MSOTRB 3.
2249 Words
MARI’s POV.
I know the drill. Mom sleeps in that room only when they argue. This night she took her pillow with her. Meaning they are having more than an argument. It is just that I cannot seem to figure out what could be above the previous argument they had. I thought they were going to separate. Crazy how they were all touchy around each other three days later.
I would say hopefully this gets resolved faster than the previous one, but with Dad just walking past me without realizing I am seated on the sofa? I guess that hope is dashed now.
I guess this is serious as speculated, but confirmed now.
“Why are you here?” Tyler’s voice has me looking behind me.
“You should have at least put on a shirt. I am not one of the girls from your class and your body does not faze me.” I respond with an eye roll, and he smirks as he moves to stand in front of me.
“Can you say you are not fazed now?” His voice comes out smoggy as he flexes his muscles.
Pompous Arse.
“Why are you still up too? Hungry? Keeping the ladies company? Insomnia?” I leap off the sofa.
“The latter. What happened to your leg?” He eyes my legs, and I force a smug grin.
“Oh! It is nothing. Wanted to get something from my bathroom, but the lights were off and I had forgotten I placed my laundry basket a few meters away from the door. I tripped.” I answer.
Lies…
“One, you are scared of the dark. You never I mean ever turn any light off. Some workers were fired because they were either blind to rule two in the workers’ manual or stupid on purpose to test your fears. Two, you are too neat, even the slightest dot of stain freaks you out. You do not have dirty clothes. And you never, again I mean ever leave your stuff in places. You almost killed me once before because I left my comics in dumb places in my own room. Much emphasis on ‘own’ please causeee. Three, if you tripped, show me other parts of your body that got hurt alongside your leg.” His words come out as cool as my Dad’s.
I should have known Tyler would not fall for my lies, but the truth will have him doing what he is not supposed to do. Now is not the time to let everyone know. My Mother who I would have told also walked past me without realizing I was on this sofa, and with tears streaming down her face.
One can only have a shrink for a family at a time. Two members of the same family sends the wrong messages to those annoying paparazzi who would not mind their business, and proceed to announce sh.it to the public. Which would be bad for our parents’ reputation.
“Fine. I lied but it is nothing. I did trip for real, not just in the bathroom. It just only hurts when I first stand on it.” I hate to have him worry over me.
I seem like a damsel in distress. My brother although younger than me treats me like my older brother would if I had one. He cares way too much about me, and I find it extremely difficult to relate to my classmates or friends when they say they do not see eye to eye with their brother(s).
Mine has seen me cry myself to sleep, watch me tremble from sudden relapses of my basement traumas, and even kept my daily nightmares a secret from our parents because I asked him to. We basically have little to no secrets between us. I feel bad for telling the first lie… again it is for a good cause.
“Is it something you do not want me aware of yet? But you know we have each other’s back, and even though you are older, you never made me feel the need to over-respect you even though I respect you a lot. You treat me like I am your twin. I hate to be all lovey, but I love you, Mari. And I want you to know even if you already know that you are never alone. I am with you. And I will always respect any decision you take. Even if it involves falling for a guy I do not approve.” I know now is not the perfect moment but his latter words have me chuckling.
“Come here,” I whisper and he moves to embrace me.
“Eww… get off me.” He is laughing too.
“The Latin girl—.”
He cuts me off with his eye roll as he moves to sit.
“You know what? Sitting is a bad idea. Do we still have some popcorn kernels? We need to make one to have a proper convo.” He says and stands, expecting an answer from me.
“I guess we should have some. You should get the drinks, I will make the corns pop.” I suggest and a smile of relief finds its way to my lips when he leaves.
Wincing as strings of cusses escapes my lips, it takes my ability to withstand some pains to walk like I do not want to leap. Leaping my way down the stairs, I move for the pantry. I walk out to find my brother holding two cans of juice.
“I might just let them get colder while I make it faster by joining in on making the corns pop.” He says as he returns the cans to the freezer that opens automatically at the feel of his presence.
He takes the kernel bucket from me, and I proceed to turn on the machine.
“Crystal is a lot; Dramatic, Bitchy, Calm, Annoying, Rude. And she may be able to hide her weakness from everyone, but! I see past all her fake acts. She is the exact opposite of who she acts as. She is a crybaby.” I knew Tyler would not be able to hold on until we are seated with our popcorn and drinks.
“You have seen her cry or do you just think she is trying to cover her weaknesses with her acts?” I inquire and he wiggles his brows.
“Ou-ou, you did not think I will be able to hold on until we have our popcorn and drinks, did you?”
Oh! I forgot the part where he is able to read my mind most of the time.
