Chapter Ten

Mom and Dad are attending a party, a school batch exclusive. They said they might get home late and that I would be in charge of picking Evan up at his class. He is scheduled quite late today. I already finished my last class, and it's been half an hour since I started waiting outside their classroom door. Fortunately for me, and unfortunately for the kids inside, their classroom windows doesn't have a curtain. I get to peek at my little brother doing his math test. He's scratching his head in frustration. Dumb kid... Well I guess now I know it runs in our blood.

Their teacher saw me being creepy outside and he left the class to kick me out off the hallways. He said I was "distracting" the kids. A 5'10 lady standing behind their window with a disgust face, is just distracting? I was hoping to scare them so they'll screw up their tests. Then Evan would get the highest score because he's used to seeing me.

I stomped away from Evan's classroom and decided to just wait outside the elementary building. Outside there are benches and I sat in one of them while watching people pass and go. Some in a hurry, some walk in slow motion, and some are familiar...

A curly haired girl sat next to me. No need for introductions because I remember her. The tekken god! How could I forget?

"Waiting for your brother?" Chelsea asked.

"Yup." I responded. "They're taking a test right now so it looks like we'll have to wait longer."

I watch her sit beside me then she cleared her throat. "Great..." She bit her lip then seemingly look around then her eyes landed at the outdoor cafe inside the campus. "Say, wanna grab a drink? I-it's hot out here, I mean, you don't have to, b-but uh..."

"Okay."

"You're down?"

I nodded again. It's awkward sitting alone here anyway, and I don't have anything better to do but wait for my brother.

We moved to sit at one of the table of this stall selling milk teas with those slimy dark colored ball, I'm not sure what to call it, but it taste good with the milk tea. Chelsea ordered for the both of us since I'm not familiar with this stall's menu. They were fast with our orders, before I knew it we were sipping our drinks.

"My brother Tyrone he's... He's not doing so good." She said. "I always hear him crying on his room at night, he's lost a lot of weight too, a-and I just don't know what to do anymore."

"Why- What happened?" I asked confused. Last time I went to their house her brother looks okay. Or maybe not, I don't really know him that well.

"Our Dad hasn't come home for weeks, doing something... Even my mom doesn't know!" She shook her head then sighed. "And when he does come home, he's always drunk, then he'll fight with mom and it's starting to affect Tyrone. Sometimes, he just doesn't want to get out of his room. Doesn't want to eat, doesn't want to talk to me and mom..."

"I'm so sorry Chelsea." I caressed her back comforting her. We rarely encounter family problems, if we did, it's going to be something about financial problems. I don't know what I can do to make her feel better.

"Thanks... This is why I want to talk to you. I want to ask for your permission to borrow Evan for just a night."

"Borrow Evan...?" I tilted my head not really knowing what she means.

"Yes, this is all I could ever think of. My brother won't communicate with us, so I thought maybe his bestfriend could help him."

I have no problem giving away the rat for just a night. I'm sure he also wants to sleep over at his friend's house. He's a kid, every kids want sleep overs. My parents would not like the idea and maybe even prohibit him from going but no way am I going to make the rat suffer the same way I did way back when I was at his age. I have to sneak out at night. Did it in a hard way just to sleep over at my only friend's house.

Forgive me for being such a saint today, this is a sensitive topic.

Tyrone and Chelsea is going through some tough shit with their father. I can't imagine what they're feeling right now. My dad has been at my side since I was born without my permission. And I couldn't even comprehend what it must be like when he just suddenly stopped showing up at our lives.

"I'll make it work." I said, with a plan in mind.

Chelsea grabbed my hand, her whole face brightened a bit. It was better than what I was seeing a moment ago. "Thank you Ellie, you don't know how much this means to me."

I smiled then said it wasn't a big deal. I could take my parent's rage, if it means I'm helping another kid. I just, I feel like I should because in a way, he was like in the same situation as I was before. I feel for him, is all.

Chelsea already left by the time it hit four o'clock when Evan's batch started pouring out of their building. I guess she just came by hopping to meet me around, or Evan.

I saw the rat rushing towards me as he spotted me. He carried his suspiciously bulging backpack by his chubby arms and his lunch box swaying back and fort on his hand.

I feel like a mom today. I hate it.

"Ellie!" He shouted motioning for me to stand up and hurry. "Come on you slow ass!"

I dragged my feet to the car as my jumpy little brother followed behind me. By the looks of it, I think he already knows he's going to be sleeping over at his friend's house. He even brought a pillow and a blanket. He's freaking prepared.

"Excited?" I asked as I started the engine of the car. Good thing mom and dad brought the van with them, then we won't have to walk. I don't know why they don't want me to drive the van, is it too precious that they don't trust me driving it? Pfft...

"Yup! And I brought games for Ty," He opened his lunch box and I was amused to see that it was full of card games and those rectangular games thingy that you insert on a PSP. Aren't those old stuffs? I swear I played one of those gameboys when I was little. It's nostalgic looking at it now.

"But..." He pouted. "I can't bring Sergei with me. He'd be sad, and hungry."

"I don't care."

"Ellie..." He gave me a puppy look, no, he looks more like a rat than a puppy. He looks like that brown rat from ratatouille. "Pretty, pretty please...?"

"I'm not going to babysit a spider Evan. Can it gossip with me? Watch netflix and chill with me? Comfort me on my breakdowns? No."

"But it's only for one night!" He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and showed it to me while I was driving to Chelsea's house. I was glancing at the road then back at it again. I couldn't understand it, it looks like it's written in hieroglyphics or something. "Here, this is the schedule I wrote for you..."

I rolled my eyes as he tried to explain it all. Schedule for the darn spider, what the heck? He said I need to feed it worms at that exact time. Give it vitamins. Talk to it, because apparently, according to Evan, Sergei gets lonely when he doesn't have anyone to talk to. Well what an extrovert it is.

I parked the car infront of Chelsea's house. She's waiting outside then walked over to our car as she saw us pulling up.

"Get it?" Evan handed me the paper and I slipped it on my pocket.

"I'll try not to kill it."

"Him." He corrected me.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course... Now get your butt out of the car, don't keep your friend waiting." I unlocked the car's door but Evan stayed looking at me. "What?" I asked.

"Thanks sis, for letting me stay at Ty's." He quickly said blushing then pushed the door to greet Chelsea.

Well I'm glad he knows who to thank. I'm most definitely going to be bashed by my parents tomorrow. Going to be bombarded with questions when I go downstairs like a criminal being swarmed by reporters on her way to death row. But still, good cost. This is for good costs.

Chelsea lead him to her house and I did not left until they were safe inside. I do trust Chelsea very much, she's a good person who's willing to do anything for her little brother. Don't want to meddle in their family issues by prying further, but their dad is kind of a bastard for leaving his family without any say. Poor kid doesn't deserve that, no one does.

I got home. Mom and Dad are still away. Safe to say they wouldn't arrive until midnight because the lights on our porch is on. They already predicted I won't turn it on because I'm too lazy and our house is going to look haunted when they pull up.

I went inside and up stairs I go to take a quick shower. After that I'm just going to hibernate in my room until my alarm goes off to signal me to feed the spider.