Tommy

chapter thirtheen

When we all fall asleep, where do we go?

Do we just shut off like a computer? Or, does our soul leave our body to be one with the stars?

That was just a question, Alexx knew was never to be answered. His parents told him to shut up and eat his dinner.
At school, they tried to come up with a scientific answer. But, it was an rather easy question, right? How come we don't know what we dreamt after we wake up? Is life all pretend?

Is this moment real?

There is a time when you question your existence. Is this real? Is that real? Was Alexx the only one who sees or feels this? Or how about that time your mind got blown, thinking how there are other
people on earth, living their own lives, having their own problems. Each and everyone so different. Not one family is the same.

Alexx woke up from his slumber sleep, feeling something tickling his nose. His eyes opened slowly, his head not into reality yet, until he was met with a spider resting on his nose.

"Hi spider," he mumbled, sleep evident in his voice. His hand gently went up to his face. The spider immediately walked to his hand, staying on his palm as the boy sat up straight from the black couch he was sleeping on. He inspected the spider with a soft smile gracing his soft lips.

"Alexx!" His siblings stumbled out of his closet. "You're supposed to be scared," said his little sister Bunny, stamping her foot on the floor in annoyance. She was pouting, folding her arms, thinking she was scary but Alexx thought otherwise.

"Boys aren't scared of spiders," Alexx responded, his laugh becoming evil as he threw his head back.
"But girls do!" He shoved the spider into his sisters faces causing them to run away, screaming their lungs out. Alexx shielded the spider, running after the girls on barefoot.

The girls came down screaming in terror for their mother.

The mother of four -to be five- turned around from cutting the vegetables with the knife in her hand. Long hazelnut brown hair bounced happily with her.
Maria's round belly could been seen through the yellow apron she was wearing. Her face was adorably puffed up, watching her children with her brown doe eyes.

"Mommy!" Bunny wrapped her arms tightly around her mother's leg. Her hazelnut brown hair flew around wildly with her as shut her brown eyes closed.

Bunny was a exact replica of her mother. When family would come by to visit, they would tell her how much she resembled her mother, showing her pictures of her mother when she was  around the age of Bunny.

The mother's face turned soft before she scolded Alexx. "Put the spider outside!" She said, eyeing the spider Alexx was holding, feeling her skin crawl.

She was not one of those people that adored spiders, rather she was the one to bawl at the sight of them.
She sniffed, watching as Alexx sighed, walking to the back door, putting the spider on a leaf.
"It was nice to meet you spider," he mumbled, supporting his head on his elbows as they were being supported by his knees.
Alexx watched as the spider walked away quickly, until he was out of sight. He stood up, walking back inside.

"Dinner is almost ready," his mother informed Alexx who walked in the kitchen, sniffing in pans. He sighed in disappointment. They were having mashed potatoes with fish fingers again. He was just tired of eating the same food over and over again. He wanted to experience new tastes.

But, he wasn't the boy to hurt his mother's feelings,
Smiling at her, as he lied through his teeth. "Looks delicious, like always." His mother smiled sweetly at him, not noticing the snide comment. 

Alexx went to his room, changing his sweaty clothes into clean pajamas. He didn't glance at the mirror, grabbing his phone from the couch he fell asleep on.

He walked downstairs, seeing his family had already seated themselves. His father Jerome was seated next to his mother, his hand on her puffed up belly, lovingly. Next to Jerome was Bunny, her hands gripping the fish fingers tightly like someone was about to steal it. Scorpion sat next Maria, eating slowly. Her dark brown eyes were fixed on her plate, Alexx couldn't see her expression, but he was sure she wasn't having a blast like Bunny. Her dark brown hair was tied in a tight ponytail, her recently trimmed thin bangs hanging out.

"Where are the others?" Alexx asked, seating himself in front of his father who gave him a glance. "Out with friends," he huffed. Alexx sighed. Great, he thought bitterly. They get to eat at their friend's house or even at a restaurant and he was stuck at home.

He grabbed the fork from the warm plate, taking a bite. Aahh, he thought. The familiar taste of slightly salted potatoes with apple sauce.

"Jenn told me something interesting, yesterday," Jerome's voice boomed. He had that deep voice that immediately got your attention. Or when you were in public and heard his voice, you would look around until you found the owner of the voice.

"Jerome.." his wife said, the fork that had a piece of fish finger, dangling in front of her mouth.

"What did she say?" Alexx asked, his eyes still on his plate, cursing every mashed potato that went in his mouth. He would leave the fish fingers for Bunny. She always loved those.

"She told me she saw you with a black girl," The Jerome's voice sounded accusingly.

Alexx glanced at his father, seated in front of him. Then, they went back to his plate. "So?" He asked, shrugging.

"Alexx," his father sighed, his hand going massaging his face tiredly. "They have a bad reputation. They cause trouble everywhere they go."

"That's not true!" Alexx's voice heaved up. "That black girl is my friend, no matter what reputation she seems to have; I know the truth and that's what matters." He stood up, leaving the table. He came back though.

"And by the way, that black girl has a name," he said.

"Ziva." He balled his hands in tight fists. His nails digging into his flesh.

"So say her name, or don't say it at all. But don't refer to her as 'black girl,' white man."

Alexx walked away again, leaving his family hanging with mouths open.

The teenage boy did not come out of his room until the next morning.