Peyton

Was it bad that I was hiding from RaeRae and Jimin in the library today?

I didn't want Rae to see my hands and immediately assume the worst. Jimin knew I was here, just didn't know where I was.

Rae squeals from Jimin's fingers tickling her sides while she twists and turns to get away from him. He chuckles at her, practically forgetting that the same girl was sitting next to him.

He stops his movements, eyes drifting to the desk since the phone was ringing. He looked down at Rae, patting her little head. "I'll be back in a second."

She bobs her head, waiting for him to get a good enough distance away before turning back to the girl. "Why are you stealing Jiminie away from PeyPey?"

The girl smiles down at RaeRae, shaking her head at the question. "I don't steal people, they just choose who is better."

My heart pangs in my chest, hearing her hurtful words. Hearing the words from her, hurt. If it had been somebody else, I would've been fine and brushed it off.

"PeyPey will always be better than you!", RaeRae exclaimed, scooting back farther from the girl who was smirking now. "Jiminie, I want our PeyPey!"

She was being loud for being in a library, and I'm sure people would start to complain. She didn't look at the girl, just watched Jimin looking around for me.

I shrink back, walking down a different aisle and out into the open. "RaeRae?"

She jumped up, turning around and running over to me. She hugged my legs, pointing furiously at the girl sitting on the floor. "She said she was better than you PeyPey."

The girl smirked up at me, knowing well how it would affect me. I put up a sarcastic smile, hugging Rae back. "People only say that when they feel scared."

Rae giggled up at me, grabbing my hand and tugging me away. I looked over my shoulder, waving my hand at the glaring girl behind me.

RaeRae pulled on Jimin's pants, forcing him to turn around. She bounces excitedly on her feet, smiling adorably as he notices her.

"You found her?", he asked, ruffling her hair as he locked his gaze with me. "Hey."

Before I could say anything back, Rae started to spill details. "That girl said that she was better than PeyPey!"

"I'm sure she was only joking," he tried to negotiate with her, but Rae was insistent on getting the girl in trouble with Jimin.

"She smiled like she meant it! She didn't joke, Jiminie!"

He sighed, crouching down her level, holding back a frown at her pouting face. His frown appeared, seeing Rae grab one of my legs as I stood there awkwardly.

"I'm staying with PeyPey," she told him, tightening her grip on me. "I don't wanna be with you and that girl."

He nods his head, standing up and trudging back over to his friend. They both stood up, talking to each other while I forced myself to look away.

I picked RaeRae up, sitting her on the counter of the desk. She crossed her arms, huffing as she watched behind me. "Why would he choose her over you?"

"They like each other," I admit, flinching as her head snapped to look up at me. "They're probably dating now."

"No!", she basically yelled at me, while I tried to quiet her down. "He can't like her! Only you!"

"Did you talk to that boy in your class?", I quickly change the subject, hoping it would take her mind off of Jimin.

"Uh huh! He said that he wants to have a playdate with me!", she claps her hands, her eyes sparkling while she talked. "He got all red too, just like you did when Jiminie kissed you two times!"

She held up two fingers, smiling as I tried to control the redness rising on my cheeks. I laughed nervously, squishing her cheeks together. "That's good, RaeRae. What are you going to do?"

"I want you to meet him! I'm gonna bring him here tomorrow," she states, her eyes widening to emphasize her excitement. She started to clap again, pointing behind me. "Jiminie is coming over!"

I spun around, leaning on the counter next to her, while she played with my hair. She combed through it, preparing to tell Jimin about her play date.

"Jiminie, guess what?!", she smiled widely, now happy that he was over here alone. Her cold fingers brushed against my scalp, making her shiver unintentionally. "Are you cold?"

"No, I'm fine," I mumble to her, feeling sleepy from her brushing my hair with her small fingers. I was a sucker for that kind of soothing.

"I'm having a play date with a boy tomorrow! I want to bring him here," RaeRae explained to Jimin, crawling to sit behind me and mess with my hair more. "PeyPey said that I could too."

My eyes fluttered closed for a second while I sleepily nodded my head in agreement. I heard a chuckle, feeling my body relax against the counter.

"PeyPey looks like she's falling asleep," Jimin points out as RaeRae pulls my head back to look at my face. "She likes you playing with her hair."

Rae giggled more, smiling as she continued to brush through it. Rae was a delicate child, and I completely adored that with her.

I closed my eyes again, snapping them open when I felt a hand wrap around my waist.

"You were falling," Jimin states, helping me gain my balance again. I step away from the counter, not wanting to almost fall asleep again.

"My friend got all red when he asked me to play with him too. Just like PeyPey!", Rae continued to gush about her the boy, pointing at me with her last statement. "She's not red now, but she was!"

"I was not!", I defend quickly, reaching out to tickle RaeRae. Hands pull me back, while she giggles at me struggling.

"I wanna hear more before you attack her," I could feel the smirk on his lips as he spoke those words. I slumped in his grip, trying to calm my racing heart.

"My mommy told my daddy that you two make a cute, uh," she paused, looking off into the distance, trying to remember the word. "Couple!"

My cheeks flamed at her happy face, while she started to point at me. I looked away, trying to calm myself before looking back.

"Like that red!", RaeRae had her own secret plans, ones I hadn't even thought of.

I looked back at her, just as my cheeks finally calmed down. Jimin presses his lips to my temple again, bringing the color straight back to my face.

His laugh rings in my ear, holding me tighter when I tried to push him away. "Stop it."

I grumbled to him, finally escaping and standing by RaeRae who was looking around the library.

"Mom!", Rae jumped off the counter herself, rubbing over to the woman hustling to her daughter. She picked Rae up, hugging her close as she approached us.

"Thanks so much for watching her again," she smiled in appreciation, winking at me when Jimin stepped closer to me. I shook my head slightly, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. "Say bye!"

"Bye!"

I waved to Rae and her mother, sighing in relief and slipping away from his body and against the counter again. "She really wears you out."

"So, PeyPey likes her hair being played with," Jimin teased, making me roll my eyes at his cocky smile. "It makes her sleepy."

"So what? I like having my hair touched," I shrug my shoulders, closing my eyes and resting my back on the counter more.

Jimin pulls me forward, wrapping an arm around my back, and bringing a hand to my hair. He holds me in place, using my newfound weakness against me. He tugs on it, copying how Rae was messing with it.

Fluttering my eyes closed, I hesitantly rest my head against his chest, feeling sleepy. His chest moves as he chuckles, now using both hands to brush through both sides of my head.

I let out a sound almost equivalent to a purr, hating myself for smiling at my uncontrollable body. Of course, RaeRae had to find the weakness in front of him, and he had to notice.

"You are like a little kitten," he speaks quietly, running his fingers from my scalp to the ends of my hair. "So cute."

Did he just call me cute?