Twenty-Sixth Chapter: Sick (1)

“Huh?”

I paused; mid-tying my shoelace.

A jar full of sweet varieties appeared in my sight, held by Big Bro, shirtless and in aged basketball shorts …

I did not immediately take hold of it, opting to ask first: “Did Aunt gave it to you?”

“Huahh, yeah, I passed by Aunt's yesterday,” yawning crudely, he seconded. “And also I got your babies over there.”

He pointed with his thumb at a corner of the living room.

Perking my ears up at the word ‘babies,’ I almost broke my neck from how fast I whipped my head to the side.

Scanning and searching, I let my eyes wander until they locked on something I really wanted.

“...!”

When it finally entered my sight, my pupils dilated as if I saw the love of my life …!

Jumping on my feet, I walked—almost ran—to it!

!!!

I almost shed tears, moved and sentimental …

Days of frugality and even abstaining … had finally come to an end!

At last, I could now fill the emptiness I felt for the past three days—and be as freaking liberal as I want!

“Huuu … Thank you, Big Bro …” I expressed, unintentionally sounding affectionate.

Unaware, blissfulness, and all sorts of positive emotions colored my voice and face … Peeling off the cold exterior I normally wore.

Any previous dissatisfaction and annoyance I felt were gone the moment I saw that gallon of goodness!

I even forgot the promised rant session I planned to vent at Big Bro—overwritten by joy filling my body!

However …

Contrary to my joyful expression, Big Brother seemed as if he had eaten something bitter … His expressions were scrunched as if a greater force was trying to act against him.

He held his chest, stumbling backward…

“M-my … my …” trembling, he muttered. “my ….”

Then as if possessed, he had this crazed look in his eyes.

“... My sister is the cutest!” he exclaimed—no—roared with unrivaled intensity and energy!

“How can someone be this cute?!

“Blacky’s finally showing love to her handsome big brother!

“Blacky!

“Keuk …!!

“I’ll give you anything—just say that one more time!”

My happy little moment was instantly replaced with a wince as a result of Big Bro’s obnoxious roaring series; my pitiful ears ringing from the sudden blasting voice.

It did not help that I had such sensitive hearing …

Regretting my previous show of appreciation, I coldly cast a gaze at Big Bro. “Shut up.”

Scowling at him, I thought, not only me but also probably our neighbors heard his idiotic screaming. Others get a calm and chill brother while I am forced to associate myself with such a clown …

I wonder how heavy of a sin I had in my past life…

“Ack,” hit by an invisible arrow, Big Bro was forced to put a stop to his clown show. “Bu, but I was just happy …”

He put on a pouty look and imitated a child-like tone.

Unfortunately for him, it had no effect.

If it were an actual child, I might be swayed and relented. But we are talking about him; this idiotic brother of mine.

I have no sense of pity for this man-child. Rather, all I felt was a faint feeling of disgust.

A grown man acting like a child …

Cringing, I said with a frown: “Get out of my face. You’re bothering Ma and the neighbors.”

At that exact moment, as if agreeing with my words, Ma appeared from the kitchen.

“An, do you want to wake up the whole neighborhood?” Ma lectured sternly.

Contorting his expression, Big Bro responded with a guilty face. “Hahaha, I didn’t mean to Ma. I was excited, you see. Moreover, it was all Blacky’s fault,” he suddenly pointed at me.

Removing her stern gaze from Ankur, Ma switched targets and admonished the innocent me. “Alex, stop causing a ruckus so early in the morning.”

?!

Apologetic in the beginning and a selfish, self-saving trash by the end.

I almost choke at his quick action of shifting the blame.

What a turn of things: previously a victim, now a scapegoat for a troublesome and hateful brother.

I did nothing wrong!

“I didn’t do anything wrong, Ma. Big Bro just started screaming all on his own.”

Big Bro quickly retorted: “If you didn’t say that earlier, I wouldn’t be screaming and shouting!”

“How’s that my fault?”

Voices gradually increasing in volume, we started a squabble.

“It’s a matter of cause and effect! You were the cause and I was the effect! There would be no effect, if there was no cause—of course, you take the blame!”

“Wha, what? Are you an idiot? Even your logic is idiotic, stupid!”

“Sucks for you then, you got these idiotic genes running in you, too!”

“You’re adopted!”

“Oh, yah? Well, I just picked you up in the trash!”

This childish and idiotic squabble turned into hurling insults at each other back and forth.

It was incomprehensible and pointless but now we’re just trying to come out as the winner.

“Weak ass coward!”

“Edgy kid!”

“Womanizer!”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“Stone-face!”

This continued until a forgotten figure snapped in anger.

“Enough!”

A voice loud enough to steal our attention came in between us.

“Are you kids?! Both of you are acting so childish and immature!

