Kharel came back home around 6. He opened the white gate and went inside with his bike in tow. He looked at the windows of the first floor and found it dark. The old couple living there was still out. Earlier, he went to the mall to buy some food for his empty fridge. He parked his bike in one corner and noticed something moving from the corner of his eye. A tall guy about in his mid to late 20's was walking away across the house. He was wearing a white shirt, dark green cotton pants and sandals. He seemed very suspicious as he hastily strode away from the central angle of the house. There weren't many people nor houses nearby and the closest neighbor was 20 minute walk from there. Kharel silently and quickly moved closer to the moving man to have a better look at him but then he wasn't able to see his whole face. He did take note of his hair which was cut short but with about an exception of a 3 cm wide and 2 and a half inch long hair at the lower left side of his neck where he tied it with an orange rubber band. The guy disappeared from his view and that was the time he went back inside the house. Putting his school bag in one of the scattered chairs around the place, he checks out and sorts the things he has bought earlier on.
On his floor there were barely any new furniture around except for the ones that he really need like a small washing machine, telephone, kitchen table, oven, etc. most of which left by the owners for him to use. He moved in a few months ago but the majority of his baggage was left untouched. He didn't have any problems with money, still he took some part time jobs along the way of the travel and right now as a cashier at a small hotdog stand near a children's soccer school every weekend. He didn't like wasting money for trivial and selfish things he has no use for. In his room, which was the smallest among the many rooms of his floor, the walls were covered with pictures, scenery's mostly, of the places he has visited and passed by. They were important to him as they hold memories he hadn't and couldn't share with anyone else. The stack posted on the walls were only one fourth of the ones he has in his albums which he had left in the city he was previously staying at. All buried underground of his mind.
He took out his phone and played a modern violin piece from a sound track of a foreign movie. He lowered the volume to it's lowest and went on to do his real business and work.
'How is the commotion of the play going on?' Byrne said while taking a large bite on his taco. 131Please respect copyright.PENANAbJCebqiWOJ
'Fine, I guess. It's fun. It manages to take my mind off Chloe for a few hours.'
'Girl, you don't have to worry yourself to crisp. She's going to be fine, didn't you say?'
'I was talking about him.' She pushes the cutter harder into the illustration board while tracing the image imprinted on it.
'Good thing she didn't mention it to any of them. Or things would had gotten more messier. ' Grady said. She was standing in between them holding two plastic bottles cut in half, both containing dark dirty water from the paint.
Fay just sighed at this then hands out the result of her effort to Byrne. He then uses a sprinkler to cover the white space with color.
'Colors of the heart.'
'What?'
'It's a song.'
'By whom? Never heard of it.'
'It's not like you are going to listen to it. ' he said. He had kept giving recommendations to her but one thing just goes out of her other ear.
'I've heard of it. I think. From a long time ago. Was there a-' Fay said mid-sentence when a familiar silhouette emerged from her view. Both of them turned to look from where she was looking at, confused.
'Oh!' He said. Fay's skin crawled from all the cringe she was feeling inside. She pulled her skirt closer to her legs even though she was wearing a skater short. She didn't stand up from her position on the floor because she was sure she was going to itch to run away from him once she stands up. 'Long time no see, Fay. So this is where I'll find you.' He exaggerated a tap on the forehead. 'Silly me. You are part of the visual arts, aren't you?'
'No, I'm not. There aren't clubs for the seniors. You know that.'
'Ah.. uhm.. so what...?'
'What brings you here Mihail?' Byrne said.
'I'm an actor for the play. Haven't you heard? This is the first time the actors will practice in the auditorium.'
'How about your sister?' Grady asked. She puts the bottles aside on top of a small counter. Fay ignored his presence and continued to finish cutting off the images. Mihail's eyes landed on her left wrist.
'Why aren't you wearing my gift, Fay?'
She froze.
'I forgot.' She replied without looking up at him.
'You promised you will wear it.'
'Yeah. Maybe next time.'
From inside someone calls out to Mihail. It was Neasa, the number one girl ready to clamp her mouth around his head in the name of love. After he was out of an earshot, Fay lays down on her back and sighed once again.
'What was that all about?' Byrne said asking whoever was willing to answer.
'I thought it was just my imagination that that Mihail has something for you. Now I have my confirmation. My soul can now rest in peace.'
'Grady, what if he's just referring to a Christmas or holiday gift? Remember that his father was a boss to her father years before. They're like close.'
'He's just teasing me.' Fay said. That was how he was since we were children. Making a fun of me since I'm different from them. Since I'm adopted and a left over in society. They're despicable. Well, I can't have any power to change that fact in life that assholes exist.
Byrne and her wondered why Grady started laughing all of the sudden.
'Wait, wait, a thought just came into my mind.'
'What now?' Byrne said while rolling his eyes. Both of them knew Grady is fond of telling mawkish jokes at serious situations.
'I was wondering.'
'What?' Byrne was bored out of his wits and one page of his notebook was filled with doodles and calligraphy experiments.
'Peter pan said to just have happy thoughts and that you would be able to fly.'
'So?'
'And how about me? I think about you but instead of flying I'm falling for you.'
Byrne started to loosen out his shoe.
Grady just laughed at his face.
'He smelled funny.'
'Jesus Christ.' Fay said while quickly standing up, pinching her nose. Byrne who didn't get it too quickly perished as the smell completely invaded his nostrils and unfortunately made a dangerous spark on his neurons on his brain. He faked a faint and acted out a seizure.
'WHAT THE HELL, GRADY!!' Both of them said in unison.
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