JAPTRAT (for now)

Chapter 1: Memories

Nathan stepped onto the footpath, the leaves turning into tatters under his feet. He felt for the wallet in his pocket. He took out a clean new crisp note out and handed it to the driver.

"Thank you," Nathan mumbled sarcasticly under his breath as he watched the taxi speed away. That was about the worst ride he had ever had. The driver drove like as if he forgot to wear his glasses and decided he would just have to do without. He stood watching until the taxi was only a black dot in the distance. His eyes hurt from all the chemistry experiments in school and when the sunlight hit his glasses at an odd angle he could barely keep his eyes open.

He turned and a group of women stood infront of him. All these moms and one Nathan. Everyday.

Nathan walked around them and stood against the tall wall closest to the preschool's entrance. It was a tiny two storey building, with a bright red bricked roof. Twelve...eleven....ten....nine... The kids were coming out. Seven .... Six.... had he been late today? Three.. Two... RIIINNNGG.

Nope. Right on time.

Kids ran and stumbled about. Nathan skimmed their heads for a girl with two dark haired ponytails bobbing her head, walking around. He whistled and watched that head come to him. Nathan bowed down until he came face to face with his six year old baby sister.

"Hailey." Greeted Nathan.

"Hey Nathan!" Hailey beamed. She flung her bag off her shoulders which was twice her size and grinned at him. This happened everyday since her school offered to buy books for the kids. Nathan's bag had three flat thin books, three notebooks to accommodate them and two pens somewhere at the bottom hidden between a bunch of wrappers. He had suggested they exchange bags and avoid the temptation to look for the people who were undoubtedly pointing or talking or thinking about the kid with black hair, fair skin, brown eyes. T shirt and jeans. White sneakers. Looking like an average high school teen with a barbie bag. A little pony tailed girl next to him who barely reached his thigh with a black bag that banged against her tiny legs as she walked. Each day when Nathan had to pick up that bag full of bricks he admired his sister's ability to not fall over.

"So how was the test ?" Nathan asked.

   "Got an egg." Hailey made a face, watching her brother struggle to get his arms through the straps.

Nathan hooked his thumbs in the bottom of the straps and looked down at her. "You're joking right?"

"No...." She said.

"But you're joking. Right?" She had to be joking. 

"I think i said no." She turned and walked ahead, waving her friends goodbye.

Nathan stood there a second, then took two long strides and began walking beside Hailey.

"So... You failed." He whistled. Tsk tsk.

"Nope," Nathan's hope raised to be shrunk again, "I just found another way i can fail."

He shook his head. Hailey had always been rather 'spunky', as her teacher had said once during a PTM. She was skinny little girl with pink chubby cheeks, always with a quick answer waiting at the tip of her tongue.

They turned a corner onto a street only a block away from the park.

"Yeah? By writing two plus two is what? A fish?" Nathan teased.

"It's actually four. And then people say you're smart." Hailey's strides began to pick pace. She didn't have much patience when it came to being irritated. Nathan had no trouble keeping up. He decided not to push it anymore.