She was crying. Her child’s picture was above the coffin. She was smiling genuinely in that picture. I never thought that I will see that smile here, in her funeral. I smiled at her one last time before I left.
*Flashback*
It was five in the morning, after preparing for school; I decided to go to the near convenience store at my apartment. My parents abandoned me when I was a baby, they left me at the entrance door of some stranger, but that stranger is a loving woman, her name is Aunt Tina. She was at her thirties that time and was a widow, she had a child but she said that she lost her child. According to her story, at first she brought me to the police station and report that someone left a little baby boy in front of her door. The police took an action to find where my parents are but they failed to their mission. To make the story short, Aunt Tina adopted me. But we live separately for now as our house is far to the University that I’m studying at.
I pushed the door of the store. While I was looking for an instant breakfast meal, my attention was caught with a teenage girl whom I supposed was the same as my age, she was wearing a black hoodie and black hat. She seems uneasy with her surroundings, she was looking side to side but what I did not expect was when she swiftly grabs chocolates and some chips. I did not hesitate; I immediately walked towards her direction. Surprised and anxious was evident on her facial expression. I did not talked instead I hold her right arm and walked in front of the counter.
“Take out all of it”, I said referring to the foods she hides inside her shirt. Her eyes were wide-opened but she got what I was saying, so she followed what I said.
I get my wallet in my pocket and paid for her foods, I also brought a breakfast meal for the two of us. She was just following me while I walked at the table outside the store. I opened her breakfast meal and gave it to her. I know that she was uncomfortable as she was just looking at the table, bowing her head.
“Eat”, I told her.
Minute had passed when she decided to take my offer, maybe she was that hungry.
“Where are your parents?”, I asked her. I know that it was rude to ask such personal question but I got curious and it comes to my mind that I was probably like her if Aunt Tina did not adopted me.
She just looked at me, and then started to eat again. Of course, she will not talk to just some random guy. I was just observing her when she suddenly stand up and just walked away from me, yeah just like that she just walked away but anyway, I’m not mad at her maybe… she’s just shy? I don’t know.
I started to walk to my school too before I will be late for my first class.
Two weeks had passed, I saw her again…
I was walking on my way home at my apartment and I noticed a bunch of bad guys who was scorning her. I hated the view so I intruded on their little game. I kicked the first guy and then I punched the other and grab her arms to run.
We were chasing our breath when we finally lost the bad guys.
“Who are they?”, I asked her
“Why are you always interfering with my life? Don’t you have yours?”, she answered which I didn’t expect
“Wait, what?! I saved you to those guys and you’re not just going to say even a single ‘thank you’ huh?”, I yelled
“Who said that I need your help?! Psh”, and then she walked away again like she did last time…
I don’t get that girl but in some ways… In some ways, I’m curious about her life…
Saturday…
I usually jog every morning when it is weekend because these days were my only free time as I do not have a class. I locked my apartment’s door and start to jog outside through the stairs. The sun shines brightly, after I jog for almost an hour I ran back way to my apartment but I noticed the same girl that I saw here in the same convenience store near at my apartment. She was eating an instant noodle and after she finished eating, she just randomly stares at nowhere. She seems bothered every time I see her, she looks… she looks neglected or maybe she ran away from their home.
But why? Why my heart aches whenever I see her looking like that? Do I pity her? Do I?
“Hey”, I greeted her
She instantly stood up when she saw me, showing that she doesn’t like to interact with me.
“Hey, wait up”, I ran towards her
“That was rude”, I said to her when I easily pace up with her rapid walks
“Well, I am rude”, she said looking fiercely at me
“So… did you eat already?”, I asked her just to make the conversation long and obviously, I saw her ate earlier
“Hhmm, I’m sure that you saw me ate my breakfast already, so why are you asking, JERK?”, she said like I was stupid
“That’s not a breakfast, you moron! Come with me”, and just like that I grab her arms and make way to my apartment
She struggled on our way but stop when we are inside of my apartment. She observed her surroundings like an innocent child and I did not notice that I’m smiling while looking at her. This girl, I don’t know why I care for this girl…
“Hey, just feel at home alright? Sit there and wait for me”, I said calmly pertaining to the sofa at the living room
She just nod and that was a progress, isn’t?
I prepared two bowls of yogurt with granola, strawberries and blueberries. I walked to the living room and saw her looking at the picture on the side table; it was me and Aunt Tina.
“That was me and my Aunt Tina”, I said making her jump a little out of surprise
I gave her the bowl and said to eat.
“Aunt?”, she asked
“Yep, I considered her as my mom but prefer calling her ‘Aunt’, she adopted me”, I told her
“I hope I was an adopted child too…”, she said looking hurt
“Why? Are you an orphan?”, I carefully asked
“Well, I guess… I am homeless”, she said that changing her expression into a blunt face
“How did you survive then?”
“I have numerous job you know…”, she said and that made me shut my mouth, don’t want to ask about her “numerous job”. I am not judging her alright? I saw her twice in the street doing that kind of “job”. I can’t blame her though, life was too tough, isn’t?
