“How are you feeling now Jacque?” My sister Cassy asked me.
She was on the bed opposite to my crystal glass window where I am heeding like a spy. It was a cloudy day outside with the few streak of the sun's rays and radiance. Leaves in the trees swayed carefully to the slight breeze of morning air and mist, trying not to fall. The windows in my room were intentionally opened so that I could have the chance to consume some of what I called, morning delights.
I turned to see my sister who was currently making the bed for me. Her golden hair fell perfectly on her shoulder blades, with her bangs pinned just above her forehead. Jenica always got the look of our mother who used to wear that golden hair she has. She stopped to glance at me, and flashes her sweetest beam in this morning with her light brown eyes smiling as well.
"Fine." I lied.
Thoughts suddenly flashed back 10 years ago, when our relatives used to compare us most of the time. They said she appeared more attractive and feminine than me. At the age of 7, she already learned putting on make ups and wearing elegant dresses, which of course was made possible with the aid of our elder cousins and aunts. “She's really a lady!” they'd tell the whole time in our gatherings and clap their hands looking like some sort of retarded seals. And looked at me afterwards with their eyes saying: "You should be like that!"
It was also really impossible to miss a moment in that time, where they would dress her like model in American Next Top Model and have her walk in the pavement like a drunk cat. They would even gave her sexy dresses, lipsticks, powders and even lingeries every Christmas and birthdays. That's why when she turned 18, she got tons of those.
Meanwhile, they'd keep saying I was her exact opposite. I resembled more like of my father and my brother, Keenan. I'd dress in a manly style. I even got my hair short and dyed. I did also wear piercings(but it's limited on my ears only. I actually got 5 holes in each side) and I literally walk like a man. My friends would thought I was a lesbian or a bisexual and such, but I always told them, I wasn't. Maybe, I'd just enjoyed my little testosterone.
My mind comes back to life, when the door opened and revealed Mom, Dad and Keenan. With them are groceries bags, which I'm pretty sure, contain foods and fruits and wine. Dad placed them all on the bedside table and followed Mom who were now kissing me in my cheeks.
“Howdy is my little Princess?” Daddy inquired when he got in front of me.
“Better?” I giggled and so as he.
Dad lean on me and gave me a light kiss in the forehead and a slight tap on my head. I always like it when he's doing it. I felt safe and strong. Cassy, who finished making the bed, sat on the chair beside me and joined the circle.
Mom's curling my hair with her fingers, sending a tingling sensation on my spine. I wanted to stop her because I'm tickled, but I didn't.
“Today's a great day,isn't it?” Mom said then gasps when she realized it really wasn't. She recoiled, wanting to slap herself for being insensitive.
But I just give her my sweetest smile. She's right. It's really a great day today. If only things weren't like it is now.
She stared at me, shaking her head, her teary eyed, apologetic. I nod at her trying to tell her it's alright. She answered me a smile and a frown. She knew me very well. She did. Mom knew I'm lying. They all knew I'm a terrible liar. I knew I was.
Suddenly I felt the throb in my chest and stung in my eyes. The ambiance of the room was more sickening than ever. The looks in their faces made things harder for me. Don't please, I wanted to tell them but I found no voice.
The smile they used to wear beforehand, had already dissipated into thin air. Their lips straighten, forcing something to stop.
The four walled room was now flooded with silence. Only the lively singing of the birds and the squeak of the branches outside and the honks of the city cars were heard in my room. None of us were speaking except our heartbeats. They're all eying at me, teary eyed.
I tried to force a smile but I failed. “Today's the 29th.”
