"Matt, go find your sister now. Dinner's ready!" Lilith, Matt's mother shouted from the Kitchen.
We're at the living room at Matt's house—video gaming. While Ella's with Lilith to help prepare the dinner.
"One sec, mom!" Matt yelled back.
My brows frowned.
"You had a sister?" I asked as a normal curious kid.
I've been going in and out of this house but I've never seen a girl who'll be obviously Matt's sister.
"Yes, I do. A rebellious sister to be exact. She's hard headed as hell, man. Bet you couldn't bear to tag with her." Matt calmly said but mixed with little keenness.
I scanned him all over, looking if he's telling the truth or just sarcastically overreacting. Based on my observation, he might not be bluffing me and just used to how her sister acts.
"Hey, man, keep going," he nag 'cause I suddenly lost to maneuver. So do I keep up with the game.
"Wait, aren't you going to look for your sister?" I asked, eyes on the flat screen.
"Just a minute. Lemme finish you first HAHA!" He boasted.
I just chuckled and increased the tremble to maneuver. Hah! I wouldn't let him dominate me though.
"I volunteer to find the ducky!" A man suddenly showed up. It was the father of the house, Charles. He came down from stairs, raising his hand to evidently say he volunteers.
"Hey, man, who's ducky?" I confusingly asked Matt.
"The sister."
Ohh. I nodded.
"Can I go with you?" I asked Charles. He seemed a little startled and amazed. Matt stopped from playing, also surprised by what I asked.
"Sure, bud, c'mon," Charles said in a cool way. He frowned a lil bit, maybe confused, but just shrugged off, anyway.
"Hey, man, what about the game?" Matt elbowed me.
"You win tho." I stood up and left Matt.
I climbed up onto the shotgun seat once Charles opened the door. I was still a young boy who's innocent at all—even by giving force just to open the car door.
"Aight, let's find Ducky." He then started the car. "Where do you think she's at now?" He asks as if I know that kid enough to guess where she is. I just didn't speak.
Along the road Charles was telling stories about how rebellious Matt's sister is. How she pranks all the people in the house, gets suspended numerous times, always out of the house without telling anybody, and a lot more.
That kid is someone who has to be in a rehab.
Also, Charles already drove to a lot of parks around the village. But I guess she can't see her daughter yet. And you know what's insane? It's like a normal thing to him. Like if I'm at his position, I would be crazy worried. Is that how kind of that girl she is?
"But don't presume she's a bad girl, son." Charles defended his daughter. "She's just a little girl willing to explore a lot of things by herself. And I think that's kinda good though. It was a... practice, experience, a start up for the cruel world. She'll be open to those kinds of things early at her age."
Make sense.
"Oh and there she is," he mumbled after.
I looked at the place where he's looking. It was the 6th playground we've gone through.
There's a lot of kids with the same age as me in the whole ground but there is an area that children are flocking.
"That's Madison." Charles pointed to a little girl.
She's wearing a pink jumpsuit with a long sleeve colored rainbow, and wearing white tiny snickers. She had her long blonde hair braided into two tails.
"She's blonde?" I nonchalantly asked.
Among the family, she's the only one who had a blonde hair. But she got her father's face.
She's playing jackstone on the ground together with her friends. And I noticed one of them. It's Sarah, a neighborhood of us.
"Hey, Ty. Come play with us." Sarah saw me. She gestures her hand for me to come over.
"You know her, kid?" Charles asked.
"Yeah, neighbor," I plainly answered.
"Really? Then why don't you play with them?" Not a chance. "Join them, Ty. Enjoy."
Of course I did went where kids are flocking. But not to play with them, but to get Madison back at home.
***
"You again?" Madison facepalmed. Probably sick that I have to get her home all over and over again.
"If only you go home before it gets dark, then no one will have to pick you up." I deadpanned.
"Whatever." I saw her eyes rolled before riding at the back of my bike with her crossed arms.
Once we got to their house, she started complaining to her mother. Whether she's still playing around with her friends then I always suddenly showing up to get her home.
For four fucking years, I'm doing that.
I just gotta get used to it.
"Matt, at least you should've picked her up instead of Ty." Lilith reprimanded Matt.
Matt went closer to his mom and started whispering to her.
"Mom, I think Ty likes Ducky, so I passed him the duty."
I quickly threw a pillow to him right after he said that. He bursts into laughter. Lilith just giggled.
"Shut up Matthew." I glared at him.
***
We're at a funeral.
"Ty, can you please look for Mads?" Matt asked in lame voice. His eyes look tired. He also lost weight within only five days for taking care of their parents' funeral. It has been tiring and painful surely for him.
"Yeah sure bro."
He nodded and went back on entertaining guests.
