Chapter 4: Eyes

I pull Jasper away from the doorway, my grip tightening to force him out of his livid trance. "Jasper, snap out of it! It's alright to be wrong. Let's just get out of here first!"

"What's wrong with him?!" Zephyr screamed. "Dude? Dude!" He slapped his face. It seemed to knock some sense into Jasper, as he turned to face Zephyr. The look he had on his face made Zephyr jump. He's just as pathetic as I was.

"Will ya' guys shut up? Am fuckin' cosplaying here!" A raspy voice from within the room yelled angrily. We all turned to the room, and saw the corpse sitting in its own pool of blood.

"Demonyo!" I screamed as loud as my throat would allow me.

"Yawa yan! Yawa, yawa!" Zephyr cried, shaking his head in disbelief.

Jasper hit both of our heads, saying, "It's just a dude! Grow up." He then turned to the boy, his face filled with the same pride he had worn over his face the entire day. "I knew it!"

The boy was african-american with red hair and green eyes who stood at about 6ft. I assumed he was the senior for the art club. He wiped away some fake blood on his eyes, and greeted us at the doorway. "And you three must be juniors wantin' ta be here for whatever kinky reason."

Jasper's eye twitched. I could see he wasn't a big fan of the boy. "Actually, it's just our friend Daze wanting to join. I'm not interested in a club full of pussies."

"Rude," I muttered under my breath. Did he really see me as someone so pathetic?

The boy turned his head toward me, scrutinizing my look with a brow raised. "You good at art?"

"It's a hobby I've had since I was 8 years old. I don't paint as much as often because money is tight."

"Welcome to the club, I guess," he wiped his blood tainted hand on his white t-shirt. He held out his hand. "The name's Caleb. Nice ta' meetcha, Daze."

I took his hand into mine. "Actually, it's pronounced as Daze."

"Dazai?" He questioned.

"No. Daze, as if it has a 'y' in the end."

"You japanese?"

"No… I'm half-filipino, actually."

"Oh. Sucks."

The both of us grew silent. It was getting awkward by the minute, and I didn't feel very compelled to incline.

"So," Zephyr hummed, "you married, Caleb?"

Caleb finally pulled away from the hand shake. I have never been more thankful to Zephyr in my entire life up until that very moment. I mouthed to him the words, "Thanks."

He returned me a wink with a shit-eating grin. I began to regret thanking him a moment after. He was going to use this moment against me for the next 3 years.

Caleb looked down to the ring on his ring finger, spinning it around his finger gently as he contemplated on what to say. "Just engaged."

"To who?" Zephyr mused. "Bet she's real pretty!"

"Not saying," he replied. "Get outta here. It's almost 6."

"Oh, shit!" I exclaimed, putting my hand to my forehead. "Mom's home in a minute! I'll see you guys tomorrow!" I rushed out of the school as fast as I could.

Somehow, I was dreading getting back home. What if mom was still mad? Would she be able to smile at me like any normal day? My head was wrapped around my anxiety, I didn't realize I arrived into an empty house. The lights were off, her shoes were missing, everything was as it were before I left this morning.

"Maybe she's working late," I tried to convince myself. I checked the time on my phone and it was already 6pm. Her shift ends at 5.

"Perhaps traffic is what's keeping her late!" I forced myself to laugh aloud. My throat was tightening. I stopped laughing and closed the door behind me. If I was going insane, I could keep my neighbors out of it.

I took off my shoes and left them at the doorway before setting my foot atop the wooden floor. Making my way to the kitchen, I dropped my bag near the end of the staircase. My head was spinning from hunger, so I made it a quest to find at least one snack.

Rummaging through the cupboards, I found nothing but utensils and kitchen equipment. My mother was always a fan of baking and cooking, often making us lavish meals after a hard week of school or work. I could really use a delicious cheese pizza by now. I ended up finding nothing in the cupboards.

Moving in the refrigerator, I found a few pieces of tortillas, chicken, and a few vegetables. "I could make Quesadillas with these," I muttered to myself as I rubbed my neck. I had a few recipes from the internet I saved, so I grabbed my phone and searched up the recipe in my notes app.

I wasn't a big fan of Quesadillas when I was younger. It was all thanks to a certain event in school while I lived in the Philippines, where the senior students would work to sell a few things and I found a stall where they sold the food. I tried it out—since I was craving vegetables—and have loved it ever since. It's been a while since I last ate it.

"Found it!" I cheered as soon as I found the file. I placed my phone down against a stand, and went on to prepare the meal. Everything was already washed, so all I had left to do was defrost the chicken. It took a few minutes so I decided to catch up on some exercises.

By the time the chicken defrosted, I was sweating balls. My shirt was drenched, and my muscles ached. It was a bad idea not to stretch. My body trembled as I sat on the floor.

"Why did I agree with myself to exercise?" I contemplated as I waited for my body to stop shaking. "Puting inasal…"

After a while, I decided to not be a pussy and stand up. My legs almost gave out due to how sudden I stood up. I turned to the ingredients and contemplated if I was still hungry. Fuck it, I was not dying from hunger today!

I then heated the tortillas. I realized I should've heated it while waiting for the chicken to defrost, and I felt like such an idiot. Is this the effect of being in a new environment?

While waiting, I decided to chat with the others for a bit. They seemed active and chaotic in the group chat.

Ilmestys ( NOT GODDESS!! ) :

> There are four types of hyenas. One of

them is called an Aardwolf and it is

SO adorbs!!

Jasper ( Druggie ) :

> werent u supposed 2 be studying

Ilmestys ( NOT GODDESS!! ) :

> I am studying :D

Jasper ( Druggie ) :

> but thats js random info

Ilmestys ( NOT GODDESS!! ) :

> I'm still studying!

