This Is Not a Tragedy

16 | The Residents

Sunday, June 24, 2007

The house is seemingly empty when I come downstairs this morning. I go to the back hallways to look in Sergius' office, but the door is closed and locked. No one answers when I knock. Wait, I thought I couldn't be left alone. Am I seriously here by myself?

The front door opens, putting an end to my thoughts. "Natsu!" Sergius calls. I leave the hallway to see Sergius at the front door with a suitcase.

'You left me here alone?' I want to ask. But I don't want him to think it's because I was worried or lonely. It's only because I thought he was set on supervising me. I open my mouth to ask, 'Where were you?' when in steps another man.

His skin is sand-colored, and his wavy, dark brown hair reaches his goateed chin. He looks at me, deep-set brown eyes wide, and spreads out his arms as he takes some steps in my direction. I tense, worried he's coming in for a hug.

"Here he is!" the man announces with a crooked smile. "Our new Nativus friend from far-away Japan! I hear your English is excellent?" He stops in front of me, placing his hands on his hips, still smiling.

"Uh... Hi?"

He flashes a grin and holds out his hand. "I'm—"

"Dante!" a woman's voice yells.

He nods his head towards the voice. "And Nativus."

The woman's voice continues in an American accent, "Are you a child?! Don't just leave your suitcase in front of the door!" Next to enter is a woman who, unlike Emina, has a very soft look. Her dark hair is wavy and chin-length like the man's, but her skin is warmer and more brown. Upon noticing me, her full lips form into a bright smile, and her large eyes glimmer kindly. "Sorry," she says at a normal volume. "I'm Candra." She comes over to me and gives me a gentle hug causing every muscle in my body to tense. "Oh, sorry," she apologizes, pulling away. "Habit."

"Ah, it's okay," I mutter.

She smiles at me sweetly again, which somehow kind of hurts my chest. It feels familiar in some sense but so foreign in another. Is this all the people? I hope it is. I'm already feeling overwhelmed. Candra looks at my face worriedly and rubs my arm before flashing another gentle smile.

"Candra," Sergius says, coming down the stairs as Dante goes up them. "I put your suitcase in your room."

"Thanks." She turns to me. "I'll make some tea. What kind do you like?"

"Uh..." I wonder if I should make it instead. But she offered, so it'd be rude, right? "Green, please." She heads for the kitchen, and I sit on the sofa.

Sergius sits down in his usual armchair and glances at me. I avoid his gaze. As Dante comes down the stairs, moving as if he's doing aerobics, we hear another car pull up. Dante goes into the kitchen and grabs a bottle of wine.

The front door opens, and Emina waltzes inside. "We've arrived," she slurs.

'We?' Oh, that's right. That guy, V-something... Masculine and rugged, right? Sounds a bit scary. When he comes through the door, I discover my expectations aren't exactly far off. First of all, he's enormous. I suppose the gym is his favorite room in the house. He runs his hand through his dark brown hair and turns his blue eyes towards me. The second thing to catch my eyes is how cold his are. He tilts up his bearded chin disdainfully.

I am so confused. In the past, the only people to immediately dislike me were male peers who felt threatened by the attention I got from girls. Why would this man, who is supposedly the most desirable type in the UK, show this kind of hostility towards me for no reason?