Yellow

EPISODE FIVE: STARTING OVER AGAIN

The night is getting deeper and the wind blows colder. I looked at my window and I saw Heather’s room has a light. I wonder what she was doing, I can’t see her in this position but I know that she was busy memorizing the books. She was Heather, a hot geek that knows everything. She doesn’t need books, she knows better than what is written in the book. Maybe her mom and her dad were so proud of her. My mom and my dad were so proud of me when I won best in essay writing. That was the first award I get yet it was displayed in our living room. I also have a photo of playing baseball even though I didn’t excel in that when I was in grade school.

*Knock*

“Arthur, honey. Do you want some snacks? You’ve been studying for about four hours and I have never seen you come down to drink or get some snack. Are you okay?” Mom asked.

“Yes, mom. I am fine. I will just sleep. I can’t find the answer in my calculus assignment,” I uttered and my mom smiled. She was always like this. I guess this is why my other schoolmates bully me and teased me that I am gay. I am not gay, well maybe in my actions because I am not tough and strong like others. I am just Arthur, the lame Arthur.

“Mom, I can make my own food. I am a teenager now,” I uttered in a nice calm tone. I know that she will freak out and cry if I talk to her in a different manner. That’s how everything works inside the house. A calm ad nice tone will reflect respect and equality. That is what my parents want.

“I know you are… I am proud of you,” Mom uttered and locked my door. I wonder when I will start to have some grown-up decisions and things. I wonder what it feels like, though my mom and dad are very supportive in anything that I am doing. They always said that they are happy if I am happy and as long as I have a good heart and show humanity, they will never say no.

The clock strikes twelve and I already feel sleepy. I can’t find the goddamn answer in this freaking calculus worksheet. Only if I can ask Heather, I will be done with here within an hour. She was a good tutor, she taught me calculus in a better and easier way. But right now, I didn’t know what this freaking problem is. I can’t understand this, I feel like I am reading an alien language. I once glance at Heather’s room and there was no light. That was odd. She was mostly up until four in the morning and during weekends she was sleeping when everyone was about to wake up. That is how persuasive and serious she was in studying and in her passion. Sometimes I am wondering if Heather was a human. She was like a superhero or an alien, she was weird yet she was magical to think of. I wouldn’t be shocked if one day I will find out that she was a time traveler or there will be a spaceship that will come out in their backyard. I start to clean my table and turn off my computer. I heard some creaking outside my window. I stood up and grabbed my baseball bat. I gulped and tipped toed walked in my window.

“W-who are y-you?” I asked. My hands are trembling and I am sweating cold. I don’t know what I will feel. The creaks got louder and I saw a hand in my window.

“I have a baseball bat in me! I swear to God! I will not think twice to hurt you!” I uttered and swing my bat and closed my eyes. I don’t want to hurt anybody but I don’t want to be killed by an intruder. I can hear my loud heartbeat and I can feel my hands and legs are trembling. I can’t even sway my bat higher. I felt the bat was stopped. I slowly open my eyes and I saw Heather furiously looking at me.

“Pea Brain,” Heather uttered and grabbed my bat. She threw it on the floor and lend me her hand.

“What are you looking at? Help me,” Heather commanded. I immediately grabbed her hand and pulled her inside. I grinned at her but she immediately let go of my hand. She looked at my bat and grabbed it from the floor. Heather smirked at me and sway my bat. I did nothing but close my eyes as I saw Heather swaying the bat to me.

“What if I hit you like that?” Heather asked and throw my bat. She pulled my swivel chair and sat in it facing me. She pulled my bag and grabbed my worksheet.

“Really? You stayed up to 12 midnight yet you didn’t answer any of these? Even one question?” Heather sarcastically asked. I awkwardly smiled at her and chuckled. I suddenly remember how we started and why she was calling me pea brain started. I feel light and happy. I guess we are getting starting over again.

“What? Is this funny? I already taught you the number five. You didn’t even remember that,” Heather uttered and clicked her tongue. It doesn’t matter if she will nag at me all day nor be mad at me because I forget the formula. What I am thinking is that we are okay now. I know that we are okay now because she started nagging me again.

“What brings you here?” I asked. I am happy that Heather was sitting and talking in front of me but I was still wondering why she suddenly forgave me. She even climbed the tree in front of my window just to be here. Like what we always do when we tried to hide something from mom and dad.

“You asked me to hang out, right? i***t,” Heather irritatedly said and sighed. She grabbed a pen and my correction in my pencil case and looked at me.

