When I was eleven years old, I faintly remember doing much. All I know is that I'd always go out in my bike and roam around the basketball court to play with some friends. I'm not really a tall kid as a young boy, so I wasn't into basketball. Besides, my big brother is already into that sport. I don't feel like following his footsteps.
My friends and I would just buy game cards, marbles and many more. Afterwards, we'd drink carbonated softdrinks that's placed on a plastic bag with a straw. Then we'll walk home, having the energy to face our mom's wrath for coming home so late.
"Neil! So you decided to go home, huh? All you ever do is play around outside. Look! You're all dirty now! It's summer vacation! Don't you even plan to help out at home? Look at your brother. He did the dishes! How about you? You are such a-" my mom lashes out and nags me as she pulls me by neck to our dining table. It's always dinner time by the second I got home.
I just kept quiet and took all the nagging my mom does. Because if I did answer back, she'd get mad at me for talking back at her.
"By the way, prepare yourself. Tomorrow, you'll be going to the doctor." my mom says.
Huh? Why?
I looked back at her with eager eyes.
"You'll be circumcised. So you'll finally grow tall. You look like a limp kid compared to your peers. It's because you always play outside. All you do is play around. You are so picky with your food. Why can't you be-" my mom nags again.
I'm a little nervous with getting circumcised but most of my peers had already finished last year. And they all grew taller than me. Is there really a scientific basis for that? Would getting circumcised really make me taller?
With the hope of growing taller and bigger, I prepared myself.
It didn't hurt that much during the operation. But the recovery was-
"Oh hi, you came to visit so suddenly. I wasn't able to cook and prepare anything. Sit here." I hear my mom saying after I came out of our common washroom.
I was surprised to see that annoying girl walking to our living room with her mom.
She was giggling unstoppably and looking at me with this amused face.
What? What's wrong?
"We'll just return your elder son's books. We borrowed them for Danni's summer advanced classes, remember?" I heard Danni's mom say. However, upon looking at this self-absorbed little girl, she was still continually smirking and laughing.
It's starting to irritate me.
"Go and play with Danni over there, Neil. Have some candies too." my mom said. And I did as I was told. Dannie follows me as she smirks quietly. I picked some candies and placed it in between us while we sit on the floor with my legos and board games. The TV was playing afternoon cartoons as well.
I know, I know. We're eleven already and I'm still playing my legos. Some might find it odd. But you have to understand, during that time, we don't have phones or tablets yet. It's either this or we play outside with competitive games together. Though, I feel like my childhood was better that way.
"You look really pretty in those." Danni mocked.
As soon as she said this, I realized that I forgot I was wearing a skirt. D*rn it! My mom asked me to wear it. She said it's to keep the cloth from touching my healing junior.
I was turning red while Danni laughs at me. She was even singing princess fairytale songs to match. This bully!
I decided to munch on some gum. While she was busy creating her lego masterpiece, I decided to get back at her. We'll see who'll laugh after this.
I started giggling too, then I asked "You look pretty in those, too."
"Huh? I'm not wearing a skirt. These are cool jumper shorts we bought at the mall after eating at Wcdonald's. My mom even got me their limited edition toy. It's amazing!" Danni says and it makes me giggle how she boasts at this situation.
"I meant your hair." I clarified and I still couldn't hold my giggles.
Danni started touching and looking at her hair till she finally realizes what I did.
She looked at me with teary eyes as she tries to pull out the gum from her hair but it's stuck already. I started laughing out loud.
"Serves you right for bullying me!" I scoffed and mocked her.
However, she seemed really upset because she started crying quietly while she still tries to pull out the gum.
My laughs started to mellow down. I kinda felt bad for her because she's not retaliating. She was just crying quietly and trying her best to fix her hair.
Danni sobs, "My hair. How to remove this. Please help me, Neil."
So I started trying to help her.
Oh no. It's stuck.
I looked at Danni again and oh no. She really looks upset. I feel so guilty now.
"What happened here?" my mom and her mom asked.
Danni stood up and hugged her mom while she bawls out heavily.
"I- it was just- she was bullying me." I stuttered and my eyes are also beginning to tear up. I was so young then, so my emotions got the best of me. I started crying too.
I ran to my mom and hugged her too while crying. We were both crying now.
I hear our mom's sighs.
Then, I turned to look at Danni.
She also looked back at me.
I decided to say, "I'm sorry."
And she cried even more.
So I cried harder with her too.
What a mess.
I never saw her again during summer break after that. The next time I saw her was during the start of our school again.
I was busy pulling out my pencil case from my bag, when suddenly I heard her familiar voice, "Can you move? You're in the way."
As I was looking up, I felt irritated already because her tone sounded condescending.
Readying my savage throw at her, I said "It's not my fault, you're too fa-"
I suddenly stopped talking.
Stunned. Surprised.
Mesmerized?
Danni cut her hair.
And she looked even prettier than usual.
"What?" she asked and I think I left my mouth open a little. So I sipped my saliva back and puckered my lips.
My body just moved on it's own to give her more space.
I'm feeling a little nervous. Why is that? It feels hot? Is the room's fan turned on?
I couldn't help but steal glances at Danni. What the hell? She just cut her hair. Nothing special. She looks normal. Psh. It's okay. Just fine.
So fine.
I shook my head hard.
No! That's the self-absorbed spunky seatmate you always fight with.
