S I X ~ G R O W T H

J A C K S O N

~ ~ ~

Living with Nerida was... different, that's for certain.

She was a light. Looking at that face every day brought me more joy than I've ever experienced in my life.

But don't get it twisted, Nerida Spade sent me crazy, for multiple reasons.

First of all, she was a disrespectful little shit. Stubborn, sassy and had zero filter. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't love it.

She was exactly what you'd expect from a girl who'd never been disciplined in her life, a complete and total brat.

She ate candy like it was going out of style, gave me hell when it was time to shower and never cleaned up after herself. It gave me migraines but she kept me on my toes and it was kind of humorous.

It was impossible to keep a straight face when she screamed and ran around the apartment at one in the afternoon because she was convinced bathing wasn't a necessity.

Take, for example, yesterday I cooked breakfast. It consisted of sunny side up eggs, bacon and toast with lettuce, baby tomatoes and fresh slices of avocado. I worked really hard to make it look like Spongebob and everything.

She threw a downright fit.

Apparently, she was mortified of raw eggs, I didn't cut the crust off her toast and she wasn't a goat so she didn't understand why I was feeding her goat food.

She ended up eating a big bowl of Lucky Charms for breakfast, much to her delight.

However, what really sent me crazy was the fact that Nerida never wore bras. It was fine when she wore my t-shirts and hoodies because it would cover everything up. But every other time, it wasn't very easy to keep my eyes above her neck.

Now I'm not saying I look below her neck, I'm just saying it's hard not to. Especially considering how... blessed she was in that area. All areas actually.

Shut up Jackson.

"Okay, Jackson. I'm ready for my big day," Nerida came skipping into the living room, all decked out in her outfit for today. "Do you like it?"

She did a little spin and once again I had to avert my eyes. She wore a red turtleneck sweater with a tiny little black skirt that was way too short and way too tight. And in true Nerida fashion, she didn't wear a bra.

I was terrified of two things. One, I thought she was going to freeze to death outside and two, I was afraid I was going to go to prison today. But I couldn't wipe that smile off her face.

"As always, you look beautiful Nerida." She beamed and launched herself at me for a hug.  "But you have to go put on a pair of tights. It's freezing outside."

She frowned and I thought we were about to have a tantrum situation but instead she got all pouty.

"But whyyyyyy?"

"Because it's freezing outside and I don't want you to get sick." She rolled her eyes heavenwards but didn't argue since she saw my point.

Today is the day I promised to take her out to see the city. I wanted to give her some time to make sure she settled in properly but I wasn't going to keep her cooped up in this apartment. She's had enough of that to last a lifetime.

Also, I decided to fly Juliette out here for the weekend because I planned to take them both shopping and I think we both needed the guidance. Plus, Nerida really wanted to meet her.

She was supposed to arrive any minute now and I thought to lay down some rules for Nerida before we left.

"Nerida, New York City is a very dangerous place." I walked us over to the window so she could look down at the city, really trying to drive my point home. "You will not leave my sight for a second. No running off. I know you're excited but if you want to go see something, just ask me and I'll carry you."

Personally, I was dreading today. New York City was dirty, overpopulated and the people were deplorable. I wanted Nerida to see the world but I was afraid the reality of it would greatly disappoint her. The world wasn't a very nice place, especially to pure people like Nerida.

"Do you understand baby?" At that exact moment, a soft stream of sunlight shone directly on Nerida and my breath hitched in my throat.

She stood there, glowing, and before I realized it, my hands had come up to cup her face. She looked up at me in question, a hint of something I couldn't quite pinpoint in her eyes. Her eyelashes fluttered and I couldn't doubt for a second anymore that I had an angel in my presence.

There was a bit of green in the hazel of her eyes.

A knock sounded at the door and I jumped back. What the hell was I doing?

"I think Juliette is here." My skin flushed and I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly. Nerida didn't move from her position as I avoided eye contact with her. Up until I felt her arms wound their way around my torso to wrap me in a hug.

Nerida was just a little too precious. I didn't deserve to have her in my life.

"Come on, let's go open the door for Juliette."

I held her hand in mine as we walked to the door and her usual bounciness returned. I opened the door and as expected, my seventeen year old sister stood in the doorway.

"Hello brother!" She squealed and jumped into my arms. This is why I knew Nerida and Juliette would get along; that similar level of bounciness.

"Hey Julie," I greeted and led her into the apartment, closing the door behind us.

She turned towards Nerida and her eyes read shock. I'm not sure why exactly.

Nerida stuck out her hand with a big smile and pride bubbled within. She was so brave.

