Abe or The Goldfinch

Chapter 2

(remember that the only purpose of this version is to promote the Spanish version, be tolerant)

Earth-4076361

Abe continued to stare at Boris, who just stood there until he said in his thick slavic accent - will you stare at me all night or will you say your name? - while they are both sitting on a bench.

The boy with brown hair gets a little agitated in front of the boy from his dreams and says -ahhhh...- to which the boy dressed in black laughs and says -well, nice to meet you ahhhh-

Abe can't help but laugh too, after composing himself he says -no... I'm Abe, nice to meet you- and they both shake hands.

Boris asks -Abe...?- clearly referring to his last name, the aforementioned felt the voices of his family hammering in his brain "ABRAHAM", "AVRAM", "IBRAHIM".

But he shook his head and responded – only Abe... – to which the taller boy joked – well, a pleasure "only Abe" – expecting a rebuttal, but receiving instead a smile and a small laugh.

Suddenly Abe noticed that Boris's backpack was on one of the sides of the bench and quickly deduced that he had used it as a pillow.

So he asked with some doubt in his voice - is it... were you sleeping here? - Boris nods and answers - так - Abe could only assume that it meant "yes".

Then he watched as Boris took a pack of cigarettes out of his jacket, taking it and lighting one, Abe briefly thought about pointing out that he wasn't old enough, but even he knew that would make him look pathetic, besides it's not like the European boy would throw him in the face or something like that.

Boris offers one but Abe politely shakes his head.

Then Boris asked - and what are you doing here "only Abe"? - he thinks about it for a moment and shrugs his shoulders and answers - maybe... I just come to sleep here too? - which wasn't entirely a lie, really. He didn't have any plan on what to do now.

The other asked - on Thanksgiving?... Shouldn't you be at home with your family fattening up on turkey meat? - Abe, in an outburst not very typical of him, responds - the same could be said about you... -

He was about to apologize, but Boris just shrugged his shoulders and responded -I don't think I have a family anymore... -Abe, somewhat embarrassed with his previous outburst, asks -How?-

Boris exhales smoke and responds -my mother died, she fell out of a window, when I was a baby... - Abe felt as if his intestines had been kicked and he said sadly -I'm sorry...-

To which the taller boy laughs and comments - she was an alcoholic and she was supposed to take care of me when she did it, so don't be so sorry - taking another drag.

That only made Abe feel worse, suddenly all his family's problems seemed so minuscule, Boris seeing his continued discomfort - my dad disappeared days ago... he didn't take his things or the money he saved, I don't know. ...maybe there was an accident in the mine and they don't want to make it public or one of their "bad friends" put him in his place... who knows-

They both remained silent for a moment until Boris asked - and you? - Abe is startled and asks - ehhh me what? -

Boris laughs a little at his nervousness and responds – I already told you my sad backstory... your turn "only Abe" –

Abe was a little upset, it would be fair after all, he was the one who started the conversation wanting to touch on sensitive topics, but at the same time he didn't feel comfortable talking about it, so he just mentioned - I don't think it's a good one... -

To which Boris laughed again and said - hoo, come on... we probably won't see each other again after tonight... What do you have to lose? - while he takes a last drag on his cigarette and throws it on the floor to step on it.

Abe can't help but have a small smile at his irrefutable logic and with a tired sigh he responds - my parents have been separated for almost a year, because of me... and I was so stupid that... that I thought that organizing a damn Thanksgiving dinner, with our entire family I could fix everything... but at the first opportunity they started arguing, as always... over the same old thing-

Boris let out the last puff and asked interestedly -money?-

For a dark moment Abe thought that his new "friend" was assaulting him, but upon seeing the lack of any weapon he realized what he was asking, and answered – religion... my maternal family is Jewish-Israeli and my paternal family is Palestinian-Islamic. , so...-

But Boris asked -Aren't they the same? -Abe looked at him in amazement and responded much more offended than he ever thought he would sound -NO, THEY ARE NOT THE SAME... and they have been massacring each other almost since the Second World War-

Boris asked, somewhat surprised by his tone -and?- to which Abe responded by asking -What do you mean "and"? Didn't you hear that...?-

But the taller boy shrugs his shoulders and responds -they don't live there now. What's the problem? - Abe responds very irritated -it matters a lot... their origins, their cultures, they're all...-

Boris turns to look at him, openly bored, and responds -Russia has just taken a big chunk out of Ukraine. Do I seem worried about that? No... I don't give a shit because I don't live there-

Apparently this boy had a strange ability to make Abe feel bad at the same time that he made him angry to loose his tongue, because the shorter boy lashed out - because my family cares too much... - he got off the bench and started walking in circles like a caged cat.

While he continued saying -they always... since I was born they see me...- Boris tells him -if you don't want to tell me well- but the shit drawer was already open.

And Abe, with tears in the corner of his eyes, said - they see me as if I were a mistake... as if my very existence offended them... I am just my parents' peace project, and now that I fail they don't know where the hell to put me... and my grandparents... they look at me as if they wanted to take a scimitar, cut me in half, each one take one half and forget that the other exists-

Boris says -if they do that you will die- Abe shouts furious -I ALREADY KNOW...- to which Boris responds -don't tell me, tell them- pointing behind Abe

When he turned around he confirmed it, behind him were his parents and a little further back were his grandparents and uncle, all with incredibly guilty faces.

Amir and Rebecca without thinking take a step forward and wrap their son in a strong hug, without anyone noticing. Boris took his backpack and left the place.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Well, I think I should clarify that I started writing this long before the current conflict in the Middle East broke out, I will not deny it, I thought very deeply about whether or not I should continue with this because of how controversial the topic can be, but then I told myself "no one reads my fanfics, to hell with it I'm going to write what I want" so wait for the update.

I noticed that apparently no one else ever thought of this ship, so after its inventor I named it "ABRIS".

Remember criticism and comments are accepted.