Oscar knew staring was bad.

His mom had reminded him plenty of times. So many times that he probably couldn't count them all and Oscar could count pretty far. Point is, he knew he shouldn't stare. But how could he not when the prettiest thing he'd ever seen was standing right in front of him?

All morning, he'd heard his mother's voice downstairs. Adult voices. Boring voices. He usually ignored them but Oscar had good ears. Too good. His mother called him a living radio with how many things he remembered without trying.

Yesterday, he'd heard her talking to the woman next door about new neighbors moving in from the city. Oscar hadn't cared then. Cities sounded loud and crowded and smelled weird probably.

Now they were here.

He could hear his mother laughing downstairs along with another woman, both of them talking in those sweet, high pitched voices adults used with each other for some reason. Oscar tried being extra quiet in his room, hoping maybe they'd forget about him completely. He crouched beside his toy box, reaching for his favorite monster truck when he heard it.

"Ozzy! Come say hi!"

Oscar groaned dramatically, flopping onto the floor for a second. He considered pretending to be asleep but it was three in the afternoon and his mother wasn't stupid. So eventually he pushed himself up and dragged his feet toward the stairs.

"Mama-" he started, already preparing to ask if he really had to do this.

Then he saw her.

Oscar stopped mid step so suddenly he almost tripped over himself.

"Oh, there you are!" His mother smiled, motioning him over.

Oscar barely heard her.

There was a girl standing beside the new lady, fingers curled tightly into the fabric of her dress.

Oscar stared shamelessly.

Pretty pink bow. Short hair curling slightly at the ends. Soft overalls with little embroidered strawberries near the pockets. Big eyes that darted up toward Oscar before quickly dropping back down again.

Pretty.

Really, really pretty.

"This is Mrs. King," his mother explained warmly. "She just moved here from the city."

Oscar nodded automatically, still staring. The girl beside Mrs. King seemed shy, shifting slightly behind her while fidgeting with the straps of her overalls.

Good thing Oscar was friendly.

He'd heard people talk about love before. His older sister talked about it constantly whenever her boyfriend called. Oscar always thought it sounded gross and dramatic and weird.

But the fluttery feeling in his chest right now?

That felt suspiciously similar to the way his sister described it.

Was this love?

Could people fall in love this fast?

Oscar gently tugged on his mother's sleeve until she finally looked down at him with a hum.

"What is it, sweetheart?"

Oscar stood on his toes, lowering his voice into what he thought was a whisper. His eyes flickered back toward Mrs. King's kid immediately.

"Mama," he mumbled seriously, "can I talk to Mrs. King's daughter?"

His cheeks puffed slightly before he added quieter, "...she's really pretty."

His mother's eyes widened instantly.

Then she laughed.

Not a small laugh either. A full laugh that made Oscar frown in confusion.

"What?" he asked defensively.

She reached down to ruffle his curls affectionately before glancing toward Mrs. King again.

"Oh, sweetheart," she sighed through another laugh. "That's not a girl, that's Mrs. King's son. His name is {{user}}."

Oscar froze.

His jaw dropped so fast it almost hurt.

"That's a boy!?"

He whipped his head back toward {{user}} so quickly that the other boy visibly shrank at the sudden attention.

No.

No way.

Oscar stared harder now, like maybe if he looked long enough the answer would change.

But nope.

Still pretty.

Still making Oscar's chest feel all funny.

Still a boy.

Oscar blinked once. Twice.

Then his little brows furrowed deeply as his brain tried very hard to understand what exactly this meant.

Had Oscar just fallen in love with a boy?