by M.G. Marquez
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
MAGGIE
We’re at the porch eating ice cream. I made sure that there’s a safe gap between Yvan and me so as not to be too close to him. Any contact with him makes me shiver.
“I’m sorry that I ran away,” I started.
“I’m sorry we fought in front of you,” he told me. “We’re always like that,”
“Fighting in front of other people? Amazing,” I chuckled when he did. Both of us ate our ice creams in silence. It was him who broke the silence when he pointed at the dark sky. My gaze followed where his finger was pointing.
“Can you see that star right over there? It’s Aunt Renzia’s star,” I pursed my lips and did not say anything. I told him, “I can’t see anything in detail. It’s blurry,”
He cocked his head, his eyes full of wonder. Then he showed me four of his fingers, saying, “How many are these?”
“Geez Yvan. I’m not that blind! I think I damaged my eyes big time,” For the love of books and crappy endings.
“Oh? That’s terrible.” He took another scoop on his ice cream before speaking again. “Given the chance, I’ll give you my eyes.”
I blinked in disbelief. Why would he do such a thing for me? We weren’t some sort of special friends or something.
Or are we?
Aunt Resie came up to us and asked if I would like to go home already. I told her that someone was waiting for me and that I should head on. When Yvan volunteered to walk me home I didn’t argue.
When we reached the shade, I told him stop. I saw Guji’s car and I bet he’s dying inside of it. I just wish he was.
“Isn’t that your house?” He pointed at my house and I told him that I won’t be coming home there. That my sister’s on duty and I don’t want to be alone.
“I’ll be sleeping at Guji’s house,” I told him.
“So he’s the one who’s waiting for you, huh?”
“Yeah.”
He smirked at me before saying goodbye. I thought it’s just my imagination when I saw his expression changed into a pained one.
Maybe, I’m just really imagining things. Yvan can’t be jealous of his best friend. He can’t be jealous because I am nothing to him but a friend. He can’t be.
Or… can he?
We arrived home and found it messy. WE’VE BEEN ROBBED – not.
All the girls and the boys were lying side by side in the living room. They’re all asleep and they looked cute – not. Fred’s face was horrifying.
“Let’s get some blankets upstairs,” Guji whispered in my ear, I nearly jumped. He passed by me and I followed him upstairs. He brought the blankets, while I brought my own pillow. When we have draped the blankets over them, we turned to each other.
I think we have the same problem.
“Where do we place ourselves?” he asked me. My eyes happened to pass by a sofa in front of me and I pointed it. “That’s mine!”
“How about me?”
“SLEEP OUTSIDE.”
“Let’s sleep together!”
“No way. You’ll rape me!”
“Janella, you’re not even worth raping for!”
“Tsk. Shut up…” Fred grunted that made us jump in fear. Then Guji turned to me and told me that I should lie next to Jason because there’s enough space for me. I rolled my eyes at him because it’s obvious that even half of me won’t fit in there. I’ll be sleeping on the cold floor if I lie next to him.
We continued arguing on where to sleep when a flying pillow came to us. Someone threw a fucking pillow at my head! Oh, it was Paola. Paola gave me a pillow gently.
“Can you please let us sleep?” she groaned, we stepped back arms to arms because we’re afraid of her. Her eyes are laser beams and we’re afraid that we’ll die.
“Let’s just sleep in the sofa, okay?” I told him. “Feet to feet, okay?”
He nodded.