Good Old Days.

It was around 9:00 o'clock in the morning, when I woke up from the aggressive sound of my cat. I look beside me to find out what my cat bring me today. He brought me a dead cockroach again. Well, I'm not surprised because he always does that every morning. In fact, I'm used to it, it's better than a dead bird or hair ball. Feeling dizzy and nauseous, I got up from the bed, trying to remember what happened last night. Maybe the party was really amazing last night I drink too much again that's why I feel awful. Never even notice that right beside my bed there is the blonde and sexy lady I slept with last night. Still confused how I ended up making out with her. This is what I don't like about parties, it will make you suffer if you don't control yourself drinking alcohol. But at least I have fun for once in a while and I got laid. And beside, it's weekend so I don't have to go to work. The lady beside me just woke up from her sleep, she then stretch her legs and arms and look at me. She beam with pleasure like she was so satisfied about what happened last night. "Mmm. . . Good morning, last night was fantastic. You are a wonderful man" she said with a smile on her face. "Really" I said sound bewildered and still thinking who the hell is she. She stand up while putting her clothes on. "So. . . What happened last night?" "Hmm. . . mmm. .You are so handsome when you look confused. Well uhm. . . let say I had the best time last night. better get going I have some stuff to do. Good bye handsome" She pinched my chick and gave it a kiss and then she leave my apartment. My cat still making an aggressive sound so, I went to the kitchen- still feeling dizzy and nauseous. In the kitchen cabinet, I took his wet cat food, opened it and put onto his bowl, then I changed his water. He dive right onto it and start to eat. He must have been so hungry- how long he's been trying to waking me up. For a while, I sat beside my cat because I still feel terrible. As I watched him eat, I started to feel that I am going to puke, so, I rush in the toilet and vomit. It was all liquid and taste really sour. What am I doing to myself? My apartment looks terrible, and I always getting drunk. And since I bought this apartment, I never had a chance to clean it. As I talk to myself inside my head. Realisation came into me, that I really need to change my habits to grow as a better person. Even though I have a nice job working as a software engineer, I never managed my own finance, that is why I always have financial problem. My vision started to spin as I stand up. I hold to the vanity to avoid falling, I saw myself in the mirror feeling sorry to myself. Because if you wanted to know I am very handsome when I was in middle school. Girls always come to me because of being handsome and popular. You might think that I am full of myself but it is true, before. Now all of it are gone. I still have hazel colour eyes, blonde hair, and nice physique thought. But my mental health is in the middle of crisis. No matter how strong you are life can really bring down. The worst enemy you'll face is your self. Stress, anxiety, and depression can make your life miserable. That is really true. You just have to keep fighting no matter how hard it is, just believe in yourself that someday you'll see that you achieve greatness. After I wash my face and brush my teeth, I went back to kitchen to eat something because my stomach is rumbling. When I open the refrigerator, there is no food. Instead of going to the grocery store to buy some food- being the impotent person that I am, I choose to go to bed, and have some sleep. After an hour later, I heard my phone ringing, I I received 17 missed call from my mother, still feeling awful, I call her right away to ask why because it might be really. "Hey mum, what up?" I said still lying on my bed and my voice sounds really tired. "You're dad is in the hospital right now. You-you need to come here right now!" she's said crying. "O-okay mum, I uhm get myself ready" I reply, but honestly I don't feel like going. My dad left my mum for another woman when I was in highschool. My mum became miserable. She stayed all day in their bedroom while hugging my dad's clothes that he left. I know it because my sister and I used to make her calm and try to put a smile on her face. She even took care of my mum when she drunk too much. At least those days are over now, but I still can't accept the fact that he came back to mum after her woman dumped her and my mum still love him and accepted him after all those stupid things he had done to her. I still can't forgive my dad for all those things. My mum never remarried when they got divorce- she really loves my dad even though he's a cheater. That is the reason why I never went back home again because I don't want to see his face. Even though my dad want to work things out with me and my sister, I still don't want to talk to him. He always calling me and asking to hangout with him like we used to do when I was a kid. And I always rejecting his call and offer. My sister forgive him already, she also talk to me to talk to him and work things out between us. But, right now I feel kinda guilty knowing that his in the hospital, I am overthinking about how mean I was to him when he came back to mum. When I think about the old days, I remember when we used to be a happy family. My mum works in the bank and my dad is a lawyer. Back then, my dad always buy what we want even though it is too expensive. My mum and dad always been there for each other. But everything change when my dad learned gambling, he hits his downfall, he became inactive and he always gets drunk. Back then, when I have a problem dealing with problems