Page 6 of Tempting Venom
I don’t really smile much. My teachers have told Mom I’m a withdrawn child. Bright but quiet. Intelligent but not social.
It’s not that I don’t want to smile, I just don’t like smiling for no reason like other kids do.
But this fairy-like boy is different. His hyper energy is contagious, and I want to be friends.
See what he does aside from climbing trees.
Maybe I’ll be able to smile more if he’s my friend.
“Wow. You look so pretty when you smile.” He placeshis pointer and middle fingers at the corners of my mouth and pulls. “You should smile all the time—Oh, found you!”
He releases me and chases a squirrel, who climbs a tree before he can reach it.
“Do you live here?” I ask in a low tone.
Maybe he’s my brother.
Dad said I can’t meet them, but this boy was right here in the tree. I couldn’t ignore him.
The boy shakes his head, his gaze drifting up to the branches above. “I came to play with Leo, but he’s sick, so I’m just having fun on my own.”
I follow him as he slowly circles the tree. “Who’s Leo?”
“Uncle Andrew’s son.”
Dad’s son? One of my brothers?
“Are you Leo’s cousin?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know him?”
“Dad and Uncle Andrew are friends, so Leo and I are friends, I guess. But Leo’s always so sick lately, and I don’t think he’ll be able to go to school anymore.” He stops abruptly, spinning back toward me, and I catch myself before I collide with him. “Why areyouhere?”
I lift a shoulder, not wanting to seem too uncool by talking about my parents fighting.
“Come on.” He straightens. “Why can’t you tell me?”
My gaze flits to the flowers in my hand.
The boy looks to either side of him, then leans in to whisper, “Is it a secret? Is it? I cantotallykeep a secret. I swear.”
“It’s not a secret.”
His shoulders hunch. “Then you can tell me.”
“Well, it’s my birthday, and Mom brought me here to see my dad. That’s all.”
His eyes widen, excitement bursting through them like a rush. “Your dad lives here? Are you going to live here, too? Will I see you when I come over?”
“I don’t…think so. My mom and dad don’t live together.”
“Aw.” He pats my shoulder softly. “They divorced, too?”
“I guess.”
“That’s okay. We can still be friends, right?”
