Dark Alley

Chapter 38

     "Tracy I have something to tell you," I say. Tracy was lying on the bed of his room, her hair spread all over his pillow. I sat on the ground, staring at her intently, breathing the smell of strawberries from her hair.

     "Tell what?" Tracy asked. She moved forward, now looking at me.

Her blue eyes.

Stop staring at me.

     "It's about what happened when I was at my house," I stammer the words I say. I was in the state of either telling her what I found out there or not.

     "What happened?"

     "It has something to do with you," I say, "I don't think I want to tell you this or either you want to her this."

    "I want to hear it."

     "Mrs. Dekker," I say, "I hated her until I knew she is related with me-"

     "Of course you have to get closer with her, she's your sister."

     "That's why," I pause. "That's why I also want you to know something about her, something that has to do with your personal problem."

     "What is it?"

     "Mrs. Dekker," I say, "she has something to do with what happened to you." I gave her a side look.

     "Shit seriously?"

     I nodded. "You have the right to know."

     "Well now I hate her," she says.

     "Really?"

     "I don't know," she says. I was confused the she later said - "slight, I mean I know she was the reason why dad hated me. But it was my mistake too, I think she was just being a teacher."

     "She did it to make Calvin angry," I say.

     "What does she has something to do with dad?" She asked. My eyes were pale, I hope she gets it, "oh, it has something to do with you."

     I nodded, "I'm sorry Tracy."

     "No it's okay," she says, "Foster, I may not be a Hindu but I still believe in karma and dad did something bad to you, I became his karma."

     "Don't say that." I leaned forward. I held her hands, they were cold and shaking. Her tears ran down her cheeks.

     "I should be the one to be sorry," she says, "I'm sorry for my dad. I'm sorry if he brought you to hell, if it weren't for him, you could be a senior right now, you could have sit near the park and say rude stuffs about us teenagers of the new generation! You could have retired from your job and feed birds near the lake and spend time with your family and grandchildren." Tracy paused, I knew what she meant, but neither of those - neither of those is what I want.

      "Rude things about teens of the new generation? Seriously?" I chuckled. She giggled. "Tracy, if I weren't for Calvin I wouldn't have met you, I wouldn't have eaten lunch with the twins, and I wouldn't have appreciated the songs you make me listen to. And most especially, I would've never seen your beautiful face, your blue eyes. God your beautiful eyes."

     My anxiety was long gone, now that I told her about her blue eyes. But still, I feel ashamed.

     "Foster," she says, "are you professing your love for me?"

     "What?"

     "Nothing," she says, shaking her head, "don't think about it."

     "That's why I thought about coming with me in my house tomorrow," I say, "so that you would know more about me. And that you wouldn't feel bad about Mrs. Dekker, you can settle things with her."

     "Your naivety," she says, "kills."

     "I don't know what you mean," I say, "but from your smile, I think I'll take that as a compliment."

     "It is a compliment."

     "Okay thanks."

     "So now why do you want me to go with you in your house?"

     "I already told you why."

     "Meh," she says, "I don't feel it."

     "Fine," I say. I don't know if I hate her or I feel ten more times impressed as she reads what's on my mind, "I'm planning on getting my father out."

     "What the fuck?"

     "Why something wrong?"

     "Everything is wrong Foster, like how, when, and where," she says, "a yes in your old house but again, where are you going to keep him?"

     "Here?"

     "Nope."

    "Look," I say, "Mrs. Dekker is delusional; she thinks hurting people close to Calvin is what he wants. He is paralyzed; I can feel she's going to hurt him."

     "Okay," finally she agreed, "I think you have a point. But you still can't keep him here."

     "Why?"

     "Dad," she paused, "will kill you."

I know.