I always go to Veronica's. She's always been there for me if I need companion, like my dad and mum used to be. I just tell her everything and she just listened. She always knows how to make me feel better. Ever since we move to college and her family moved to Hawaii, we never see each other again. I always thought about her, and I missed her so much. I tried so hard to forget about her but it didn't work out. I tried to date another woman, but it doesn't feel the way that she made me feel. Then, I started to reminisce about the day I saw her. School ended up early that time. It was the summer before 7th grade, I was 12 years old back then, and I still can remember every detail about it. It was around 6:00 pm when I first saw her, she was running fast while holding something in her arms. I was sitting on the swing in our front porch that day reading the book my mum ask me to read. For a second I get curious about her, who is she? I never since her before around in our neighborhood. She's entering Mr. and Mrs. Reyes house still holding the thing in her arms. I know a lot of kids in Mountain Brooke because I am kinda popular in school though and I know a lot of kids in our neighborhood too. So I was really confused who she is. Who is that girl? Is she their daughter, if she is thier daughter how come I never seen her before. I didn't know that they have another daughter if I'm right. They've been living in our neighborhood for 9 years, and all I know is the twin Patrick and Patrice and they are in highschool next school year. I went inside to confirm what I saw to my mum. " Mom?" I shout, as I walk down the aisle. She is preparing the dinner with Lydia. I hesitate a a little before I speak. because if I asked mum now, Lydia's gonna tease me. My sister loves to annoy me especially when she found out that I'm having a crush. She's an evil sister like when we are horsing around and I accidentally hit her- even though it wasn't that bad, she will run to dad with her fake cry and tell something that she made up. Then dad would believe her and he will punish me. And when I have something she really like, she will do everything to get it. But even though she's annoying, I still love her. Because she always protects me when someone is being mean to me and if dad scolded me for being stubborn or having a bad grade. "Yes dear?" she replied. "Nothing.. I'll ask you later" I said nervously. I went back to the front porch to continue reading. But I can't concentrate, because I kept thinking about the girl earlier. Not in romantic way though. I'm just really curious. It was 8:30 in the evening, when we finished our dinner my dad and sister went to the living room to watch Friends. You can hear the opening theme song in our dinning room. I stayed here for a while to ask my mum the question inside my head because Lydia is busy watching she can't spoil our conversation. My mum started to take all the plate and cutlery and put in the sink. This is the moment that I've been waiting for because no annoying big sister around. So I asked my mun the question, I hope she has an answer about our neighbor's mysterious daughter. I took the remaining things she left in the dining area and put them in the kitchen counter. "Mum? Can I asked you something about Mrs. Reyes?" I asked timidly. "Sure sweetie, What is it?" "Uhm. . . D-does. . . Mrs. Reyes adopted a kid? because earlier I saw someone running and entering their house." I asked. "I don't know sweetie, I haven't talked to Mrs. Reyes today. But I know her husband is back from the Philippines" she replied while washing the plate. "Uhm okay. I thought you might know" "Mmm. . . Mum? Is it-" Our conversation interrupted when Lydia entered the room to get something in the fridge. I was going to ask another question to my mum but I forgot it anyway. "Yes Grayson?" "Nothing I suddenly forgot my question. I'll uhm go to the living room now." Then I went to the living room to join my dad to watch the episode of Friend. They are watching the episode called The One Where Rachel's Finds Out. The next day, I went to my friend Will's house to play with him and his new video game that his father recently got him. I'm thinking about telling him what I saw yesterday beside he's my friend. Their house wasn't that far from us it's just 5 blocks away from our house, so I got there early. When I arrived at the Carter's Resident, I saw Will's mom getting something from the back of her car. It was a heavy looking box- she is struggling carrying the box so I offered her some help. "Hey! Mrs. Carter, uhm. . . do you need some help?" I offered. "No I can handle it thanks for asking." she said with a smile on her face. "I think Will is waiting for you at the living room you should go inside" she continue. "Thank you Mrs. Carter" I replied. Will is sitting at their sofa waiting for me while looking at his new video game. "Hey dude, What's your new game?" I asked excitedly. "Your here dude! Check this out my dad got me this new game it's called Tekken. He got this from Japan. Well it isn't really new because they released it last December. But it is super cool though. My dad took so long to buy this for me because he kept buying the wrong one" "Great let's try it then" I replied. "Yeah!" he said spryly. He puts his new video game in his playstation and he start by managing it then he gave me the other controller. He explained to me how the game works even though I kinda know how it work. We started by choosing our fighter, I choose the one with army cut blonde haired dude that looks like a wrestler soldier. Then Will pick the character with spiky brown hair wearing only white pants, then we start playing. We been playing for like an hour and