Tyson
We are always having parties but tonight’s party is worth it. It is a special night. Today is November 19th and guess who was born on this night?
The Quads!
“Happy Birthday brother,” I scream at Ryan as I step out of my room, dressed up in my birthday special suits.
” Happy Birthday to us, man.” he smiles, pulling me to his shoulder and tapping on my back.
” Don’t you think mom should be here guys?” I ask as Daniel comes towards the hallway.
No one answers. It is much better having her away from New York. That’s when it wouldn’t hurt much for having her here and when her husband is no more.
” Happy Birthday to you, Tyson.” Daniel comes to hug me, but then turns away immediately he pulls out from the hug and said nothing to Ryan. Neither did Ryan say a word to him. Are they okay? It doesn’t seem like though.
” How is it going to be tonight?” I take out a cigarette from my pocket and light the tip. I always have cigarettes in any of my pockets.
” Well. Party. Party till dawn!” Ryan winks and slaps me softly on my chest before he turns to leave.
I stay a little longer at my spot, smoking the cigarette till nothing is left but ashes. It’s halfway gone when I remember Elena’s question about me smoking.
I recall my reply to her and smile. She’s one beautiful soul. Never thought the girl was this pretty. No, not her facial appearance but her heart and her soul. When she looked at me it felt like I could completely see through her like a translucent fabric.
Simple and cute. Is the only words I can use to describe what I have noticed for now. Yesterday when she kept staring at me, there were a few words that kept dancing in my heart.
I. AM. THANKFUL. THAT. I. HAVE. NEVER. TOUCHED. HER.
She’s too beautiful to harm, I should have known this a long time ago when my brothers were so eager to harm and mess her up.
Even though I didn’t touch her, I hate myself for not realising how cute she has been. I hate myself for not doing anything but watching my brothers mess her up.
Well I know it is in the past and I like that I have gotten the chance to do what I couldn’t do for her and with her. This ‘two weeks’ is my lucky chance.
The cigarette is all in ashes now, I let the ashes disappear to the ground and walk away. I can already hear the music, screaming and chanting from downstairs before I reach the staircase.
As usual, the entire seniors would show up for the night party. Everyone knows that November 19th is the Quad’s birthday, they save it in their head as though it is automatic.
I go to walk downstairs when I feel someone is missing. The entire living room is crowded with a lot of people, yet my heart feels someone is missing.
Wait.
Where is Elen? Doesn’t she know today is the Quads’ birthday? I question, raising my brow, maybe she’s still on her way, I thought.
” Hello, I hope you all are having fun. It’s the Quads’ birthday party and I want you guys to make it fun. Let’s make it remarkable!” Daniel shouts into the mic, causing the entire room to vibrate as they respond.
The living room is colourful. Our housemaid made sure it was the best design tonight. I finally come down the stairs, sauntering towards the couch where my brothers are sitting.
I take a seat quietly, crossing my leg as I watch the show go on. The party is already started, and I have been waiting for over thirty minutes to see if Elena would show up at the door because I have been constantly guarding the entrance with my eyes for the past thirty minutes.
I’m too impatient to continue sitting, I stand up immediately heading towards the door. No sign of her yet, and I can’t keep my mind focused without thinking of her.
Or maybe I can’t bear being without her for even a second. I have no idea how it all started, how I could barely breathe without her, but I think I love this feeling. Her soul is gradually capturing my heart bit by bit.
I battle with my mind and heart if I should text her or not. I guess my heart won. I pull out my phone from the inner pocket of my grey suit.
Tyson: Elen where are you?
I bite my lips if I should send it or not. Hoping it’s not too outspoken or seems like a tacky text. Anyway, I have to send it, so I click on send immediately.
I don’t want to be too anxious that’s why I pocket my phone. Instead of fidgeting on it, and expecting an instant reply.
So I get myself a little distracted by the crowd.
I’m expecting my phone to beep while I focus on the birthday wishes coming from people, the glasses of wine to make a toast and the hugs and the cheek kisses from the ladies.
I’m about to request another glass of wine when my phone vibrates in my pocket after twenty minutes of sending her the message.
I know it’s her so I don’t hold my breath.
Elena: Where I should be, of course.
I read, having to receive her message makes me smile alone.
Tyson: And where is that?
I type quickly, hoping she wouldn’t take another twenty minutes to reply to this one message.
I thank my star when her next message comes after two minutes.
Elena: The library.
What?! I yell out. If the music wasn’t loud someone would have suspected something was wrong.
Tyson: Jesus, Elen why the heck will you be in the library by this time? It’s late for god sake.
It’s as if I am screaming in my text. I know the school security guards are always active and they can permit a few students to be in the school until it is too late. Once it is 12pm they would be chased home. I look at my watch and it’s fucking 9 pm. It’s not safe for her to be there alone and the library is usually, Jesus.. all the time quiet.
God forbid, but if something should happen there nobody will know.
I don’t wait for her to reply anymore, I go inside and grab my keys. I run from the stairs towards the entrance till I reach a spot where I wasn’t hearing the loud music.
