Sara opened the car door and slid into the driver’s seat, her movements smooth and practiced. She cradled Jordan in one hand, gently setting him down in her lap. The soft weight of him against her felt familiar now, like second nature. She gave him a moment to adjust, her hands moving instinctively to make sure he was secure and comfortable. They had fallen into a rhythm over the past few weeks, a kind of unspoken choreography that made even these small interactions seamless. What had once been awkward and uncertain was now part of their routine, a quiet normalcy that Sara barely thought about anymore.
Jordan settled into her lap, leaning back slightly as Sara’s hands rested protectively around him. The warmth of her body beneath him, the steady rise and fall of her breathing—it was all so comforting, so stable. Sara reached for her seatbelt with her free hand, pulling it across her body with a practiced motion, careful not to jostle Jordan. The click of the buckle was loud in the quiet car, a small sound that punctuated the ease of their routine.
Kayla stood outside the car, watching them through the window as they moved in sync. She sighed softly, the weight of her own situation settling heavily on her shoulders. The contrast between Sara and Jordan’s smooth rhythm and her clumsy, chaotic interactions with Kelli felt glaringly obvious. Every time she tried to situate Kelli—whether it was in her hand, on her shoulder, or in her lap—it felt like an awkward dance. Kelli would bristle, Kayla would fumble, and neither of them could seem to find a comfortable middle ground.
It wasn’t just the physical logistics that were hard; it was the emotional weight of it all. Kayla couldn’t shake the feeling that every misstep was another failure, another reminder that she wasn’t cut out for this. She was Kelli’s sister, not her guardian. And yet, here she was, trying to fill a role she’d never wanted, never asked for, and never thought she’d have to take on.
Sara must have sensed her lingering outside the car, because she turned her head slightly, her gaze meeting Kayla’s through the glass. “You’ll get there, Kayla,” she said, her voice calm but confident. “It takes time. Jordy and I didn’t figure this out overnight. You and Kelli will find your way too.”
Kayla opened the passenger door and climbed in, shutting it behind her with a soft thud. She buckled her seatbelt and glanced at Sara, her expression a mixture of frustration and self-doubt. “I know,” she said, though her tone was less than convincing. “It’s just… I didn’t think it would be this hard. This is why I never wanted a Little in the first place.”
She looked down at her hands, twisting her fingers nervously. “I only agreed because it’s Kelli. I couldn’t let her down. She’s done so much for me over the years—looked out for me, stood up for me when I couldn’t do it for myself. Taking care of her now was supposed to be my way of paying her back, of showing her how much I appreciate everything she’s done for me. But it feels like I’m fumbling the ball every step of the way.”
Sara’s hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel as she turned the key in the ignition, the car humming to life. She glanced at Kayla, her voice steady but kind. “It’s not fumbling, Kayla. It’s learning. There’s a difference.”
“Football,” Jordan piped up from Sara’s lap, his voice soft but firm. Sara glanced down at him with a smile, her hand brushing gently over his shoulder.
Kayla let out a short laugh, though it was tinged with self-deprecation. “Right. I’m out here dropping passes, and everyone’s just cheering me on like I’ve got a shot at making the team.”
“Kelli understands,” Sara said as she began to back out of the driveway. “I know she does. But this is hard for her too. She’s spent her whole life being the big sister, taking care of you, protecting you. And now? She probably feels like she can’t do that anymore. She’s fighting to figure out who she is in all of this.”
Kayla looked out the window, her reflection faintly visible in the glass. “I’m a wreck,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “There’s plenty Kelli can still help me with. I’m not some perfect person just because I’m the guardian now.”
“You know that, and I know that,” Sara said gently, “but to Kelli, you’re like a hundred feet tall. You could do in seconds what would take her an hour of struggle. And that’s hard to accept. It’s hard for a Little to look at someone they’ve always seen as an equal—or even someone they’ve seen as their responsibility—and suddenly feel like they’re the one being taken care of.”
Sara paused, glancing at Kayla briefly before returning her eyes to the road. “Jordy and I had our moments too. It’s not like we woke up one day and had it all figured out. We’re still learning. Every day, we’re learning.”
Kayla stayed quiet for a moment, her thoughts swirling. The idea of Kelli seeing her as some kind of invincible giant felt strange, almost laughable. She didn’t feel invincible. She felt like she was barely holding it together. But Sara’s words stuck with her, a reminder that this wasn’t just her struggle. Kelli was fighting her own battle too.