a half and still enjoying the moment. "You suck on this dude!" he said proudly while laughing at my losses. "Not fair, you've been practicing" "I am not." "liar ha ha ha. I'm going to defeat you this time!" "You can't defeat the master!" "O yeah? let see about that" And for the first time, I defeated him. "See! I told you I can defeat you!" I said proudly. "Fair enough dude. I but I defeated you five times"he said arrogantly. Before I say something his mom enter the room and offered us some snacks. We went to the kitchen and eat some homemade fudge pop-tarts and chocolate milkshake. I am thinking about telling him what I saw yesterday maybe he knows. "Hey man, Uhm h-have you heard about. . . the girl living in Mrs. Reyes house?" I asked him timidly. "Who? Patrice?" "No man." "Then who is it then?" "Well, yesterday when I was sitting on the swing in our front porch while reading." "Wow dude! ha ha ha I didn't know you can read." "Dude shut up! and listen to me first." "Okay dude calm down I was just joking." " Well uhm. . . I saw someone running and entering Mrs. Reyes house." "Really? Is she pretty?" "I don't know dude, she looks small" "Maybe your just too far. Beside their house is one block away across the street." "Maybe" I replied still curious about the girl. Because I know it wasn't Patrice because she's tall and already in highschool. I look at my watch- it's been too long staying here at Wills house. I drink all my milkshake and told him I am leaving.I went off to go home. While I was walking I found myself thinking about it again- from across the street 1 block away from our house, I couldn't help myself looking at the Reyes house, hoping she will come out. Thoughts running into my mind like there some kind of a race inside my head. What if I make her come out? Like what they did from the book To Kill A Mockingbird. Should I knock their front door and run? Or sneak into their backyard and take a peek on their window. That won't work I said to myself. I should ask Will tomorrow for some great ideas. That dude won't disappoint if you need his help. As I arrived at our house, I heard my mom talking to someone and they're laughing. Before I open the door, I bend down a little and walk carefully to the window. And I secretly listening to their conversation inside the living room. Everything I heard is like mumbling and laughi. So I stand up, because I thought it is stupid to eavesdropped. Of course it's a grown-up conversation so I shouldn't do listened to it. Anyway, as I open the door and walk inside I can hear them crystal clear they are talking about the seventh grade and my school. "There he is!" Said mum smiling and looks proud. I'm startled when I hear her say my name. She stand up from her sit, then walks towards me and put her arms around my shoulder as we face the visitors. Then she introduced me to the visitors. You'll really do feel embarrassed when your mum started to introduce you with strangers at this moment. "This is my son Grayson, he's also starting seventh grade this school year" my mum proudly introduce me to them as I was like the best kid she ever had. Not being aware of myself for a while, I show a sheepish grin on my face. I wasn't paying attention in my surroundings- I found my self staring at her. She was sitting on our sofa with her mum on her right. She tried to look and smile at me in a matter of seconds. To be honest, it looks like the most awkward moment in my life. Even her, she really feels this is an awkward moment- I can see it through her gesture. Just like my mum is doing to me right now- it's like her mum push her to be here. Her mum slightly push her and whispered something. She stand up from her sit and walk towards me. Then she stretch her arm and I do the same. And the next thing I know is I was holding and shaking her hand. Her hand is soft but you can tell that she do mild chores because of calluses. I was starting at her for a moment. I think that she's too small and for seventh grader. She has a mid length dark hair, pair of dark brown eyes and small nose, and pink lips. Her weight is okay she's not fat. "Hello, Uhm I'm Veronica nice to meet you" she said in a quiet throaty sound. "I-I'm Grayson it's nice to meet you too" I replied. "So Veronica tell us about yourself" ask my mum. "Ehmm. . .Well uhm. . . I kinda do lots of stuff. I-I can cook and-" She clear her throat first before she speaks. The sound of her voice is really sweet but kinda deep that doesn't seems to match her. Before she continue, my mum suddenly interrupt her. Feeling excited when she says she's cooks. "Wow so that's great! What food can you cook?" "M-mostly Chinese foods and Filipino. I also teaching myself how to cook Italian food" "What else do you do?" "I can draw/paint and play violin. I also help my mum doing chores and carpentry with my dad. I also love to read and write a bunch of stories. I also play some sort of sport with my siblings, such as chess, badminton, and volleyball." Her mum being proud of her, told us about a little bit about her daughter's past achievements. "She won 1st prize in a junior national painting competition in our country last January. She's also a chess player in her previous school which she won gold medal and graduated with the highest honour in her academic." "That's really great! You must be so proud of your kids and congratulations to your twins too for graduating with high Merritt" said my mum gleefully. "Thank you so much" said Mrs. Reyes "My Grayson here plays football since he was 6. And he was the best boy I ever had." My mum doesn't know what to say to our guests about me, because she knew I didn't do much in here. All I do is play video games with my Playstation and