Reminiscing

Chapter 1

Hanna was like a little sister of mine. She lived right next door and had been so close to me and my mom a few weeks after we moved in this town seven years ago. Since then she's been spending most her free time to play at my place together with my best friend, Seth. The three of us are so close that we are always together the whole time except when we're in school. Seth and I are now attending college while Hanna is still in her 9th grade but despite of the wide distance in our age, we still hang out and treat each other the same.

"Good morning mom." I greeted mom as I walk down the stairs from my room. "Oh, good morning honey. Breakfast is ready but why are you so early? I thought you don't have any classes today." Mom replied with a confused look in her face as if she doesn't know anything about this day. "Well mom, I have something to do before Hanna comes over. You know that she's always excited about her birthday right? I just thought that maybe we could make a little preparation for her since we'll be moving away soon." I could see the excitement in my mom's face when she heard about my plan but it was replaced by a subdued feeling when she heard the last sentence that I said.

I could never blame mom for being so attached in this place. Ever since that day when Hanna came knocking on our door my mom drastically change. She became so lively and happy with her presence. She treated Hanna like her own daughter and often invites her at home. Sometimes they even go shopping with just the two of them. She was once so obsessed of having a daughter that she even dressed me like one when I was still a little kid. I am the second son and my parents broke up when I was still a baby. My father took my older brother with him and I was left with mom. Her wish was to have a daughter but she never had one and now that Hanna came she treated her like her own.

"By the way Dave, did you already told her about that?"

"Not yet mom and besides I don't want to ruin the mood when it's her birthday."

"Yeah you're right."

I tap my mother's shoulder to comfort her and slowly walk to the kitchen to get something to eat while wondering what present would be great for Hanna. "Maybe a new manga series would do since she loves to read those." I whispered to myself as I pour some hot water for my cup of coffee.

"You've got a mail from Hanna!"

I was startled by my mom's voice from the living room causing the hot water from the heater spilled on the floor.

"Ouch!"

"Are you alright Dave?" With a worried voice, mom run to the kitchen to see how I was doing.

"It's nothing mom, I just spilled some hot water on my foot."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course mom, I'm not a little kid anymore."

"You might not be a little kid but you're still clumsy. I can't help but to look after you."

"Thank you mom but don't worry, I'll be more careful next time okay?"

She just nodded then slightly pinch both of my smiling cheeks.

"By the way, here's the letter from Hanna. How sweet of her right? It's her birthday but she's the one giving you a letter. You should hurry up and buy your little sister a present okay?" She handed the letter to me then quickly went out of the house. "I'm going to buy something for later. Make sure to lock the door when you leave." She said with a loud voice just before she closed the door. Enough for me to hear her voice right from the next room.

As soon as I finished breakfast, I hurried back to my room and sat on the corner of my bed. Unconsciously, I smiled with the sight of the letter Hanna wrote for me. "Guess, the content is still the same." I whispered to myself as I'm about to read the letter which says: