Tuesday, December 11, 2007 ♥ 4:56 AM
Chapter 2
I returned home to a warm welcome by both my parents. I was tired to the bones. Ms. Granger sent both me and Sarah to detention right after school. Both of us had to stay back until 4.30pm to clean up the classroom. Sarah had received her benefits for being a female. Obviously, Ms. Granger looks at us with prejudice. Compared to Sarah who handed up her homework every single day, I was among one of the laziest pupils any teacher ever had.
For detention, all Sarah had to do was to sweep the floor, while I had to mop the floor and clean the aquarium. All the way home, Sarah laughed and teased at me. I chose to keep my mouth shut, to prevent any unforeseen, disadvantaging outcome.
It was a big relief to arrive home. Away from Sarah. Away from my misery. In moments, I had finished my bath and was sitting on the dining table, prepared to feast. Before our meal, dad chose to say grace.
“Thank you, Lord, for this meal upon our table…”
“And that Sarah isn’t here now…” I added in.
“Kevin!” Mum raised her tone.
“Amen…” I cut her off.
After the meal, I headed back into my bedroom. It had already been around 9pm and I was exhausted. An early sleep would do me some good. I switched off the lights and rested myself on the bed. Tucking myself under the warmth of the blanket. I closed my eyes, ready to set my mind free and loose. But I never had the chance.
I could hear rocks being thrown at my window. Oh hell. I’m freaking tired. Give me a break…
I sat up and slid open the window right next to my bed. Wham! A rock hit me right in the face. It was really painful, knocked me right in the forehead. I rubbed my forehead with palm and started to curse right outside my window.
“Damn it, Sarah!” I yelled. “That really hurt, you know…”
“Sorry…” Sarah responded by waving her hand in notion of apology.
I can’t believe she’s waking me up now, after a full day of unpaid work on cleaning up the room. I can’t believe why she had to take that room of all the other luxurious, better rooms.
Our parents were best mates since their college days. They’ve been through everything, poverty, marriage, pregnancy… They even bought a new house next to each other. But the bummer fact is that they have a daughter who has the mind of a boy. We grew up together. We did many things together, so I know. She’s a boy in a female body. That’s for sure. I mentioned to her a few times before, but never once has she changed. Ignorance isn’t a bliss in her case. She had to choose a room directly opposite mine to disturb me from my sleep. Very often I have to accompany her for a moment of conversation, to keep up with our lives. When we live next to each other, study in the same class and even spend most of our free time together. Under all these circumstances she still had to have night chats with me. When we were small kids, we promised to have chats in the night when we’re bored.
Ever since then, Sarah has kept a huge pile of stones beside her bed. In case she ever gets bored, which she always were.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“I want to chat…”
“Do you know how tired I am?” I pretended to close my eyelids halfway to show that I was too tired to chat. “Good night…” and I laid back down on my bed.
“Come on… Just for 10 minutes… Please?” She made it sound so nice. Like it would have been wrong not to chat with her.
“Fine, just 10 minutes. No longer.” I said, followed by a sigh.
“Thanks. Hey, you think that Randall ever ate the frog like he said he did?”
“I bet you not.”
“How’re you so sure? Have you ever tasted one?”
“No, I’m not sure. Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
“Fine, I’ll ask him tomorrow..”
“Great..”
She paused because she ran out of ideas for our conversation. I was just too tired to start one and was prepared to answer all her questions. And then she broke the golden moment of silence.
“Do you like Ashley?”
“No, I don’t…”
“Yes, you do. You keep staring at her in class…”
“I was looking outside the window…”
“Come on, admit it.”
“Fine, I like her. I’ll tell her that tomorrow. Maybe we’d even go out on a date.”
“No, no. Fine. Just ignore what I had said.”
“Why are you jealous?”
“No. Why should I be jealous?” Sarah’s face had turned red.
“Why not?” I asked cheekily.
“Good night…” Sarah changed the subject.
“Alright. Get some rest, Sarah.”
I rested my head on the pillow. I left the window open, the night was cooling and I loved the breeze. Finally, a chance to get some…
“Oh yeah, hey, Kevin?”
“Yeah, what?”
“I’m going to the riverside for a few days next week.”
“Ok, happy holidays… Buy me a gift. A souvenir. Remember…”
“Don’t miss me, ya.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll miss you.” In a negative way, though.
“Good night, Kev.”
“Nites, Sarah.” I shaked my head. Ten minutes up. Time to sleep.
What great news… She’s leaving. A few days of freedom. Hooray. Finally, I get to escape from her clutches. Now, to get some good rest and doze off.
And the last thing that came up on my mind was one sentence, two words or twelve letters…
GOOD RIDDANCE!
