-Beat up! Beat up…!-I sang as Jacob pushed the cart.
-What are you singing?
I looked at him weirdly. His dad was a big fan of the band who made this song, didn't he show it?
-Noah was your father and he didn't talk to you about this song?
-Why this song, specifically?-he asked-I know all of this band's songs, but why should I focus on this song specifically?
-If you know it then why do you ask what I'm singing?
-Shut it-he suddenly said.
I quickly got out of the cart and stood in front of him.
I tried to use our height difference to intimidate him, but he remained unfazed.
-Kid, what did you say just now?
-Shut it…-he repeated while ignoring me.
I raised my hand to pull his ear, but just as I tried to grab it, he ran away.
I was confused, not knowing what was going on.
-Jacob! If this is some type of new-gen joke, then it's not funny!-I yelled at him, trying to make him come back.
I contemplated the street in silence, wondering where he rushed off to. "Why leave Nicky though?" I thought to myself as I pondered on why he was doing that.
-Aggh, fuck it-I grunted as I began pushing Jacob's shopping cart and running in his direction.
I called for his name with all of my energy, trying to locate him.
His tracks led me to a forest, and when I got in, I kept calling for his name.
A light rustle could be heard from far away, so I started running in that sound's direction.
-Jacob! You there, kiddo?!
As soon as I screamed, trying to get a reaction out of Noah's son, someone attacked me.
I fell to the ground with someone on top of me.
The person covered my ear as I struggled to get them off of me, but when I saw my attacker's face, I calmed down.
-Can you keep quiet?-Jacob said as he applied pressure on my mouth.
As soon as I nodded, he withdrew his hand and stood up quickly. "Follow me. And be quiet" he whispered as grabbed Nicky and started pushing them.
-Jacob! What the fuck is going on?!-I whispered with an angry tone.
He made a gesture with both of his hands that I interpreted as "Be quiet and listen".
For a brief moment, I forgot about how much of a dumbass he was being and remained silent.
I tried to focus all of my attention in my surroundings, and in that moment, I heard something that left me out of place.
-Is that… a children's song?-I asked him in confusion.
Jacob nodded and then rushed forward, moving his head to the front as if he was telling me to follow him.
We ran through the forest, following the source of the song until we got to a big, fancy building.
-What does it say there?-I asked the boy as I pointed at a sign in one of the walls.
-Why the hell are you asking me? Don't you know how to read?-he said in annoyance.
Enraged, I slapped the back of his neck, trying to get some sense into him.
-Why are you being such an asshole right now?!-I whispered.
He froze in his place and started to cry.
I gasped as I saw the tears running down his face, wondering what was causing his reaction.
-Don't be so dramatic! I didn't even hit you hard!
Jacob closed his fist with all of his strength and sobbed in his place. Was he not crying about this?
-Look…-he managed to say while crying-If the person who took Kat is a sicko… then they should have captured more kids… don't you think?
I patted his head and sighed.
-Oh, Jacob…-I said as I messed his hair up-It's cute that you get all emotional about these kids, but we can't afford to get like this over strangers…
-You don't get it, do you?!-he shouted out while slapping my hand and pushing me away-What I just told you isn't some stupid shit that makes me cry! I'm saying it because if there's a bunch of kids somewhere, then she must be there!
-Who must be there?-I questioned him, still confused about what he was saying.
-Kat! The kid that I have to take care of!-he cried out as more tears started to fall out of his eyes-She has to be there… I'm sure of it…
The boy pushed Nicky against me and while saying "take care of them", he walked to the place where the kids were singing.
I grabbed Nicky by their handle and pushed it quickly to Jacob's side.
-You know…-I whispered as we walked "together"-I still don't understand why we treat Nicky with "they/them" pronouns.
He sighed at my question. A noticeable tone of irritation escaped his voice as he responded.
-It's because they are non binary… Or at least that's what the kid say…
I laughed internally. So this little asshole listened to and respected this kid? Just what did she mean to him?
-Why Nicky though?-I whispered while patting the shopping cart.
Jacob sighed again, but this time his voice didn't sound as irritated as before. Instead, he spoke in a soft (and somewhat nostalgic) tone.
-Kat says Nicky is perfect for a neutral name-he whispered.
-Why? Isn't it a female nickname? I remember your dad playing a game where the protagonist's sister was named Nicky or something…
He stopped in his tracks and turned around to stare at me awkwardly.
-Just what type of relationship you had with my dad?-the boy asked me, and as soon as I opened my mouth to answer, he spoke again-You know what? Never mind…
-Awww, don't be like that.-I scoffed before hitting his arm playfully-Now tell me why "Nicky" is the "perfect neutral name" as you say.
Jacob rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance.
-The kid says Nicky can stand for both "Nicole" and "Nicholas". So by that logic, Nicky can work as a standalone neutral name.
I laughed at his explanation. I didn't know the kid who said that, but I was pretty sure that she was so funny that we would make pretty good friends.
I kept laughing in whispers as we surrounded the building beside us, and after a few seconds, the boy covered my mouth with his hand.
I lowered my eyes to look at him, ready to beat him up. But the moment I saw him making the same gesture as before (the one he used to tell me to shut up and listen).
Accompanying our silence, the voices of kids from all ages singing flew in the air.
There was no way we could be mistaken: We had arrived at the place.
I focused all of my attention on the walls protecting the building and completely ignored Jacob. When I turned around to see him, I was surprised to see him trying to get a view of the inside while standing on Nicky.
-Jacob! What are you doing?!-I whispered.
-Isn't it obvious? I'm trying to look at the kids!
-That sounds creepy…
-Not in that way!-Jacob said before throwing a tantrum.
Due to that, Nicky swayed from one side to another. At that moment, Jacob lost balance and fell from the shopping cart.
Out of instinct, I rushed forward to catch him (since I didn't want to make any noise that could compromise us).
When I got him in my arms, he reopened his eyes and got in fetal position.
-Mom?-he asked while laughing.
-Hmmm… Perhaps…-I said in a mysterious and playful tone-Maybe if things worked out in the past, we would've been family…
As soon as I was done talking, Jacob's jaw dropped while looking at me.
Shit! Did I say too much? Was he gonna ask me a lot of stuff about what I just said?
-Hey, Layla.-he said while staring deeply into my soul-What did you just say?
-Nothing, hehe…
Fuck! I knew he was gonna do that.
The boy kept staring at me until he heard the kids singing again. At that moment, he took a deep breath and tried to get on top of Nicky one more time.
-Let's postpone this conversation for later, ok?-he said while trying to peep over the walls.
I looked at his short body trying to reach over the walls and I laughed internally.
-Kid!-I whispered before putting him down-With that body of yours you won't be able to see shit!
I crouched in front of him and pointed at my back.
-Hop on! That way we'll both be able to get a proper view inside.
At first he gave me a disgusted stare, but after realizing that it was the only way in which he could look for the kid, he complied.
-Damn, you smell just like him…-I claimed as his body got close to mine.
-Please tell me you're not talking about my dad…
I remained silent, trying to ignore his question. However, he used my silence as an answer to his question, so I had messed up anyways.
-Again, let's just postpone our conversation for both of our sakes.
-Yeah…-I whispered in an awkward tone.
With all of my strength, I got on top of Nicky and peeped over the wall.
As soon as our heads managed to get above the wall, Jacob kicked his feet in excitement.
-She's there! She's there!-he said in a low yet excited tone before tears started to fall from his eyes-We finally got to her… Finally…