“You, Ankur! You're already twenty, yet, you act as if you still need someone to change your wet sheets! Are you hearing yourself? Have some shame!

“And you, Alex! You're not an immature child anymore! You better control your temper, or else, you're not going to survive adult life! And here I thought, you were better than this!”

Exasperated and angry at our childish squabble, Ma lectured: “I don’t care who started it. I don’t care who wins. The both of you shut your mouths and go already! I’m not the one who started this, but I’ll be the one to finish it!”

Settling her fiery gaze at us, we were silently staring at her.

Ma’s words stunned me awake and realization filled my head.

A pink flush appeared on my face, ashamed of my actions and the fact I stooped down to Big Bro’s level.

“What are you looking at? Go!”

Pointing at the door, Ma signaled to us to shut up and get out of the house.

Therefore, I quickly fixed my things and refilled my bottle.

I rushed to the door as soon as I was done but not forgetting to aim a glare at this sorry excuse of a brother.

Feeling my glare, Big Bro stuck out his tongue, childishly annoying me with his deliberately mocking face.

“Ankur, Alex, do you really want me to get mad?” Ma interjected at our last-minute bickering and lifted her metal spatula up in the air.

“Bye, Ma!”

Seeing that, I almost rushed out and ran to the gate!

Thudding sounds and hurried footsteps resounded as I sprinted to the back to get my bike and escape Mama’s anger.

As I lightly ran to the back, Big Bro’s voice echoed from the house.

“Take care, Blacky! Be careful of bad guys around you!”

Hearing that, I frowned, weirded out by the strange reminder …

But anyway, after I got my bike, with a familiar screeching sound, I pushed and locked the metal gate.

“Yo.”

About to push my bike forward, I almost jumped in shock from the sudden greeting at my side.

Whipping my head, I cautiously eyed who it was …

I confusingly remarked when I saw her. “What are you doing here, Lia?”

At the end of my sight, Lia could be seen leaning on the wall beside the gate, chewing and blowing some bubble gum.

Pop!

“To get a free ride, obviously,” she answered briskly after popping her gum balloon.

She answered my questions, but confusion never left me.

“Your class is not until afternoon, though?” I replied as I tilted my head.

“Then I get to be the first one in class, yay,” she said and a dry celebration followed.

“For more than six hours?” I incredulously uttered, checking my silver watch as I spoke.

“Shut up and give me a ride, will you?”

Frowning at me, Lia sharply said, pushing my shoulder lightly to urge me to just shut up and go.

“I will. I’m just confused; why would you want to be this early at school?”

“It’s none of your business, tsk,” Lia coldly rebuked, clicking her tongue at me.

Her dismissive actions and rude behavior would normally irritate anyone, especially from someone asking for a favor. But my years of friendship with Lia numbed me to the point where I could easily forgive her if she ever were crazy enough to punch me in the face.

Still, it didn’t answer any of my questions.

I shook my head off of this pointless interrogation and just patted the front bike seat on my bike. And thankfully, despite her annoyed expression, she silently followed my instructions as she sat gingerly with her back facing my front.

She leaned her whole body weight to my chest so I put strength to my back to avoid getting pushed back by her.

Then off we go.

***

“Ha … haa …”

Fighting the winds and the rocky road, I pedaled my way laboriously towards the campus. I made sure to be careful and avoid hitting stray rocks or any debris that may accidentally disturb the sleeping figure in front of me.

As I expected, her irascible behavior was a result of a lack of sleep. Lia was spoiled rotten and a very willful person but she wouldn’t just show a cold demeanor at me for such a minor situation.

Unless, well, she’s sleep-deprived.

I could even catch some faint snoring as she comfortably snuggled to my chest. I don’t know if she trusted me that much but her relaxed figure presented a completely defenseless state.

Exhaling audibly, I doubled my caution since the other person completely left herself to my care.

“Haa … haaa …”

Continuing this brief yet exhausting journey to school, after a short while, my eyes could catch a glimpse of the massive campus at a distance. Increasing my speed for a short burst, I pedaled even harder, turning my breaths even harsher, to quickly reach the main gate of the campus …

Passing through the open gates, I slithered past the crowd of students; sparsely scattered across the pavement. I thoughtfully slowed down my pace, afraid to hit any of the passersby. In doing so, my breathing slowed down a bit.

“Hooo …”

As I innocently went past each and every one of them, a certain student somehow took my attention. Her distinctive hoop earrings, representing her bold personality, were an easy way to recognize her from miles away.

However, regardless of my recognition, no bond or connection would prompt me to send a greeting or at least nod amiably toward her. Rather, indifference and a minute feeling of displeasure were all we had.

Therefore, I planned to pass through her silently and quickly without causing a scene …

Or at least that’s what I was hoping.