Juliette looked down at her hand before ignoring it and pulling her into a hug. It was Nerida's turn to be shocked but it only lasted a few seconds before she returned the gesture.

"You are so hot," Juliette complimented bluntly and I mentally facepalmed.

For the first time since the hospital, I saw Nerida exhibit shyness. Before Juliette could continue with her candor, I sent Nerida back to her room to get her coat and change into tights as I'd said before.

"What is wrong with you?" I scolded Julie as soon as Nerida was out of sight.

"You didn't tell me she was that hot? I mean look at her. I want my boobs to be that perky."

"Oh my goodness. I didn't need that mental image." I held my head and turned away, thinking of hairy asses to eliminate the images in my head,

"What? Have you seen those things? She's at least a C cup and gravity doesn't even apply. So not fair. And she has a nice ass."

"Okay, that's enough from you Juliette. That's strike one," I warned.

She glared up at me and mocked my statement. I felt my eye twitch slightly and that familiar urge to strangle her comes back again.

"You're such an asshole Juliette."

"Suck my dick Jacks-"

"Jackie?" Nerida called and we turned to her. "I'm ready."

Juliette snorted and I cursed in my head, knowing I was never going to live 'Jackie' down.

I left them to chat and went back to my room to grab the camera I bought. I knew today would be full of firsts for Nerida and I wanted to record it all.

For the first seventeen years, three hundred and sixty-two days of her life, Nerida's memories are only of a lonely New York apartment and an absentee father.

Television can't be the only memories she has of her early life. I am going to help her make new ones.

~ ~ ~

"Oh my goodness did you see that Jackson?" Nerida turned towards me and I nodded before lifting the camera to my eye and taking a photo of her.

Nerida was completely fascinated by a couple of breakdancers on the sidewalk. She and Julie went to the front of the crowd whilst I hung back and enjoyed watching her enjoy herself.

We've been walking through the streets of New York for a few hours now, taking the subway to and from our major destinations. The most shocking part of my day so far was the part where I was actually enjoying myself.

It didn't start off that way, I'll admit. Especially when we had to ride the damnable subway. But looking at the utter joy on Nerida's face as she rode a dirty, rat-infested train really threw me for a loop.

Nerida saw the good in everything. Where I saw graffiti, she saw art. Where I saw dirty, she saw authenticity. Where I saw rats, she saw something called a ratatouille? Where I saw disgusting, rude people, Nerida saw diversity. She saw a variety of people going through their day with their own outlooks.

It was... refreshing.

It was almost as though I was seeing my surroundings in a new light, as corny as that sounded. I always looked at life as being black and white but Nerida made me see the grey area. The part where the good mixed with the bad, and maybe that was the actual reality of life.

You couldn't get the good without the bad and it was up to you to find and appreciate the good in everything.

Two weeks with a bouncy teenager and all of a sudden I'm a philosopher.

"Hey Neri, I think it's time for us to go get some lunch," I called out to her and she immediately found her way back to my side. She's been so obedient today and I'm so proud of her.

I half-expected to go through my day like some sort of soccer mom at the grocery store, screaming at her bratty kid.

She found her way to my side and gripped my hand. I ignored the teasing look Juliette gave us and walked to the edge of the sidewalk so I could hail a cab.

Since I was taking them both shopping after we ate lunch, I thought it was wise for us to just grab lunch at the mall. We arrived at the mall about forty five minutes later and I got us a table at this charming Italian bistro.

Nerida and Juliette sat across from me and a scrawny looking teenager came to take our order. I rolled my eyes as Juliette immediately started flirting. That girl is going to give me grey hairs way before my time.

To my utmost pleasure, Nerida sat oblivious to his advances. When I grew tired of his crap, I interrupted and stared him down. His macho act disappeared real quick and I smirked when Juliette glared at me.

"Strike two," I mouthed to her and she mocked me yet again. So mature.

I discreetly took a short video as Nerida courageously ordered a chicken alfredo pasta with broccoli.

"I've always wanted to do that," she stated afterward, adorning a broad smile. Both Julie and I had pride written on our faces and I reached across the table to hold her hand.

"You're doing great Neri."

I saw the look Juliette was giving us so I let go of Nerida's hand and pretended to clear my throat.

"So, Jackson," Juliette began after a few seconds. "How is this little arrangement going to play out when you have to work?"

"Well, I think you'll be glad to know that I'm on vacation," I answered, looking over at Nerida who was occupied with staring at the passersby outside of the restaurant, fascination in her eyes.

"Vacation? Are you serious? You've never taken a vacation from work. How long are you on vacation for?" The astonishment on Juliette's face was warranted as this was completely out of character for me.