“I just want her to feel like herself again,” Kayla said finally, her voice soft. “I know things are different now, but I don’t want her to feel like she’s lost everything.”
“She hasn’t lost you,” Sara said simply. “And that’s the most important thing. Even if she doesn’t say it, she knows you’re there for her.”
Kayla nodded, her chest tightening at the thought. She would always be there for Kelli, no matter how hard things got. She just hoped that one day, Kelli would understand that.
As they drove, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, the tension in the car easing slightly. But even as they laughed and talked, Kayla’s mind lingered on Kelli. She thought about the moments of frustration, the times when she felt like she was failing. But she also thought about the quiet moments—when Kelli would curl up in her hand or lean against her shoulder without protest. Those moments reminded Kayla that they were figuring this out, one step at a time.
She wasn’t perfect, and neither was Kelli. But they were sisters. And that was enough.
This does make me wonder if Kayla wasn’t Kelli’s guardian who Kelli would have ended up with.
I would guess her mother, and her mother would get the life extending deal.
We don’t know how big the Wallace family is, she could have cousins that’d be able to take her in. She was also pretty popular, she could easily have had a guardian-trained friend.
There were other options available to Kelli. She does have guardian trained friends tehy just didn’t go to the same college as her.
Her parents would be possibility or other family members.
Lots of options.
I’m already for the sorry and the loving Kelli hugging and cuddling with Kayla to show she trusts her after they have a long loving talk with sara and Jordan helping lol. Cant wait till tomorrow lol
I actually cant remember offhand what tomorrows chapter entails. If its them actually arriving or if its aback to Talisa and Kelli with the actual meeting wedensday.
1) “They had fallen into a rhythm over the past few weeks, a kind of unspoken choreography that made even these small interactions seamless.” How long has it actually been, specifically? As in what date is it?
2) “The contrast between Sara and Jordan’s smooth rhythm and her clumsy, chaotic interactions with Kelli felt glaringly obvious” Shouldn’t by now Kayla and Kelli also have a routine, even if it’s not as smooth? Haven’t they been together as long as Sara and Jordan?
3) “Kayla couldn’t shake the feeling that every misstep was another failure, another reminder that she wasn’t cut out for this.” A little imposter syndrome would make it difficult for Kayla, and seeing Sara (who just shrugs her missteps of like they never happened) would highlight the differences.
4) “It’s just… I didn’t think it would be this hard. This is why I never wanted a Little in the first place.” That would have been hard to say out loud.
5) “I only agreed because it’s Kelli. I couldn’t let her down” This is very obvious with Kayla, that she’d be willing to never cross paths with a Little if she didn’t have a vulnerable loved one, unlike most other guardians who actually wanted one, related or not. It could almost be compared to an unplanned pregnancy, where someone mightn’t want kids but now suddenly has them and has to work it out.
6) “Right. I’m out here dropping passes, and everyone’s just cheering me on like I’ve got a shot at making the team.” Well, she’s doing pretty well, she’s over analysing her mistakes which is good, but from what we’ve seen she hasn’t actually done anything cruel or mean, just some things Kelli didn’t like (unless you count the dog bed, but that was stated to be because she couldn’t afford a Little bed).
7) “Kelli understands, I know she does. But this is hard for her too. She’s spent her whole life being the big sister, taking care of you, protecting you. And now? She probably feels like she can’t do that anymore. She’s fighting to figure out who she is in all of this.” Sara defending Kelli is a surprise, I thought her advice would be more of the “you need to put your foot down” variety.
8) “There’s plenty Kelli can still help me with. I’m not some perfect person just because I’m the guardian now.” That’s true, though I could see Kelli’s ‘advice’ getting annoying to Kayla, especially since Kelli is looking to still have power over something.
9) “but to Kelli, you’re like a hundred feet tall. You could do in seconds what would take her an hour of struggle” Sara figured that out when assigning Jordan chores.
10) “It’s hard for a Little to look at someone they’ve always seen as an equal—or even someone they’ve seen as their responsibility—and suddenly feel like they’re the one being taken care of.” Not that she gave her Little a chance to adapt, she was immediately treating him like an inferior being in every way.
11) “Jordy and I had our moments too” Moments I’d wager Sara still hasn’t answered for.
12) “Sara’s words stuck with her, a reminder that this wasn’t just her struggle. Kelli was fighting her own battle too” which is an important lesson for Guardians, it’s not just about them.
13) “I just want her to feel like herself again, I know things are different now, but I don’t want her to feel like she’s lost everything.” which is a fine goal to have
14) “She hasn’t lost you, and that’s the most important thing” a bit oversimplified but still good to remember.
