"You better not fucking drink too much Thalia. I'm not stopping for you to take a piss." Heath says all grumpy. My little old man. That's weird.

We stopped by McDonald's after I told him to. I guess maybe I am a little bossy. He could say no to me anytime so technically it's on him. Plus he agreed to getting me a meal back when I called him my sugar daddy.

"Heath Benjamin Jackson! Don't swear in front of the C-H-I-L-D" I spell out. I can't believe he would even curse in front of a kid.

"Why can't he say fucking?" Sarah says poking her head between Heath and I.

"Because your mother would kill me if you came back swearing like a sailor." I inform her. The worst part is that it's true, she would kill me for being so 'irresponsible'

"She's your mom too." Sarah reminds me.

"Could've fooled me." I whisper and sip on my coke. Coca-Cola.

"Trade?" Sarah hands me a chicken nugget for one of my fries.

I take a nugget from her and give her one of my fries. I offer some to Heath but he shakes his head, I don't think I've ever seen him eat anything. Maybe he's just really picky.

I chew on my fries as we drive up to Pet Smart for Harold's new replacement. I'm crossing my fingers hoping that they have the exact same gold fish look alike. I slurp on my straw as I get the last bit of soda in there.

Delicious. I look back at Sarah in the review mirror and see her as content as I am. Life's good when you have yourself a sugar daddy.

I push the window down and stick my arm out to feel some of the warm breeze. My hair would blow in my face which was getting annoying so I put the window back up.

Uh oh.

I glance at Heath and bite my lip. I fiddle with the ends of my pale pink skirt and clench my legs. Not because of anything weird.

"Heath" I bite my lip knowing once I say what I'm about to say he'll be mad.

"I have to pee." I blurt out and he glares at me.

"What did I tell you" He shakes his head.

"I know. But I can't control my bladder. I really gotta go." I clench my legs tighter because I was bad at holding it in. The pee not....

"Wait two minutes we're almost there" He makes a turn and coincidentally drives over a bump which doesn't help my situation at all.

He finally parks in front of a Pet Smart and I practically jolt out of the car the second he stops. I run out but realize I left Sarah so I quickly go back.

"Stay with her. Please and sorry." I said the fastest I've ever spoken and run into the store.

Jeez please tell me there's a bathroom here. Please god please. It took me a while before I finally found the restrooms and walked in.

A few minutes later I was good as new. I learned my lesson, PetSmarts do have bathrooms. I washed my hands and then exited the bathrooms. I tried looking around for Heath and Sarah.

I realized now that I just left Heath in the presence of a child, I hope he wasn't feeling too uncomfortable. I better get to him now just in case he went all ballistic.

"Did you know snakes are carnivores. They eat mice. Ew, look at that one!" She shrieks and points to the glass of red eyed mice.

"Looks like Thalia when she has pink eye." She exposes not knowing I was listening. Heath smirks and I gasp, how dare she.

"I'm back." I announce and she smiles innocently as if she wasn't just talking about me behind my back. It really be your own blood.

"How was your pee?" She asks politely, interlocking her hands in front of her.

"Good, thanks" I reply and smile quickly.

"Anyway. Back to what we were here for. Sarah, you go find another Harold. Make sure it's the right one." I point and she nods.

"I need money." She says, I forgot about that.

"I'll handle it. You go. Think of the children! They're counting on you." I call out as she walks away to the fish tanks.

I turn around and smile up at a bored Heath. He glances down at me when he caught me looking at him.

"So.... Sugar daddy. Got any cash I could borrow? I forgot my wallet." I bite my lip. There were a couple things I said that were a lie.

The first is that I don't borrow money, I spend it so I can't give it back. The second was half a lie, I did forget my wallet but it's empty and has no money. I just like to carry it around, it makes me feel like an adult carrying around a wallet.

His eyes glance down at my attire and then he rolls his eyes before taking out his wallet.He takes out some cash and hands it to me.

"I told you to not call me that." His voice is somewhat small and quiet.

"Did you?" I say even though I remember when he did.

"Thank you for bringing us here and for giving me cash and for buying us food. You always seem to be buying me things. You really are like a sugar daddy." I realize as I speak and he sends me a glare.

"Sorry. I'll stop calling you that." Out loud, but in here you can't stop me buddy.

"I also wanted to invite you somewhere, again. I'm always inviting you places. I hope you don't mind. But I just like your company. Do you like mine?" I ask suddenly thinking too much into it.

"Obviously. You're annoying and weird, I wouldn't spend time around you if I didn't." He avoids eye contact and I awe.

That was kinda harsh but awe, I think everything he says is just sweet. (Sometimes) He's definitely a softie. My little softie.

"Awww you're so cute." I squeal and before I can stop, my arms wrap around his torso and I squeeze him tightly into a hug.

"Fuck" He whispers and I let go, I think I was squeezing too hard. My bad.

"So like I was saying..." I suddenly get nervous because I know the same talk I had with my mom didn't go too well.

"My graduation is in a couple weeks and I want you to come. To my graduation." I clarify like always.

My dirty mind is in need of a deep vacuum clean. Gotta suck it all away. The dirty thoughts not... whatever.

