His blanket dragged on the ground behind him, and his mind was filled with the moments he had just spent with Brianna. Kaile opened the door and waltzed into the room, a smile plastered on his face.
Mrs. Hopeful whipped her head around, "Where were you young man? You're late for your piano lessons! Nikiole and I have been waiting for you!"
"Oh, I'm sorry Mrs. Hopeful." Kaile looked down at the floor and started to fiddle with his blanket.
"You better be! Now sit down and start practicing! We don't have all day."
Nikiole bent down to Kaile's level, "Actually we kinda do!"
He giggled and sat down on the piano bench, starting with the first few notes of a melody. He closed his eyes and pictured a warm summer's day. The song sounded like dewdrops falling from one flower petal to another, crisp and calming. Nikiole slowly added in a hum of her own, complimenting each part of the tune. Together, the music was enough to soothe both of their minds and worries.
"Stop!" Mrs. Hopeful snapped.
Kaile looked down his hands, "Did we play badly again? I'm sorry-"
"Yes, you played that note off Kaile! The more I think about it, the more I realize you weren't even in the right key!"
Kaile looked up at Mrs. Hopeful, his eyes big and his muscles tensed, "I'm sorry, I-I can do better-"
"He only hit one wrong note!" Nikiole interjected.
"Does it matter? He still hit the wrong key! It wasn't perfect!"
"So? It doesn't have to be perfect! He's only five and he can still play better than you!" Nikiole and an angry expression on her face and her arms were crossed.
"You little- If you sass me again I'm going to put you back in that-"
Kaile's eyes started to flood, "Nikiole! Mrs. Hopeful! Can you please stop fighting! I-I....I don't want you to get mad again." Kai looked down at his hands and started to fiddle with his fingers.
Nikiole looked over at Kaile about to go over and give him a hug, "Oh Kaile. I'm so sor-"
"Who CARES anyway! Why do I even try. At least Kaile can hold a note, and play one too!" Mrs. Hopeful stomped over to Nikiole and got in her face.
"Mama please stop!" Kaile yelled, his eyes spilling over.
"I can hold a note better than you can! That's why you never sing! Just you talking is making me sick!"
"You piece of shit, I wish I only had Kaile!"
"Enough! Please stop fighting!" Kaile jumped off the piano chair. Kaile stood there for a moment, tear makes were on his face. He clutched his blanket and held it close to his chest then ran to his bedroom.
Nikiole stared into the eyes of Mrs. Hopeful, "Look what you did. You made him cry, and it's probably because he looked at your awful face!"
"Do you want to sleep in the basement again? Don't ever speak to me that way!" She barked, poking her finger into her stomach.
"Fine! I still don't like you, and I never will! Why are you even doing this?! Both of us hate it here!"
Mrs. Hopeful crouched down to Nikiole's level, "Try and run away. I dare you. You'll have all of Octo Valley on your back, so don't even try. It's hopeless. Now, go to your room!" She stood up and crossed her arms looking towards Nikiole's room.
"I...hate you." Nikole rushed to her room, and slammed the door. She held her head tight while her eyes started to water. "...W-what are we going to do!"
While she was crying, her ears heard a small melody muffled by the wall. Nikiole opened the door, and crept through the hallway to Kaile's room.
She softly knocked on the door, "Kaile? Can I come in?" She whipped her tears.
"Yeah....sniff... Y-you can...."
"Hey," she knelt in front of him. "I'm sorry for all the yelling and screaming..."
"It's okay Nikiole... I know that you were just trying to protect me. I don't want you to get hurt at all! You're the best older sister ever!" His eyes flooded with tears. "If...If you get hurt, I wouldn't have the best person in the world right by my side! I never wanna lose you!" Kaile flung himself into his sister's arms.
Nikiole held him tightly not letting him go, "Kaile, that won't ever happen. Everything is going to be perfectly fine, okay?"
He looked in her eyes his eyes were wide and slightly Ed from crying,"You p-promise?"
A smile appeared in Nikiole's face, "Of course I do!" Nikiole scooped Kaile up and carried him to his bed. "Now I think you need some rest, you look tired."
Kaile let out a yawn, and begin to run his eyes, "But I'm not sleepy!"
"Well, I think you are!" Nikiole laid him in his bed, and brushed his tentacle out of his face.
"Okay I will go to sleep, but you have to promise me that you will..." Kaile thought for a moment, "that you will give me lots of candy!"
"I can do better than that! I'll steal it from Mrs. Hopeful, and we'll watch her face light up with shock!" Nikiole laughed.
"Yes! Thank you, Nikiole!" A smile crept onto his face.
"No problem Kaile, sleep well."
Nikiole left the room, and laid down on her own bed. Her lips curled into a grin as she felt a surge of contentment throughout her body. She knew that it was all because of Kaile, and the happiness he gave to her. He was her little brother and she never wanted to leave him.
As Nikiole laid there she felt her eyes slowly get heavy as her body was sprawled out onto her bed. Nikiole had a big smile on her face, and her thoughts about Mrs. Hopeful, slowly faded into nothing but dust in her mind.