Not In That Way

t h e n

8 years ago

Before the month of my 9th birthday, a family moved in next door. They were the "Cute Eyes" family. Well, except for Mrs. Trudy. Her husband was Korean, Mr. Kim Baek Tan, and their two daughters' genes were mostly, for me, inherited from their father. They inherited his eyes and they were pretty.

I went to their house, which was where the Banks family used to live before. There were men unloading two large trucks.

The two Korean-American girls were playing, well, if you count circling their mom, a game. Their mom was looking at the house they were moving in. When she turned around, I was greeted with a huge smile plastered on her face, and if it was possible, it turned bigger when she spotted me.

"Hi!" I think she greeted me livelily. "I'm Trudy..." the two girls stopped their nauseating activity and looked at me. They were polite enough to greet me and introduce themselves. The taller girl was Marielle Antoinette , and the shorter one was Victoria. I liked the sound of theirs names.

It was not long until we were playing.

I told Atlas we had new neighbors days later. And it was not long until we were circling Moordale, where we live.

I was the youngest among us four. They always babied me, and it was not funny. Like when we used to act and play as family. I would always turn out to be the little son of the married couple Atlas and Marie. And Victoria, my sister.

     Atlas never liked playing his role either-- rephrase that, he did not like the entirety of it. He only played with us because of me. I was good at convincing him with my shiny large adorable eyes. And I never should have. God, I never should have. Aside from not liking our little family portrayal, he was also teased for it.We were teased for it.

     'Her fairies' was always uttered from the mouth of Cedric Anderson every time he saw us. At school, at the park, at the store, everywhere. Me and Atlas were quite conjoined. We were always together.  And unfortunately, Cedric was too. He was the cliché school bully. And Atlas was the cliché bully of the bully.

    Atlas was my defender. Aside from him being tall, he was also the son of Mr. John, Sheriff John. Nobody messes with his family or else.

     No one ever forgot Atlas. He was always remembered. He always made a mark in everything he did.

     When my 9th birthday came, everyone was there except for Atlas and his mom and dad. They had to go back to California because his grandmother was dying.

     My supposed birthday party, for me, turned gloomy. Atlas was not there, and he was sad too. Cute Eyes family members were all there, Mrs. Evans was there, Dino and Lea too. But they failed to make me cheerful.

      Days after my birthday Olivia died. I felt sad, even if I had not meet Olivia. I had a feeling that she was wonderful too, like any other member of her family.

     They returned a week after Olivia's burial. Atlas was still sad. He did not visit me for days. I was always the one visiting. I would always end up in his room, because he did not like going outside anymore.

    "Don't be sad Atlas." I told him as he tossed a ball against the wall, catching it and tossing it back.

     I was lying on his bed looking at the ceiling full of superheroes.

     "She's gone." He said and his voice told me he was crying. I stood and walked toward him.

     "She's in heaven." I said, looking down at him, not quite knowing what to do to alleviate his sadness. "She's not gone, Atlas."I continued.

     He looked at me and smiled and said we should play. So we did. And he was turning back to his lively self day by day.

    One day, while we were riding our bikes to the park Cedric and his cronies were there. And when me and Atlas and Cedric and his cronies were in one place, it meant trouble.

     "Hey fairies!" shouted one of Cedric's friends, Jan.

     Atlas was 10 and he never liked fighting physically. Cedric was a fat ten-year-old boy who liked that.

    Our bikes stopped. The five much larger kids were in front of us. They looked intimidating and the coward that I was, I stayed behind Atlas, since he was older and taller.

     "Where are you going fairies?" asked Leo.

     "Somewhewe you'we not." said Atlas.

     "Oh yeah. So you two faiwies awe going to be alone then? Huh?" said Cedric as if to sound like Atlas and continued "Atlas, Summer sitting undew a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G..." His ugly cronies laughed and sang along with him.

     "Maybe you should pick on someone your size, Cedric." I had said weakly because I was getting embarrassed to where everything was leading. Cedric stopped laughing. The snowman-like figure pounced towards me and hit me with his big fat fist and I stumbled down. Atlas said something aloud and helped me up. I cried because my cheek hurt so much.

    Atlas was about to hit him when a car honked and it was, of course, Sheriff John.

     "Atlas!"  Sheriff John shouted and his voice were like the thunders, so loud that it made the Cedric and his friends run away. Mr. John walked towards us.

     "He huwt Sagan, siw." Atlas explained to his father after being asked why he tried to punch Cedric the snowman.

     "It was still wrong Atlas." Mr. John said. Instead of going to play in the park, we came back to our houses.

     I felt sad after that. I was hurt on the cheek and Atlas was being grounded for two weeks. I felt sad because Atlas was sad as well and I did not like him sad.

     I had dinner with mom that day. She cooked dinner. She barely cooked dinner. The food was good.

     I went to my room and dad and mom was fighting again. Mom was using the f-word again. Mom was always mad. Mom was not like Mrs. Alicia.

     I had wished that my mom was Mrs. Alicia. I had.