"If you want, you don't have to come. Or maybe you're busy that day, it's fine. Do you even want to come? I probably should have asked that first. Totally up to you." I hold my hands up as I talk because I talk with my hands.

"I want to come" He confirms and I sigh in relief. Thank goodness someone does at least.

"Come where?" I blurt out and hide my flustered face in my hands. Where's the vacuum when I need it?!?

"Do you really want to know?" He smirks and gets closer. This is a Pet Smart sir.

"No. I don't." I shake my head and my back hits the shelf behind me as he cages me in.

We're literally in the mice and rat cage isle but considering all that I still want him to kiss me. Sorry mices. Mices? Mouses. I don't know.

He grabs my jaw and quickly places a gentle kiss on my lips. The kiss felt like it lasted five seconds before he backs away. That's it? But I want more.

"We kissed at a mice isle in Pet Smart." I blurt out and he gives me a look. Did I ruin in the moment again?

"Yeah" He takes my hand and we walk around together. I was on a mission to find Sarah but the girl was no where to be seen.

"Where is that little-"

"Thalia! Over here. I found one exactly like it." She waves me over where she was with one of the employees.

"Great. Where is it?" I look around but there was no sign of a small gold fish.

"Over there" She points to one of the tanks and then turns to speak with the lady.

I look at Heath who was already looking at me. Hmmm.

"These have to be in a bigger tank, not much bigger but definitely something bigger than a fish bowl." The lady explains to Sarah as she holds up a turtle in a small cage.

"Awesome okay, thanks." She smiles and takes the turtle.

"What're you doing with that Sarah?" I ask once the lady left. She smiles innocently and holds up the cage for me to see.

"I got us a turtle instead! Look how cute." She giggles. She had one job, she definitely didn't think of the children. I probably would have done the same thing though.

"Aw it is cute. But Sarah don't you think they're going to notice" I purse my lips and she shrugs.

"So? They'll be so happy about a new turtle that the fish might as well be better off dead." She says and I gasp.

"Do you have turtle money? Cause I sure don't." I'm sure a turtle cost more than what a small fish would.

"I was hoping you would ask..." She side eyes Heath to signal she was talking about him.

I bite my lip and turn around. He immediately looks at me skeptically.

"Is that a new shirt? It looks great on you. Did I say that already? Who knows." I smile as I compliment. Nothing suspicious.

"You wouldn't happen to have a dollar or ten more for us, would you?" I wrap my arms around Sarah and we both smile as we look at him.

"Think of the children. You'll be providing them happiness." I nod my head and Sarah copies me too.

"No" He says almost way too quickly and I frown.

"Fine. Cmon Sarah, put the turtle back." I sigh dramatically, and slowly walk away with her.

"But-"

"Just do it. We can't afford it. Sorry kid, maybe for Christmas. If they're still there." I empathize on If and sigh again.

Sarah drops her head and pouts. She's almost too good at this. Just as we're about to actually dump Heath sighs.

"You're so dramatic. I was kidding." He forcefully takes out his wallet and hands me a twenty.

"Yay!" I smile and hug him tightly again. I back away and turn around.

"Here. You go pay." I hand the money to Sarah and she excitedly walks off.

I was going to tell her that she needs food and a tank for the turtle but she has a mother who would be more than happy to spend it on her. Plus I almost emptied out my sugar daddy's wallet in one day.

" You aren't tired of me yet, are you?" I make sure because he's done lots for me.

"Just a little." He says sarcastically, I hope. I hit him on the shoulder and turn around so that we could finally leave here.

"If you want anything that doesn't consider money, you just let me know. Im a great gifter." I spoke as we walked.

I felt him wrap his arms around me as I walked and held me against his chest. At least wait until we're out of the store.

"I know what I want" He whispers in my ear and kisses my cheek.

" Is it a back massage? It's a back massage isn't it? Don't worry, those are my specialty." I pat him on the shoulder and walk away.

"How can you have such a dirty mind and be so fucking oblivious." He shakes his head lightly and takes my hand in his.

"To what?" I ask, what is this man on about?

"Never mind" He says and Sarah comes back over with a big smile on her face as she holds her new turtle.

"I was wondering if, I could stay at your house again today?" I said as we got into the car. It's not that I didn't want to be at moms house anymore, it's just that I wanted to be with him.

And I didn't want to be around my mom. Too awkward.

Heath agrees and I smile, thinking of all the find things we could do.

Once we were all parked in front of moms house, I help Sarah out and walk inside with her while Heath waited outside for me.

"I'm gonna go grab my stuff" I run up the stairs and take my bag.

"Mom, I'm leaving" I mention when she was on the couch, watching tv.

"Ok, bye" She waves at me, her eyes still focused on the tv in front of her.

"I'm staying at a friends house" I informed.

"Okay. Bye Thalia" She says dismissing me. I sigh and walk to the kitchen.

My younger siblings were standing around the née let turtle Sarah brought. She was right, they already forgot about Harold.

"Bye Thalia!" Sarah says, making the rest of them say goodbye at the same time.

I walk out the house and get into Heaths car. Now I can spend the rest of the day with him.

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A/N

7/20/22