Haji

My feet skid across the floor. The bustling and frenzied atmosphere of the urban environment had a surprisingly soothing effect on my mental state. Moving languidly and without any sense of urgency, my gait was marked by a carefree attitude, occasionally stumbling along the way. The rhythmic motion of my backpack matched the cadence of my steps as I marched towards the ice cream store. Soon, I reached the intersection and caught sight of a group of friends who were jovially entering the shop. Envy rose up within me, and I felt a twinge of longing for the kind of companionship they shared.

It was then that a gentleman stepped up beside me. I surmised he was waiting for the crosswalk to signal, as I was. "Goin' to the ice cream store?" he inquired, his voice velvety and paternal. I fixed my gaze forward, my mind racing with thoughts about whether to engage in conversation or not. Peeking downward, I searched for any sign of a wedding ring on his finger, but found none. My forehead grew moist with apprehension.

"Yeah," I responded, mustering the courage to speak. I didn't even stop to question why this stranger was taking an interest in me.

"I could buy you a scoop. How does that sound, kid?" he offered, his voice warm and inviting. My mind went into overdrive. I couldn't think of any positive reason for trusting an unknown adult who offered to buy me treats. I scrutinized him like he was a character in a video game, a feeling of unease creeping over me. He seemed to notice, as his eyes widened and his lips curled into a genial smile.

"I get it," he chuckled,

"No, no, no- I just was trynna be careful. Ya know?" I spat out, my mind racing with worry. The pedestrian light illuminated, and I began to walk across the street, my nerves frayed. Was this man really an abductor? If so, choosing a busy time of day like this to abduct someone would be a terrible strategy. As I approached the other side, I came to a halt and turned to face the man.

"I'd be cool with you buyin' me a treat," I said, offering an apologetic smile. Together, we entered the ice cream shop, which was bustling with people. Turning to face him, I saw the man smiling down at me, his hand outstretched in a friendly gesture.

"Haji,"

"I'm Evan."

I shook his hand stiffly. Mr. Haji looked back at the line. He pointed to show me it was our turn. When the cashier welcomed us, Mr. Haji began his order.

"Can I have one scoop of choco mint on a waffle cone?" he asked.

Mr. Haji looked at me promptly.

"Oh, uh- may I have one scoop of the blue wave flavour on a regular cone please?"

"Will that be all?" the cashier said happily.

"One more item, a carbonara." Mr. Haji added.

I looked at Mr. Haji, who scratched his head sheepishly. He found us a nice seat in the almost full shop. The red leather seats and the checkered floor gave the place a 60s era vibe. Taking off my backpacking, I looked at the window of cars stopping, turning, or passing by the traffic lights.

"I really like the carbonara here," Mr. Haji started, "have you tried it?"

The well-lit building presented an opportunity to scrutinize him more. He wore a business-like ensemble. Strapped around his shoulder was a bag, similar to my binder.

"No, but from what the food model looks like, it definitely looks tasty," I replied.

"So do you go to the school over back there?" he inquired, vaguely pointing with his thumb behind him in the direction the school was.

"Yeah, I do," I responded.

"Ah, so how is that? I can't imagine how many friends you must have. There's a lotta kids there, aren't there?"

"Well, I'm not exactly popular. I really don't have any friends," I said, looking down.

Mr. Haji looked at me sincerely and tried reassuring me that I'd find friends. His carbonara came as he reached over to pat me on the shoulder. Mr. Haji thanked the staff worker before sitting back. As he ate, I watched him pick up his fork and twirl it around. Mr. Haji looked at me and snorted.

"What, is it really that tasty looking?" he snarked.

I grinned.

Curiosity led me to ask where he worked.

"Mph! Yuh!" he swallowed before continuing, "I work at the newspaper company not too far from the sushi shop."

So he walked for about 10 minutes to get here.

"So do you come here often?" I probed.

He was already chewing another fist full of pasta before he answered.

"Yeah, I usually come here when I'm free. It's usually for the carbonara."

I nodded and looked as the ice cream arrived. The staff worker and I exchanged smiles while I held on to Mr. Haji's cone. Carefully, I licked my ice cream, trying not to let it drip onto my hand. Mr. Haji looked at me and gulped another batch of pasta.

"Do you got a girlfriend?" he asked.

"No, I wish," I snickered, "I'd have someone to come here with."

"Well I don't wanna be very forward, but I'm always here around this time if you ever wanna just chat," he offered.

I couldn't help but beam.

"Sure," I replied.

As Mr. Haji finished his pasta, I handed him his melting ice cream. I checked my watch. 3:34. There was time to stick around. It wasn't like I had anything else to do today. It was a weird day, though. First, the new kid, and now this. Hopefully, there would be no surprises when I got home. The staff worker came back again to take Mr. Haji's dishes and to give him the bill. Mr. Haji looked at it unsurprised and gave the worker cash. He said to keep the extra before standing up. I put on my backpack and stood up while shaking his hand.

"It was nice to meet you Mr. Haji." I said.

"Ah, it's no problem kid, and please, just call me Haji. I'll be here or at work if ya never need anyone to talk to." he winked.

