His Memories of Her

12th

“My brother?” she said looking at me before she giggled like there is no tomorrow.

I just stare at her dumbfounded, lost of what should I do or what should I say or what did I do and what did I say that made her laughs, as her giggles turned into loud laughter.

“Why is it my brother?” she said after a good amount of time, finally calming down.

“It is just that he seems so protective of you.” I said walking towards the bench to get my towel and wipe my face.

She followed me and sat beside me with the ball on her lap and said “Is it about this afternoon?”

“No, it is not just because of that, it is just that Michael said the same thing as well. So, I just selfishly thought that he would never let you out at night specially alone and with only few people around.” I said.

This place is just so quiet, you could count in your hands the people you have seen after running back and forth, from the very first house in this zone until to the last one. And to someone’s safety specially a girl, this is just a great factor to be afraid of so I just could not understand why her brother let her out.

“Wait! Do not tell me that you sneaked out?” I exclaimed realizing another reason for her to be here.

“No! why do I have to sneak out if he is not home.” She said that shock me.

“Is that not the same?” I said.

She did not say anything and just gave me her smile that melted my nerves that are about to blow up as my heart pumps blood more than it should be as it beats faster. Every second passing by with fright that he would come home only to find out that her beloved sister is gone and will go out with something in him as he looks around to search for her.

“Do not have to worry. He will not be coming home tonight and I will have you to accompany me home.” She said looking at me, giving my shoulder a pat smiling.

“How can you be so sure?” I said.

“Well, he did said to keep everything lock and do not go out and to not put my earphones until the sun is not out and to keep my phone’s ring on, aside from telling me where he is going. He has been doing that so I just know.” She said giggling a little.

“You really do not have to worry. He will not show up, I assure you.” She added giving me once again a pat.

I look at her playful expression and just failed to see if she is just making an excuse or she is just telling the truth. Leaving me no choice but to take a deep breath and said “If you are sure then I should calm down.”

“You really should. And since you thought of calming down, will you answer now my question earlier?” she said making me take a deep breath hearing the first thing she said but once again felt suffocated by what the next thing she said, shock looking at her.

“Is it really hard to say, or is it just something I should not know?” she said making me lost of what to say.

“Well, either one I will not leave until you tell me.” She added making me more shock.

“Is that so? Then, how about you tell me the reasons you could accept from each of them?” I said decided to play along with her.

I have no reason to not tell her, so if she asks me, I do not know if a lie of it being personal will be okay since she knew Michael knows and a reason why she should not know it is the hardest thing to think since we re pretty close now, more or less just as close as Michael and me so a doubt is weighing in my mind.

“Hhmmm… that is a smart play, safe and smart. But why would you ask me for a reason I could accept if you could just make a simple one on your own.” She said.

“Well, because I doubt any reason from would satisfy you. You are very hard to reason to.” I said telling her the truth. Every time we would have a discussion, the three of us, any reason I and Michael give her, she would ask why and would ask us once again for an acceptable one but it would never end because she just really does not accept any reasoning, we gave her telling her that it is not enough as a reason.

“Hhmmm… seems like you have learned.” She said smiling triumphally.

“Have I? Or is it just because I do not want to drag this any longer as it is getting late. You need to go back because I am sure your brother would be checking if you have eaten already.” I said giving her a reason to go home which I know she would find reasonable enough.

“Oh! Finally, a good one. Then should you walk me back home while we continue this?” she said smiling as she stood up with the ball still in her arms.

I chuckle to her. I could not really describe it the way I should be doing, I could not help it, this is the first time I had this kind of a relationship with a girl or ever had any relationship with any girl so I just know to say is that she is just smiling perfectly, so prefect for my eye sight that I feel like I need to see even twice in a day every day or else I would forget how to live.

I stood up putting the towel on my shoulder and the bottle of water beside her and said “That sounds better.” Extending my arm so she could hand me the ball so I could carry it all the way back home, which I will be passing once and would comeback since her house is in the other end and the court to the other making my house in between.

Good thing that I have told my parents that I would be late because I would be playing with Michael, who is an i***t who left me alone with so many unknow things towards woman. The only women I know are my mother and grandma. I have never really hanged out with any women in our family aside from these two. Although they taught me that the first thing to do towards a woman is to be a gentleman who is respectful enough to gain respect back.

“So, the reasons you could accept are?” I said starting the conversation as we walk under the light the moon and the stars giving us, passing slightly dark parts under the trees.

She chuckles this time and look at me after handing me the ball and said “I do not really need any special reason or a difficult one. There is only one reason that could have ended it all and to my surprise you did not think of that giving me the thought that it is not at all about that.” She said while looking at her own foot taking steps one at a time.

But I am shock. Shock not because of what she said but because I seem an i***t that I could not come up of any stupid one this time while I have been giving her those times. But I do not want to make it obvious that I felt guilty again for being stupid so I had to say something and say “What is it?”

She looked at me with plain expression, stopping from her track and said “It’s a men thing.” And lets out a giggle.

She started walking but not straight, I watched her that made me realize that we quickly arrived in front of her house. I do not know which one should I feel first. To feel stupid for being stupid or to regret that I did not really talked much and just kept on thinking to myself and not to even notice that we have arrived and the failure of inviting her to dinner with my family since she will be alone all night.

So, being lost I just stare at her until she stops in front of her doorstep and said “I would never meddle into men things, so that is the simplest reason you could have ever give me.” Still chuckling.

I smile feeling of giving up on thinking of which to feel first so I open my mouth and said “If only I could have thought of that earlier than maybe you also would have said yes to me inviting you to dinner tonight since it is pretty sad dining with only old people.” And chuckles a little bit.

she stopped giggling and stare at me for a good amount of time before she runs back towards me and stood in front of me and said “If the invitation is still going on, then I think we should hurry. Old people are pretty impatient specially towards meal.” She said.

I did not really understand what she said and what happened, all I know is that I am running as everything appears to pass by so fast aside from her actions as she looks back to me 0every once in a while, and feels her tight grip to my wrist making me realize that her boney petite hand is pulling me and did not take too long when she stopped in and as I daze towards her, I could vaguely hear the door ringing.

“Who is it?” is the voice said that woke me up from dazing. I knew very well this voice it is my mom and even though I know she would not say anything towards Irene, I still reversed the positions of our hand and wrist. It is me now, who is holding her and pulls her behind me as quick as I could before my mom opened the door and greeted me saying “Silly kid, why do you have to ring the door? Have you forgotten your keys again?”

I smiled looking at her awkwardly before I said “I am so so…” and just to be cut off by Irene who popped her head to my side from behind me and said “Good evening Ma’am.” With a smile.

I look at them both alternately making me aware of the expression they are both wearing. My mom who is looking at her so shock, while she smiles nervously making me thought “See? I did not want you to be nervous that is why I wanted to keep you behind me.” But just kept it to myself.

“Oh my, who is this gorgeous woman my son has brought home for the first time?” my mom said as she takes her hand pulling her making me turn as my hand is still wrap around her wrist and making my mom look at me in a way I could not explain.

“Irene, Irene my mom.” I said frantically introducing them to each other. They did not bother to shake their hands as my mom just slap my hand on her wrist and take her inside without even greeting me.

“It is really a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Altman.” She said making me give up the little hope I have that someone would turn their head to see that I was left alone. It is like they forgot about me so I close the door behind me after stepping in.

“Mom, Hon! Come here! Hen brought a girl home!” My mom screamed in the living room that is followed by loud footsteps coming towards us.

“The second scariest thing in the whole world.” I said to myself looking at my mom giggling with Irene and soon my father and granny came into our view.