Pennsylvania, 2007 (Present Day)397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpy09T1Zph
Note: Mavy's Viewpoints
A man with short, black hair, wearing blue long-sleeves, a pair of faded jeans, gray, running shoes with a pair of white socks beneath them, I caught a glimpse of. This is Joshy.
Joshy Capes.
I have not really heard of him. Not anything. Dad does not say anything about him quite often, which is pretty weird since once you have a best friend, you always broach them in your family, right? And we had only heard of him when Dad introduced him to us. Surely is weird.
He smiled at us and began sauntering over. "Sorry, if I'm late," he apologized. "The way here from my home was just kind of tight." He beamed at Dad and Mom. "Hello, Andy," he greeted and looked at Mom, "this must be your beautiful wife." Then, he caught the sight of us three. "Oh! You all must be his children!"
Dad nodded at him, patting his shoulder. "Yeah," he answered. "This is Mavy, Malcolm, and, lastly, my only girl, Mavis," he pointed at us, one by one. "So yeah. Keys ready?"
"Yeah, they're ready," he responded, reaching for the keys on his pocket. "Come on," he invited.
I don't quite know, but this house felt really different inside me every time I regard it. It feels like, we were not welcome here. Like, good things will not be seen inside. I don't know, I just felt it.
We commenced to the porch, every step could be audible from the wooden floor. But then I realized that our parents were still in the car, talking as they went to the trunk.
"Here we are," he finally said and opened the door. The entire interior was dark. You could only see small things by the light coming from the door. A flashlight opened suddenly. It was Joshy's. "I will just go find the main circuit," he reasoned before walking away, leaving us standing there awkwardly as the chilly wind touched our feet.
"Did anyone bring flashlights?" I heard Mavis. Unfortunately, I did not bring one since I did not expect the house to be this old. I think it was new or something. Not from ages ago.
"I think I have some here. I bought it when me and the troupe went for trick-or-treating last Haloween, and since Dad told us to pack our whole wardrobe, I brought them with me," Malcolm said. He rummaged through his bag and took out three flashlights, handing them over to us.
I clicked it open and started pointing at different directions. "You went trick-or-treating on last Halloween? Dude, that's for kids," I remarked.
He shrugged. "Why not? I'm there for the candies. We even got Reese's chocolates on that house just a couple blocks away, bro. Remember them? The rich family in town? We were like, 'Who gives those kinds on Halloween trick-or-treating? Yo! That's insane!'"
I shook my head disapprovingly. "You're so immature," I told him the truth, cackling quietly.
"So what?" he said, sounding not offended. Well, that is Malcolm for you. He does not get offended easily. He just throws the bad remarks on him away, like nothing happened.
Minutes later, he came back, the lights screamed, filling the interior completely. We turned off our flashlights, and he went back, the flashlight turned off on his hand. He beamed again, flashing us two rows of perfect teeth, which reminded me of the time Malcolm wore braces years ago, back then.
He wished to have straight teeth, so Mom and Dad decided to take him to the orthodontist. But, it only got him being teased at in our school, so he had always kept his head down with his mouth closed. His classmates regarded him as the 'Class' Weirdo.' But fortunately, they were not doing anything bad to him, like physical harm, but their words truly did hurt him, emotionally.
I looked around the house once more, getting every detail of the house on my mind. The hardwood floor was a bit dusty, untouched for years, everything in the house was old-style, but it does not look bad for me since I prefer old-style that vastly. I looked around again, but there was not much dirt in the house anymore.
"Jeez," Mavis whispered, "the place is too dirty."
A question danced in my mind suddenly. "Joshy," I beckoned, "who was living in this house before? A part of your family or...someone?"
His smile faded a bit on the sides. "This was actually my half-sister's," he told us, "but since her parents disconnected, she moved away."
I nodded. "Well," I stated, "where's your half-sister now? And where did she move? In your house or somewhere else?" Do not blame me, I know I ask too many questions. But who does not, anyway?
His last, small smile totally faded now. What did that have to mean? I thought to myself.
"Actually," he cleared his throat, "it's 'was.' She's...dead. The very next year after her birthday, she died."
I slapped my hand on my forehead internally. I really ask so many questions than I could ever comprehend. Urgh. So stupid. I think I am half-baked. I nodded, sympathetically at him. "Who was your sister, by the way?" I polled once again. Once again.
He nodded. "My half-sister," he said, "is Audrey Clay."
I nodded again. But suddenly, when I regard him, he was already looking into space, into nothingness. Like he was lost in his thoughts. Looks like I had asked so many inquiries that it really affected him. Silence descended within all of us.
"Oh, erm..." I spoke, awkwardly, trying to break the ice. "I'm sorry — to hear that. And for asking, also. Curiosity just took over," I explained, shrugging.
He smiled encouragingly at me. "It's fine, don't worry. It's just that," he told us, "I miss her. Even though I haven't met her, I miss her. When I was a kid, I did not even know I have a sister — half-sister. I want to meet her, but Mom said I can't, because — she is dead already." His voice trailed off, then I saw his eyes moistened.
I can see he was holding his tears back down, but I thought what is so wrong about men crying? I know I do that sometimes, but I know also that it is okay, too, to show your emotions. I mean, men's hearts are not made of steel or rock.
I patted his shoulder. "It's okay," I told him consolingly, beaming at him.
He just nodded and smiled a bit. "I should probably talk to your dad. You could explore the house if you want. There's plenty of rooms upstairs. You could choose any room you want." He originated for the door, but then turned around before the door.
