You Came Along

Spring was just around the corner. And as far as I could remember, everyone was just all excited about the Spring Break, yes. Nothing more, nothing less. The never ending late-night parties, an endless supply of beers and boosts, or whatever they called those. It had been a habit of my brother, Nathan, to get his body all shaped up for this entire season just because. According to him, it adds more to his ‘Macho Image’, which didn’t make any sense to me at all.

To be quite frank, I never really did pay attention to anything Nathan says. He says I’m just going through a phase in life when I just wanted to be alone, and he was right. I did want to be alone. Ever since Dad came back home one night, in his favorite striped polo that was given to him by Mom for Christmas a few years back, black slacks and the very first pair of black leather shoes that we gave him for his birthday. He had nothing with him that night, just a frightened expression established on his face and beads of sweat flowing down from his forehead. He was in a hurry. He took out the suitcase that he and Mom would use every Summer when they’d just elope somewhere and leave us in the hands of our 54 year-old Grandmother. He’d filled it with his clothes, all of it. He took a few things with him, even his car. I saw his break lights flash as he backed up the driveway, I watched him as he disappeared into the darkness. And he never came back. The rest of that is history.

Ever since then, I started neglecting people. I had settled with the fact that my Father had gone to a far off place because he couldn’t take care of us, because he had no reason to take care of us. After all, Mom had passed away. Nathan tried hard to keep up with this behavior I had put out for the past two years. He tried to get me to go to parties, make friends and communicate. But in the end, he knew I wouldn’t do it—even if it costs him his life.

“You’re turning 18 in a few weeks Annie, will you just live a little?” Nathan exhaled, putting on his Leather jacket. He was going to a party again, just like he did the past few nights. His so-called “Jock buddies” are going to give him a surprise, he said. Not that I cared, I just thought it was only one of their pathetic excuse to get free beers from Nathan. Since he’d always to offer to buy. He’s just, too attached to them. I don’t even see a single reason why he should be.

He ran his comb through his hair, facing the mirror. “Come with me tonight. I’ll introduce you to some of my friends.” he offered, although it sounded more of like a command. I shook my head in response and continued to what I was about to do. “Please? Just this once. I promise, if you get bored I’ll let you go home.” he pleaded. It seemed like a nice deal but then I really wasn’t interested into coming to some boring old house party.

He flopped down the empty space next to me on the side of the bed, his head hung in defeat. “They have Tacos, c’mon Anne. You can’t say no to Tacos.” That’s when I just had to say yes.

“Alright, fine!” I snapped. “But! If I get bored, I head straight home.” He literally leaped off the bed and tackled me down with hug. He’d always do that way back when we were kids and I’d managed to please him, I’d always get tackled down with a hug in return. I hated getting tackled, but I loved it when does it since it reminded me of when we were kids and I felt happiness all the time.

Not like now. All I want to do and would do is to neglect people away, even if they tried hard to keep in touch. I’d be the one who’d just disappear in a flash. I’ve been living like this, and as far as I know, I feel contented. Being alone and independent, it makes me a much stronger person than I was before. It may seem stupid for some people, since people always need people around. Like the saying, “No man is an island”. Never did I believed in that saying. To me, it was just words. Nothing but hollow words.

That night Dad left would always come across in my dreams at night, like that time he said that he’d take care of us no matter what. That he loved us as much as Mom did and would do anything to protect us. But then shit does happen. Because in a span of 35 minutes and 48 seconds, he was gone in a heartbeat.

So I never believed in words too easily. I think that, before you speak or do something, you have to put your heart and soul into it. So it wouldn’t be just “words”. It would be more than that, and we’d know it. Because, us humans, have to ability to feel something through words. Words that meant something. Not just some empty words, or should I say, “lies”.

“It’s almost time, ya ready sis?” Nathan asked, as he took a step down the stairs. Just for tonight, I’d decided to go with my red plaid polo over a misfits tank top I got last Christmas as a gift for myself, and the gray pants I got from a thrift store a few months back. It was just a party and I never really did plan for it, so I’m going with my favorite pair of flip-flops.

“You’re really wearing your flip-flops?” he asked, puzzled. I nodded in reply. “You sure?” he asked again, hoping I’d change my mind and wear something more…I don’t know, appropriate for guys? Again, I nodded in reply. He sighed deeply in defeat and we headed out.

This was going to be a very long night.