Little hood boy
1169 Words
I was called hippo by my brothers cause I spend hours in the shower each time I go taking one. It was not my fault though, I could only think when I was in the shower, and, I might have held one or two concerts too.
I rested my head on my bathtub and slumped even more in the warm water. I'd been in the tub for the past two hours I was pretty sure the others were done and just waiting for me while doing some chitchats.
When I finally had enough of just thinking. I got out of the shower and dried up.
I walked with my wet foot straight into my room, and I reached for my underwear in my drawer just picking up a random one. Then I stood by my dress mirror while wearing royal blue sweat pants. I gazed at my reflection, I had never noticed how red my lips were, sometimes they called me tomatoes lips but I never really understood it, why so red? I thought. Not like mom and dad had red lips.
Deciding to shrug it off I grabbed a plain T-shirt and just before slipping it on I stared at my neat skin one last time. I was not the wild kind of kid so I had no big injuries.
I exited my room in leisure steps as I mentally prepared myself for the worst.
Once I was down everyone eyed me and Adrian rolled his eyes. "Done with your make-ups, barbie girl?" Adrian sassed.
I equally rolled my eyes at him while going to the seat beside Elliot.
"Hippo." Mason tossed me a pillow and I caught it in annoyance before poking my tongue at him.
"Lips like tomatoes, tongue like tomatoes," Elliot added. I faked a hurtful gasp.
"I never knew you were a piss butt." I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Now you know he is what would you do?" Mason put me in a headlock and I started choking jokingly while tapping his arm.
"Ah, there you go chicken." Adrian laughed.
I sprung out of my sit going to put him in a real headlock and he started choking. He tapped my arm and I let go when I was satisfied.
Adrian went off the chair to the floor while grabbing his neck.
"Can a chicken do that?" Elliot asked.
"Uh, um, yeah, they have their ways," Adrian replied in between breaths and we all laughed while he pouted.
Mum walked in on us with Dad by her side and beside them was a little figure covered in a red oversized hoodie, or maybe it wasn't the hoodie size. I guess it was no other person than Freddy. He was under weigh that was why the hoodie looked so huge.
The figure was not taller than Dad's foot, it stopped right on his mid-thigh.
The hoodie was big enough to cover his lower body but he wore black jeans pant which equally looked oversized on him.
He remained clenched to Dad's leg and refused to let go while they walked to us with smiles on, he had the red hood over his head so his face was shielded.
We all got back on the couch and waited to be introduced.
"You know we talked about Freddy, right?" Dad started.
"Uh, yeah," Adrian responded on our behalves.
I was so engrossed in trying to see his face through the hood. How the hell did he look like? Was he cuter than I?
I kept questioning none stop as I stared.
"Here is Freddy, and he is one kind little boy," Mum said.
"Does he speak English? Cause you found him in Russia right?" Elliot asked.
"Yeah, he isn't Russian though, he doesn't look like one, he is fair-skinned, like Downey you know. I think he is Hispanic but we would never know if he doesn't learn sign language or any other nonverbal language. I fear we'll never know that's why I want you guys to help him fit in." Mum said.
"Oh. But why doesn't he take off the hood? Like this, it seems he has no face." Mason said in a confused tone.
Adrian burst out laughing. "No face." He chuckled.
I saw Freddy's small hands still grabbing Dad's pant leg clenched even more and Dad too felt it cause he sent Adrian a death glare which shut him up immediately.
Dad crouched down to Freddy who threw himself on Dad, hugging his neck tightly as he shook slightly.
Now everyone was quiet. Adrian and Mason had guilty looks on. Dad got up with Freddy in his arms, hooded head buried on the crook of Dad's neck.
Dad turned to face us and shook his head sadly. "I guess Freddy is tired." He said in a low tone filled with disappointment.
All because of him? and Mason wasn't even joking around he was just asking, and Adrian of the cause was Adrian, he laughed at anything and everything.
I clenched my fist softly, Dad's disappointment was all because of him, he was not even a member of our family, why should he care so much?
I found myself fixing Freddy for too long as dad climbed the stairs with him.
"I thought I told you to be nice?" Mum said to us in a slightly pissed-off tone.
"I'm sorry mum, I didn't mean to make Freddy feel bad, I was just asking." Mason apologized.
"I just laughed, I didn't mean to harm," Adrian added in guilt.
Mum sigh. "Freddy is still fragile. He has not gotten over what happened yet, he would need time and love." Mum said.
"We got it, mum, as soon as Freddy is up we'd go say sorry." Mason declared and Adrian nodded along.
I was seriously beginning not to like Freddy. But I just needed to keep it all in, maybe it will get better, maybe Freddy would spend three weeks or a month around and all would be well again.
I saw everyone leaving their seats and heading upstairs before I was snapped out of my thoughts.
I equally got on my feet still unconscious and lost in thoughts. It was clear to me Freddy was a problem.
"Owen," Mum called while approaching me a little too sharply.
I looked up and held back a gulp. "Uh, yeah?" I replied while staring straight into her eyes. Back off! Back off hell mum!
"You're grounded throughout tomorrow. No games no TV. And no pocket money for a week." She spat.
I gasped at her words and my lips moved to utter the words but she quickly hushed me.
"No Owen is not negotiable and you know exactly what were your crimes. Walking out on me, throwing a bad attitude, and disobeying me. Now go upstairs." She stepped back and I sighed while throwing my head back in frustration as I walked towards the stairs.
It wasn't fair but my focus was not on grounding but the strange little boy.
- Writer
