No Going Back

I was greeted by Mike’s arm over my shoulder. Tony grabbed my bag. I pointed to a beat up board with camo skateboard tape needing to be put on.
“That’s mine too. “ Jaime picked it up.
“I can carry it. “
“Nah. Got a helmet?”
“You skateboard?” Tony asked excitedly.
“No. She said she’d get me a helmet when I learned how, but she never lets me out. I’ve never gotten the chance to learn. Plus no one will teach me.”
“I’ll teach you.”
“Thanks. Where’s Vic?”
“Finishing the paperwork.” Jaime informed me. Just then a shoe flew through the air and hit me in the back.
“Ow!” my hand flew to my back.
“Hey! Cut it out!” Mike barked at the boys.
“You okay?” Tony asked as he went to lift up my shirt to make sure.
“Fine!” I yelled as I pulled down my shirt backed away. They didn’t need to see them. The guys looked at me questioningly.
“You sure?” Jaime prodded.
“Yeah.” I said almost too coolly.
“All good to go!” Vic said as he scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder.
“Put me down, elf!”
We all laughed as I flailed about, playfully hitting his back.
“You ready?” he said as he sat me down.
I spun around quickly, making sure I didn’t forget anything anywhere, patted down my pockets, looked up and smiled.
“Yup.”
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”
“Off to Neverland!” I yelled as I majestically glided out the door.
I heard the guys chuckle behind me. Tony scooped me up under his arm and I pretended to fly.
“Who needs Superman when we’ve got you?” Vic asked playfully.
“Superman.” I said seriously. “There can’t be a Superman without Superman.”
They laughed at my joke. It wasn’t really a joke, but they laughed. No one’s ever laughed at my jokes. Is this what it feels like to be loved? Thank God they adopted me. They make me smile.
“Ow.” I said while laughing.
“Back still hurts?”
“No. My face.” I said while rubbing my jaw. They looked at me questioningly. “I’ve never smiled so much. “
“Good or bad?”
“Amazing!!!ly painful, but I’ll live.”
They plopped me in front of a black car. Vic got upfront. The rest of the guys went for the back.
“One of you can have shotgun.” I said.
“You sure?” Jaime asked.
“Yeah. I have the smallest butt and I love being squished.”
The smallest butt part was true but I’m claustrophobic as hell, but Jaime was going to be in the middle so I decided to do it just this once. Mike was on my right, tony on my left.
“So, Lillian,” Vic started.
“You can call me Lily. If you want to, that is. I never really liked my full name.”
“Why not?”
All eyes were on me. I didn’t like this whole dead silence thing. Nothing good ever comes from the silence.
“Do you like it when people call you Victor?”
“I don’t mind it.”
“Now how would you feel if every time someone yelled Victor, you would get beaten?”
Dead silence. Id said too much, too soon to fast. They were going to bring me back. It started to get harder to breath. Finally, Jaime broke the silence.
“Lily it is.” My breathing became easier.
“So how old are you?” he asked.
“Three.”

Notes

Don't worry. I'm working on the next chapter as you read this.
~That Noob