RAIsed of Drama

Chapter 2

One Fast Relationship

It is eleven in the morning and we were still sleeping. Mom doesn’t like me to sleep much, so here’s the horrible moment of everyday: waking me up. Sometime in between nine and ten, Ian excused himself and went home, so now it’s just mom and I in the house. My father passed away three years ago.

It’s okay. I loved him a lot, but I don’t think things would be better if he was around. He died after a long coma, so now he has the rest he deserves, just as mom and I. We are okay. Ian, on the other hand, lost his mother when he was really young. I think he was five or six… it was a horrible car crash, but he and his father made it alive and I’m really thankful of that. But enough of sad memories for today. Now I need to concentrate on what I’m going to do.

I finish cleaning my room (mom was insisting on that matter all morning) and get out of my house, right to Antonio’s. We accorded he was coming with me to the mall yesterday, so he can help me find the appropriate clothing for the beginning of fifth semester. I guess he’s buying something too.

I ring the doorbell and wait for someone to come out. His sister salutes me and runs, leaving the door open. She usually does that, because that little cutie-pie is too shy. She sometimes speaks to me, but that’s really rare. Only her mother, her brother, her father and her bunny have heard her voice because the little smarty tells everything just fine by hand signals. At least I know her name Mia.

I hear her mother get surprised by Mia and assure her she should warn of my visit to her brother. The little girl manages to get Antonio to know I’m waiting outside, so after a few minutes, he’s grinning at me, putting on his old brown jacket.

“Hey” he says calmly as I jump in front of him “what’s up with you?”

“You won’t believe me! Do you remember my friend Ian? The one who used to come all the time to my house before moving out to Atlanta?”

He takes a minute to remember. When his expression un-frowns, I know he knows whom I am talking about.

“Well, he came back. Yesterday we talked all night and I tasted for the first time in five years the glorious flavour of my favourite chocolate!”

“Sounds really great” he agrees, “so, he’ll be joining us today?”

“Nah, he’s got some important things to take care of before being completely free and I stole him all day yesterday, remember? As much as his father loves me, he won’t approve me stealing his son.”

He laughs at this and we start our calm walk. Thankfully, today passes just as perfect as it was supposed to be. I buy a pair of converse, a tank top and some skinny jeans for school. He only buys a green T-shirt and we leave the place. It’s almost like nothing bad happened yesterday at all, until I start noticing he’s been checking his watch all morning.

“What is it?” I ask once we’re sitting at the café in front of the store we’ve been buying at.

“Huh?” he replies, rather distracted.

“Something is worrying you.”

“Nothing is worrying me.”

“Then something is bothering you” I say, getting up to get our drinks: fresh lemonade for him and an iced tea for me. “C’mon, you can tell me. You know I know how to keep secrets”

“It’s really nothing,” he continues, not looking at me.

I pull a face. He has been too distracted for me not to notice.

“Okay, you’re telling me what’s wrong and I’ll tell you a secret. Deal?”

This gets his attention. As much as I love this kid, he has the attention of a puppy. Only something very shinny can trap him out, and what is shinier than a secret? Maybe this is a good chance to tell him I have loved him secretly for three years from now.