Little One, Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Anya sat in her living room, casually flipping through her music player, trying to find something to listen to. She had no headphones, so she was forced to jack the small device into a somewhat bigger speaker. Reluctantly, she turned the volume low, so as to not awaken Amy, before choosing some music. Despite her seemingly cultured, innocent demeanor, her sister had influenced her quite a bit over the years, giving her an immense love for punk and classical rock. She hummed along with the music as she brainstormed in her journal.

So absorbed in her music and writing was she, that she was totally unaware of Amy's quiet, padding footsteps. Anya jolted upright, as her music suddenly got much louder, startling her. She turned, and saw Amy standing by the speaker with a mischievous grin.

"I like this music." She giggled, head tilted. "It s-sounds fun!"

Anya grinned back. "Yeah? Glad you enjoy it. But you should be in bed, little one." She stood up, poking her on the nose. "You're sick!"

Amy blushed at the light scolding, lowering her gaze. "Sorry..." She mumbled, shifting her feet. "I just, I woke up, and the music was playing and I was curious..."

Anya lightly turned her around. "Well," She said, "If your curiosity has been sated, then we'll lie you back down, okay? If y'want, I'll sit up with you and play the music in there." With a little more coaxing, she lured the small girl back to bed. She sat at her desk, smiling and shaking her head.

"You seem... more at ease than you were earlier." She noted. "Getting used to me?"

Amy nodded, before coughing softly into her arm. "Y-yeah... You're... one o-of the kindest people I-I've met." She shifted a bit, adjusting the bedspread cautiously, as though she were afraid that somehow her tiny frame would damage it. "I... almost n-nobody's really been so nice before."

Anya frowned, looking aside awkwardly. She felt a bit uncomfortable, hearing that statement. Surely that can't be right. She thought. Amy must have had some friends. Deciding to mull on that point later, she settled for checking the small girl's temperature again. It hadn't gone down.

Anya tutted, and went to get a damp cloth. When she returned, Amy was laying back, listening to the music. The small girl sighed, but did not complain as Anya mopped her brow.

"Next week I'm taking you to a proper doctor." Anya informed her friend, as she tended to her. "They'll take a look at you and decide the best way to fix you up."

Amy grimaced a little, but again, offered no form of protest. Anya gently fluffed the smaller girl's hair, smiling softly. "It'll be fine. My doctor is good. They'll tell us how to make you good n' healthy again. And how serious whatever cold you have is."

The tiny girl managed a grin, glancing up to meet Anya's gaze sheepishly. With a yawn and a sigh, she snuggled back into the bed. "Okay." She agreed, still a tiny bit reluctant. However, it seemed she was fairly comfortable with the idea, despite her reluctance.

She's just nervous. Anya thought. I can't blame her. It's not like I'm too fond of going to the doctor myself. She grimaced at the thought of getting a shot. She hated shots. It wasn't that she didn't know that she needed vaccines, but needles were freaky. Nonetheless, she continued ruffling the sickly, sleepy girl's hair.

"Hey, you gonna be okay?" Anya asked, looking at Amy earnestly. The small girl looked up meekly, before smiling softly.

"I w-wasn't sure at first..." She stammered meekly. "B-but now... I think I w-will. I uhm... thank you Anya."

The pale girl chuckled, before glancing at Amy's raincoat. "Hey Amy... I was wondering something, about that coat..."

Amy glanced at it. "...It was mama's." She mumbled, looking away, almost wistfully. "I think.." She nods. "I can b-barely r-remember but... It was all I had left. It was w-warm, and soft and... it just was nice to have... Like a uh... Uhhhh..." She paused, at a loss.

"...A security blanket?" Anya offered, smiling, examining the coat- it was tattered, and still a bit dirty. "Hm, want me to wash it for you? It'll be nicer."

"Yes p-please...!" The little one managed a smile. "I would love if it c-could be cleaned..." Amy giggled and shifted softly. "I-I... wearing that for so long... it's not great." She admitted, grimacing. "I... it'll be nice to have it be clean again."

Anya nodded, and began folding the ratty clothes up, smiling softly- her she blinked in surprise, when a small, makeshift wallet fell out of the pocket- it was also a bit worn, and when she lifted it up, it's contents fell out- a few little things that just scattered on on the floor.

"Oops!" She blinked. "Sorry Little One. Here." She scooped up the things and handed them to Amy. The tiny girl held them for a moment, before carefully withdrawing a photo, with tattered edges, managing a small smile.

"...It's fine." Amy murmured, looking at the picture. She showed it to Anya, with a smile. "It's me and my friend w-when I was in school." The girl hugging Amy in the picture was an amusing contrast- Amy was still tiny, and even then her hair was an unruly mop that she shyly peeked out from. The other girl was tall, with her hair brushed all to one side and dyed a vibrant neon blue, with black stripes. Her clothing, face, hair all screamed "punk".

Anya chuckled. "Goodness. She's intimidating. How'd you become friends?"

Amy smiled and thought for a bit, before responding...

