stay up with me and get it done,' then I got up again washed myself up, tucked Emma and kissed her goodnight and with my books I came and sat down in the dining table to help Leo and to finish my own homework. We were up until at least 10 and I told Leo to go to bed as he couldn't keep his eyes open for another minute then I started to do my work. The time passed and I made some coffee and kept refilling my cup over and over until the whole jug was over, It was twelve in the midnight when I finally finished and went to bed. I laid on my back and stared at my celling blankly as I couldn't get enough sleep since recently. It's been a while since I got any sleep at all and felt that this house was my home though I always tried to make this a home instead of a house to Emma and Leo. When they needed someone I was always there and I trusted them more than anyone I always knew because they were just kids they didn't have the gut or skills to lie to me.

Trust always came at a huge cost to me so being vulnerable, and weak came to me at greater cost. I never let my guard down since my mom left but it's always not easy to wear a mask. My mom used to say that if they can see where your makeup ends and your face starts your blending it wrong and when you do it wrong the more vulnerable you be as well so I gradually started to blend my makeup with my face perfectly and keep it on no matter what because it was never a choice.