Not like house

“It’s not like ‘house’.” Ethan answers, despite having never even played ‘house’ before.

“Are you sure?”

Breathing sharp through his nose, Ethan fights the urge to really snap back. Being completely honest with himself, he isn’t actually sure. Never having played ‘house’ sort of makes it hard to say. Thinking it over, house was a game a boy and a girl played together, pretending to be mommy and daddy, and occasionally roping in other unwitting children to be babies or pets. It sounded boring, but…

Jimmy Varner back home loved playing house with girls, and Jimmy was usually right about stuff in a weird way Ethan couldn't explain.

“I’m sure.” Ethan sighs, working through the thought fully, betraying Jimmy.

“Oh… that’s too bad.”

Pursing his lips, Ethan doesn't know what to think about that, so his unfiltered ten year old brain just asks without thinking. “Why?”

Shifting again, the dark-haired hanger on mumbles. “I kinda wanted to play house with you…”

“Uh…” Ethan glances over his shoulder, regarding the younger kid again with a different perspective. House was a game a boy and girl played together, and this kid was… Well, Ethan had thought them a boy up until just five seconds. “Oh.”

Ethan suddenly felt awkward. Talking to a friend's little brother was one thing, but a little sister?

The alleged girl chimes in, oblivious to Ethan’s change. “Do you wanna play house?”

“Ahh,” Ethan shifts in place. “Not really.”

“Why?”

Ethan pauses. Grandma often told him it was important to reflect on why you feel a certain way about things you like and don’t like. While Ethan was pretty sure it was an excuse to get him to eat yams, it did work on feelings. Taking a moment to reflect, Ethan had a few reasons.

“You’re kinda young...”

“I’m 8!”

“And I’m 10.” Ethan fired back, ready for the retort. “Almost 11. You have to play house with people your own age.”

“Nuh-uh. My mommy is five years younger than my daddy.”

‘Fuck.’ Ethan thought, barely keeping the swear to himself. His own parents had an age gap as well. Maybe age doesn't matter when playing house? He’d have to check with Jimmy.

“Okay, but…” Ethan fires up a second reason. “We’re in jail. We can’t play house in jail.”

“No. Says who?”

‘Fuck.’ Ethan scratches his forehead. He didn't really know the rules for being in jail. He knew he needed to sit on the rock until everybody was caught, but did that mean he could do other things? The kid likely knew more about jail than he did, being a local, so if they didn't think so…

“Okay… Well,” Ethan takes a breath. “Y-You're only supposed to play house with people you like.” Ethan lied. Jimmy played house with Tabi Putz. Nobody liked Tabi Putz. But the requirement seemed like something an 8 year old would believe.

“Oh… So you don’t like me?” Ethan hears an audible quiver.

“What? No!” Fuck. If he makes Bobby’s little sister cry he’s going to get beat up. “I like you. But-”

“Oh.” The child shifts. “Good. Cause I like you…”

“Eh?” Ethan glances back over his shoulder. “You don’t even know me...”

The smaller kid stays quiet, not offering a response for a moment. “You don’t know me either.”

Swinging his gaze back around, Ethan lets out a small sigh. “Hey… This is gonna sound stupid but… What was your name again?”

The younger kids shift, turning on the rock. Ethan feels their stare on the back of his neck, and on the wind he hears a very light giggle. “It’s Alex!”

‘Alex. Right.’ Ethan thinks, recalling it now. “Okay, Alex. We can play house sometime. But not right now, okay?”

Alex shifts, turning back to the direction they were facing before. “Okay…”

The conversation ends as a figure emerges from the treeline. Another kid was finally caught, and now the rock is going to be quite full.