So I guess you're wondering why I'm here, right? It all started with a girl.
I was so in love with her. "Her" being Lalisa Manoban. She was athletic , humorous, amicable, and in almost every single way perfect. Emphasize on crazy. I was smitten , head over heels for that girl. Lisa was tall, probably around 6 feet and always towering over me . She had black hair with bangs , pale skin and intense brown eyes that looked at you as if you were the most important person in the whole world. She was younger than me , a sophomore and though she kept it quiet, she was an honor student with a 4.7 GPA. Everybody thought success was inevitable for Lisa. And I so fiercely wanted to part of that success.
Everybody except her father. Lisa's home life was not glorious like her social and academic life. She didn't talk about it much , but I knew. Out of curiosity I followed her home a few times . Lisa resided in the part of the town that people would drive mile out of their way to avoid. Lisa lived in minuscule , one floor , two bedroom, and filthy house, if one could call it a house. She lived with her alcoholic father , thirteen years old brother Haru, and seven years old sister winter . Lisa was the oldest being fifteen. So along with her sport, schoolwork, and friend, she had to cook , clean, do laundry , protect and take care of her siblings. I would have loved her but she never asked.
The day before I arrived her, have been a relatively marvelous day for Lisa. Finals were over and Lisa felt confident about them. Her team had just won the baseball game and they were going to the championship or playoffs or whatever. I remember cheering her on the game. Lisa was in such good spirit. Before she started the trudge home, she hugged me and kissed on the cheek. My legs turned into gelatin and I become a stuttering fool.
Lisa whistled a melancholy tune as she walked towards her dwelling. I was delighted to see her wearing a black adidas sandal I have recently brought her. I was less esctatic to see her kick away beer cans before opening the door at her house. Walking into the cramped living room, the putrid stench of cigarette smoke seeped into her nostril and she began to cough.
"L-lisa" Lisa's father croaked maliciously.
Lisa shuffled towards her prudgy father, bracing herself for her father's meaty hands. I fought the craving to strangle the man with my bare hands. The only things that stopped me was the knowledge that if I went to prison for murder, I wouldn't see Lisa.
" Y-yes sir?"
" Where's the ..the ..er ..lil's..slut?" Her father rasped.
Lisa set her jaw and gritted her teeth. If winter was threatened, insulted or put in jeopardy, Lisa easygoing demeanor snapped into protective sister. I hoped someday she'd the same for me.
Whenever Lisa was around winter , she was soft ,sweet, playful and at her happiest. It make my heart melt. If winter was happy, Lisa was happy. If lace was sad, Lisa would try her best to cheer her up. Honestly I was jealous . I resented winter for it.
Lisa knew that if she was stuck up for winter, her father would make them both pay later.
" Winter should gettin home with Haru soon" Lisa answered through her clenched teeth.
Lisa seeing angry made my heart flutter though I wished she would get angry when someone insulted me.
Her father's eyes narrowed.
" Don't take that tone with me, Lisa" Her father growled. Again, I fought the urge to hurt Lisa father . I was outraged. How dare he speak to Lisa that way!
" Sorry Mr. Manoban," Lisa mumbled, rushing to her bedroom before things get out of control. I sighed.
Lisa rarely called her father "Dad", or "father" or anything other than Mr. Manoban and "sir". Not since Lisa's mother died while giving birth to winter and Mr. Manoban, buried the grief, drastically turned from a sweet and caring father into a beer guzzling monster.
Mr. Manoban always blamed winter for his wife's death, so poor winter got the worst of his anger, no matter how much Lisa tried to sheild her from it. Especially since she had the same brown eyes and black hair that her mother was known for. I dyed my mousy brown hair in another attempt to make Lisa love me. She told me it was magnificent. I blushed a cherry red.
Lisa rushed into the teeny bedroom she shared with her siblings. Lying on top of the squishy bed, she looked gorgeous as ever. She diligently began her homework, surreptitiously looking at the Hello kitty alarm clock she had gotten winter for her fifth birthday. I remember Lisa had shoved snow, and mowed lawns for six month so she could save up, but alas, she was still seven dollar short. I remember I gave her seven dollar she needed and she kissed me. On the lips! I felt like I was floating on clouds and ever since then I've willing to do anything to taste her lips again.
It was much later than usual time haru and winter got home, yet they were nowhere to be found. Lisa, tired of waiting, leapt to her feet and put on her black sandals and sprinted towards the elementary school.
Once Lisa arrived there she found Haru nearby with a cigarette dangling from his mouth surronded by a group of guys wearing snap backs, sagged pants, with blood -eyes and blowing smoke rings.
Lisa stormed toward Haru, momentarily forgetting about winter in her fury. I gasped at the look of pure rage on Lisa's face . Lisa smacked Haru cigarette to the ground.
" What the fuck are you doing!?" Lisa snarled.
Lisa dropping the f-bomb is unheard of, seeing as she has a strong dislike for swear and people who use them often. After meeting Lisa, I swore myself that I would never curse again.
Haru backed away from Lisa in fear, cringing.
" Aye man, smoke somethin" A deep voice joked in the background.
" Haru, where the hell is winter?" Lisa demanded, ignoring the background comments, I got sort of huffy. Why couldn't Lisa care about me as much as she cared about winter? She hadn't even texted me since school ended.
" Uh...I ..uhm..thought some guy.. looked around yo age came to pick her up" Haru stammered quickly.
I snorted. " Haru, you dirty liar. You didn't even look twice at the car" I muttered under my breath.
Lisa stared at Haru, astronished and furious at his idiocy.
" Don't you dare come home until you find her , you asshole." I sighed wistfully. I wanted Lisa to love me though to call his brother curse words.
Lisa promptly called me to help her search for winter.
" Jen, Nini, JenJen, Jennie" Lisa breathed heavily, " You've gotta help me. I can't ... I can't find my little sister. " Her voice cracked, and I could tell she was holding back tears. My heart melted.
It was cute.
" Okay, okay, what do you need me to do?" I inquired.
" Nini, I swear , I swear if you find winter I will kiss you and ask you to marry me."
" Oh trust me honey, I will find her and bring her to you" I murmured into the phone, " so better start those wedding plans."
After Lisa hung up I turned around to face the little girl sitting in my back seat.
It was dark, I could only see her black hair.
She whimpered.
" Oh shut up winter, You'll be home soon" I said thinking to myself Jennie Manoban sounds a hell a lot better than Jennie Kim, and imagine the perfect wedding.
