Rewritten Past

Mama Yue chuckled and said, "Nothing impresses you, huh, Al?" She reached out and ruffled my hair.

Oh yeah. Since we got close, Mama Yue had switched from calling me Little Fatty to just 'Al.'

Probably since she'd mentally marked me as her own kid.

...It made people give us weird looks when we went out alone.

But when we were out with Miss Serena and April, like we were now, it actually played out in our favor.

I wasn't sure if it was because of my calm and April's clinginess, or because of Miss Serena's general 'recovering battered woman' vibes. But people generally doted on us instead of acting up.

Which was surprising.

I was all prepped to roast any racist idiots trying to start shit.

I mean, I WAS five years old after all. It gave me free reins to say out of pocket stuff.

But sadly, it seemed like the general vibe our group gave off was 'best friends who were young teenaged mothers living together with their children to make things work.'

And to any normal person... which, surprisingly, most people were in this day and age, it made them sympathize.

Like the hotel clerk right there.

She was an older lady with curly white hair. A bit of a sour looking expression and clearly annoyed at her job. But when she looked at Miss Serena, then Mama Yue, and finally me and April, her expression shifted into an understanding smile.

"Are you checking in, Sweethearts?" The hotel clerk spoke up, glancing at me and April. "And do you Sweeties want candy?"

April's eyes lit up. "Oh, ye-"

I covered her mouth. "No candies unless I say yes, April."

April blinked. Then she quickly nodded.

I lowered my hand.

When I did, April smiled and said, "Thank you, Miss! But we're okay!"

Miss Serena giggled at the exchange.

Mama Yue rolled her eyes.

I just let out a sigh of relief.

April was waaay too naive. And pretty.

Considering where we were, I had to be on my guard.

The whole scandal about child actors in Hollywood wasn't just a thing of history at this time. It was the present.

So I was NOT about to risk anything like that happening.

The hotel clerk didn't take it personally though. Instead, she just let out a warm smile and said, "Smart boy." She took the papers from Mama Yue to check us into our room and said, "You should listen to your friend, little missy. Strangers can be dangerous, you know?"

April nodded seriously and said, "I know. But it's okay!" Her face lit up as she said, "Alex is a superhero! He can swing a sword and cut people apart!"

The hotel clerk chuckled as she handed the paper back to Mama Yue. Then she looked at Miss Serena and said, "Your daughter's very sweet. A wonderful imagination."

April puffed her cheeks and said, "But he can! Alex is suuuper strong and fast! He can run on walls!"

I had to resist the urge to facepalm.

April... Sweetie. I showed that to you for fun.

...Hah. This is why you can't tell kids secrets.

The hotel clerk laughed again and then nodded to Mama Yue before sliding a set of keycards across the countertop. "Room 497. Just swipe them in to unlock it, dears. Enjoy your stay. Also." She smiled at me and April and said, "The name's Martha, Sweeties. If you need anything, call the front desk and ask for me, okay?"

April nodded. "Okay, Miss Martha!"

I let out a long suffering sigh and laced my fingers with April's hand to keep her from sprinting off. "We'll consider it, Miss."

Martha chuckled and waved at us as we walked towards the elevator.

Once inside, I adjusted my backpack and looked at April. "April. Bestie. When we're in public, follow my lead when talking to adults, okay?"

April tilted her head and looked at me. "Huh? Why?" She smiled and said, "Alex will come and save me anyway, right? Like when Mommy was in trouble!"

...That's...

Well...

Fuck.

She had a point.

I furrowed my brow trying to come up with a counterargument.

Mama Yue smirked at my trouble and said, "You promised to make her happy, Al~"

Miss Serena chimed in and said, "You did~ So take responsibility for my Sweetie, Alex~"

April nodded seriously. "That's right! You said you chose to be my friend! So you have to make sure to protect me! Always and always and always!"

...Dammit.

Outnumbered three to one here.

I let out a deep sigh and then mushed up April's cheeks.

"Owowow! Aleeeex!"

"If I'm responsible for you, I'm taking teasing privileges. Look, now you're a marshmallow."

"Nooooo!"

Mama Yue and Miss Serena laughed, enjoying our little exchange.

But I was serious.

If I was stuck watching April, I was absolutely going to be that one childhood friend who mercilessly teased the girl.

Maybe.

...Who was I kidding? I'd fold the moment April pouted.

She was just too cute.

Like now.

April stared at me with a pout, her blue eyes watery with unshed tears.

I sighed and stopped. Then I patted her head. "Sorry, April."

"Hmph! Meanie..." April sniffled. But she still clung to my side.

I rolled my eyes. But I kept one arm around her protectively, keeping her close.

It was just out of habit.

Subconscious.

But I was ABSOLUTELY made aware of it when the elevator doors opened and a young couple let out a loud 'awwww' at seeing me and April.

Then there was a flash.

When I turned to look, Mama Yue was waving a polaroid photo, the color slowly filling the white square as the picture developed.

And when it did, it showed April blushing with a happy smile, me glaring but a faint smile on my face, and then Miss Serena beaming like a proud mom in the background.

...This was my life now...

===

Our room was one of those fancy two-bedroom hotel suites. The kind where there was an actual bedroom with a lock and second bathroom.

Once again, I was reminded how much money Mama Yue had made since she started taking care of me.

I guess the stocks I secretly pointed out to her were doing better than I anticipated?

She really was that 'cool rich aunt' right now. Like, she was unironically living the lifestyle that I was going to be living in the 2020s except, you know, she wasn't even 20 yet.

Which meant I had to be very thorough in vetting the people she met. With how attractive Mama Yue was, how much money she had, and the fact that she was heading into the entertainment industry she'd be hounded by vultures.

Not on my watch though.

Having her suffer one lifetime was more than enough.

But anyway.

I set my backpack down on my bed.

April and Miss Serena were unpacking in the adjacent room, April's giggles echoing as she flopped on the bed.

Meanwhile, Mama Yue was changing into some loose clothes that hugged her frame as well as applying make up.

I tilted my head and said, "You have to wear make up for filming? Don't they have make up people there, Mom?"

Mama Yue pulled out some lipstick and said, "They do, but it's my first time on set, Al. I should make sure I look pretty, right?"

"But you always look pretty?"