Reminiscence

1| Frannie

author's note: please listen to reminiscence by Johannes Bornlof for a more enhanced experience this chapter.

30th November 2017

Everyone has had a friend who was absolutely bonkers. The friend who would come to you and say, "We have a problem." And you'd have to reply, "No, you have a problem. I have an idiot who gets into one." So, of course, I had that friend and she was going to get me killed.

"I don't like this," I whispered to Jia, who sat next to me on the bus and adjusted her short, crazed hair behind her ears. 

Just this morning, her hair had been their natural blackish-brown, but now it was a dark shade of bottle green that matched with her huge loop earrings. Her timber eyes contrasted better with the green hair than they did with her natural brown hair. Unlike me, she decided to keep her hair as a huge mess—she demanded as such with the hair stylist.

She patted my hand. "You worry too much, Fran. Besides, we look so good, they'll forget to be mad." Although she conveyed it with such confidence, we knew if both our parents actually forget to lecture us for dyeing and styling our hair, then the end of the world is near. "I already told you I'd take care of it."

"Is that what you told Morigna when you took her to eat every chocolate ice cream in town?" I shot back. My hair slipped past my ear. Similarly to Jia, I got my hair coloured green, though it was a brighter shade. The hairdresser placed a flower crown on top of my head once we were done. It took us five hours and a lot of money went in it, and though I was afraid of my parents' reaction, I didn't regret spending my allowance on it.

"Mor enjoyed eating all those ice creams."

"She's had diarrhoea for the last four days."

"The after is not important. In the present, she and I enjoyed our time."

I rolled my eyes, but fell silent. I was exhausted. Keeping my head straight and then having to be in a public place for five hours is more than enough to drain me of my physical and mental battery. I need to crawl into my room and hide for a couple of days to recharge. And, though Jia understands I will probably do that, she doesn't understand I need it right away, hence she started blabbering about the hairdresser and how nice she was to us.

Normally, when she talks, both Morigna and I engage (primarily because she is the only person who wants to hear us speak and pauses in between her ranting to hear our views), but sometimes we both choose to listen instead of speaking.

Once in school, she told us about another political scandal and paused in between so we could add our information and opinions to the matter and waited until we were done. That kind of treatment was rare for both Mor and me, especially from someone who has a literal stream of vivacity coming out of her mouth.

I didn't realise I zoned out, thinking of all the times Jia has talked noisily and loudly, until she asked, "Don't you think so?"

Instead of obliviously agreeing to her as I would've to someone else, I said, "Sorry, I zoned out, could you repeat your question?"

She gave me a smile. "No need. It's you good you didn't hear, it was a stupid question, anyway."

Guilt built up inside me. "But I enjoy answering your stupid questions."

Jia's smile stretched. "I was asking if we should trick Morigna into colouring her hair tomorrow, except we're the one who are going to do it."

Blinking momentarily, I said, "Jia... Either you changed your question or you don't know what stupid questions mean, because that is a good idea."