I dial her number, it’s ringing while I nervously play with the key in my hand. It rings for about three seconds before she picks.
” Elen, you know what? Don’t move. Stay where you are I am coming to meet you right now.” I don’t give her the freedom to speak, she just has to listen. I hear her sighing deeply when I make my final decision.
” It’s late. You don’t have to come, Tyson,” she argues softly.
” Elen listen to me. I would rather stop breathing than let you stay there all alone.” I reply in a tone of surprise and emotion.
” Shhh… Don’t say that,” she says after a short pause. I’m breathless when she stops me from saying the words ‘ stop breathing’
My lips go dry, and I gulp saliva down my throat but what I taste was the flavour of the cigarette, the flavour of her lips would have been a perfect preference.
” Then don’t stop me from coming to meet you Elen.” the words come out of my lips before I breathe. She goes silent and that’s how I know she wants me there.
I hang up the call and throw it back into my pocket. Pressing my keypad to spot my car immediately. The headlight shines as I begin to speed-walk towards it and hop into my car.
Driving out without informing my brothers. I don’t care about the party as long I’m going to be there with her.
I drove very fast that’s why I’m at the gate of my school at the moment. The security guards are at the gate so they stop me.
” What are you doing here by this time?” the security guard comes to the front of my car.
” Sir, I’m sorry I know I shouldn’t be here by this time but I have an urgent assignment I need to do but I don’t have the textbook. I need to use the one in the library, I hope you can help me out on this?” I request. I know it will be easy to get a pass if I use my name. We kind of own the school, but no. I chose to use the normal and appropriate way on this.
” That’s fine. You can get going.” He nods his head and opens the gate for me.
” Thank you.” I smile, as I don’t waste time driving speedily into the school premises and stopping at the park.
I jump out of my car, slam my door close and begin running towards the library. My suits flying up as I run.
I reach the library premises and it’s dark. Anger engulfs my chest and twists on it. Don’t tell me she is inside the library and covered in this darkness.
” Elen!” I shout her name when I’m close to the library door. She doesn’t reply, I reach the door and push it open.
She immediately points at me with a flashlight. ” It’s fucking dark, why did you choose to be here alone!” I almost yell out of anger because I was scared she was putting her life at risk.
” I had no choice. I need to read this philosophy and study what love is,” she mumbles. Her desk is full of books, I guess she has been digging into every book to find answers to the stupid assignment she was given.
” So you came?” she says and pauses. The kind of pause that made her stare at me for a little long while.
” What? I shouldn’t have come?” I ask her and take a step closer to her.
” No. Not that.” She doesn’t stare at me anymore, instead, she takes her eyes back to her books.
” Is just that..” she turns to say another word, but when she looks straight at my outfit there was a pause on her lips.
” Say it..” I tell her.
” That’s not important. Why are you all dressed in suits and these good-looking pairs of shoes?” her brow climbs up her face. Does she not know? I guess the assignment has taken complete hold of her mind.
” Elen it’s my birthday. The Quad’s birthday.” I say, it’s cute when I see the surprised reaction on her face.
” Jesus oh my God. How did I forget that?” she slaps her face, and I smile. If there will be anyone to blame, it will be her teacher. Who gave her such a huge task, making her seem as though she is losing her mind.
“I’m sorry. Happy Birthday, Tyson.” She throws herself into my arms and hugs me. With the hug, it feels like the heavens just open up, and I can see the stars dancing around us. I can suddenly feel a different heat, I have never felt before. Truly, we never realize how frozen we are until someone starts to melt our ice.
She pulls out of the hug. ” I’m pretty sure you all have a party tonight. Ryan didn’t even call to tell me, no one did,” she grumbles, then turns towards the desk, her eyes fixed on the textbooks.
” Sorry about that,” I tell her.
” You also shouldn’t be there. You ought to be with your brothers to celebrate your birthday.” she talks to the book, not staring at me as if she feels a little angry.
” I choose to spend my favourite night with you Elen. I was born on this night, it is special to me and I want to spend it with someone special. You Elen.” I lean into the wall so that I can face her. But her eyes seem to widen, from the side view.
” You are something else, Tyson.” her cheek flushed, and then she bubbles into laughter.
” I’m not joking, you might think so.” my words flow out of my mouth like a river with no boundaries between the tides.
She pauses and her cheek flushed nervously, ” it’s late I need to hurry up with this.” She says in a hustle.
I think she is nervous, or my words are too straightforward for her. So she turns to start reading the philosophy book.
I smile as I join her at the desk. ” What was the assignment again?” I ask her.
“What is love? Write an essay about love.” she stares at me but takes it back to the book after a few seconds.
” It’s stupid right?” she asks with irritation in her voice.
” Well, I think you might not get the answer from any of the textbooks. You have to find out what love is for yourself.” I say, and suddenly it is as if I had just thrown a bomb here. It went deafening silent.
” Can you stop your joke?” She bursts into laughter, and those beauties were vividly right in front of me.
This is all I needed. Having her close to me. The way she laughs had me thinking about the beautiful feelings during that moment she jumped into my arms.
I don’t say a word anymore, just stare at her as she flips the pages of the books.