Water has been sprinkled atop the flower. Dripping from its bluish and pointy leaves in which little Shaniah holds the water hose. Does plants ever feel thirst and the satisfaction of being hydrated again? No one knows. I observe her while standing on the shaded porch of our garden. A measly sight from here.
But her carelessness managed to soak her dress. Little amount of wet soil has stained her hands and feet and the little smile on her face fades. Kids of her age tend to be like this too. Could it be that it's a universal truth for kids to be stupid?
"Uh-oh!" Shaniah reacts. She looks at me with puppy eyes.
You better get that off before Mom sees you.
"BIIIRRRJIILLL!" With pouted lips as pointy as the cacti on her background.
"Go clean yourself" I said. "I'll finish what you started" I explained further.
"No!" Her little steps on the green grass steadily contracts the distance between us. "You drown Mr. Flower everytime you're watering him."
"What?"
I've realized the difference of us between me and my younger sister. When I was her age, I never had an imaginary friend. I was completely aware of my sorrounding. Saw things on a concrete and not in an abstract way. Disillusioned, as they might say. Or not, disillusioned is too much of a heavy word.
"Mr. Flower and I talk a lot of things, and he says you almost drowned him once!"
"Oh..." I broke eye contact slightly. "Say to him that I'm sorry."
"Hm! He doesn't forgive so easily!"
She entered the house. Her spoiled boots just under the steps. The Sun is shining so brightly at 11 am. Mild heat has enveloped my body. I gotta finish watering the plants too.
The garden holds more life than what is seen by the naked eye. Bugs crawling through the flower's stem. Worms dig under the soil. Mom and Shaniah has taken care of the plants here pretty well, so much that it has its own environment now. No withering or dryness is seen. Glowing with life in anywhere you set your eyes. Somehow, it feels like the opposite of me.
Realizing the rubber texture of the water hose in my hand and the increasing hotness of the weather. I found myself to be contemplating while doing the deed. The telephone rang inside house and breaks the monologue in my head.
The little activity were paused right after a little kid has called me in a familiar accent.
"BIRJIL!"
I turned around. Seeing her at the entrance of house.
"Hm?"
"Dad's calling on the telephone!"
From hearing those exact words, I felt an excitement. Like electricity was sent to my heart. Only for a little.
I admit, I don't have a vocal relationship with my father, same as everyone else. In fact, Mom thinks I'm the perfect clone of Dad. Both alike in appearance and behaviour. Mom says she looks at me and sometimes remember how Dad looked like in high school. Thick black hair and fair skin. She says Dad looks so extremely elegant back then, unlike now. He looks so rugged and his beard does not help him look young too. I don't know if she's just deeply in love with him to think he's like some prince or something. Personally, he does not. Judging from Dad's old photos, he looked like an average day-to-day teenager. Although I noticed we have the same dark and gloomy eyes.
I went to the living room. Pictures of their marriage and us siblings are on the wall. I see Mom holding the telephone across the fur mat.
"Are the kids doing well?" A static yet flat voice coming from the telephone.
"Of course, they're doing well. Who wouldn't flourish in my care?" Mom responds in a playful tone.
Dad chuckles slightly. "Why did I even ask?"
"You know how I care about someone, Russell. I bring the best out of them. You know that since you're the prime example of it."
Their intimacy has cringed a part of me.
"By the way, you want to talk to your son?" she said after noticing me. "Virgil, your Dad wants to have a little chat with you."
"Alright, I'll be drying the laundry. Take care, sweetie. I love you."
She hands me telephone. Putting it near my ear right ear.
"Dad..."
"How's the school, Virgil?"
"Still the same. I'm still the..." and I hesitated before I finish my sentence"...top student." It feels like a girl has appeared abruptly in my mind the moment I mention my rank.
"Hm? No one has still rivaled you?"
"No..." I replied descendingly.
"That's quite boring. I've had lots of rivals back in my school days."
"I wish I have one."
A slight pause has emerged between our conversation.
"How about a girlfriend?" he says in high tone.
"Definitely none."
"Why?"
"I don't know... I don't have anyone I like."
"Son, enjoy your youth as much as possible."
"I'm enjoying it, Dad. Promise."
"On the light side, me and your Mom wouldn't have to worry about having a grandkid at such a young age."
"Yeah, don't worry about it."
"But it wouldn't hurt if you have a girl you can introduce to us!"
"Huh. Maybe when I get older."
"I hope so."
And a little silence has emerged once again.
"Do your best to enjoy your youth, understand?"
Why does he insist it so much?
"Yes. And Dad?"
"Hm?"
"I could use a little extra allowance right now."
Dad chuckles across the other side of the world.
"Next week."
"Thanks."
"I'm going to sleep now. It's 10 pm here. Always take care of your Mom and Shaniah. You're the man of the house in my absence."
"Bye."
And the call ended. The beeping of the device has occupied my ears. I put the telephone to its place.
Mom returns to the living room carrying a basket full of laundries.
"Oh, he hanged up already? I guess he have to rest his body after a long day of engineering."
She puts the basket in the floor.
"Virgil, you're Dad will be returning home in three months."
In November? That's still a long time between present and that date. But I cannot ignore the feeling of excitement. I'll be seeing him after 3 years. My father will be returning home in November.
TO BE CONTINUED...
YOU ARE READING
Genius Rivals (Ongoing)
Teen FictionIn his world where expectations and standards are as normal as breathing, how would he try to function amidst the sea of interactions? The story is told from Virgil Astraea's eyes, the reigning valedictorian and the top one student of the prestige U...