“Uh… you know what, if you want okay? This is a clean offer, huh? I have two bedrooms here in my apartment, you can sleep here.”,
“No, thanks, I can handle myself”, she said
That was our last conversation and one month had passed but I never saw her again…
Until one rainy night, someone ring the doorbell of my apartment… I opened the door and saw the girl again, she was soaking wet with bruises in her arms and legs and the blood in her eyebrows made me panicked. I made her sit to the sofa and ran to my bedroom to get a clean towel for her. I soaked the towel with warm water in the bowl and wiped her carefully. I disinfect all her wounds with cotton and alcohol and put an ointment. I changed her clothes with my big shirt and boxer short; I closed my eyes while changing her. She was just asleep and looks fragile… what happened to her? Who made this to her? I carried her upstairs, in the guestroom, for her to sleep comfortably.
On the next day, I’m in the kitchen, cooking porridge for her. When the porridge was cooked, I put it on the tray and I put a glass of water too. I walked upstairs but she’s still asleep, so I just put the tray on the side table. I sit on side of the bed, intently looking at her angelic face. She looks innocent when asleep despite the bruise on her face. And then, I realized that I still do not know her name, haist what an amateur.
She slowly opened her eyes, looking in pain. She looks at me…
But I did not expect what happened next…
She hugged me and then she cried endlessly, she is breaking down…
I hate seeing her like this, I want to ask her but I chose not and let her cry on my shoulders…
When she stopped crying, I said that she needed to eat to gain her strength again but she refuses to eat. She just stares at the door of this guestroom, maybe something or someone was bothering her. I put the back of my hand to her forehead, checking her temperature; she’s still hot maybe because of the bruises and pain of her body.
“Hey, you need to eat…”, I insisted again and get the bowl of porridge. I hold the spoon and put it in front of her mouth. She just looked at it and then she looks at me.
“C’mon, young woman”, I said and then she eat after so many years, just kidding.
~phone rings~
I get my phone inside my pocket and saw Aunt Tina’s name on the screen. I answered the call.
“Hey, aunt, zup? Any problem there?”, I greeted
“Nothing, I just miss my baby boy hahahah”, she joked again, aish
“Aunt, I told you that I’m an adult now”, I complained
“Okay, old man, so what’re you up to this day huh?”
“Well, uhm…”, I looked at the girl while she eats
“Nothing, of course, just doing some… stuffs”, I said
“Oh, so do you mind if I bother you for a while?”, she asked
“What is it, Aunt?”
“Can you open the door for me?”, she asked that made me confused
“Huh? Pardon, please?”
“I asked if you could open the door of your apartment for me. I’m at your apartment, obviously”, she explained that made my eye balls out of its socket
“What?!”, I immediately ran downstairs and opened the door, and I’m telling you that she’s not jokingggg
“Hello, my babyyyy”, she pinched both my cheeks right away, hhaayy even though we lived for years, I’m still not used to her teasing side
“Aunt, stop it”, I said in a calm manner
“Why? Did you not miss your Aunt? Anyways, since I miss you I will sleep here for days alright?”
Oh crap, I suddenly remember the girl in the guestroom
“Uh, Aunt, I miss you too but is it necessary that you’ll sleep here for days? Can’t you just you know, uh visit me? I guess…”, I carefully said to not sound suspicious
“Why? Are you hiding something? Or maybe… you’re hiding someone? Who is it huh?”, then she looked at the guestroom and move her feet at the stairs as fast as she can so I cannot stop her. I ran towards at the door before her and blocked the door… but she pushed me aside which I did not expect that my Aunt is still strong, argh, I’m going crazy right now. I’m doomed.
She opened the door and saw the girl who sleeps peacefully again at the bed. And then, I looked at my Aunt who stopped talking and just looking at the girl.
Aunt Tina looked at me and asked, “Who is she?”
“Well, uh, she got bruises all over her body so I uuhh I took care of her?”,
On the next day, the girl recovered than yesterday and my Aunt slept at my bedroom while I slept on the sofa. And I saw my Aunt cooking breakfast for us in the kitchen. I just sit at the chair and watching her while she just smiles and when she finished cooking she asked me to call the girl and eat and so I did.
We ate together, I felt complete…
“Are you alright now?”, my Aunt asked the girl and she just nod
“Hhmm, thank you for taking care of me”, she politely said to me and I just smiled
And then, she looked at my Aunt and said, “Thank you”, with teary-eyed… I don’t know why she get emotional maybe because of her body pain?
“What’s your name, hija?”, my Aunt asked again
“Bella”, she said
~Present Day~
My Aunt and I were at Bella’s funeral…
The police called the telephone in our apartment the day after Bella left and told us if we know ‘Bella Anderson’ which made my Aunt grab the phone
“Anderson? Her surname is Anderson? What is her birthday? Did she have a family?”, she asked continuously and then I realized that my Aunt’s surname is ‘Anderson’, the surname of her late husband.
“Bella Anderson got shot by the head, ma’am”, that was the police’s last words when my Aunt cried on her knees…
Nice story