I haven't been updating slot because my old one broke and now I'm learning how to use this one. I legit got it 2 days ago. Anyway I like this one despite the fact that the ending is weak.

Roman was 7 years old right now. He had his small hands on the glass of his bedroom window while he helplessly watched the red car he had so many memories of driving away, along with his one and only brother, Remus. He directed his attention away from the car and towards the driveway. With his weeping mother. She was on her knees, hands drawn to her face, trying to wipe the never-ending tears away. Roman got up from the bench he was kneeling on and walked out of his mid-evil, prince themed room. He grabbed his zip-up hoodie and his mom’s coat on his way out the door. It was mid-fall and His mom only had a long t-shirt and some shorts on, probably because it was 2 am and most people are asleep at such ungodly hours of the day.

Roman’s mom didn’t hear the front door open nor did she hear the small feet on the wet concrete. She felt a warm coat wrap around her shoulders along with a tiny set of arms. She turned her head around and smiled weakly.

“Come on,” she said, “Let’s go inside. We can cuddle on the couch. Don’t want either of us to get a cold, now do we?”

“No, we don’t,” Roman said, taking his hand off his mom’s shoulders so that she could get up. They walked back inside and Roman sat on the couch, waiting for his mom. She came out of the kitchen, with a drink she told Roman he couldn’t have because “It’s a potion that turns 7-year-old boys into doormats, and no one wants a fierce knight like you to be a doormat.” At least, that’s what Roman was told. He smelt the drink though, and it smelt really bad. It was very strong smelling too.

The next day, Roman woke up in his bedroom. His brother and he had bunk beds but Remus wasn’t there. He went downstairs and saw that his mom had dark circles under her eyes and was drinking something that he knew tasted bitter and gross, coffee. His mom looked up at him with tired eyes and smiled faintly.

“Goodmorning Roman. You should pack. You’re going to be staying at your grandmother’s for a week or so,” Roman’s mother gave a small wake towards the stairs, gesturing for him to go back up to pack. Roman nodded and smiled, He liked his grandmother’s place. She always had some candy called ‘Werthers’ and other candy that was butterscotch. Plus, her neighbors had this really nice boy next door. His name was Virgil.

Roman always thought that he and Virgil could have a bond like Virgil’s parents do. They always cuddle and kiss each other. Virgil thought the kissing was gross but Roman found it sweet. He had never seen his mom and his dad do that. He thinks he has seen his dad do it with other girls but he isn’t really sure. Usually, his dad would be mean to her, calling her names and making her sad all the time.

Virgil’s parents never did that. They always seemed to love each other. Not that his parents didn’t love each other, they just didn’t agree at all. That’s why you argue with someone when you don’t agree with them.

Roman looked outside and saw the old white car that his grandparents have had since his mom was a kid. At least, that’s what they say. Roman didn’t really know though. He wasn’t there, but nonetheless, he took their word for it. He ran downstairs, duffle bag in hand. He gave his mom a kiss on the cheek and left. His mom was on the phone with her friend and before he left, he heard her say something along the lines of “Stace, I don’t know what to do. He took one of the kids and I’m probably never going to see him again. He has very good lawyers and my kid is probably going to be raised with some woman and an absent father.”

He assumed he was talking about Remus, his dad, and herself, but he didn’t know why she referred to herself as ‘some woman’. She was the greatest mom in the world! At least, according to Roman, she was. He shrugged it off and got in the car.

“Hi, Pop-pop! Hi Meema!” Roman said, buckling up his seatbelt.

“Hello, sweetheart! How have you been?” His Grandmother said, offering him some candy while his grandfather started to drive to their house.

“I’ve been good! But yesterday Mommy was crying after Daddy took Remus and drove somewhere. I think they might have gone to the store,” He said, frowning while thinking about last night.

“Off to get some milk, they were.” His grandfather said, nodding his head up and down. His grandmother smacked him with her purse for saying it though.

“Really?” Roman said, looking at his grandmother.

“Uhh, well, yes... In a way.” She said, looking down at her fingernails and then sifting through her purse. She pulled out $20 and handed it to Roman.

“How about you go to the mall and you can go to Build-A-Bear and get some stuff and then maybe to Goodwill alright?” She said, clearing just trying to distract the little boy. It worked, of course.

“Yay! Thank you Meema!” He put the twenty dollars into the pocket of his cargo pants.

Once they arrived at the mall and went to Build-A-Bear, Roman got a light beige, very fluffy bear. He put a hear-wish into the bear. And went to get some clothes for his new friend. He got the bear some jeans and a red t-shirt with a small chest pocket. He then got the doll rainbow high-top shoes and to top it all off, an exercise-like hand band his grandmother was going to sow gold fabric on it to make it a crown.

It got to the part where Roman gets to name his bear and get the adoption papers. He decided to name it Cason, after failing to pronounce Carson and liking the ladder more.

He got a confused look from the cashier when he saw the rainbow shoes but he seemed to not care much. His grandmother ended up paying $42.60 for the toy.

“Virgil! Guess what! Guess what!” Roman screamed from inside the car with the door open, frantically trying to take his seatbelt off

Virgil got off of the swing when he heard the voice of his best friend, “Roman! You’re here! What happened?” Virgil said, quieter than Roman. They were an odd bunch really. Roman was loud and brave while Virgil was quiet and how the mean older kids put it, ‘a wimp’.

“ I got us a little kid from Build-A-Bear! We are like a little family now!” Roman said, finally undoing his seat-belt buckle and taking his and Virgil’s ‘child’ out of the seat he used when he was little.

“Awww, can I see him?” Virgil asked, while given Roman a hug.

“Of course!” Roman pulled away, giving Virgil their child.

“What’s his name?” Virgil', holding the bear as if it was a baby.

“Cason,” Roman gave the bear a kiss on the forehead.

“How come he gets a kiss and not me?” Virgil asked, sounding more timid than normal.

“You do!” Roman said and gave Virgil a kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you,” He said smiling.

That was ten years ago. And Roman still remembers it very clearly. Granted, he should be paying attention to his math class right now. He does want to pass and get into a nice college. He then thought about his mother. She spiraled out of control after his dad left and took his brother. She ended up going to bars every night. Driving home drunk multiple times. She got into a crash and was, of course, found guilty. She went to jail where she unluckily got an inmate who smuggled drugs in. ended up dying in a prison cell due to a cocaine overdose when Roman was 9. She was a good mom, just made some really bad choices.

He still hasn’t heard from his dad after 10 years. Although, he does respect his Pop’s joke about the milk. He was just too naive 10 years ago. He hasn’t seen or heard from his brother either but hopes he’s doing better than his father is. He now permanently lives with his grandparents and has been since he was 7 and was supposed to ‘stay for a week or so’. It was definitely on the ‘or so’ and of the spectrum. He does have plans for after college though. He hopes to move in and get married to his boyfriend of 3 years, Virgil.

“Mr. Adelio, I suggest you stop with your daydreaming. In fact, why don’t you answer this next problem?”