well, it was worth a try.

                  ❛ i might know her. it'd be                     easier to tell if i had a name,                     though. ❜                                      he's  standing  straighter  with his                                      head  held higher, feeling so tiny                                      under  the  man's  gaze.  it's time                                      to   go   on  the  defensive  mode.                                      last time he'd seen someone this                                      shady,  the scumbag had tried to                                      rob his house, so it's only natural                                      he  remains cautious around this                                      stranger.

                 &&  there's  hesitation at first,                  because  he's  so  worried                  about  the  reaction he'll elicit                  by telling the truth. he doesn't                  want   to   be   hated   for   the                  mistake he's made.                             the  smile  he's  given,  full of                             comfort, pushes him forward                             though,  so he speaks, voice                             so   low   that  she'd  have  to                             strain  herself  to  catch what                             he's said.                                        ❛            i-i wished my family                                          would disappear && it came                                          true. ❜

                ❛ my mom says we're not allowed                   to  wear  shorts  during  holidays,  so                   maybe that's why he's in pants.                             yeah,  just  give  them  a  beating  ;  it                             works  every  time.  all  ya gotta do is                             smash  your  fist  on  their  faces.  it'll                             leave them screaming && crying, &&                             you might get in trouble, but it's worth                             it.                                        yep—-  i don't think so, i think we just                                        boarded  different planes. who knows,                                        their  plane  might  be  headed  to this                                        joint   too.   no  offense,  but  you're  a                                        stranger  &&  i  don't  think  my  mom                                        would want me going to your place. ❜

                   ❛ sorry, i just think it's lame cause                      all  you grown-ups keep thinking it's                      okay to fool us.                                       actually, it was my older brother buzz                                       who  told me. he said i was too dumb                                       to  keep  believing in santa && when i                                       asked  all  my  cousins,  they told me                                                                                    the truth. ❜

               ❛ i  don't  think  i'm ever gonna                  understand.  i'd  choose  comic                  books   &&   stuff   over  naked                  girls  any  day.  i think when i'm                  bigger   i'll   still   be  the  same,                  cause i wont change like other                  people do. ❜                                he's thinking about how people always                                change  &&  how  he  knows he's not                                going  to.  the  image  he  sees  of his                                future  self  acts  much  like his current                                self  does,  &&  he's content with that,                                because  he  likes  himself  very much,                                actually.

               ❛ it isn't that hard to figure out                  where everything is— i guess i                  could  try  &&  draw ya one. ❜                              he's more amused at her incapability to                              remember   all   the   rooms   than   the                              festivities.    it   strikes   him   as   funny,                              considering  he  knows  every nook &&                              cranny  of  the  house  while  she  can't                              even figure out where the living room or                              kitchen   is.  he  shrugs,  giving  a  plain                              response to her inquiry.                                           ❛ eh, ya know, what most kids do. ❜

                 ❛ i  wasn't  trying  to be funny. i'm just                    saying,  i  don't  get  why ya wear it—                    thing is, ma'am, i don't think i'll ever                    like  it  ;  even when i'm older, i'll still                    hate   it.  my  mom  is  on  the  phone                    nearby.  she  said  not to interrupt her                    so i came over here to look at stuff. ❜

                ❛ well, wouldn't ya prefer i be                   honest with ya ? ❜

                ❛ ya know, ya don't have to keep                  pretending  to  be  ‘santa’  ; i                  know he's not real. ❜

you were walking in front of me when you tripped over your own foot and knocked over the christmas tree in the park. let me help you up and we’ll try to fix the damage au