XVI.IX.MMI

III

Kenneth

"There's my boy! Congratulations Kenneth! You did so great, you beat my record!" Uncle Adam gushed at me, holding up his drink to mine, clanking it together. I smiled softly towards him, he was always supportive of what I do. 

Aunt Susan was not kidding when she said we were having a celebration for my graduation because every people from my mom's and dad's family came here, celebrating the child who had no one but himself and his aunt. I take it at heart at what she did. Usually, I would hate it when a lot of people came here, crowding the area and messing my space, well technically Aunt Susan's place but now, I have to learn to accept openness, letting others to get inside your space. I was going to grow old soon, I needed to learn to have people in my comfort zone, especially if I ever want to continue my studies. 

Speaking about studies, no... I did not even plan to continue my studies. I have not told Aunt Susan about it yet but I feel like she would agree to me. She would understand me, I needed a break, I needed time to know where I was going in my life. To just survive, or to strive. If my parents were to know about this, they would throw me words that would make me feel bad about myself. They were people who aim for something extraordinary, people with revolutionary. Being the people who graduated from Harvard... how was I not to follow their steps? 

Sipping my drink, I chuckled. "Thank you Uncle Adam, but I am not sure that I beat yours... I barely pass for my economic," Uncle Adam laughed lightly at me. He took a deep breath, looking at me with the same eyes my mom had, light green orbs. Truly I was never blessed with those rare features, of course my dad's genes had to take over but nevertheless, I was grateful. I could never pull off green eyes.

"You reminded me so much of her, your mother. She always had that look in her face when she's happy. Yet... we never got to know why they disappear, it's like they never existed," He mumbled quietly. I bit my bottom lip, I do not know what to do about this, when people gave sympathy. I never have dealt well with it, I know you are supposed to when you are always being squeezed with it, but when it is too much, I can not help but be speechless. My mouth was tired of saying, 'it's fine', 'I'm okay', or even 'thank you for your sympathy'. Me being alive was not meant to accept all of these sympathies and act like I was weak, that having to face sympathy made me felt like I was not capable enough of handling my emotions. People just care about me... too much.

My mouth went into a straight line. "I understand, Uncle... you missed her. I missed her too. Well if I could curse in front of you then yeah, F, I miss mom and dad so much...," I let out, trying to lighten the mood in between. That sort of made him laugh a bit. 

"I'm proud of you, Kenneth," He exclaimed. Hand on my shoulder, he brings me into a hug. Enveloping me in warmth. We break from each other, threw each other a smile before continuing to talk about something else. He catches up to me about his family, how his daughter was learning to play the piano. It gave nostalgia about my piano lessons when I was young. Although, I was not so sure if I could still play the piano now. It has been ages since I ever saw one in front of me. I was rustic enough already.

"Kenny! It's time for a celebration slash finish high school slash someone has turned eighteen and legal speech!" Aunt Susan suddenly called me from the living room. A speech? What kind of game did she want to play now?

"Come, your aunt is calling," Uncle Adam spoke. I could not do anything but just nodded at him. We walked to the living room. Everyone was there. There was Aunt Lana... Uncle Adam's wife, Aunt Vivian, Uncle Josh, my grandparents, my little young cousins... they filled the large room instantly. Aunt Susan grabs me by the hand, placing me in the middle of the living room. She stands away from me, looking at me intently. I stood there not knowing what to say. This was embarrassing. 

Aunt Susan raise her forehead at me. "Come on, say something," She whispered. I hold the cup in my hand tightly, I look to every each face that was here. I was not prepared for this, how come she never told me about this? But then, she smiled at me, nodding her head slowly to give me encouragement.

I gulped, swallowing the saliva in my mouth to wet my dry throat from the nervousness. Looking down, I took a deep breath then proceed to look up again, mouth opening. "I am sorry-," The word pierced through the house, it made everyone shook by the word I chose to say. But I continued. "-I am sorry that I am a burden to all of you. My whole teenager years was filled with nothing but me being needy with comfort of a parent. I hated it. It made me... miss, my parents. But somehow, sorry is just not enough. You guys give me comfort knowing well that in reality, I have no more connection with you guys, both of my parents were not here to even authenticate that we were related. You could easily say that I had no blood relation to you. But you, you accepted me. Therefore, I am gratefully thankful of what you have done for me for thirteen years. Even this has nothing to do with my graduation but I just wanted to say that I am deeply thanked you-," Aunt Susan eyes watered up in tears as I finished the speech. I was holding back mine. "-Okay, enough of that, let's just continue. This is embarrassing enough," I chuckled lightly.

Everyone laughed along to me, drinking their drink as I threw a cheer. Aunt Susan came to me, hugging me tightly. I was getting hugs from the right and the left. It was suffocating me. They left after, leaving Aunt Susan still in front of me. She placed a hand on my face, looking at me lovingly. "You did great... I'm proud of you, Kenny,"

She goes to hug me again. I let my face go deeper into her, smelling her perfume. We stayed there holding each other in an embrace. I could hear a sob coming from her. "I wish your mom and dad was here to see this,"

I smiled into her. "I wish so too," My eyes opens, looking outside the window in front of me. They caught something, something familiar. It was the black SUV car, the same one that parked behind the tree back at the school. My eyes kept it gaze on the car, I was starting to get curious. Who was inside this black car? What did they want? Why are they here? This was no coincidence, I believe someone is up to something, whether it was towards me and Aunt Susan or someone else in the neighbourhood, I need to find out.

"Aunt Susan, do you recognize the car over there?" I asked her, releasing myself from her embrace. She looked at me, inquisitively. 

Looking at to where I was looking, she peered over toward the car. "I don't know, Kenny. Why? Have you seen it before?" I nodded. I was starting to get freaked out by the fact that somebody was following us. Some would say I was saying stuffs but I know my heart.

"Yes I do, I saw them at the school earlier on,"

Aunt Susan looked at me, thinking of something. She went to the telephone, calling someone. I stood there watching her actions. I look towards the other family members, they were busy having a chit-chat to each other to even noticed what I just saw. Aunt Susan approached me again, a calm look on her face. 

"Who did you call?" I asked, wanting to know what happened.

She smiled softly at me. "It was the neighbours over there where the black car parked. You know them, it's the Harrison family. They said it was theirs. You don't have to worry, Kenneth. And stop being curious, you made yourself look like a detective,"

"A detective," I thought. I was beginning to act like one. I looked at the black car again. My brain did not believe the words coming from Aunt Susan, not that I did not trust her but... I feel something. Something malicious from the car. The vibe just calls to me that there was something dangerous about the car. Staring at the car, I was bound to find out what is behind those black windscreen.

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