Gameboy. Or do some kids stuff outside with my friends. My head is full of thought as I looking at Veronica, I didn't even hear what my they are talking about until- "Grayson? Grayson. . . They are here because I want you to do them a favor- if you could give Veronica a tour in your first day of school. Because she just came here last week with his father and two younger brothers she is not familiar with the place" she said silverly. "Huh? uh. . . yeah right. . . sure. . . uhm nice to meet you I'm quite startled as I said without knowing what my mom was talking about. "Great! that would be nice dear" my mom replied. "Well uhm. . . I'll go in my room now. N-nice to meet you again". I stretch my arm and walks towards her to give her a had shake again I kinda forget we already did that. But she reach my hand anyway. "Nice to meet you too" she said smiling. Then at some point I was feeling nervous about holding her hand again. The night came quick, and we're having a dinner when my mum open the topic about me giving a school tour with our neighbor's daughter. "They just got here last week with her father and two younger brother. Letizia says she wants her daughter to study here because in the Philippines they don't have junior high- she wanted her kids to get a nice education in here and to go to a nice University." said my mum while cutting her chicken breast. "Two younger brothers? They're quite a big family are they." Said Lydia. "They ARE a big family" said dad slightly nodding his head. "I bet they are a wonderful family. They're kids are really talented and well mannered" said my mum smiling and very proud about our neighbor's children. "So they don't have proper education their country? Heh! No wonder why they are here. We can teach them our american accent. I just can't stop laughing when I hear their Pacific Islander accent" Said my dad arrogantly. "Steven! You don't have to say that, it isn't nice" my mum said scolding him. "Yeah dad, it isn't funny" I just listened to their conversion. My dad always look down at the Asian immigrants in our country. I don't know the exact reason why he was like that. There is nothing wrong about being an immigrant here in our country. Beside they are helping our country to grow our economy. That's why the government like them I guess? But my dad here thinks that they're causing, overcrowding, congestion, and extra pressure on public service. What is that mean by the way? As the time went by- I finished my dinner and rush into my room, I jump on the bed and took my game boy in the drawer of my bedside table and continue my game. It was just a half an hour when I got tired of playing because can't concentrate about the game. The reason is that I kept thinking about giving Veronica a tour. That stupid tour made me want to skip seventh grade. I mean it wasn't that hard though I really can do it if she's a boy or a beautiful girl. I just walk around and show the cafeteria, library, science lab, gym ect. The thing that's making me overthinking about it is that there's a certain point I'm gonna miss something fun that might happen in our first day. Why do I have to do it? I wish I said no, but I feel awful if I turn them down. But Veronica won't make it to the popular kids in school because of her average look. There is also a big chance they will tease me if they see me with her. I have to make a plan to ditch her. This time I really need to ask Will what should I do. While overthinking about this whole stuff in my head, my sister enter my door without knocking that made me startled. "Hey little baby! Mum just told me something about you giving a tour with this new girl" said my sister with this malicious grin on her face, that made me nervous. Because I know for sure she's gonna do something stupid just to annoy me. "Shut up!" "Maybe you ask her on a date too, and you too will end up happily married" "Shut up Lydia! and get out in my room!" "Oh. . . did I get my little baby brother mad again" she said using her ridicule small baby voice. "Stop provoking me!" I said sharply, slamming my gameboy on my bed. She is getting on my last nerve. Then all of a sudden my dad enter the room with a serious look on his face which made quiet. "Are you kids trying to fight against each other again?" said my dad with a fiercely look on his face. "Oh dad, I just wishing baby Grayson good for his first day of junior high" she lied. "No! You're here to annoy me!" I said furiously. "Can you just stop! I am trying to do my job in my office and all I can hear is your argument! Lydia go to your room" "Sorry dad" we both said. "Good night lil'baby brother, good luck on your first day" she said still giving me menacing look on her face before she go out. My dad still standing in the door way, and a second later he entered my room sit at the food of my bed. "Son, Your performance in school last year isn't good. We don't have to go to your school every time you failed in class and beg your teacher to change it or ask to give you extra credit. Please son use your brain. This school year promise me that you wont give us a headache regarding to your grades. I don't want to see D and F on your report card. if you don't get a better grade this year, I am going to take all your gadgets if you keep failing. "I'm so sorry dad, I-I promise to you that I'll do my best this time." "Well you should be!" "Sorry dad. A-are gonna tell the same to Lydia? Because she's also failing." "Yes I will" "I'm sorry again dad." He didn't say anything to me, he jus leave my room without saying good night. It doesn't feel good when you kept disappointing your parents like that. They always give as the best thing in the world but all I gave them was my failing grades.