He was looking at me in an unreadable way, then patted my shoulder, more like sympathetically. Why? I thought. What does that have to mean? I mean, just because we are going to move here? Is that it?
Nope. Far away from the true reason.
The left end of his mouth turned up, showing a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry," he mouthed without any sound.
What? This is way too confusing. So difficult to know. He was patting, smiling, and apologizing for what? Those really have to mean something. I mean, who does that just because your friend is now going to move to a house? His half-sister's? Was that the reason? Damn it, it was so complicated. I need to know why.
Bloody hell.
I united both of my eyebrows in a way of revealing uncertainty, and he went out of the door, going to Mom and Dad and acting like nothing happened. "What does that have to mean?" I muttered.
Malcolm nudged me, and I deemed at him, vexed. "What?" I catechized, frowning.
He rolled his eyes, sighing. "Come on! Let's go upstairs! We are going to choose our rooms!" he stated, excitedly. He bolted up the stairs, wide grin drawn on his face. And I saw Mavis at the top already, gawking at the sight on whatever those are upstairs.
Jeez, hold it for a second. There is still tomorrow. What type of siblings do I have?
Shaking my head, I mailed my fingertips on my temples. "What kind of siblings are you?" I told them my inner thoughts since earlier when they were examining the house.
I outreached the top of the stairs and saw my siblings going here and there. It was almost in fast motion. They were going in and out of the rooms while I just walked leisurely around the hardwood floor. But the confusing thought was still in my mind. I have been going to the same rooms for so many times, but I still cannot decide.
"Mavy, Malcolm, Mavis!" Mom summoned us three. "Come down here and say good-bye to Joshy; he's leaving!" she told us loudly, and, almost mechanically, we descended down the stairs, seeing Mom, Dad, and Joshy gathered around as if they were discussing something important.
Did he say sorry to Mom and Dad too? Like what he did to me: apologize?
Glancing at Joshy, he was smiling at Mom and Dad and also to us. He was acting like everything was perfectly fine, as though he did not do something that looks so — stupid. Should I tell my family? Perhaps to my siblings? Perhaps they will lend me some of their perspectives about the thing that Joshy just did. Right?
Besides, my siblings are kind of — oh, I do not know what to call them. But they surely will lend me some opinions, of that I am sure.
I sighed and said my good-bye to Joshy. "Good-bye, Joshy," I forced on a smile, "thanks for — this." I smiled again and shook his hand, but then he hugged me, just to get into my ear.
"I am so sorry," he whispered.
Before I could say anything further, he pulled back from me and started hugging my siblings, so it did not have to look weird, I guess. Malcolm said his good-bye and even fist-bumped him, trying to look cool. He does that pretty regularly. Mavis just smiled and hugged him, thanking him, the same as I did.
"Better go back now, I guess. My wife is waiting in the house. And also my Joshy Jr.," he explained. "Good-bye and nice meeting you." He flashed us a beam before he left, closing the door behind him.
Mom and Dad looked at us, smiling.
"Well, welcome to our new house," Dad vocalized. "It is...kind of big, huh?" he gazed around.
Mavis shook her head with full excitement. "Nope, Dad. Not 'kind of,'" she informed him, "exclusively." She eyed the house around once again.
"Yeah, you are exclusively right," he said, smiling. "Now, come on. Let us clean the house before choosing our rooms and unpacking our things. And we will order some food since we brought no food here with us. Your mom will just buy in the grocery tomorrow, I'll go with her, so you three will be left in here. No funny business, got that?" He said it all way too fast.
Jeez. We had just arrived here, and he was already assigning and warning things.
We nodded, quite lazily to listen anymore. I knew, our bones were already tired from walking around. Well, me, I still have a bit of energy, but Mavis and Malcolm had already lost it. They may be remorseful about their arrangement of running throughout the house and rubbernecking at the house.
I shook my head as we placed our bags on the couch. I turned on the television, but found nothing fascinating to watch and just turned it off. Sighing from boredom, I looked at Mavis and Malcolm, who were already knocked out in the couch, their heads hanging on the back of the couch. I grinned at them and spoke.
"Too tired now, huh?" I queried, and they looked at me through lowered lids. "Too bad we still have to clean up. Now, come on. Stand up. We haven't got all day." I stood on my feet, leaving the bag behind me on the couch.
They groaned and stood up strenuously. I grinned, and we all progressed to where the brooms and the mop were placed. We grabbed each for us and started cleaning, sweeping the dirt away on the floor, as Mom and Dad took care of the kitchen.
Mavis and Malcolm were remarkably hushed and weak when they were moving, and I just snickered at the thought.
"What are you laughing at?" they groaned, and I thickened up my crumpled face that was diffusing into merriment.
"Nothing," I shook my head and recapitulated sweeping the floor.
* * *
We finally finished everything that we have to do before choosing our rooms. It was already twilight when we finished. We even cleaned the exterior of the house: removing the dried leaves.
I lied on my bed. It was just a simple one. Just a big bed for one person and has blue sheets and pillows. The room has white walls, a wardrobe beside the bed. I unpacked my things and changed my pajamas.
I splashed in the middle of the bed, getting ready for my long, weird to call, "delicious" slumber. The wind was cold, coming in from the window, and I slid beneath the sheets, comfortably. I closed my eyes and the slumber had begun.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI45prrzPgR