I froze for a second and laughed.

He and I walked out of the shop before parting ways. I felt great for once. Never before had I felt so happy from conversing with a stranger. Every time I attempted to speak with a stranger, I completely broke down. A notion of stranger danger was prevalent in my mind. I shivered and continued home.

I reached the apartment towers: home sweet home. Cars appeared in the parking lot as I progressed up the steps before going through the automatic sliding doors. Luckily for me, I lived in room 101. I could avoid those awkward elevator conversations. My key slid in, and I turned it, hearing the sound of the door unlock. Purposefully, I forced the door.

"I'm home!" I announced.

No one.

I slipped off my shoes and looked around. Our house wasn't that impressive; however, it was tidy. Two sofas stood in front of the television. Next to them, a wooden coffee table. The kitchen was still clean, meaning nobody had been home since that morning. Forward, there was a hallway that housed all of our bedrooms and bathrooms. Reaching the end of the corridor, I opened the door to my room. Then, I dropped my backpack next to my bed and sat down. My phone took a bit of effort to pull out. I noticed Alison sent a couple of messages.

ALISON:

HELLOO?????

Ugh, RESPOND plzzz!

THE NEW KID! HE LIVES NEAR ME!!!!

I was surprised. I texted back.

ME:

Wait really?

Almost instantly, she replied.

ALISON:

YESSS!!!! COME OVER HES HERE NOW

I sighed. Not today, no thanks. I've experienced an exhausting number of events already.

ME:

Sry, Im busy

ALISON:

FINEEEEEEEEEEEE

I looked at the time. 4:13. Time did fly. My eyes began to feel heavy, like weights attached to my eyelids. My body fell back—a well-deserved nap followed.

A couple of hours passed before I woke up. The lights in my room were still on, but the door was closed. Someone was home. I got up, stretching my ached body, and opened the door to the smell of dinner. Checking my watch, which I had forgotten to take off, it read 7:39. My lethargic legs stumbled me into the living room as my mother looked back from the kitchen. She smiled and asked if I slept well. At night, the apartment's small space was unmistakable. To the left, the living room; to the right, the dining area. The dimensions of both combined would reasonably measure less than half a classroom. The kitchen was a modest niche further across the dining area. A fragrance of rice and pork teased me. I walked into the kitchen and looked around. There was the rice cooker, which had finished steaming the rice. The sink was empty—probably to make space for tonight's meal—and the stove had pork cutlets sizzling on a pan. My mother glanced at me.

"Sorry, I'm almost done. You can help me cook tomorrow if you're not tired?" my mother spoke.

Her voice was soothing, and I loved her very fondly. Sadly, I didn't have a father growing up. He had left after he found out my mother was pregnant. I wasn't curious about him, nor did I yearn for a fatherly figure. My mother had no intention of marrying another man, and I had no desire to meet the man who left her. Instead, my mother chose to get a job as well as take care of me. Now that I was older and capable, I usually assisted her with chores. On holidays, I'd do all the errands to give her a break from work. I didn't have school, and I wasn't busy, so I liked to tidy up for her.

I went back to the living room and picked up the television remote. Then, I flipped to the news before placing the remote back onto the sofa. I speed walked to the dishwasher and pulled out two plates and some utensils. With precision, I carefully calculated each object to sit on a particular spot. Next, I pulled out an oval-shaped plate to put the cutlet onto before scooping rice into a large bowl. As my mother washed her hands, I put the pork cutlet and the rice bowl in the center of the table. She thanked me as she sat down, and I began eating.

"Is it good?" she questioned.

"Mhm," I said plainly.

My mother could read my voice and my face instantly. She knew something was up.

"Anything interesting happen at school today?" she guessed, teasing me.

She knew that I considered my life boring, and I couldn't blame her. My face said it all.

"Actually, yeah—well, sorta," I muttered, "I mean, there's a new kid at school n' stuff. I met him on my way to the restroom and yeah."

My mother nodded and gestured for me to keep talking.

"He was OK, I guess. Oh, and on my way home today, I met this man, Mr. Haji. He was nice. He bought me some ice cream and we talked for a bit. Apparently, he works for the newspaper company." I trailed off.

"Mr. Haji, huh? What newspaper does he work for?" my mom posed, chewing her food.

"I didn't ask but he works near the sushi place," I answered.

"The good one, or the bad one?" she asserted.

"The good one, duh," I giggled.

I got my taste of humor from my mother. She and I weren't what most people would consider funny, but we watched TV together and laughed at the dumbest things.

We finished our food, and I offered to take her dishes. She sat on the sofa while I washed the plates, utensils, and cooking supplies. As I was washing the dishes, I remembered Jun speaking about hanging out. I turned to the living room.

"Do you think I could hang out with Jun this weekend?" I asked.

"Jun? Who's that?" my mother, said confused.

"He was a friend in elementary school," I reminded her.

"Oh, sure! You should bring him to the sushi place then. And when you come back, you could get me a box or something." my mother said.

