The perfect way to end the day...

As expected, there was nothing downstream except a couple of frogs that the boys scared off. Like gosh, where's the decency?! Anyway, we headed back to Deon's house, making sure we walked slowly enough for our legs to dry and putting our socks and shoes on a block away from the house.

It was strange, not too many kids were outside today. There was one group of 3 that looked about our age and 2 small children riding bikes, but other than that, no other children were out.

Maybe everybody was calling in today to reset from the stressful school week. (The only stress is getting up early and forcing unneeded and unwanted things in their brain!)

Perhaps I needed a day to myself as well.

I'd just come to the manor, no need to wear myself out, and no doubt that's what I was gonna do if I kept going to every social event the 'Kingdom' hosted.

Yep. That's what I'm going to call myself and King's friends.

It's King's world and we're all living in it.

Anyways, we said goodbye to the boys as it was time for us to go, and I said my goodbyes to Dia.

I made a mental note to kidnap her and then bring her back when she was 3 or 5 or something.

"Heard you were pretty good in the nerf gun fight." King said as Maverick drove us back to the manor.

"Yep, the best out there if I do say so myself." I treated myself by allowing myself to have a chocolate bar.

"Second best," King emphasized the word 'second'.

"To who?" I asked, my voice getting squeakier and my eyebrows rising.

"Me," he said. I started to cough and choke.

"Woah, are you alright?!" King handed me a water bottle and I downed it's contents immediately.

"I- no… you- you're confidence is so big it's taking up all the air in the room." I tried to sound hoarse and dry, but I ended up cracking near the end and laughing.

"Don't do that, that scared me. That's how one of the girls got eliminated you know." King asked me.

"Oh?" I asked, my laughter subsided.

"She had a weak heart and got cold easily. She was thrown into a coughing fit while in her room and was sent to the hospital. They said her lungs were being closed off but couldn't figure out why." He told me.

"Oh…" I suddenly felt very guilty about pretending to choke.

"But back to our conversation, I'll take you to play laser tag tomorrow, and whoever wins will be the best," King declared. So much for taking a day off and to myself. My mental health probably says a big no no to this, but my pride won't let King win without a fair fight.

Pride? Mental health? Pride? Mental health? Pride? Mental health? Mm… Pride!

"You're on." I smiled at him, but my mind wandered back to the girl who had a weak heart and whose lungs were randomly closed off.

It didn't make any sense, having a weak heart and being cold all the time has nothing to do with your airway.

I opened my phone and went to google, this phone had way better reception than my old phone, so I was able to access google within seconds.

I searched up 'King and the girl with a weak heart' and an article popped up with the title 'MIRIAM HERSON HAS UNDERWENT SURGERY FOR LUNG CLOSER' with a picture of King when he was younger and little petite girl beside him. They were looking and waving to the cameras.

I read all about how she'd been diagnosed with heart failure at the age of 5 and how she'd get randomly cold even in the hottest heat since she was 3.

I tried to figure out why her lungs closed but kept running into brick walls. Perhaps the family didn't want pity from the media and denied access for anyone to post anything further on it.

Whatever the case, I wished Miriam hadn't had her lungs closed, maybe she was the one for King but now he'd never know because my guess is that she's dead.

My blessings to Miriam's family and prayers to the poor girls' soul.

We got home and I went to my room, bathed and got dressed for bed, and went to sleep.

I couldn't wait to beat King senseless in laser tag.

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Today's chapter is a shorter one because next week's chapter is gone bring the tea ;)