“Are you going to watch me there?” I smiled at her and grabbed another chair. We started to answer my worksheet. Like the other times. She was mad at me when I am forgetting how to solve the problem but I am still smiling. I am happy that we are making everything work. Heather and I started laughing and punching each other. Everything was fine like there was nothing happened. I know deep inside me that I am still in love with her and I know that she still remember how I confessed my feelings to her. I know that she was aware that I still love her but she was still here. Helping me with my school works, laughing at my silly jokes, and smiling at every correct answer I got.

“I don’t know what you are now when I am not with you,” Heather teased and grabbed some chips. She also brought chips and soda.

“Me either,” I uttered and laughed. Heather throw me some chips and lay down in my bed. I lay beside her and I can feel her breathing. We are just close to each other. I can feel her warmth and her smooth skin. But I have to keep my senses. I don’t want to cause any trouble again. I will be happy with what we have right now. I will be happy with what we are doing.

“Be grateful that I am your best friend. I know for sure that you will fail all our Maths subjects and the history class if I am not helping you.” Heather uttered and laughed. I chuckled and sighed.

“You know what I am thinking that you should pay me with this. I am good at tutoring you, I should get some salary,” Heather uttered and chuckled. I looked at her and I paused. She was looking at me and our face is now an inch away. I can’t move. I am afraid that if I move, our lips may touch each other. Heather was not moving either, she was just looking at me.

“I am hungry,” Heather uttered and sat up. I cleared my throat and made sure that I am not blushing. I don’t want her to feel awkward at anything. We are just friends. You are just friends! I convinced myself and sat up too.

“You want a sandwich? Noodles?” I asked. Heather looked at me and stood up. She opened my door and looked in both ways.

“I will cook food. I know that you don’t know how to make some,” Heather teased and rolled her eyes. She went outside and I was left in my room. I put my palm in my chest to feel my heartbeat and I can feel how loud and fast it was. I hope Heather didn’t hear that.

“Pea brain!” I scolded myself and sighed. Please guide me in everything God. Oh God, please help me.

“What are you cooking?” I asked. I saw Heather cooking in our kitchen. She looked at me and rolled her eyes. She gets a plate and pours something on it.

“Here, have some,” She uttered and smiled at me. It was a bowl of fried rice? Sort of, it has some toppings and beautiful garnish. She hand me some soup and smiled at me.

“How was it?” She asked. I smiled at her and taste the food she cook. I chew every piece of it and all I can say is Heather was perfect. The food she cooked tasted like heaven/ t was flavorful and made by the chefs.

“THIS WAS SO GREAT!” I uttered and start to dig in. Heather giggled at me and sat in front of me and start eating.

“You are the best. Where did you learn to cook?” I asked. Heather looked at me and looked at her plate. She was playing with the pea and looked back at me.

“My mom enrolled me in a cooking class before.” She uttered and smiled. I watch her eat her food and felt a little weird. Her mood changed. It was not light like how it is earlier.

“Well, if I am you I will be very happy that my parents are supportive,” I uttered and Heather smiled at me.

“Maybe,” She uttered and cleared her throat.

“Wash the dishes. I already cook the food.” Heather uttered and put her plate on the sink. I nodded at her and I watched her go upstairs. I smiled at started washing the dishes. The thought about Margarette going and enrolling in a different school and classes exhaust me. I wonder how she can still sleep and find time for everything. My mom said that she saw Margarette at the salon with her mom. They even went shopping together yet she was pretty occupied with a lot of things. Heather was really incredible.

I went into my room and I saw Heather playing on my x-box. She looked at me and nodded.

“HIT IT!” Heather screamed. I immediately close my door and I get the controller to Heather.

“Shush! Shut your mouth! Mom and Dad may hear us! We don’t want that to happen right?” I whispered. Heather smirked at me and crawl to my bed.

“What are you doing?” I asked. Heather didn’t respond. I watch her grab a pillow and my blanket.

“Hey, hey, are you sleeping here?” I asked. Heather looked at me and yawn.

“Please turn off the light, I want to sleep in peace,” Heather uttered and closed her eyes. I sighed and did nothing but look at her/ I can’t sleep in my bed when she was sleeping there. We can’t sleep together!

“Heather! Wake up!” I uttered and pulled her feet. Heather looked at me and hold tight in my bed frame.

“Come on! I can’t go back to my room at this hour!” She frowned. I clicked my tongue and let go of her feet.

“Okay, you can stay in here. But you have to sleep on the couch,” I uttered and Heather rolled her eyes on me.

“Come on! Where is the ‘Chivalry is not dead?’ thing?” Heather frown. I looked at her and she didn’t say anything. She just stood up and grabbed a pillow and my blanket.

“That’s great,” I uttered and crawl in my bed. Heather turn off the light and I started to fix my bed. This was fine, I guess? I can’t sleep with her beside me. I am afraid of any possibilities. I know that Heather will understand that.