Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Kids who only see the rainbow as a giant slide to play on.

It has been hours since I woke up but I am face to face with my laptop’s screen since then. The ticking and clacking of my keyboard have been the loudest sound audible in my room. As well as the scribbling sound my pencil makes when it comes in contact with my paper. Another sound I have been hearing is the flattering of paper whenever I turn the pages of my book.

A new sound makes its way into my ear. Soft knocking on my door makes itself audible. But, the knocking doesn’t sound so solid, as if the person on the other side just happened to found a door here and knocks out of curiosity.

A voice calls out for my name, “Hill?”

I answer loud enough that the person behind the door can hear me but I am not taking my attention off my laptop’s screen. “Yes?”

The sudden demand pops out of nowhere, “Open up!”

This person who is now ordering me to open the door despite it not being locked is a hint of who is behind the door. “It’s not locked!”

He argues, “Eh!”

I unwillingly move off my chair. Stands up and drag my feet to the door. As I am about to lay my hands on my doorknob, it smoothly turns and the door opens. I step back a bit to greet my brother who has his head low. I follow his gaze that is focused on his arm. He has a book on his left arm, he is so immersed in it that he continues to walk. I watch him as his back completely faces me. He walks while I shut the door behind me.

I remain at the door still watching him walking forward to my chair that I left in the open. I cheekily smile, “A few more steps and he would stumble on it.”

But then suddenly my eyes bug out as he makes a turn and plops his body on my bed still having his focus on what he is reading. He proudly commences, “Ha!”

I furrow my brows as he moves his attention to me—pointing his index finger at me like he is trying to prove a point. “You thought!”

I roll my eyes and make my way to my chair. I grab it forcefully that it scrapes my floor. “You were too focused on that book.” I adjust my chair and sit on it, facing my laptop and book again.

“Just,” he keeps it short.

I didn’t bother to ask any more questions and just focus on what’s in front of me but then he suddenly speaks again. “Remember that evening?”

I reply, “Yes, what’s with it?”

He closes his book and tosses it at the far end of my bed. I know he just did that considering the slapping sound the papers made and the solid collision of the mattress and the weight of the book. “Well, we’re currently studying Japanese. Even MJ is having private lessons for an hour and a half every day since then.”

The topic reminds me of what is ought to happen in the next few months. “I guessed.”

He continues, “Honestly, it’s hard. Especially without knowing the actual reason of being sent off to another country with only the three of us.”

I stand up from my chair, drag myself to my bed and plop down like a starfish. “But, as Pa said. We should trust him and Ma.”

He sighs, “I know but, wouldn’t it be better for us to know?”

I respond with the purpose of changing the subject, “But you know what’s better?”

He perplexedly answers, “What?”

With a cheeky smile rising from my lips, “Teasing you and your pronunciation!”

He grabs a pillow and throws it on my face that I fail to dodge. He defends himself with all his might literally throwing all of his main argument in one simple yet powerful punch of a sentence with the way he yells at me. While I on the other hand hugs the pillow he threw — laughing hysterically at his reaction. “I watch anime, moron! I know my Japanese!”

I remain to laugh at what he said and he adds, “Now I don’t even know why I decided to be here.”

I jump up off my bed, pointing my index finger at him, still holding onto the pillow, “Your fault!” I lean back like a catapult and launch the pillow right on his face. The pillow smashes with his face that he plops as a starfish on my bed that I start running away— cackling with fright for my life. With a lot of knowledge of how he would react, I run out of my room, slamming the door shut as I leave.

With an idea in mind, I run to the nearest bedroom. Which is the master’s bedroom. As soon as I open the door, I hear my brother screaming with trails of death for me, “Hillary! Come back here!”

I shut their door and lock it. The view that greets me is my Ma on the bed tucked in another the sheets and Pa who is only wearing his pajama shorts about to get in bed with Ma. “Hillary!”

Pa’s voice brings me in shock but I quickly tuck myself into their bed, moving close beside Ma who is still wearing pajamas. She opens her arms and I snuggle with her. In the sweetest way possible she asks me and speaks her mind, “What are you doing? Miguel sounds like he’s going to murder you.”

I chuckle, “Ma, why do you use words like that? Murder is scary but it sounds like a movie genre Mj would watch when you use it.”

