1 THE FIRST DAY I MET YOU

A few years ago.

[EROS' POV]

"Ros, are you ready?"

I nodded my head, unsure if agreeing with mom will make everything okay.

"Don't act rude, okay? I know you are polite and nice but making that face will look like you are rude." My mom said.

We are here in an orphanage, we are both wearing casual attire. We are both looking good especially mom, because she wears make-up all the time, to make herself presentable, even when she's seeing someone or not.

"Good morning, Mrs. Beckett. Nice meeting you again, you're quite early today."

A middle-aged woman greets us.

My mom smiles and the middle-aged woman looks at me and smiles, "You must be, Eros. You're a good-looking young man! My name is Darcy but you can just call me, sister."

"Sister?" I mumbled.

Maybe because she's a nun, the one who runs the orphanage, as I remember when mom is explaining before we went here. The middle-aged woman sounds nice and friendly or should I say, sister.

"See? I told you, he's fine like myself." My mom chuckles and the sister does too.

I'm looking at my mom and seeing her this happy, is already making me happy.

But I know, deep inside, she's sad.

Even though I'm still young, I already understand what she's feeling right now.

Someone dear to her passed away and she just found out now. How did I find out? When I saw her crying the other night. I also read the letter that was found on our doorstep, it's from her best friend, I think her name is Nicole.

I don't know the names of my mom's visitors or friends even though she always introduces them to me, I just don't mind their businesses.

Because I have my own world. But her friend, Nicole, I think they've been best friends since high school, and knowing that, makes her sad.

"Mrs. Beckett, may I speak to you in private?"

My mom is still holding my hand and when she looks at me, she smiles and I see her sad eyes, I think it's about her friend.

"You can sit over there, okay, Ros? I will be back."

She said.

I just nodded and they went to a room to talk.

I went to the large bench and sit.

I look around and see other children playing around the playground. They are happy, laughing at each other.

"A-are you new here?"

An unfamiliar voice came behind me.

I looked at her and she has long black hair, she's wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and shoes.

"I'm not from around here." I say.

She went beside me, I see that she's holding a car toy. Does she like to play with cars? I thought girls like to play with Barbie dolls. Well, maybe, not all girls are like that.

"A-are you going to stay here?"

The way she talks, she's shy but has confidence when talking to me, a stranger.

"No, I'm not. My mom will pick up something here, I just came with her."

"O-oh." The way she forms the 'O' with her mouth looks cute. She's a child, that's why.

I look away, maybe she finds me weird if I laugh at her or maybe she'll cry and misinterpret my looks.

I can feel that she's already sitting beside me and I look at her, she's smiling.

"How old are y-you?"

Is she making a conversation? She's friendly though, I may say that to her but, I don't know her that well.

Maybe she will laugh at me or scream at me, or tell her friends that I'm weird. Or she'll backstab me or something.

Eros, don't be a panic kid here, okay? I read so many books or watch kids' show. Relax.

"7." I plainly said.

"I am 5!" She smiles.

Why is she so happy?

"You could be my b-big brother." She continued.

Why she suddenly bringing that up?

Big brother???

All the kids are still playing and she's the only one who approached me and is talking to me.

"Y-you want me to be your brother?" I asked.

Maybe I shouldn't have asked that! Why am I still making a conversation with her? She's a stranger.

But deep inside, I want to make a conversation with a kid like me. To be honest, this is my first ever conversation with a kid. It's making me giddy!

She smiles and nodded.

"I-I want to have a big brother."

"Don't you have one here?" I asked.

Oops.

I regret that.

"I-I don't have one. They already have their own f-friends." She looks down and touching her car.

"You mean, you want to have a friend that can be your brother as well?"

She didn't answer but she's looking at the other kids that are playing.

I think she's lonely. She's a loner here.

"I want to be your big brother..."

She quickly looks at me and her eyes lit up, "R-really?"

She moves her face inches from mine.

"I-I want to! But..." I panic, she's so close, I've never been so close with a stranger before.

"But... But I don't live here. I won't be here again." I added.

"R-right." She looks down again.

"M-maybe there will be someone who can be your big brother and a friend at the same time." I comfort her.

But I don't know if it is effective.

"Ros!"

