Defining Paradox

Chapter Four: the Accidental Giving of Free Showers

 

            It’s seven o’ clock and I’m on the way to Ninang Grace. Sundays are usually cleaning days for me. I know that it’s highly unlikely for a teenage boy to clean houses and babysit for money. My peers would think I’m gay.

        I'm not, just so we’re on the same page.

        I get up extra early on Sundays, so I can finish work early. When I reached the house, there was a note on the door, telling me to just use my key and start cleaning. So I did. They were probably out for some family bonding or something.

            I started dusting the furniture in the living room first, and then cleaning the dining room and the kitchen. Being inside their mansion made me feel so inferior.  Alone in the mansion, I felt so small. One soft sound, and it was enough to echo throughout the whole room. Silence  is powerful, and sometimes, I can't stand it. So when i'm alone, I whistle. Whistling while I work is one of my habits. I'm usually not aware of it, it just slips out of my mouth. 

        After which, I mowed the backyard and watered the plants. Cleaning this house is such a hard task. It was gigantic. But I finished by the time it was nine o’ clock.

            I went outside and got the materials I need to wash Ninang Grace’s car, my last task of the day. I took off my shirt and started washing their car, a sleek, black, BMW. 

        Halfway through covering the car with soap, Chase, Ninang Grace’s Labrador retriever, ran towards me and jumped on my back. Startled, I lost control of the hose, my arms flailing violently. He eventually came off and settled beside me, watching me. He looked at me as if he was innocent, but I knew better.

        I wiped the suds off my body, pouting. From the corner of my eye, I saw a silhouette. I looked up and gasped. I realized that there was a girl standing in front of me, shocked and soaked. She had straight brown hair, brown eyes, and she was pale. She’s probably a foreigner. Although there was something very off with her eyes. Brown doesn’t seem to be the right fit. I brought myself back to reality, before realizing what I have done. 

            “I-I’m s-sorry. I’m sorry. The dog- jumped, I lost control, hose- ugh. Wait I’ll go get you a towel.” I told her, before running back inside and getting a fluffy towel. I ran back shortly after. “I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to- the dog it was--“ I struggled to find some words but failed miserably. I’m not good with socializing. She shook her head and dried her hair.

        “No, no. It’s alright. No harm done. It’s just water right?” she smiled. I returned it uncomfortably.

        She offered her hand. “Sapphire.” She smiled. I bit my lip. I’m not good with social interaction. I’m not good with the part where you actually interact with actual, living, breathing people. But I shook her hand anyway. It was cold and wet.

        "Brett.” I said, my voice close to a mumble. She tilted her head. “Well, uh. Okay, Red.” I shook my head no.

        “No, Brett.” I said, my voice a little louder. She smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. I didn’t hear you correctly. Uh... Brett.” Sapphire smiled.

        Usually, that was the cue to leave. After the introduction, the person would tell you that she had to go, or that she’ll just see you around, even though she had no interest in ever seeing you again. It’s like a reflex move or a default option. Most people, if not all, would do that. So I expected her to do the same. But she didn’t. Sapphire didn’t do any of the things I mentioned above. Instead, she dried her hair, cracked her knuckles and smiled. 

        “So, let me help you there. I have nothing to do anyway.” She said.

         If another person said that line, I would think that the person was flirting. Not that I was patronizing myself (I’m not, really). It’s just the normal behavior of a person, based on what I have watched and observed from the people around me through the years.

        See, I’ve been a wallflower for as long as I can remember. I’ve watched people from afar. I’ve memorized the way people act. I can predict what they’ll end up doing most of the time. I’m usually right. The line she said could’ve been easily used as a flirty line, but no. The way she said it, it has no double meaning. She said it like it was. She just honestly didn’t have anything to do. He just wanted to help me. And it was just that. It was that simple.

        "Uh, I don’t know. Only If you want to.” I said.

        We spent the morning washing the car, not talking, or at least, on my part. She must’ve realized that I’m not a talker and left me alone to listen to her thoughts on random things. She just talked about little things, like I was an old friend from her childhood, but in reality, I’m just a stranger to her. She’s the complete opposite of me. She’s cheerful and socially excellent, while I’m quiet and painfully introverted.

        Most of the time, I find people like her annoying. But she isn't. She's like a ray of sunshine, blinding you with her unbelievable enthusiasm. It’s incredibly weird.

        But it was a good kind of weird.

        After about, thirty minutes of silence on my part, she stopped talking and looked at me. “You can talk right?” she inquired, tilting her head, like a puppy. I nodded,

        “I mean, you talked earlier” she added. I nodded again. “So why won’t you talk now? Did I say something wrong?” she asked. I shook my head softly. It seemed like she had no more questions to ask, so we went back to work.

        When we finished, we dried ourselves up. I thought she would say good bye now, but then again, she proved me wrong.

        “Do you paint?” she asked instead. Confused at her random question, I nodded slowly. Yeah, I can paint. I paint walls and rooms for extra money. It’s a sideline. Her lips twitched into a broad smile.

        “Cool. Can you help me? I kinda need help in painting my room. It's new, and I really don't like the color.” She said. . She must’ve noticed my slight hesitation because she smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll pay you.” she added.

        “No need. I’ll do it for free. I think I owe you.” I mumbled, and she smiled at me in return. “You will? Thanks! I just live next door. Just come if you’re free.” She handed me back the towel. “Nice meeting you, Brett!” at that, she sprinted away, leaving me confused.

What the hell just happened?