After finishing the dishes, I sat on the sofa next to her and laid on her shoulder. The time was about six at night. I yawned. The TV was playing news from today. "A Second World War bomb was discovered during the construction of a new school near Kirin Elementary. Officials told teachers and students to stay away from the area until the device is removed. Residents of the apartment towers located just a walk away are to be on caution." I looked up at my mother, remembering the construction downhill at the elementary school. That was a bit alarming, but I was too comfortable and sleepy to worry. My mother switched the channel to something else. I got up and carried back blankets for both of us. She thanked me, and I sat back down.

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone was at the door. I stood back up and opened the door to see Alison.

"Who is it?" my mom questioned from the living room.

"It's Alison,"

I looked back at Alison, who was standing all pouty. I let her in and closed the door. Alison took off her shoes and hung her coat on the rack. She smiled and waved at my mom as she walked to my bedroom. When Alison was out of her sight, my mother winked at me, and I stuck my tongue out at her. My foot pushed the door closed, and I sat on my work desk. Alison was on my bed, waiting expectantly.

"You were 'busy,' huh?" she said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my chair. There was a moment of silence in my room. All I could hear was the muffled noises from the TV and my mother's laughter. I raised over Alison and got close to her face. She blushed but did not sink back whatsoever.

"Why are you here?" I asked sternly.

"Why are you so close?" she retorted.

I gave her space again: it was no use intimidating Alison. She'd stand her ground no matter what. Instead, I decided to ease.

"So how was the new kid?" I spoke casually.

"Oh, you should've met him. He's really cute," Alison taunted.

My suspicions of her feelings were only reinforced by her tone. Was she trying to make me jealous? I had no idea. I turned around on my seat and pulled out an unfinished drawing.

"Yeah? Did you two kiss or somethin'?" I teased back.

Without even looking at her, I knew that either flustered her or enraged her. She twirled the chair about and jabbed me in the chest with her finger.

"Why are you so mean-" she cracked, "Just c'mon and meet this guy!"

I was beginning to get pissed.

"You know how I feel about other guys," I muttered, "Besides, I already DID meet him."

She made one of those girls' sounds before turning me back around. I thanked her snarkily. Suddenly, she pulled a granola bar out of her purse and placed it on my desk. I looked behind my back at her like she was crazy. She mouthed 'he likes these' before leaving my room and shutting the door loudly. I heard my mother talking through the door. Turning on the lamp, I looked at the granola bar. A long breath edged out. I threw it into a drawer before turning off the light and heading back into the living room. Alison was on the sofa, talking to my mother about girly stuff. My mother gave me another wink when Alison wasn't looking, and I groaned.

"It's getting pretty late Ali, you staying for the night?" I irritatedly questioned.

She nodded as my mother made another enthralled face. I rolled my eyes, groaned, and announced I was off to shower.

I took off my clothes in the bathroom and entered the shower. I twisted the knob, and cold water splashed all over my body. A yelp echoed in the shower before I stepped away from the water. Waiting for the water to heat up, I poked my arm out as a reference. Below, there was a bottle of shampoo. My fingers grasped onto the bottle while I read the labels. I already read the labels to each bottle many times before. It was a habit I'd obtained. As I cleaned myself, I thought about all the events that day. I hoped tomorrow would be similar. My life was beginning to become interesting. Maybe I'd take Alison's advice. Maybe, I'd meet the new kid.

I exited the shower as the bathroom door opened. I shouted, slipped, and fell in the shower. My mother saw this and immediately closed the door shut. My hands covered my groin, so my head hit the side of the tub as my butt landed on the wet ground. I moaned in pain. My mother waited for a second and knocked on the door. I reassured her I was fine and I'd get out soon.

I laid there still for quite a while. My head was in pain, and my butt was softly aching. Maybe I shouldn't have invited Alison to stay the night. Nevertheless, after about seven full minutes of resting there, I got up and wrapped a towel around myself. The hallway was empty, so I made my way into my room. I locked the door this time. After changing into my pajamas, I unlocked the door and hung the wet towel over the washing machine. After, I let Alison know that the shower was open if she wanted to hop in. She acknowledged my comment and continued to talk to my mom. I had no interest in staying up late for Alison, so I went straight to bed.

Alone with my thoughts again, I began to feel anxious. If I were seriously going to speak to the new kid, I'd need to prepare mentally. What would I say; what would I do; what clothes would I wear? I drowned myself in worries until an idea popped up. I could get Alison to introduce him to me. That would be much more comfortable for me. That way, I didn't have to do the heavy lifting. I didn't have to answer a lot of questions. Instead, I'd be the one asking the questions.

Alison barged into my room. I forgot to lock the door again.

"What are you doing?!" she whispered.

"I dunno, being awake?" I snapped sneeringly.

She then proceeded to pull me out of bed with her ridiculous strength as I plunged headfirst into the ground.

"Ouch!" I yelled.

"Get over here! We're doing karaoke!" she growled.

Alison began hauling me to the living room. I clung to my blanket as the floor switched from carpet to wood. My head smacked against the hardwood, and I began to glide across the hallway. I had no idea how on Earth she could drag me through all of that. Once she reached the living room, my mom gawked at me on the floor, clasping my blanket, and burst out laughing.

Never in my life had I been humiliated like that.