Human vs. Phantom

Chapter- 9 Episode- 12

Chapter- 9

Episode- 12

My Life Back Then

You look so tired all the time, what do you do all day? Do you do sports or anything?

No, I work most of the time if I'm not at school.

What you work all day? You should study not work; don’t you worry about your future?

I need to work and earn money to have a future.

Your uncle doesn’t provide you? Why are you working so hard?

Dad told me to look after my little brother and my mom, whenever he was out of town for work, after they both passed only I can look after my brother, he is the only one I have, uncle is mostly out of town so there is only me and jimmy left.

How old is he now?

He is twelve but soon he will be thirteen, his birthday is coming. I am gonna throw him a big party this year.

What did you do on your birthday?

My birthday? I don’t celebrate mine, but jimmy gave me this, he made it himself. He showed her a sketch of reeve, it was in his pocket.

I always keep it with me, this is the prettiest he drew.

You must love him a lot.

I will make him the best man, just like our father. He is very smart, like mom. You know why I work so many jobs?

Why?

I want him to go to college, I cant go, I cant study after seeing what happened to mom and dad, even school is suffocating for me, but I know he can. He can make it to the best college. I just want to be prepared for the time he is at the age for college. So he don’t have to work hard for the college tuition.

You are seventeen, right?

Yes, why?

You sounded so much mature than your age. You must have been through a lot.

Reeve had tears in his eyes hearing her words.

Wait here, ill bring you the best coffee.

So, what are you planning to do? you are in college right?

No, I graduated. I wanted to move out of here and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I always thought it is so hard to know what your purpose in this world, but talking to you like this made me realise that sometimes we just feels happy to be important to someone. I want to experience that too I thinks. Maybe ill stay here for a while with mom and dad, until I'm sure what I wanna do.

You have any girlfriend?

Not really a girlfriend but I have a fling.

What fling? At your age? Does a girl even agree to this?

They just want my attention at school, no one really cares if it is just for one time.

But you are too mature to flirt around with girls, any girl will be lucky to be with you, you too seem to lack love and care, why not make one.

Do you have a crush on me?

No… you are like a younger brother to me. I am just worried about you.

Don’t worry about me, I am a man now. I should worry about you. I saw you boyfriend flirting with other girls, and I know you saw it too. why not just dump that looser, you are much prettier than he deserves, only if you behave more like yourself and not make him see what he wants to see in you, that flirty tomboyish girl, that you are.

You talk like you are such an adult.

And you are still like a teenage girl who tries to impress the boy the like by changing and suppressing what they really are.

Enough of this talk, its already late at night. Isn’t your brother be alone at home.

I know but something really bad happened today, I don’t really wanna go back this soon. I will only feel depressed. And seeing me this way, he will join me in this sadness. I don’t want this.

What about dinner?

I don’t feel like eating.

And your brother? Who cooks the dinner?

I cook dinner but he will eat the leftovers for today, I am not really in the mood.

You can share it with me, ill be you secret keeper. Trust me. it’s not a secret but today is our parent’s death anniversary. They passed away seven years ago on this day, I was on a school camp, my brother was hiding in the closed when I got home. It was the day I wish to remove from my life but I can never do that.

It’s okay, I know you are stronger than that. I know you can go through this. get up ill make dinner for you.

Can you even cook, you sucks at working in the kitchen.

That’s true though, okay ill treat you to a very delicious meal, there is a fast-food restaurant nearby they have delicious donuts and sundaes.

Ice-cream, I'll take our offer.

Okay now get up before it closes too.

- - - - - - - - - -

Six months later,

Hey you are glowing today, what’s the good news?

This is the best day today.

Why what happened?

Yesterday I got the custody of jimmy, now I am his legal guardian and he is now legally my responsibility.

Really is that even a good thing? You are just eighteen and you already have so much burden over your shoulders.

No, he is not a burden to me. the way I have seen him growing up, he is like a child to me. I am happy that now it is documented.

So, this is your last day at work what are you planning on doing next.

I have some plans for myself, I have saved enough money to help Jim go through college’s tution and other fees until he is ready for the job, now I can do what I wanted to do with my life.

And what will that be?

The same thing that my uncle do.

And that is?

Helping people, saving their lives.

Are you joining the army school?

Something like that.

Great, it’s good that you are finally thinking about yourself.

What are your plans? You are soon moving out too.

Yeah, my boyfriend Tom had got a job in Nebraska, so I am thinking of moving there with him. He asked me few days back and I said yes.

I looked for a new job there. I am going to work as an interior designer there.

Really great, maybe we will part our ways from here. Hope you'll have a good life.

We can stay connected. You are one of my closest friends, I share so many things with you.

Okay, we can chat sometimes.

Let’s exchange numbers.

Okay mine is 810…… message me I’ll save yours. Okay.

- - - - - - - - - -

Later that night,

Here is your last pay check, thank you for your work here. All the best for your life. The owner said.

Thanks sir, wish you the same.

Hey wait up, its you last day here, I’ll treat you something nice.

What ice cream, like last time?

Let’s go to a bar, you were a kid then, but now we can go to a club, right?

Okay, since it’s the last day of my work, it is the last day for you to be my boss’s daughter and this is the last time I'm listening to you.

Hey... the music is great here isn’t it? Its great that you are here with me, after tom moved to Nebraska. I am feeling very lonely here. I wish we could spend more time together.