She pinches my arm and laughs along with me. On the other hand, I didn’t see it coming or even heard it coming but the door is now open and there my brother Miguel is standing side by side by my father who is now holding a pillow that looks like it came from my room. Considering its pillowcase is in baby blue with splatters of paint.

I screech, “Ma!” and pull the sheets over me. Without knowing, my screech is the signal my brother and Pa have been waiting for because then they start to rain me with pillow slaps with my own pillows that they have, literally leaving Ma out of this. Though these are such a heavy beating I am receiving, our laughter currently resonates all over the room. Music to my ears.

After that long morning, Pa decided to have a short movie afternoon inside the parents’ room. We all went there after lunch and spent the whole afternoon just watching movies and sleeping. Since Kuya, I, and Mj did doze off after two movies considering that we often stay up late at night. Because ever since I started studying days and nights long, my brothers join me at bedtime in my room. Just listening to Mj talking about anime he watches and constant pillow fights, video games on my brothers’ play stations that they bring to my room just for the night, as well as being sardines when we all fall asleep on my bed sometimes.

That has been my day but right now, I am cleaning my room, organizing a few things that my brother jumbled this morning. “That’s why he took long before running after me. Such a dirty player.” After that, I leave my room and move to my parent’s room.

I knock on their door and Ma opens it. “Here, dear.” She hands me folded blankets and towels.

I flash her a smile, “Thanks, Ma.”

She returns the smile but, hers? Her smile resonates with all the warmth and comfort you need to ensure life still has wonders. “Enjoy this night, and kick their ass tomorrow!”

I chuckle at her words, “Who am I going to kick, Ma? My friends?”

I shake my head, “That’s not nice!”

She jokingly slaps my arm, “Silly!”

She leans down and gives my forehead a gentle peck. “I’ll try that again tomorrow. Enjoy your night, I love you.” She gestures me to shoo away as she cheekily smiles and closes the door.

I move back to my room when I instantly pick up that something is still missing. I forgot to set up an airbed. Putting down the blankets on my bed when I am taken aback by the ding dong of our doorbell. My eyes bug out, “They’re here!” I swiftly pull out the folded air-bed under my bed. As I unfold it, I don’t see the air pump anywhere. My whole body immediately slams on the floor and search under my bed. Both of my hands are working together to feel the air-pup but none of them can feel it. With not much time left, I drag myself under my bed searching for it.

“Hill, you friends are here!”

Coming out under my bed, my brother, Xystal, Abe, and Rust are all standing in the doorway with eyes rounded staring at me. But then, suddenly my left cheek feels wet. Due to sudden shock, I bump my head on my bed and Miguel comes running at me.

He squats down, “Hands.”

I pull to reach out my hands and he pulls me out. “Baka! Why were you under the bed?”

My friends come in closer. I quickly glance at them but my eyes landed straight on Zian who is being held by Rust. I sigh at the realization, “It was you, buddy.”

The dog barks and Abe speaks up, “I actually thought you were that monster under Hillary’s bed.”

Xystal slaps Abe on the back of his head, “She is Hillary.”

Abe answers as he rubs the hit, “That’s what I said!”

Xystal is about to open her mouth when Rust cuts in, “Okay, enough.”

Miguel also intervenes, “What were you doing there again?”

I scratch my head due to embarrassment, “Oh, I was looking for the air pump so I can inflate the airbed.”

“You mean this?” Rust raises his arm.

I question him, “Why do you have that?”

He points the air pump to my brother and shrugs, “He told me to hand it over to you when you start looking for it.”

I glare at Miguel who is now slowly making little movements ready to run off. “You!”

He starts running to the door and I follow. He leaves the room, running down the staircase shouting his kind of apology, “I knew you were having your friends over for the night and figured you’ll be using the air-bed we’ve been using!”

He runs to the dining area, “That’s why I hid it!”

We continue the chase all over the house and even manage to go around the lot until he opens the gates and runs off the street still having his huge laughing mouth over his face and his irritating and funny way of laughing blaring over the whole street. Though I feel like I should be irritated by this chase, I still find myself smiling. Knowing that this kind of days, we're like our old selves. Kids who only see the rainbow as a giant slide to play on.