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The thing about being a foster child, is that one has to move around frequently. Amy was in perhaps her third home at this point- she was a few weeks into high-school, and had to be relocated- again. On her first day at her new school, the teacher called her up to introduce her.

The little one was so shy and meek she could barely even get out a "hello", before the teacher sensed her awkwardness ushered her to her desk. Amy shot her a grateful glance, before opening her books and beginning her work. After a while, she sensed someone watching her. Sucking on her pen, she glanced about, and made eye contact with her neighbor.

The girl sitting next to her was pretty, in an intense way. She wore a black t-shirt with a slightly torn hem, and skinny jeans with the knees worn out. Her fashion was that of a stereotypical, but rather attractive punk girl.

Amy shrank a bit and glanced away, her shy nature overcoming her. A quick glance only served to confuse her- this girl was gently smiling at her. She lowered her eyes back to her paper, trying not to stare at the girl's half-shaved hair, or her spider-bite lip piercings. Or her tatooed arms. Really, just not at her in general.

The hours passed a bit slowly- it seemed that Amy had the girl in a few classes with her. The strange girl hadn't spoken yet, but still offered Amy the occasional friendly smile. In a way, the little one began to grow accustomed to it, and eventually, managed to offer a tiny smile back.

Eventually, lunch came around, and Amy found a quiet corner to sit in, opening her paper bag, shuffling through and finding her meal for the day- it wasn't a lot- a small sandwich, and apple and a few slightly stale crackers. She munched on her apple in contented silence, when the girl from earlier sat down right next to her.

"Hiya!" She greeted cheerfully, holding her own lunch. Amy flinched in surprise but managed a shy smile.

"Um, hello." She uttered softly, her mouth half-full of crackers. She kept her gaze off to the side, uncertain of what to make of this girl- usually people didn't notice her; she was so small and meek that most people passed right by her.

"I'm Leslie~!" The girl introduced herself, offering a hand to the little one. She hesitated, before taking it with a smile. For the first time in her life, Amy had a friend.

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"Hold on, you weren't "Amy" back then." Anya murmured- she had been writing down her friend's tale, slowly jotting notes down in the margins here and there. "I um, not that it matters, I just was thinking aloud here."

Amy managed a tiny smile. "It's okay... I um, I like Amy too. But... I guess I can tell you." She shifted awkwardly. "I was just... t-too scared to say anything about it." The girl swallowed a bit, before continuing.

"M-my name's Amy now, I think." She said a bit firmly. "B-but I used to be 'Holly'."

Anya smiled. "Hm... I dunno why you like "Amy" better. Holly is a beautiful name." She chuckled as the little one blushed.

"I... It doesn't matter." Amy mumbled, looking away shyly. "Anyway..."

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Leslie didn't seem at all put off or even phased by Amy's shyness, and continued chatting away.

"So, what'cha think of this school? Nice place, huh?" She grinned playfully, full of energy. Amy pondered the question a moment, before nodding quietly.

"Mhm. I-It's... nice." Amy mumbled. "Nicer t-than a few places I've been to."

Leslie tilted her head. "Whatcha mean?" She asked innocently. "Do you move a lot?"

Amy couldn't help but wince subtly. The question was perfectly understandable- there was no way this girl could have known about her circumstances. Still, she simply answered with an awkward nod. She still had no idea why this girl was talking to her.

"Hey, you okay? You seem sad!" Leslie poked Amy a bit, lightly tugging at the girl's mouth to force her to smile- Amy squeaked in surprise, before letting loose a giggle. She flushed a bit, and finally looked the tall girl in the eye.

"I think I'll be okay." She said. "At least, now anyway, I will be."

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Anya started giggling for some reason. Amy looked up at the girl in surprise and utter bewilderment, as the girl clamped a hand over her mouth.

"I'm sorry." She grinned sheepishly. "It's just... cute. That's all." She leaned forward and for the umpteenth time that day gave Amy's hair a ruffle. "I just... it seems nice of her. She just saw you there and made friends with you, whether you wanted a friend or not."

Amy smiled meekly. "Yeah... It... It was n-nice. She... Probably was the b-best person I've ever met. She was always ready w-with a smile or a joke, or a hug, or whatever it was she decided I needed. She could be a little tough, b-but in a way I think it helped m-me a lot."

The two girls sat in silence for a while- it was a pleasant, contemplative silence, and Amy found her eyes drooping again. She yawned, drained from her sickness and generally unhealthy state. Anya just smiled and shook her head.

"Is this gonna be a pattern with us...?" Murmured Anya, giving the overtired, sickly girl's hand a gentle, affectionate squeeze. "Take five, Amy, I think you've earned it."

Amy mumbled, eyes flickering shut. "I h-haven't earned anything... You're just... so nice."

Anya blushed, before slowly making her way out the room. She walked outside and set up a little umbrella for shade against the sun, and sat on her porch steps, mulling over the day's events. "Hm, I wonder if we could find Leslie at some point..." Anya muttered thoughtfully. "Maybe...

"Maybe."