"Is it too much to say I love you?"
"Just cry."
"Why didn't we bring our cat?"
"I'm not ready."
"I decided that… I will take a part-time job."
David opened his eyes slowly.
The room was loud, even though there was no sound.
The door was closed, but it felt like it was being opened.
He lowered himself to the concrete floor.
Slowly, he crept toward the door.
The sound of the ceiling fan down below could be heard up here.
His hand held the doorknob as he overheard Nika's voice.
"I have to tell you something, Ren…"
She continued,
"I decided that… I will work part-time."
Hearing this, Uncle put his spoon down.
"You don't have to work part-time."
He took a look at her. "I won't allow it."
"Why not? I'm doing this for myself," she responded.
"You can ask me for money, and you have school," Uncle answered.
David stood still, just listening to the conversation.
"No, that's what I decided."
She continued, "And I just want you to know that."
"There are a lot of sketchy places out there." Uncle's tone stayed mostly the same. "I don't want you to work, but I can't force you either," he continued.
"Sure, I'll be careful," she responded.
David let his hand fall from the doorknob.
He slid down to the ground, sitting against the door.
"Part-time," he mumbled to himself.
The floor felt cold.
The room appeared to be the same, yet somehow looked different.
"Mother! Mother! Why are you working so hard?"
July 3rd, 2016
Davy looked at her son, who was asking questions.
"It's for you, Dave," she answered as she put on her shoe.
David asked, "What about sis?"
Davy paused before responding.
"Yeah, her too"
"Well, I'd better get going, or I'll be late for work."
"Goodbye Mom!"
July 4th 2016
David stepped outside of his home.
He walked past the alleyway, and to his left, there was a group of girls in the school uniform. They cornered another person wearing the same school uniform.
He froze.
"Look at your hair, it's so short, and you look like a boy," said one of the girls.
Another girl laughed, pointing at her hair.
"Leave me alone," Nika said quietly.
The girl finally noticed David standing in the distance.
"Come on, let's go," one of the girls said.
They hurried away.
An alarm clock finally rang.
7:00 AM
David looked at the alarm clock.
7:01 AM
The alarm kept ringing.
7:05 AM
It finally stopped.
7:15 AM
He got up and stared at the alarm clock.
7:15 AM
He opened the door to find silence in the house.
Nika and Ren weren't present.
David stood still for a moment.
He walked down the stairs before going to take a shower.
7:30 AM
He turned on the shower nozzle.
7:45 AM
He grabbed a school uniform and stepped outside.
On the way to school, he stopped at a nearby restaurant.
He stopped in front of the restaurant window.
A family sat by the window, enjoying their meal.
He resumed his walk to the school.
When he finally arrived, David stepped into the empty classroom.
A boy was already there, seated at a desk, a notebook open in front of him.
"You're late," the boy said. "She's busy for the first hour."
David said nothing.
The boy noticed.
"Want to hang out in the schoolyard for now?" he asked.
David nodded.
They left the classroom together.
They both sit under a tree.
Leaves rustled quietly.
The boy asked.
"So what happened?"
"Nothing much," David responded.
The boy asked, "so… did you finish your homework?"
"No," David responded.
The boy shook his head, "You're gonna get yelled at again. Here," He slid his notebook over, "Just copy mine."
David took it.
"Thanks... Zach," David said quietly.
Zach paused, before he said, "Yeah. Still me."
Zach leaned back, staring at the school building.
"Heard about the new student council thing? They're doing elections in the next two months, it's supposed to encourage students to study harder. Well because of its benefits I guess..."
David stared at the ground. "Yeah… I do."
Zach turned his head to look at him.
"You think it'll change anything?" Zach asked.
David shrugged. "maybe."
…
Zach tilted his head toward the sky.
"Forget about that. Look at the sun coming up over there."
David followed his gaze.
…
"Yeah, it looks nice," he said.
The bell rang across the yard.
Zach stood slowly. "Come on."
David got up too. They walked back to the building side by side, steps quiet.
Inside the classroom, desks filled slowly.
The teacher hadn't arrived yet. David sat, opened the notebook Zach lent him.
The sun slanted through the windows, warm on his arm.
He stared at it.
"Wait… there's a meeting?" Zach said.
"Oh yeah, today is free," a girl's voice answered from nearby.
"Everyone is free to leave," she continued.
Zach turned to David.
"Hey," he called out to him.
"What?" David turned to him.
"Do you want to go to my house?"
David paused, "Sure…"
"Let go then," Zach, then grabbed his backpack.
"Okay."
Both of them, walking on the sidewalk as other cars drove by.
"Look at a stray cat," Zach said, as he stared at the cat.
"It seems to be afraid huh?"
"Yeah…" David responded.
"Don't you have a cat too?"
"Yes… I do," David answered.
"Parker right?"
"Yeah, it is Parker."
Both of them take a closer look at the cat.
"it does look familiar to Parker," David continued.
"Do you want to take it home?" Zach asked.
"No, It has a family," David responded.
Another cat came, standing in front of the small stray kitten, hissing at them.
"Let go and stop scaring it," Zach stepped forward.
"Right," David followed up, as they both continued walking.
"The house is clean," David said, as they both entered Zach's house.
"My mother would kill me if I don't clean," Zach responded.
"…" David.
"Anyway, do you want some tea?"
"Sure," David answered.
"Got it from my grandma. She said it was leftover," Zach said.
"..."
"Hey, did something happen?" Zach asked.
…
"Nothing, just got something on my mind, that's all."
"Wanna talk about it?" Zach asked.
"Maybe… later," David responded.
"I'll make you some tea then."
Zach walked to the kitchen.
David sat down on the couch, waiting for the tea.
David glanced at the family photos on the table.
In the photo, it showed Zach's parents and him posing for the pictures.
David spotted a kitten in the frame.
The kitten laying down near a car, the weather is cloudy in the background of the family photo.
David's eyes stayed on the kitten in the frame.
"Here is your tea," Zach said, placing the cup on the table.
"…"
"Right"
David took a sip of the tea.
"This is good," he said.
"I just make it how you like it," Zach responded.
"I know"
"So something happened?" Zach asked.
"Possibly"
"School or something?"
"Close enough," David responded.
David continued.
"I'm heading out"
"Already?" Zach asked.
"Yes, I'm picking up Parker from my neighbor's house," David responded.
"Alright, see you tomorrow."
"See you. The tea was fine," David said.
David walked outside.