Alas, as if deliberately aiming for my objection, her golden hoops swayed with her movement and we made eye contact at that moment …

Her smokey dark eyes filled my vision. A sharp gaze, resembling knives in the kitchen, tried to intimidate me as if issuing a territorial aggression. But oddly notwithstanding, the me, who would normally back off and go on my way, anchored my feet, breath hitching, and ensued a silent confrontation with this woman called Gilberd.

“...”

Perhaps my jubilee from acquiring what I wanted, the earlier quarrel with my brother, the unjustly scolding for something I was innocent of …

Or even possibly because Lia treated me coldly for a known reason (I'm lowkey hurt) that I gained the courage to actually face off someone I wouldn’t bother normally.

“...”

“...”

Despite my lengthy thoughts, time had passed briefly since we started this contest.

And to break this standoff …

Taking the initiative, Gilberd, with her bold make-up on, sneered and denounced me with something I could not believe I would ever receive in my life.

“Cheating sc*m,” she remarked venomously and continued walking as if that was all she had to say.

Somehow right on the mark, I was left agape and frozen, speechlessly letting her go as she easily dropped words that shook me to the very core.

“Me? A cheater?”

My face was full of incredulity as I could not understand the fact someone called me a cheater.

How? Why? And with who?

Academically speaking, I’m not one to cheat and we don’t even have any previous connection for her to say that so matter-of-factly.

Even more so relationship-wise, I never entered one to be labeled as a cheater! Furthermore, even if I was in one, I would never ever cheat on my partner!

Yet, her voice dripping with disgust continued to echo in my ears …

And while I was in turmoil from the sudden left hook, faint snickering entered my ears from my chest.

“Haha … hahahahahaha, Hahahahahaha!”

And then it turned into full-blown laughing, catching the attention of several people passing by.

“Will you stop,” I uttered, somewhat still disoriented.

“Hahahahahahaha!” Lia's laughter just continued to get louder.

I could not see her face from my position but I bet the smile on her face as she laughed was probably so wide, it’d reach her ears soon.

“F*ck, that's hilarious!”

Undeterred, Lia continued laughing, vibrating so intensely from all the wild laughter coming out of her. Thankfully, my wobbling feet managed to hold us in place or else we would be tumbling all over the place by now.

“Hahahaha!”

She smacked the handles repeatedly while I remained in a daze; my head blanking out from the damage it took from those two words.

Am I a cheater?

***

The garden.

A beautiful place filled with vibrant green grasses, pretty flowers, and luscious big trees—a place to relax and enjoy nature while doing leisure activities on campus.

Of course, I'm not here for that.

“Oh, come on, Alex. Don't be so down. That girl just tryna get in your head,” I said, trying to console this big baby I got in my hands.

Unable to resist it, I just f*cking howled out loud earlier … and now I have this depressing-looking woman, equally depressed in mind, sitting quietly on a bench in the very nice garden.

In contrast to the flourishing garden, Alex was wilting in appearance, clutching her knee, still out of it. That Bernadette girl, I think she was the cashier lady at the store before, seemed to hit a sore spot.

For someone like Alex who hates cheaters with all her being, being labeled as one probably shocked her depressed.

Her fierce look surely matched her tongue.

Anyway, more importantly …

I brashly put my hands over her forehead aaand—

Yep, I was right, this mofo over here has a cold.

“Hmm, you're a bit warm,” I remarked. “What the heck did you do?”

With a blank expression, Alex despondently answered. “I'm not a cheater.”

Smirking at this baby, I lightly flicked her head.

“Ah,” a monotonous reaction burst out of Alex's thin lips.

Despite the uncharacteristic appearance of Alex right now, I didn't find it weird. Every time she had a cold, she tended to be emotionally unstable and needy like this …

I somewhat guessed it. I knew Alex wasn't the type to argue with that guy for no reason.

Their voices earlier reached outside from how f*cking loud it was. Guess how surprised I was to hear Alex shout like that.

“Oi, c'mon, let's go.”

Resting her blank gaze at me, she said: “... Go where …?”

“Home, obviously,” I rolled my eyes as I said that matter-of-factly.

At that moment, she finally showed a different reaction.

“What, no,” she rejected, creasing her thick brows at me.

“You're sick, dude. Don't be stubborn.”

“I have class.”

“Just call in sick.”

“No need.”

“What do you mean no need? Do you want to pass out in the middle of the class?” I exasperatedly exclaimed as I lay my hands on my hips in frustration.

Still, notwithstanding, this mofo over here doesn't really want to be stopped. “It's only for a few hours. I can handle it.”

“You'd be the first to end before that class! Stop being stubborn and go home!”

I increased the tone of my voice in hopes of convincing this bad baby.

Unfortunately …

“No.”

She still hard-headedly refused, making me rub my temples as if a headache was about to come.