I looked around and started looking for Madison. But of course it's never been easy tk find her on the instant. I have to sewrch for her all over the place.
For the past five days, she rarely showed herself up. Even guests were looking for her. Matt just made up some stories to cover her up.
Matt once told me he can't even take care of Madison. So to lessen her burden, I always volunteer to do so.
Among all the people, Madison maybe felt the most pain. For thirteen years of her living, she sticks with her parents. She may be a rebellious kid, but not when it comes to her parents. She becomes soft, kind, sweet and caring in terms of being a daughter. Now that they're gone, God knows what might happen to Madison after all this.
Who would've known, she might become more uncontrollable. Or otherwise, this incident might change her for the better. No one knows.
"Hey." I sighed with relief once I saw Madison on a patio, pretty far from her parents' funeral.
"Hi." She plastered a small smile. This is the time I first see a melancholiness plastered on her face. And I honestly feel the same way, too, only seeing at her like that.
"Can I—uhmm—sit with you?" I asked.
"There's no Madison in the whole area. So yeah of course you can sit."
Except that one.
Maybe being sarcastic doesn't leave her at all cost.
"How are you?" I asked once I sat on an egg pod chair against her.
"I don't know," she admitted. "Am I good? Am I just like, yeah ok that's life? I totally don't know. Yeah of course it hurts. It hurts a lot. I was feeling too much yet I was numb at the same time. I don't even know if I accepted it already or still the indenial one." She chuckled humorless.
I looked away. I feel bad for not having anything to do about their sake. I'm also just young, still depending on my parents.
"I actually don't know—I don't have any idea what to do or what will happen after this," she added.
She sniffed. I knew she cried earlier.
"I wish I had the right words. I mean... just know I care."
"Yeah, Ty. You've been part of the family, of course you care."
"You know we should go back there. Matt's looking for you. Besides, you haven't eaten yet since last night." I bid.
"Look at my eyes, Ty." She walked to me and cupped my face to see her eyes closely.
I swallowed. This is the first time she has ever done this to me - bringing her face close to me. Or rather, this is the first time a girl did this to me.
"They're all swollen. Do you think I have a face to show them right now?" She raised her left brows and gave me her usual bitch look.
I chuckled. At least there's still Madison left in her after all.
***
We're at Matt's house, minding our own businesses in the living room. Ella's solo video gaming, Matt texting with someone through phone, and I am busy minding the time.
It's already getting dark and Madison is yet enjoying the playful and dangerous world outside. It's not safe for her to be on the road now that the skies are darkened; yet Matt is still chilling.
"Aren't you going to look for your sister?" I asked Matt.
He mischievously looked at me and went back to texting before he answered me. "She's grown up, man."
I took a deep breath and stood up. I can't get away the anxiousness I am feeling.
I'm worried sick for fuck's sake.
"But if you're that worried, you can go find her," Matt added.
I frown. "Just me? What about you?"
"Nah, man. Ella and I will stay here. Besides..." he looks at me mischievously. "I know you like my sister since then, so I'll leave you incharge from now on."
Since then??
"What do you mean since then—wait, no. Leave me in charge?" That snapped into my head.
Does he mean...
"Yes, I'm leaving for Florida. Only for a month; I want you to take care of her."
Everything seemed to stop. I even felt Ella stop herself from playing. We were surprised about what Matt has said. We never thought he would be somewhere else far from our home town for long. Though it wasn't that long. Like it's only a month.
"Wait," Ella said. "How long have you planned this?"
"Just last month 'cause-"
"Last month!?" Ella and I exclaimed at once.
"Woah." Matt raised both of her hands like he's surrendering. He chortles.
"Are you insane?" When I look at Ella, she's already standing up from where she's sitting, still holding the controller.
"Come on, it's only for a month," Unbotheredly, Matt started to explain.
I also want to hear his explanation but my phone played an alarm.
It's nine.
I'm more worried about Madison than to Matt who'll leave for a month. Madison is not easy to find. If I'll start looking for her right now, I can confidently say that she'll show herself up after an hour. Or maybe more than an hour.
***
It's the day that I first ditch a class.
Thanks to Madison.
"Ty, c'mon, there's a popcorn there, I want that!" Madison said, nonchalantly walking along the road in a park. It's far from school. Of course it has to be far, or else we're doomed once we get caught.
I was walking behind her, boringly. In fact, she's a lot meters away from me. Her audacity to shout in front of a lot of people just to tell me she wants popcorn though.
She stops walking and waits for me to reach her.
But I also stop to tease her.
She groans and adjusts. She's the one who walks towards me.
I laughed when I saw her irritated face. Now I get the hype of some guys when they irks a girl.
"You should treat me a popcorn," she demands.
"Yah, yah, whatever."
I would get her popcorn even if she didn't say though.