I heard my mom calling.

I stood up and she went to me.

"I already signed the papers and our meeting just ended..." She says and looks at the girl next to me, "You... you are..."

"Mrs. Beckett, sorry I should have prepared clothes for him." Sister said when she went to us as well.

"It's alright, sister. He's already looking so cute in his T-shirt and shorts, and look at his shoes... he's so cute." Mom says sweetly and continues, "He does look like my best friend."

She's about to cry again but she stops it.

What is she talking about?

What is going on?

"Mom..." I mumbled.

"Eros, I'm glad that you already met him."

Met who?

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He is the only son of my best friend, Nicole." She explains, "You may not understand clearly but, I want to do it for her."

S-son? Bestfriend? What?

"Mrs. Beckett, Eros is still confused."

"I know, sister, but I know he will understand it someday." I heard her answer.

"Mom, I still don't understand." I say.

I want to know now. Not someday.

I know to myself that I'm smart and really studied well even though I just study at home and remain homeschooled. I read a lot of books and watch kids' shows, so I think, somehow, I may understand a little.

"Eros, I would like you to meet Ellis..."

Ellis?

"Your little brother."

I stare for about 20 seconds and every second, I look back and forth from this Ellis kid and mom.

"B-brother?" I finally spoke.

SHE'S, NO, HE'S A HE!

"I-I... I'm going to have a big brother?"

The kid finally spoke too.

But he looks like a girl!

No. Stop. It's not my concern right now. My concern is... what he wanted for so long will come true.

But we just talked about this earlier!

Is it just a coincidence maybe?

"Hi, little one... my name is Rosè Beckett." Mom smiles at the kid.

And this kid is smiling at her as well.

"From now on, call me mom." She finished.

"Mom." He mumbled and looks at me, "How about him?" He points at me.

I'm just standing there, I'm still processing everything, this is too sudden.

"He is your big brother, he will protect and take care of you, he may be a little stubborn but, he is kind and sweet."

The kid giggles, "I have a big brother now."

I really didn't expect this.

"I should get his things." Sister said, "Please wait here."

"I'll help you, it might be heavy." Mom replied.

The sister nodded and we are left alone again.

I suddenly felt his hands on my right hand.

"C-can I play with you?" He softly said.

His hands are warm and his eyes are telling me that he really wants to play, maybe because he felt an outsider here and felt lonely that he really wants someone who he can talk to and play with.

I looked at him and pats his head, I can feel his hair is smooth and thin, he really does look like a girl.

"Of course." I slightly smile, even though I don't understand why mom needs to have another son when she already has one.

He smiles so brightly.

"I really thought you're a girl, you know."

"I-I am a girl? Y-you thought I'm a girl?" He pouts and he puts his hands on his waist.

"I-I am not a girl."

I laugh a little, he has soft cheeks.

I didn't realize that I'm already pinching his cheeks, he stopped and I also stopped.

"Um, sorry." I say.

"Ichz uh-kay." He replied while I'm still holding his cheeks, I removed it and I looked at him, he's not that bad.

Maybe I overthink things.

I think he's really cute and I think, having a little brother is okay. I have someone to talk to, to play with.

"Ros! Ellis!" Mom is calling us.

"We should go." I say.

"Wait."

I stopped, "What is it, Ellis?"

"C-Could you promise me something?"

Promise? A 5-year-old asked me to promise him something? And we just met!

I didn't say anything.

"Promise me you will never going to leave me? And you're going to be my big brother forever?" He says as he looks down.

Is it just me or he's scared that he will be alone? He's a 5-year-old child and he's already scared to be alone, I think it's because he's not with his father or mother?

I pat his head once again, I want to protect him and never leave by his side. I can his father and his mother, also his brother.

"I promise."

He smiles so widely.

Because he has a beautiful smile with his squishy cheeks. I want to see his smile again.

"And y-you will take care of me and p-protect me?" He adds.

I smile, "I promise."

He holds my hand.

"Can I call you El instead?"

"Why?"

"It's easy to call you."

"You too, I can call you Ros too like mom."

"Okay."

He laughs and he holds my hand while we're walking towards mom.

Little did I know, the one who I think is a stranger I just met in an orphanage will become my brother.

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