Assassins By Birth

Julia Faye

it was Friday morning.

Damn sure it was.

Because I could feel Caleb's electric guitar bleeding my ears, even though I was up in attic and he was in the basement honing his utterly poor skills with his band 'The Grudge Holders'. Yes, the name says it all. Trying my best to block the noise off, I put my pillow over my head and covered myself from head to toe with my blanket.

Still, it didn't help. It was as if he was doing this on purpose.

Giving up, I got out of my bed, almost tripping over my books, locked myself in the tiny room -- with a tap for a sink, a seat for a commode and a broken shower head-- which I call a bathroom. I turned the tap on a splashed the icy cold water on my face and looked up through the cracked mirror to see a mocha-brown brunette with forest green eyes in a typical bed head. Today, this mysterious, nerdy, tomboy turned eighteen and I could bet, not a single soul is aware of that.

I brushed my teeth and slipped out of my clothes and took a short barely hot shower which leaked from all possible places, anyhow, it was water and water always controls my nerves. Even during gym class, swimming is the one think that keeps me going. It helps me tune out. I gently rubbed the scratchy towel on my body to wipe off the water and swiftly jumped into my navy hoodie and mud brown cargos,  and hair tied in a tight ponytail.

I went back into my messy attic to grab my cell phone, lip balm and earphones. The room was double the size of the bathroom, it had  a single bed with foam for a mattress on a second hand hospital bed, next to which was my make shift cupboard containing sleepwear and hoodies and tops and cargos and more hoodies.

They hide my curves.

Opposite to the bed  was the only triangular protruding out window beneath which was my desk holding my essays and assignments and projects and books and meds and whatnot. Aunt Lisa being herself had added some flowery lilac wallpapers over the cracked maroon walls which I tore, I liked her effort, but I hated the color, For the floor the room had wearing out mahogany wooden floor and the white door. running out of the room I slipped into my black converse and went down the stairs, tripping over the last one, grabbing the railings to keep from falling.

On my way out i saw some guests, two men, being addressed my Aunt Lisa, I didn't know we had any young relatives. just as I was grabbing an apple and making my way out the main door, Caleb bumped into me intentionally and cornered me by the door, his huge frame lurking over my small body.

"Going somewhere, sweet sis?" he spat out venomously. Did i tell you how dearly we  hate each other?

"Since when do  you care?" I replied mocking him, taking a bite of the apple.

"Well, that's what a brother is supposed to do, last time I checked." He said as he brought his hand on my chin and raised it up to his level, and he stenched of alcohol.

"Thanks for the generosity. Now let me go, asshole." I said trying to shove him away in disgust.

"uhun, not so easily sis."  he advanced a few steps towards me, before he could say anything else, I heard Aunt Lisa calling him in the living room. Caleb rolled his eyes and turned away to answer her mother in a 'yes mom, I'm coming' just as he turned towards me he was greeted with a bitch slap and I found my exit. He had always been an asshole towards me, since the time I started living here, since my childhood.

I left the house indifferent. That is how Caleb is, a pervert jerk. I headed towards the park and crossed a house that was under construction last time I checked and now I could see someone moving into that house, given that the movers and packers truck was almost empty. Soon a young man wearing a blue cardigan and mud brown chinos and white converse. Hmm, I am more of a black person.

He signed something that looked like a delivery form. Unexpectedly, he caught me staring point blanc at him, plus, I was in the middle of the road. He looked up towards the sky and then walked back inside.

It took me great time to realize that he went in because it had started raining. I wouldn't even call it raining. It was pouring heavily. Great. I thought, kicking into a puddle just budding in front of me.

So far, so good. The day can't get any better. I walked back home in a soaked attire and shut myself in my room, for good.

By 7:45 am I was ready for school and Caleb was ready for his bimbo's bash, I guess. It took me twenty minutes to walk to school. I was rummaging through my locker when I heard someone call out for help. The sound however sounded familiar. It took me another shout to realize who that was. By a force of habit, without wasting any time, I rushed towards the other end of the corridor to see the familiar body, of my previously known best friend, being bashed up brutally by ,of course, the jocks.

I made my way towards him, slamming people by the book I carried, accidentally. I've always had a sublime timing. I just got between him and the punch he was about to get, and it landed right on my cheekbone. Although, I avoid fighting with random people, I didn't mind returning the brat in his varsity jersey what was rightfully his. "Get out of here, you all, watching a show are you?" I waved my hands, shooing everyone out of the way. I turned towards the tiny limp of a body of my friend, Ronnie.

"Were you yelling particularly for me, or I made a mistake coming after you?" I asked him, my hands on my waist.

"Thanks?" He replied in his now husky voice. Ronnie was my best friend through grade school till he tried doing the knight in shining armor thing with me. Well, I am not the Cinderella of his life, so instead of leaving a shoe behind, I left him, and he went away too. Ronnie was a good guy, if it weren't for me, I would have said yes to his proposal, but his timing is just as good as mine.

That's why we used to get along.

"Okay, get up now." I shook my head as I helped him up from the marbled floor and he slid his arm across my shoulders. "What happened?" I asked as we both made our way outside the school campus building and onto the bleachers.

"Swung by to see you." He replied resting on the lowest bench, wet due to the rain. Sometimes, I wish I could whack him on the face while he makes his pity dog face. But anyhow, the universe can't believe that he's here for me.

"No, are you gonna lie to me? Or shall I get the truth out of you." I threaten, rolling up my sleeves to my elbow. I don't usually like behaving the way I am right now. Seeing his face brings out the worst in me. The worst feeling of first love in me. And that makes me angry.

All thanks to me.

"Well, look, I can see pretty well, that you are still mad at me for what I did, all those years ago, but, cut me some slack? I want you to remove that curtain and see that under that incident, I am still your best friend." He said, with his usually waving of hands everywhere.

I almost considered agreeing to the relation we were going to have and now you want to be my best friend back again? Are you nuts?

"What?" Ronnie asked, stunned.

umm. "Did I say something out loud?" Oh shit.

"No, you are just glaring at me like you are going to eat me up." He shrugged.

Thank God. "Well, okay then, we can be conditional friends back again. Anything else?" I replied as I saw him wince at the word conditional.

"No, can we meet tomorrow at the Central Park, like, around eight in morning? By the lake?" He asked, and I could clearly sense the fear in his voice. Fear. He's afraid of me. What timing.

"Okay. You know my favorite starbuck, right?" I replied and he nodded. "I'll be there. Don't be late." I smiled and left wondering what is it that he wants to talk about now. Don't surprise me, please.

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