"You look handsome." I decided to tease her.
She began pulling hard on my hair after saying this and I groaned in pain.
"Who's fault is it, huh?" Danni furiously asked.
I couldn't help my giggles.
My heart was pounding really hard too.
Even if my scalp hurts a little.
I'm feeling tingly as she touches my hair.
Why am I enjoying this?
-----------------------------------------
My first clue is this coffee shop.
I don't really know where to go from here but for starters, let's order some coffee.
I'm going to be honest. I don't really go to these kinds of places. Actually, this is my first time. It's too expensive compared to 3-in-1 coffee packets that you can just buy from the grocery. Since I am an information designer, I do know that whatever this coffee shop offers is probably overpriced and mostly built through clever branding. In short, overrated.
But still, since I am a devoted fan of Nemo, let's just try it for now.
However, I don't know what to order. I also feel a little nervous ordering. I feel like I look too ignorant.
I decided to order whatever's first on their menu. Then the cashier asked, "Your name, please?"
"My name? Why?" I asked.
Then, someone started laughing behind me. I turned to look and what the hell? Why is he here?
"Her name is Dumb-ie." Neil says while chuckling.
"Ha-ha-ha. You're so funny!" I sarcastically mocked then followed, "You must be a comedian."
"I know right?" he proudly snickered.
"Thank you ma'am, Dumbie. Please wait for us to call your name as we prepare your coffee." the cashier hurriedly said.
I was about to reach out to correct her but she's like lightning as she began preparing coffee on the counter. I could only sigh and turn my annoyed eyes at Neil who was busy laughing.
Sigh. I don't have time for Neil, the menace, right now. I also don't want to ruin my day. So I just turned to ignore him and sat on a vacant table nearby. He was now also sitting fairly far from me. I try my best to turn away and evade his view. So annoying. Tch.
"Coffee for Ms. Dumbie!" the bartender called.
I can hear Neil's loud laugh echo from afar. I try my very best to hold in the little thread of patience I'm keeping. Inhale. Exhale. Ignore him, Danni.
So I got my coffee in front of me. Why is it color black? I tasted it a little and sh*t. It's so bitter! 3-in-1 coffee is definitely better! What the hell is this?!
I was coughing from the taste. Oh god.
I turned to check my receipt and I felt even more devastated as I recall how much this coffee cost me. I could've bought 2 boxes of 3-in-1 coffee from this amount!
All this stress from the coffee and that menace, Neil's laughs adds in to my frustrations.
I decided to just watch Nemo's videos to relieve my stress. I'm not going to drink this coffee anymore.
Let's just- Sigh. I also don't know what I'm going to do here. What was I thinking?
While watching Nemo's videos, my frustrations suddenly got the best of me. My eyes are beginning to swell a little.
"Hi everyone. I had a really bad day today. I was so stressed. But I realized, everyone else has bad days too from time to time. So rather than sulking, I got inspired and picked my guitar for another cover again. Hope you'll like it." Nemo narrated in his distorted voice. And he began playing. Killing it in his guitar again.
I sniffed and smiled. I wiped my almost falling tears to gain confidence again. Nemo is right. Why sulk? It's just a bad day. It'll pass anyways.
"Why are you tearing up over that video? It's an uplifting guitar cover." I looked up and it was Neil asking while chuckling.
"Mind your own business." I said and locked my phone off.
Neil was still laughing and giggling at me. Why is he in front of me, again? I never want to see him again. I hate him. Especially after what happened during high school...
"Ohhhh. Let's exchange drinks. Yours is much more expensive. Lucky!" Neil giggles and suddenly grabbed my cup of coffee. He also left a still full drink in my table.
Ha! He thought he got me? That coffee was the worst.
I looked over while he walks away and he sat happily while sipping that bitter coffee. Ewwww. How is he drinking that nonchalantly?
I looked to see the drink he left. It looked really appetizing. It's an ombre of orange at the bottom and brown on top. It's also an iced drink. I was salivating from it's aesthetic, all the more from it's smell. Smells like orange and coffee. Maybe, I should try this one? Maybe it won't taste as bad? Just a little sip.
I started gulping and boy oh boy! Lucky! It tasted sweet, tangy and so good! I couldn't help but sip more.
I turned to look at Neil to mock him secretly. He looked back with a smile as he raised the coffee cup he stole from me. He popped his tongue out to mock me for exchanging the expensive coffee from this drink.
Ha! He's the dumbie, not me.
---------------------------------
Comment posted:
[Hi Nemo,
I'm a huge huge huge ultra huge fan of yours. Today, I visited a coffee shop in the hopes of meeting you since I saw their coffee cup in your background from one of your latest videos. I was lucky to get a good drink. But not all their drinks were to my tastes. I just really wish to meet you someday. But it's fine. I understand, you need some privacy.
Anyway, I was again inspired by your videos. I was having a bad day but your statements uplifted me. I was even tearing up at the moment. As always, you slay in the guitar too. You are so cool. I'll always be your fan! I love you, Nemo!]
Private message:
[Hi. I was happy to have read your comment. Do you have any song requests? I'll make a cover for you.]
Oh. My. Freaking. Gosh.
Nemo messaged me!
Is this the real life?
Or is this just fantasy?
I began squealing in fangirl noises and fluttering my legs while I lie in my bedroom.
(to be continued)