Chasing Yellow

Chapter 4

"ETHAN!" A familiar annoying voice screams. I am forced awake by a body slamming on top of me. "I missed you." they say clinging on to me.

I recuperate and rub my eyes. I look in my mirror to see my little brother clinging on to me.

"Get off." I say irritated and tired.

"Ethan you behave." Mom calls into the room. Drew sticks his tongue out at me.

He is the worst spoiled brat ever. I stand up with him on my shoulders and turn on the ceiling fan.

"Nononono" Drew starts to say really fast.

"You wanna get off?" I ask.

"Yes please." I throw him off my shoulders but not enough to hurt him and kick him out my room. I close the door and snuggle in my bed.

My mom bust through my door. "Ethan Earl Write! You're brother missed you and he was so happy to see you."

"Yes, he was so happy to jump on me WHILE I WAS SLEEPING!" I blurt back obviously irritated.

"You slept all night and day and he was really wanted to see you." She argues. "Is it wrong for a mother to want her little baby happy?"

"I get it! You want him happy but could care less about my happiness!" I say tears coming to my eyes.

"No.. I mean..." She stutters and shifts her eyes. "I love you and..."

"Mhmm" I say prompting her to go on.

"I...er... Listen. I want you happy but not the way you're going about getting happiness.. I want you to grow up. Get married to a nice girl and have children." She says

"Mom, please leave me alone. Let me be happy and alone." I say tears visibly streaming down my face.

"I'm..." She starts but stops. She nervously walks out of my room closing my door for the first time in forever.

I curl up in a ball and cry. Great way to start off the day. God I'm so emotional.

After about an hour I'm a little bit more calm. Mom walks in.

"Ethan.. I'm sorry, let me take you out to eat." She says sympathetically.

I wipe and tear stained cheeks and nod in agreement. I grab my wallet just in case and get in the car and she drives.

I think about how I'm about to start driving. I nervously think about how one wring move could kill someone. I breathe faster and my heart rate quickens.

Mom's pulls off into a buffet place. I walk with my hands on my hips as I look at the sign. 'Hibotchi American Buffet'

"Stop walking like that." My mom says and pulls one of my hands down to my side. I stuff my hands in my pocket and walk in.

The lady brings us to a booth. "What would you like to drink?" She ask kindly.

"Tea." My mom quickly responds giving the pressure on me.

She looks at me and my face flushes. "Um..." I feel like there's a timer and I have to be quick. My heart speeds up a lot and my hands get sweaty.

"We have Mountain Dew, Coke, Cheerwine, tea, water, sprite, and kool-aid" She kindly informs me noticing my nervous struggle.

"Cheerwine please." I say relieved this torment is over.

"What's wrong with you?" My mom says walking to get her first plate. I stay sitting here awkward twiddling my fingers.

The waitress brings us our drinks before mom gets back.

"Thank you." I shyly say.

"No problem." She kindly giggles. "It's kinda my job. You can go get your food, you don't have to wait."

I quickly look at her name tag. 'Natasha'.

I go to the jungle of the buffet lines. I carefully grab a plate and inspect its cleanliness. I go get some food and go back to see mother with a tower of food on her plate. I debate whether or not to just leave.

I decide she'd just hunt me down. I go sit with her and quietly eat what's on my plate.

I get about 3 plates in total compared to my mother's 6. Natasha was kind to me in the visit and it showed me a new kindness I've never seen in someone.

Mom throws down a dollar for a tip and I take out my wallet. I leave $10 and a little note.

Hey Natasha, you were extremely kind to me and I would love to hang out some time.. Ik this is strange but even my friends don't treat me like that. Thank you...

-Ethan

P.s. Enjoy the $10 tip. Mom only gave you $1. She's stingy.

We leave and go home. I just lay in my phone all day until my phone lights up.

Hey, thanks for the tip. You really made my day, no one has ever tipped me so high.  -Natasha

No problem, no one has ever treated me so kind.

I smile knowing I made someone's day. Its a nice change from my usual emotional wreck.

I'm off this weekend. Wanna hang?

Sure. I'll have to ask my mother of course.

Kk, hope to see you then. Its getting late for me and I work 1st in the morning so I gotta go. Ttyl.

I decide to go to bed along with her. I realize I never talked to Justin today and I hope he isn't worried. 'Eh, its me, who would worry or care?' I nervously laugh to myself.

I fall asleep into what would be a restless slumber.