Jasper ( Druggie ) :

> study about shit that actually

matter

Ilmestys ( NOT GODDESS!! ) :

> Okay, then. Did you know that stripped

hyenas—also known as hyena hyena—

are nearly threatened due to being hunted

and loss of habitat?

Jasper ( Druggie ) :

> still dont matter

Daze ( Me ) :

> Have you guys got home safely?

Ilmestys ( NOT GODDESS!! ) :

> Yep yep! Although Zeph hasn't gotten

online yet

Jasper ( Druggie ) :

> kinda weird tbh. he should be home

by now

Ilmestys ( NOT GODDESS!! ) :

> And how do you say so?

Jasper ( Druggie ) :

> he lives near daze. he told me

during class

Daze ( Me ) :

> Dang. I never thought he was someone

capable of being kidnapped.

Jasper ( Druggie ) :

> no way he got kidnapped. bros a

trained boxer

Daze ( Me ) :

> Bro would fumble against 4 enemies.

Jasper ( Druggie ) :

> fair he got sent to the clinic after YOU

punched HIM

Daze ( Me ) :

> Okay. Imma go make dinner. 😁🤙

Ilmestys ( NOT GODDESS!! ) :

> Eat well!!

I put my phone down after reading Ilmestys's message. I wasn't interested in anything that Jasper had to say. Now that I think about it, we basically formed our own friend group all because of Zephyr. I'd say I would be friendless without him.

I went on to make my Quesadillas. It was quick and easy to make. I cut the tortilla in half and went to my room to get started on revisions; picking up my bag on the end of the steps along the way.

My room was closest to the stairs, followed by my mother's on the opposite end. The last room in the hallway was my mother's study. It was always locked, which made me wonder what was inside.

I dropped my bag beside the chair and my plate of Quesadillas on my study table. I visited her room and study, just to make sure she wasn't there. To my discontent, she was not in either one of the rooms. Sighing, I returned to my room to review.

There was nothing much to review. Just a few history details, English grammar, and integers in math to keep in mind. Integers were slightly hard for me. I didn't understand a thing about it. I slam my forehead on the table, wracking my head for memories that state in any way the directions of how to solve integers.

Instead of reviewing, I ended up painting a cryptic picture of my mother. Halfway into finishing the painting, it was already 1 in the morning. Mother still hadn't returned. I wanted to wait for her, but my eyes screamed for rest.

I closed my door, turned off the lights, and hopped onto my bed with my phone in hand. I wanted to see if any of my friends were still online. Maybe some late night conversations?

Daze ( Me ) :

> Is Zephyr home?

I stared at my phone until I see Zephyr's name being updated to "typing" on the bottom of the screen.

Zephyr ( Red Blood Cell ! ) :

> Duuh. I aint no druggie who stays out

until dawn!

Daze ( Me ) :

> That's good.

Zephyr ( Red Blood Cell ! ) :

> Were u worried babee?

Daze ( Me ) :

> :sighing_daze:

Zephyr ( Red Blood Cell ! ) :

> :dancing_zephyr:

Ilmestys ( NOT GODDESS!! ) :

> Y'all ought to sleep. We still have

school tomorrow!!

Zephyr ( Red Blood Cell ! ) :

> You aint our mom!

Ilmestys ( NOT GODDESS!! ) :

> I'm the oldest, obviously I must

reprimand the young!

Jasper ( Druggie ) :

> why, pray tell, is the eldest also staying

up late?

Ilmestys ( NOT GODDESS!! ) :

> Goodnight!

I cackled. What a hypocrite Ilmestys turned out to be! I began typing, bidding Ilmestys to sleep well, until I heard stumbling from the front door.

"Mom?" I called out, hoping it was her and not some thief. I left my phone on the bed and made my way down stairs, flicking the stairway lights along the way.

"Mom? Is that you?" I called out again. I turned around the corner, and saw my mom with some man that I've never seen before. My mind went black from the sight. Is this where she had been the entire time? Fucking a stranger all day long?

"Kid, take your mom from me, will ya'? I have to get back home. My wife is waiting for me," the man pleaded.

I gave him a crooked grin, my brows furrowed. "So you fuck women while you have wife waiting at home? You're sick."

"What?" The man retorted with a frown.

I realized what I said and immediately blew it off as muttering. "It's nothing. I'll take her from here," I said as I looped her arm over my shoulder.

The man was weirded out by me—which was understandable—and left once I took my mother out of his hair. He didn't even say goodbye. He was rude, but was kind enough to close the door behind him. I watched the reflection of his car lights fade away until it disappeared completely, along with his disgusting existence.

I dragged my mother up the stairs. The lights illuminated the both of and his disheveled form came to light. Her face was red; indicating she had been taking in a large sum of alcohol in her system. Most of the buttons on her polo were undone, her clevage showing off.

"Baby," she moaned, lifting her head slightly. "When did we have stairs?" she giggled.

"Ever since we moved here," I replied, opening her bedroom door and guiding her to her bed.

"Aw," she hummed. She sat down on the bed and immediately fell on her side. "You're a sweetheart, baby. This is why I married you."

My breath was stuck in my throat. She always mistakes me as my father whenever she was drunk, this was no exception. It just caught me off guard because it had been a while since she last came home drunk. With a ragged breath, I sat down next to her bed, placing my hand on her cheek.

Her soft lullabies filled the room, as she stared at me under the dim lights. She reached her hand out and placed it on my cheek. I couldn't help but press my cheek against her palm to feel her warmth. I love you.

"The red tint of your eyes are beautiful. It's captivating. If only it were mine," she murmured, rubbing the underside of my eye.

My hands slipped from her wrist to her elbow as I push myself closer to her face. "Mom," I whispered. "My eyes are brown."