"Oh my God, I also want that," she giggled and pointed at the stall of hotdogs on the left side of the road.
"You choose. Popcorn or hotdog."
"Both of course," she said like she's the one who's gonna pay. She doesn't even have anything with her right now but her phone. Her belongings were in the locker in the campus.
I sighed heavily. "OK, pick whatever you want. I just need to pee."
"Wait what? No. You can't leave me here!" She acted like a kid.
"I said I need to pee," I repeated, making her realize that.
"You promised you won't leave me, right?" She said, using the promise card.
"What?" I scoffed, disbelief to her.
"Alright, fine, whatever." She rolled her eyes. "I was just trying to play with you, though."
I already turned my back but when I heard that, I suddenly wanted to go along with her game.
"Hey, I won't leave you," I seductively whispered to her ear and slowly circled my hand around her waist.
"What the fuck?" She mouthed with a little smile lining on her face, astonished.
She's enjoying it, huh?
"Madison?" I sweetly called her name and definitely looked straight to her eyes.
"Hmm?" She wanted to put her hands around my nape but I blocked her.
"Seriously, I need to pee." I went back to my normal voice.
"Psh." She grimaced. "Go ahead, dick!"
My eyes lit up. I badly want to smack her lips now for calling me dick.
***
Madison:
See! Then leave
After I got that message, I looked up to the window where I could see Madison.
I saw through her shadow her disappointment. She sighed heavily and shook his head. I even saw her wipe her eyes. And I'm not stupid to say she didn't cry.
After I told her I would leave, she became so distant to me. I thought she would stick to me more often before I leave but that otherwise happened.
All I want is her presence. Fuck it!
***
"Ty, we're going." Matt bid.
We're at the airport to drop me off and now they're good to go. But Ella doesn't want to let go of me yet. She clings to me so much.
"Ella," Matt calls her.
Slowly Ella parted from me. "Call us when you get there."
"Of course, bud." I patted her head.
I looked at Matt who's really not in the mood. I nodded to him and said "Tell Madison my goodbye."
"I don't know, man. She irks me so good today." He shook his head disappointedly.
I plastered a small smile.
I'm sorry, Matt. I know it's because of me.
"Byeeee." Ella waved her hands to me, so did I.
After they left, I didn't go on board yet.
Something's making me stop going to Texas. Seems like Texas doesn't really fit for me. That's also the reason why I just barely told them I'm leaving. I really don't feel like going to Texas. Mom just wanted me to go there urgently.
Guess what??
I just found myself walking towards their house.
As I opened the door, I noticed immediately the bad atmosphere.
"What's going on here?" I asked but no one intended to speak up.
Did they fight?
I remembered when Matt told me how irritated he was to Madison. So yeah, I guess they really did fight.
"I need to speak with Madison."
I really did mean to talk with Madison. Just talk. But I didn't imagine I would make out with her right on this time. It's kinda romantic, though. We were making out to the place where we first met.
"Hey, hey, wait." I stop her.
"What?" She asked softly but irritated for breaking the moment.
"What are you guys fighting about, back there?" I asked, pertaining to what I saw in their house.
Excitement faded on her face.
Does she really get excited kissing me though?
"It was your fault." She suddenly attacked me.
"Hey, what? C'mere." I tapped my lap for her to sit. But she doesn't want to. "Come on." I groaned.
Finally she sitted. I immediately wrapped my arms around her waist. It feels so soft hugging her.
"Why is it because of me?" I asked, started to play the hem of her shirt. It's so soft.
"Because you're going to Texas-"
"Wait I'm here already." I cut her off unintentionally. "I mean of course it'll have to resched but I promise I'll go back."
"Really?" She narrowed her brows.
I chuckled. "Yes. I promise."
"Ok, whatever. So here's the tea again." She continues talking as if my departure doesn't matter to her anymore.
"Matt thought I was attacking Ella. You know why? B'coz Ella wants me to go with you guys to drop you off. And of course I wouldn't want to see you because I'm mad at you. But of course part of me wanted to go. I just... you know, I wouldn't want to step on my ego."
I was looking at her all along.
It's such a nice view.
I would probably miss her once I landed in Texas. But at least now, I have a reason to go back. And I no longer have any reason to leave again.
"I love you." I randomly said.
She stops talking. Seemed like she didn't know how or what to respond. Well there's no need to respond though. I just wanted to tell her that.
"Well, Matt likes Ella."
I saw how her eyes lit up and her jaw dropped off.
"You know what?" She looks at me mischievously. "I think I know how to make things out with Matt." She winked at me.
○The End○
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Did I do great here? I honestly don't know. This story just came into my mind, randomly, then I started it with no exact plot, characters, setting, and or what. I just play along game.
Thank you for reading :)