The Shy Boy: Something New

Chapter Twelve - What?

    We got off the tricycle. I signaled the tricycle driver to wait after we payed. Wayde was gonna go home in a bit anyways.

   As I was about to say thanks to Wayde, we hear aggressive vomiting and coughing over the engine of the tricycle. It came from the downstairs kitchen.

   "Umm." I turned to face Wayde, feeling a little ashemed. "I think you should go now. Thanks for having to come with me all the way here." I scratch the itch in my head before tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. Wayde stared at the house, then back at me. "Will you be alright?"

   The question caught me off guard, what does he mean? Does he know about how my dad acts? Or did the vomiting give it away?

   "Yeah, I'll be alright." I say and try to crack a smile. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow,  then." He says before going into the tricycle. "Ingat. [Take care.]" I say as the tricycle went off.

I released a harsh sigh, here we go again.

   "Dad?" I call out as I opened the gate with it screaming from all the rust and peeling paint. "Dad?" I call out again, louder. I rushed inside to find them leaning over at the sink, wanting to vomit again. "Dad, what's-"

   "It's nothing." They say annoyed. "Get out."

"Bu-"
"Get out!"

   I went out and up the stairs. I hung my bag up on the back of my bedroom door and flop onto my bed with my phone in my hand. I check the time, 4 p.m.

   My phone started ringing. My mom was calling.

"Hello?" I place my phone against my ear. "Hello, Ivy." They say firmly, I started feeling a little nervous.

   "Yes, mom?" I ask as they stood silent. "Have you been going out recently?" They ask.

I rarely do, in fact. This is one of the rarer times I get to go out freely.

   "No." I answer, "Why, mom?"
   "Do you have my credit card?" She asked, I can tell she was trying to sound calm. "I don't."

   "Don't lie to me. Your dad said you went out earlier. Around 2 p.m., I found out somebody had withdrawn ten thousand pesos from my account."

I froze, I knew nothing about this. Ten thousand? What would I even do with all that money?

   "Mom, I don't know anything about this, I swear! Maybe ask dad?" I suggest. "Give him the phone."

   I looked out the door, was dad feeling better now? "Okay, wait." I say as I went back down the stairs. "Dad!" I call. No answer.

   I looked inside, no one. Outside, no one. His motorcycle wasn't here.

   "Mom, I don't know where he is." I say. "He's not here."

I could tell that my mom was either scratching her head or massaging her forehead. "Mom?"

   "Okay, I'll call you later." She says before hanging up.

   What's going on? Who would withdraw ten thousand from my mom's account? It could be dad, but no way would he actually be gambling that much money. And he's nowhere to be found right after he started vomiting non stop.

   I decided to call him. I held up my phone against my ear. Ringing, ringing. No answer.

I called again, this time puting it on loud speaker. Ringing, ringing. "The number you have dialed is unattended, please try again later." No answer.

   I ran my fingers up through my hair, I didn't know what I was supposed to do. Am I just going to wait for my dad to come home?
  
   I shouldn't have left earlier. Maybe dad got into trouble while I was gone. The rare times that I see him positive, I took it for granted. I should've savored it instead of accepting my friends' invitation.

   My mom called again. I pressed the green phone symbol in less than a heartbeat. "Mom?"

   "Ivy, tell me. Did you withdraw the money? If it wasn't you or dad, I'm going to report this to the police." She said seemingly stressed out. "Did you ask dad?"

   "Yes, he called me just now. He said he didn't have my card and that he let you have it. Ivy, did you take the money?" She asked again.

   I wanted to ask her where dad is. I wanted to ask dad why'd he blame me. I wanted to ask if my dad was the one who used the money and needed my help to cover it up.

   "Yes, mom. I- it was me. I'm sorry." I forced the words out my throat. "Ivy, how could you do this? What will I eat for the rest of the month? What about the bills you and dad have to-"

   The line got cut off, no signal. Great, now I'm going to look like I hung up on them.

   It's okay, I'll just go straight to bed and go to school tomorrow. My dad will turn up eventually. About my mom, I don't know, why did I even admit to something I didn't do in the first place? Well, I don't know where dad went and I can't let mom call the police knowing that my dad has to have taken it.