15) “She thought about the moments of frustration, the times when she felt like she was failing. But she also thought about the quiet moments—when Kelli would curl up in her hand or lean against her shoulder without protest” Those sound like standard highs and lows for Guardians and Littles, and those quiet moments sound really cute, I hope we get to see one.
2) In my humble opinion the lack of a bond that Kelli is afraid of prevents them having that kind of integration. I think after that bond is made they will be better then Jordan and Sara.
3) I think most successful people I have met have had A little imposter syndrome. I know I had and so did one of my supper smart Mangers when we talked in front of corporate MiT guys. Its what keeps you humble and keep working hard. lol
4) She did out of Love and not drawing on her parents help raises kids would have helped her if she would have had less pride. Same with asking for money to help set Kelli up right with a nice living area is she wanted one or not.
5)Like with most unplanned pregnancy’s, she will love being Kelli’s guardian like a lot all moms couldn’t think of not being with their baby’s. They are going to be together for a long time and I think they are going to become a great team with Kelli aways there to be Kayla’s cheerleader and sounding board hugging her neck under her hair.
6) I have to disagree that the dog bed was lazy and she could have got the money from her mom but pride stopped her and in chapter ten talking about getting the dog bed she never said it was a money issue and putting her on the dog bed and and ignoring her like a giant uncaring mountain with a screen lighting her face 100 feet up and Kelli sitting on dog bed that she was obviously lying about breaking Kelli’s trust in anything she says and leaving Kelli a highly intelligent and motivated person with nothing to do put stare at the evil giant. That is one of the most damming things that turned me against Kayla. I will be disappointed if she doesn’t say she was sorry for being so uncaring and treating her poorly in that moment. That is the kind treatment that could have had Kelli do something bad to herself because of already being a young depressed woman.
7) I think Sara and grown a lot and Kayla does have to understand she is a giant the size of a skyscraper to Kelli and she has to get used to being so small a little girl and play with her like a barbie and their is nothing she can do and needs her younger giant sister protection from everything, even herself.
8)Kelli needs to be suggesting nicely not telling like a child to a parent because that is their roles now. I think again when bonded this will make them a seamless team.
9)Agreed and I hope Kayla learns that without doing another dangerous hanging Kelli on a skateboard like hanging a child on a open door going down the highway.
10) she is right and and your right, I think Sara has learned the Error of her ways through Chole and bonding with Jordon is a maternal way not the little way.
11)She has made Jordans life better then it has ever been in his life so I’m hoping your wrong but I don’t know.
12)Totally agree, The biggest transition is for the new little not the Guardian that is still human where the little lost everything and the world had turned into a giant place that wants to kill them.
13)Its a good goal but she is not the old her and she has to comes to grips with that just like Kayla has to comes to grips with giving Kelli more loving attention and stopping zoning out on things, she is basically a parent now so the days of being a zoned out hermit are done, time to grow up. You have your sisters life literally in your hands.
14) Good to remember and I would think with Kayla knowing about computers would get her set up with a little computer system where should go engage online with out anyone knowing she is a little.
15) I agree I look forward to their loving cute times that are important for all humanoids especially littles with their heighted senses.
1) I didn’t write it with a singular date in mind. Its still fall. Probably september/october timeframe. I didn’t create it with that level of specificity
2) Sara is more skilled then Kayla at this then Kayla. So where Kayla is struggling more Sara is able to work through the issues.
This was further used to illustrate Sara’s skill and Kayla’s not lack of skill but she’s average at best when it comes to little and guardian related activities. While Sara is elite when it comes to those situations.
As I wanted to delve into a character who while trying is just not good at it. Especially compared to her new friends Sara and Mallory who are generally more skilled.
3) Sara more internalizes her struggles. Where Kayla more wheres her struggles on her sleeves.
4) It would, Kayla reflects on the full conversation in the final episode which is episode 30 where you get a bit more insight into her thoughts and you also get to her what Sara said. As this was just one part but Kayla was at Sara’s for hours prior to Talisa calling.
5) Thats pretty accurate. SHe had little desire for a little. If Kelli was immune she really could live her whole life without one and not really care. She isn’t quite like greg where it didn’t affect him so she didn’t care. Its more like while she is sympathetic to the cause it doesn’t make her want one and she can’t change the laws regardless of what she thinks of them. So she would just move on. If that makes sense. I may not be expalining it the best.
