Sounded Silence

Hey, Brother

Parappa's POV

Tonight is a beautiful one. Reminds me of my first real date with Sunny.

Too bad I'm alone on my roof.

The smell of the outdoors is nice, at least.

I take out a glass tube from my duffel bag, filling it with herb. I need to ease my mind again.

"Bro," a voice intrudes as I flick a lighter. It's Pinto. I hide the tube in my pants and swivel towards her.

"Hey sis," I attempt a boisterous reply, "what are you doing up late?"

"Bro. I'm 19. I can be up as late as I want."

"Right, right. Sorry. Been a couple of years since I've seen ya. How old were you when I moved out? 16?"

Pinto is giving me a stinkeye as she pokes her head out the window. She motions me to come back inside.

"So, why are you back?" Pinto asks me as she sits on my lap. She's getting a little big for this, but I know she loved it when she was little, so I just let her do it.

"You remember my bud PJ, right?" I sigh.

She nods.

"Well, something's happened, and I just need to-"

"Are you dating him now or something?"

"Pinto, I live with Sunny."

She giggles, as if she was toying with me.

"PJ...lost his voice..."

"So?"

"So?! HE'S NEVER GONNA GET IT BACK! WE'RE TALKING NERVE DAMAGE HERE!"

I fall on my bed, crying my eyes out.

"PJ...buddy...I've known you forever...I wanna help..."

Pinto wiggles between my arms. "You look like you need a hug."

I hold her in a death grip.

"Thanks, sis."

"Everything ok in here?" My mom asks.

"It's OK, mom," Pinto says, "I can handle him."

Dead silence fills my room. My sister knows me better than anyone else, even my own parents.

As I fell asleep, I thought about all my memories with PJ.