"To answer your questions, yes I am serious and I am on vacation indefinitely."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, as you said, I've never taken a vacation before so I told the chief that I'm taking my ten years' worth of vacation time back to back. I'm on furlough."

"You can't do that. That's not legal."

"I can do whatever I want Juliette. I'm a grown man." I'm sure that my actions were unlawful according to someone's rule book, but I'd dare them to tell me otherwise.

"So you finally take a vacation, and it's for her." Jealously and hurt leaked from her tone and my heart sank.

When I left Los Angeles, I was only eighteen years old and Juliette had just turned eight. My father had passed away two years prior and my mom had just remarried... his best friend.

I couldn't look at my mother or her traitor of a husband. The environment had gotten so toxic in that house.

My father owned one of the biggest law firms in LA, Colt & Associates. I was in line to take his place but after he died, everything changed. I was surrounded by all this wealth but none of it could bring my dad back.

That big old house became so lonely without my father there and when my mom remarried, the loneliness was replaced with the stench of betrayal.

So I left. I gave up college and my position in the company and I moved to the other side of the country. The money my dad left me was enough for me to survive for the rest of my life, but I used just a portion of it to buy my apartment and my car, lay down my roots basically.

I became a firefighter, just like my dad was in his younger years.

I haven't been back to LA since, nor have I spoken to my mother. Juliette is always pestering me about how much our mother misses me and telling me that I should take a vacation and come home. I'm grown enough to say I miss my mother but I know that I won't be able to face her without exploding in a fit of rage.

To ease my guilt, I fly Juliette out to New York whenever she wants.

So it becomes apparent now that I may have greatly hurt Juliette by my actions. She's been asking me to take a vacation for years and I take one for someone I've known for less than a month.

I was an asshole.

The waiter brought our food and temporarily distracted me from how much of a dick I was.

The last couple of days made me realize that Nerida's facial reactions were everything. She definitely looked like someone who watched TV for their entire life as she was adorably dramatic. She didn't seem to notice the tension between Juliette and me, as she picked up her fork and slowly stabbed her pasta.

She dropped the fork all of a sudden and pushed her plate towards me,

"I can't do it Jackson. I've always wanted to try chicken alfredo, but what if this is a bad one? Then my first time will be ruined. Try it and tell me if this is a good alfredo, please," she asked sweetly.

Juliette and I stared at her for a while before we bust out laughing.

This wasn't the first time I ate here and I knew the food was good, but to humour her, I took a forkful of her pasta.

"This is a good one Neri," I assured.

She sighed in relief and pulled the plate back to her, hurriedly digging in.

My eyes dilated as she let out a moan and tossed her head back, savoring the cheesy delight.

Part of her hair was held up and the rest cascaded down the sides of her neck, framing her face and highlighting the smooth skin.

Fuck

I cursed myself in my head and shoveled some of my bolognese into my mouth.

Juliette chatted with Nerida quietly and I was actually taken aback by Juliette's maturity. She didn't hold my actions against Nerida. However, I knew she'd have it in for me sooner or later.

I stayed quiet as they conversed and ate my food, only refocusing myself when I heard Juliette say my name.

"Don't you think so Jackson? We should swing by Victoria's Secret so we can get some more underwear for Nerida. I mean, I chose some last time for her but I think she should be able to pick out her own."

Screw you Juliette

"That's fine Julie," I smiled falsely and looked around the restaurant.

"Oh and we should get her some bras. Now that she's here, they can measure her bra size and we can get her a few."

I knew my cheeks were a bright red and Juliette was enjoying this moment of superiority.

"Great thinking Julie," I muttered.

"They can do that? I've never owned a bra before. This is so exciting!" Nerida bounced in her seat and my eyes glanced downwards.

"Saggy balls, saggy balls, saggy balls," I immediately started chanting in my head.

"Alright Nerida, let's get busy. We have to go spend all my brother's money," Julie cheered and dropped her napkin on her plate.

"That sounds like fun Julie but Jackson and I already agreed last night that he can only get me things that he believes I need. I already feel so guilty as it is, so that's the decision we came to," Nerida explained kindly.

We ended up bickering last night when I told her that I was taking her shopping and I wanted her to get everything she wanted.

She was adamant about not spending my money unnecessarily and claimed that I'd already spent so much on her. Whilst she was grateful for all the basic necessities I provided for her, she didn't see the need for me to go overboard.

So, to pacify her, I told her that I would only get her things I believe she really needs.

It just sucks for her because I believe she deserves the world.

~ ~ ~

you go ahead and fight those urges jackie

we believe in your self control

#freethetitties

✨d o r i s✨