6) Thats pretty accurate. Kayla doesn’t wish harm on her sister or anything. She would get a little bed if they were cheaper and while she could ask Chloe Kayla is a bit shy. Kelli is mostly okay with it as she sees kayla is trying even if she isn’t thrilled.
7) Sara is a good to her friends. She wouldn’t do Kayla like that. She doesn’t dislike Kelli or anything. She does view her as a pet person like jordan.
8) Yes like her advice when it comes to clothing seems not as welcome to Kayla as other advice.
9) She does learn things. She hasn’t done that mistake again since she made it to her credit.
10) Well she does think of jordan as her pet person and felt that Jordan needed her guidance. Sara generally treats each little to what she views there capability to be. So she would probably give Kelli more leeway then she would Jordan. As Kelli more verbalizes her wants and needs and is able to communiate them to Sara. Jordan who is introverted like Kayla struggles with that. So he defers to Sara more often. As Jordan doesnt like being the leader. Its why he also defers to Kelli when tehy are together.
11) lol, I picture you with a list of greviances just waiting for your moment.
12) yup, its a good thing sara is here to help guide Kayla through this. Shepherd her along if you will.
13) Easier to see from Kayla’s end then Kelli’s.
14) Kayla would probably not do well with something more complicated in the moment
15) There is always the possibility of a season 2.
11)
1) I see, It was confusing me because you keep switching between “it’s been time” and “It’s still new”
2) Actually, wanting a little would help Sara too.
Well Sara is rank 1.
That is Kayla’s big drawback, she’s leagues behind others,
3) Very true, Sara has her well-worn mask.
4) I see, I look forward to it.
5) She’s a good person, better than Greg.
6) I can’t see Kayla asking for handouts, she didn’t even go to her parents for aid.
8) So long as Kayla sets boundaries it should work.
9) She hasn’t, but also never apologised or any redeeming act either.
10) She was still needlessly cruel about it, even getting rough with him especially when things went even slightly not her way.
11) I should write a formal list rather than just mental notes.
12) Maybe if Sara followed her own advice I’d like her more.
14) Possibly, I believe in Kayla.
15) Or Smallara Prime, or even Good Girlfriend, if you really wanted to stretch the logic she could show up in Dayton: JGC.
1) Both are true though it has been time but things are still new as a span of weeks puts things in a period of time w here things are newish still but also for other things its been enough time for other adjustments.
However, I can see how that could be confusing.
2) I got the sense she loved that Jordan fell at her feet as a little, she seemed really into having a little while talking to her mom about keeping Jordan. Kayla needs to stop trying to do everything her self and ask for help because most successful people get help at one point. Her pride like most people is holding her back. there is a reason its a deadly sin. Cindy is a prime example of even as a little her pride keeps her from excepting she is a normal little and nothing special.
3) In my humble opinion , Kayla lacks work ethic on stuff she needs to do. Look how much time she spends on skate boarding and Video games and is elite. She has it in her she just needs to work hard at it like Sara does. Sarah puts the time and effort into trying to be a good guardian even though I still don’t like her pet person outlook even though I like she is getting better with choles influence.
5) I wouldn’t say better then Greg, he just loved the wrong woman.
6) I look at Kayla not asking her parents for help getting Kelli proper living courters as a major problem for me having my opinion of Kayla crash and burn because she was ok with her sister she says she loves sleep on a dog bed with no bathroom or hygienic area or making her set up so she had to eat her pellets to say heathy even if she complained. That is what being a guardian is. If it would have effected Kayla’s online games you know she would have asked her parents because it effected her. Not a good look in my opinion. Not someone I would be around when I was young, major red flag.
8)I think people should be open to as much as possible, cloths seem not a big deal like hair. Hair grows back and cloths can be changed. Religion and going against your sex preference and hurting people off the top of my head seem like the major boundaries I can think of.
9) I agree, part of being a good person is saying you are sorry when you cause others pain. even if you correct it.
10) I agree, you got upset with Sara like I did with Kayla for their down right uncaring evil acts against someone that is weaker and more vulnerable then a baby. I got really mad at Kayla because it was her sister that did so much for her.
11) I tried with Kayla with chapters call outs. It does help feeling your not just being a hater lol. I stole your number system of feed back and I love it being a numbers geek lol.
12)That’s where the saying Rules for Thee not for me came from I’m guessing lol.
14)I think Kayla would do ok if she asked Kelli or her parents for advise like many need to do in what ever they are trying to do better at. I learned 80% of my old very complicated job from mentors not all the college i did.
15) I am looking for cute interactions in any story. We need more positively and hope for littles lol.