A not so Typical Story

Chapter 26: Brother Three

I guess I have a fragile soul. I didn't tell Karla about Orlando's drug addiction; I felt like being equal to my enemy won't make me a better person.

It makes me worse as it is not who I am. But that doesn't stop Karla from searching for any nasty news from the girls he hangs with and making their lives a living nightmare. Which I'm fine with.

My life slowly seems to go back from the drama of school starting to decay, and the situation with Baris leaving for New York for a business meeting.

But that didn't leave Yamato who remain. He would show up at my workplace and greets me. Or have bets as he knows how my matches ended. Besides surprising me once in a while, life starts to feel easier to breathe.

I'm not sure if it was the time when I told Baris about my struggle from my past, but since then, I've been gaining this confidence I felt was always within me but never spark up till now. It was like this shell inside of me needed a little crack of truth to bring myself out.

"Hmm." I hum to myself silently, smiling. I'm back at home, sitting outside in our backyard with Papa, who is fixing some of his customers' cars.

I decided to read some of the books from the school library as I'd already finished my homework for the weekend. I mean, there's only one month left for school and the STAAR tests are already done.

"Mija."

Papa called me. I pick my head, looking at him. "Mandé, papa? Que paso?" I ask.

"It's you I want to know if you are good. You've been in such a positive mood and have been acting more confident. Not that you are not. Just more to your family and so energetic. Todos estas bien con usted?"

Huh. I guess I've been showing it around too much that my family is starting to notice it. "Si. Estoy bien. Just...feel more happy these days." I close my book, looking at him. "Do you need help with that car? I can check it for you."

He chuckles under the car, shaking his head. "Si, mija. Aye, my back. Being under that car for hours is not doing bien for my back ahora." He slides under the car, leaning on the old red Toyota truck that has seen better days.

"This old client of mine can't get rid of this car and is doing everything he can to keep it working. I mean, it's not a bad car. Just not the type of car I feel like would do well on long rides or extreme weather, you know?" He said.

I nodded, viewing the car. "I agree. If he is trying to make that possible, he needs to get new tires and--"

"Oye. Por que ustedes estan afuera con esta tiempo? Esta caliente! Come inside before you get a heat stroke, menosos." I and Apa went and look at Mama as she called us to get inside, noticing she was right.

It's 95 degrees right now and didn't feel it as I'm so used to the heat. Me and apá head inside, sighing in relief.

"Perdóname, mi amor. I forgot how hot it was." Papá replied. Mamá didn't care anymore as she sat on the kitchen chair, making her tortillas on the table.

"I told menso junior to go check on you two and yet see him locked up in his room. Sigh. That boy." Mamá complains, almost wanting to spill how he doesn't have a job.

But both of my parents still respect him because of him having one, so I never mention it to them.

Papá left to go wash his hands as I sat on the couch and continue reading my book. It's four in the evening, and all of my family is just lazy on our close days for the summer break from school.

And I'm mostly excited as it's going to be my last year and then off to live away from my family. I know it seems like I don't like living with my family (kinda true), but it's the independence and freedom I want.