“They are ready. Get the paper bowls.” I tell him.
Making a sign for me to step away from the machine, he proceeds to fetch the popped corn into the paper bowls.
“You do not have to drool, you can get the drinks.” His words earn him my eye roll as I move for the freezer.
“Just because you hit the gym, and you look seventeen, you think I will drool like your fans?” I form a face of disgust and he grins.
Getting the drinks he held earlier, I move for the living area without leaping as very much as it would be comfortable for me to right now. He matches up to my pace and even walks past me thanks to his long legs. Most of the time, I have gotten the ‘oh my God you are so short compared to Tyler’ comments.
“I am not one to eavesdrop on conversations, but I happened to overhear her convo with her brother. I think her parents are getting divorced. I wanted to go to her and be all caring for real, but you know I am Tyler, and she is miss perfect Crystal. And I also hate to become part of a person’s life through a vulnerable moment of their life. I do not want her to think I am giving her attention because I pity her. I do not pity her. I like her enough to want her as my girlfriend.” He tells me.
Low-key, I just want to ask the only question I can think of right now but I do not want to hurt him or make him think of a situation that I am yet to be certain about.
What if nothing serious is going on between our parents and it is just me overthinking like I always do? It is just that ninety-nine percent of the time if not a hundred percent of the times I overthink, I always end up being right. My thoughts are just always in sync.
So, my brain and mind tells me, my dad walking out and my mom not stepping out of that room even after he went in there is not some trivial argument. Smells like they would be needing more than a space from each other this time.
“You can still approach her on the terms of liking her like you actually do. You do not have to refer to overhearing her converse with her brother. You want to be there for her even though you do not want her to think you are with her cause of her parents’ current issues, right?” I ask and he snaps the popcorn between his thumb and index finger.
“Where is Dad?” The moment the question slips out of his mouth, I look up.
Do I lie or not?
“He went out minutes ago,” I respond.
Not a lie.
“Mother…. Mommy just peeked at us. She looked…” He trails off.
Like a crying mess.
Like she just cried her eyes and soul out.
“We should go to her.” He suggests.
Shaking my head in disagreement, I part my lips to whisper; “Do you want to continue from where we stopped on Grey’s anatomy?”
“No. I have to catch up with the guys. We have a game in thirty. I should just freshen up, we have got some se.xy female gamers. I am hot with or without having a bath but I better shower.” He stands as he speaks.
I know I am low-key supposed to stop him from seeing ladies from the se.xy perspective or even using the word, but just because one asks one to stop a thing does not mean they will.
“Should I join in?” I ask, and he smiles.
“You can come and watch. Do not play just rest.” He answers.
“I will freshen up too,” I respond as he begins to retreat towards the stairs without a word.
Packing up the popcorn bowl and semi-empty juice cans, I dump them in the kitchen’s trash drawer. then proceed to wash my hands. Clapping so the kitchen lights go off, I exit the kitchen and the rest of the lights go off on their own as I leave to ascend the stairs.
Knocking on the door of my parent’s room, I walk in without waiting for her to respond. I find her sprawled on the bed with her eyes shut, but I know she is not sleeping. She is miles away from sleeping in her distressed form. Plodding my way to the mini fridge, I take out a bottle of water.
“You should be thirsty,” I say, knowing fully well that she can hear me.
Silence.
A deafening one.
“If you are going to go through this mother, you should not go through it alone. Sit up, and have this bottle of water.” I do not know what my bottled water can do in this situation, but I offer it anyway.
“Mari.” She calls my name as she sits, and my confidence almost dissipates as I look into her eyes.
My eyes sting…
“Thank you.” She whispers as she takes the bottle from me.
“You can talk to me or the shrink. Whoever you want to talk to. Just do not keep it in. We love you, Mom. You never cease to show us how dearly you care and love us too. I hate to see you this way— I hate to see you cry. Do whatever will make you happy, even if it will break our hearts. Do something for yourself. You have never put yourself first, you should this time.” My voice comes out low, and she squeezes my hand as I kiss her temple.
Drawing back, I notice her tears and I ball my hands into fists behind me as I struggle to hold my tears. I just want to walk back to my room, pick up my phone to ask my father what he has done. But that man has his struggles too. I always wonder how it feels to control many companies and maintain being one of the top ten billionaires in the country.
I always try to see from others’ perspectives. To understand them. I create possible scenarios to understand someone, to see what I might have done if it were me.
“Mari, I requested a divorce.” Her voice is almost unheard, but I heard it obviously.
The blow… I mean the impact on my heart even though I have thought about it.
Damn.
- Writer