Crouching in front of this depressed young and cute lady. “You know, honey, you’re really cute and all but that doesn’t stop me from beating the sh*t out of you, if you don’t listen, ‘kay?”

I lightly threatened, smiling casually at her. But I forgot that, although she looked pitiful and gloomy right now—she could beat me ten times out of ten fights. Even if I duplicate myself and do a ten-v-one, she’d still get that chicken dinner.

In other words, I’m weak as f*ck!

“Okay, let’s fight then.”

She raised her fist as if to signal her f*ckin willingnes—bro, don’t hit me! I’ll crumble like sh*t!

Okay, I fought the wrong opponent! I didn’t see Mount Tai even though it was right in front of me all along!

“Sh*t, I was just kidding, dude! Hey, hey, hey, bring down that weapon! That’s not for kids!

“We are civilized people! Gorillas use their fist while monkeys talk first!”

“I’m neither a monkey nor a gorilla.”

“According to the wise Carlo Darwyn, you are—but that’s not the point! Listen to me, O great one! And cleanse all that violence in your heart first!”

I was panicking, uselessly shielding myself with my hands, and playing humorous as if that would f*cking help me if that war weapon-like fist descended upon me!

However, my words fell on deaf ears as Alex’s eyes glinted with a sh*t-inducing light!

Her hands slowly but surely will come into contact with my beautiful face!

Sh*t!

I closed my eyes and waited for the incoming pain …

Soon …

Almost …

Can I file for domestic abuse after this?

I entertained futile thoughts like that but that didn’t change the fact I’d go later to class with a massive black eye!

Great deity, ROB, I’ll donate my spare change to the poor, just please make it so it’ll blend with my make-up!

Tightly shutting my eyes, I waited and waited … until it finally came!

But not in the way I expected it to …?

My eyes opened in surprise because rather than a heavy fist, what came was warm, enveloping arms. She tightly wrapped it behind my back, snugly tucking her chin to my neck. Faint breathing tickled my ears as she comfortably leaned towards me.

Ohhh, ohhhhh!

What does this mean? It means I’m f*cking blessed, yeah!

“Aww, what does the baby want?”

“Peace and quiet.”

My attempt to coddle and spoil the black baby was shut down mercilessly but nevertheless, a smile was etched on my face as she acted needy and clingy to me!

“You don't have to be shy. Come to Mommy!”

Hugging her back, I eagerly reciprocated her need for skinship. Who would even reject it at this point? Alex becomes so emotionally vulnerable in times of sickness so I … ahem, sometimes take advantage—I mean, cater to her needs during these times.

While Alex attached to me like this, I took a selfie of us, looking so intimate and close.

Hands tapping in practiced movements, I quickly sent a pic and a message to shove to their faces and gloat about my situation! Hahahaha!

Die in envy, b*tches!

***

Unable to convince Alex to rest at home, I chose to just leave her at the clinic.

The sight of Alex clinging at me, begging me to not leave her …

I smirked at that thought, feeling a sh*tload of satisfaction in me.

“Anyway, I need to find somebody to tell about Alex …”

Tapping my fingers on my chin, I was wondering what to do. I knew next to no one in her class nor I knew where her class was.

She won't even answer any of my questions ….

I sighed at this troublesome girl and walked around the sixth floor since I knew that's where the laboratories were located …

Looking around, I could see plenty of girls heading toward one place …

Discreetly whistling, I thought: d*mn, Nursing girls are on a different level!

Anyway, I smirked, cheering myself for my great thinking.

“Gotcha!”

I had a strong hunch on where they were probably headed, so I followed a girl, in all-black attire, since she was the closest.

“...”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A synchronous two sets of footsteps echoed as I continued to follow.

Tap. Tap.

Our overlapping footsteps strangely sent a chill down my spine from the eerie feeling it brought as I stayed behind this woman, resembling that famous girl in the well …

Yet, I swallowed my nervousness and copied whatever she was doing to stay inconspicuous.

Whenever she stopped, I stopped.

“...”

“...”

Her pace was quite slow, pulling my patience short, and her feet were so light, I almost thought she was gliding across the floor.

I'm not really known for my patience so I was about to walk past her, when suddenly—

Her head ghastly twisted behind!

“F*ck!”

Son of a b*tch! F*ck! Sh*t! Motherf*cker!

I don't f*cking know how you could react differently than what I did ‘cause sh*t that was f*cking scary!

I was sh*tting myself, alarmed and creeped out, from the creepiness of that sight, and even more when you added to the scene her b*tch ass horror-themed clothes.

Sh*t! F*ck! I'm too young to get cursed! At least lemme bang for the last time before dying!

As sweat trickled on my temple and my face paling shades lighter, I hurriedly tried to send a greeting to salvage myself.

“H-howdy, mate?”

D*mn, that came out more southeastern than expected.