Maybe, You Will See Me Now

022

Many years ago...

An eleven-year-old boy had just arrived on the field not too far from his home that late afternoon. From where he stood, he watched the kids around his age playing soccer. His eyes followed the ball, from one kick to the other. He wished he could join them. He wanted to play with them. If only he'd left home a little sooner before they dispersed into teams. His mum didn't let him. He had to beg and promise to be home before dark.

"Goal!!!" One team cheered the very moment the ball flew into the net of their opponent. The disappointment and bitterness were obvious on the sweat drenched faces of the defeated boys. One of them looked in the boy's direction. He was tired of being defeated by the opposing team.

"Andrew, come!" He called out in the midst of still trying to catch his breath.

Andrew's face lit up with excitement and without wasting a second, he ran to him on the field.

The other members had gathered to where they were.

"What are you doing?" The older boy from the opposing team asked as he showed up in front of them. He held the ball under one of his arms. Then with a frown between his brows, he looked from the boy to Andrew and back to the boy.

"Andrew is joining our team." The boy spoke up.

The older boy looked at Andrew. "No, he's not."

"But Hachi..."

"I said no! The ball is mine and I don't want him to play with it." His voice went higher and the other boys could see he meant it. Still, they didn't quite understand. The boy looked from Andrew and back to the older boy.

"B-but he's your brother."

"He's not my brother." Hachi's gaze shifted to Andrew who was yet to say a word. "He's the son of a woman who keeps trying to take my mother's place."

Andrew glared at him. This wasn't the first time his older step-brother would speak to him this way. In fact, all his life, not once has he ever accepted that they shared the same father. Hachikaru's mother was raising her sons to hate his and his mother's existence. After so many years, it was still hard for her to stomach the fact that his mother was welcomed into their family as a second wife. Though they lived in the same compound and shared the same surname, their living quarters were separate.

"He leaves or I leave with my ball." Hachi threatened the boys. They looked at each other. They very much wanted to continue playing but also felt the discomfort of asking Andrew to leave.

"Andrew..."

Andrew ran out of their midst before the boy could say anything more. He ran without looking back. Down the street and through the gate into the large compound of his father's house. He went into his home and finally, into his bedroom. Only then did he stop. He stood in the room panting and nearly out of breath. Sweat trickled down his forehead and down his back. Step by step, he walked towards the bed and sat on it.

There, Andrew decided. Rather than encounter his brother's meanness again, he would altogether stop going to the field to play ball or hang out with the other kids. He was going to do fine just on his own and one day... one day when he's old enough to get away from all of it, he was going to take that path.

* * *

The present...

"Don't answer it." Ichechi said again but in a lower voice. His eyes wide and glued on his step-brother. Yet, too late. Andrew had pushed all thoughts aside and answered the call.

"Hello." As he held the phone close to his ear, he hastened his steps away from Ichechi and into his bedroom, closing the door behind him for privacy. Thankfully, Ichechi remained calm on the other side of the door.