"Huh? You're moving out already?"
William carried a heavy box in his hands as he turns to face the young three idiots standing there and watching. "Yeah. Didn't I tell everyone at the table that the other day?" He said with no amusement. "Can't remember anything." "Me too." The twins said to one another.
"Well, where are you going to stay now?" Colleen asked, "Apartment." "Pfft. As if you have a job to pay for that." William's eyes twitched. Boy, he really do have such dumbass siblings, do he? "Because I do have a job. You're just jealous because you can't start your band here at the garage, Colleen. Now, if you guys have no interest in helping me, I suggest you to scram and mind ya' own businessess. "
Still, the watched by the door as William packed his things. He was in college now and has decided to start his own life all by his own and stays at an .
apartment near where he was studying. "We don't remember agreeing to your decision." Colleen said, "Why do I need your permission? Are you my provider?" William bites back with a forced grin.
"Besides, I'm older. You can't tell me what to do." He said again. "Yeah... Older and stupid. I bet you'll grow bald too like every old man." The twins threw glances with each other and tried not to laugh as they watch the fight unravel with corny jokes. It's not like they could stop 'em anyway. "Shut up, cornheads! I will not get bald. I'm too handsome for that." The twins laughed again. This guy was full of self–pride. He turned his head back and continued packing, trying to distract himself from them.
"Does that mean that we can go here now anytime we want?" Mark asked which makes the old boy glare back at him, "No. None of you will go here. It's my room no matter what."
"Come on, bro! At least give us some of your own damn treasures to keep before you leave permanently..." Maurie butted in which earned an agreeing nod from Colleen and Mark. "The only thing you guys would get from me is getting knocked on the head..."
"Tch... You're such a mean brat." Colleen mumbled quietly. "What did you say?" "I said I'll miss you a lot!" He frowned more but still continues to pack. Seemingly eager to leave than to stay with bunch of little shits with brains so small you might mistook it for a chewing gum. "Anyway, I'll leave tomorrow so you guys go shoo while I did my thing. Am I an actor for having audiences while I pack?" The three of them cringed and immediately scurried away, "Whatever, you're not that interesting to watch anyway." "As if you're any better!"
****
"Eh? Your brother is now moving away?" James asked in surprise as he took a bite of the orange that he and Mark had secretly picked from the neighbour's orange tree. "I heard that he was really smart." Ume piped in and Maurie nodded, "Mhm! He's always winning spelling bees and math contests ever since fourth grade, y'know?"
"Eehh... How lucky he is. I'm sure he goes to a great university now." Maurie nodded at Ume's words as she ate an orange. James then asked—"Hey, Maurie. Where's Opal and your brother?" She then pointed to a distance where you can see a boy hanging and dangling on a tree happily while the other one is sketching underneath. "Having their own world." She said casually and James sighed. "It's like they're trying to recreate the first scene of Alive in Wonderland..." Ume said quietly as she stiffled a laugh.
"I'm gonna go and fetch Mark." He said as he stand and walked towards them. "Go fetch Opal too! She's been unusually quiet."
James walked through the soft grass, getting closer to the tree where the other two was hanging around with each other. Mark saw him first and hanged unto the tree to greet him, "Yo, James! Whatcha doing here?" Opal turned after, seemingly surprised to see him, "Gah!? Why are you here!?"
"I was supposed to ask that. Why are you guys here?" He asked while he crossed his arms and stared at the two of them. "Well, I saw this tree and it looks like it's great to–" "Don't bother talking, Mark. I already know why you're here..." Mark grinned happily and goes back to what he was doing—dangling happily like a wild animal which makes James sigh again. "Now? Why are you here, Opal?" And what's with the sketching? You're never interested in drawing." She frozen like she's been caught red-handed. She tried to speak but no words came out. Not even a breath.
"She was sketching a design." Mark immediately said. "But why did she have to do it here, then?" Opal still didn't said anything. Too embarrassed to say anything at all, "She was just shy." Mark spoke again. "I am not, Mark! What the heck are ya talking about..." Still, she hid her notebook besides her before turning to face James while Mark whispered to himself about how she's just proving his point. "Well, Your friends are worried about ya. Go ahead and go to them, will you?"
She frowned at him but did go and walked away towards the girls who were watching them. "Soooo? What are you doing?" Maurie asked to Opal. "Nothing much. I'm just actually chilling there! Let's go back to what you two were doing!"
Meanwhile, the two boys were left behind. James stared at them as if lost in thoughts before Mark speak in a teasing voice, "Ooooh... You're in love!" James immediately became flustered and turned his head away, "What the fuck are you talking about!? I am not!" "Then why is your face red as hell?"
"It is NOT!!!" He yelled in embarrassment which makes Mark more amused. "Don't forget to invite me to your wedding someday!" God, this boy is so annoying. No matter how much he deny, he won't listen. "So, which one of them caught your eyes? Hm?" James grunted and looked away towards the big field. "Who says they're my type. They're not even close to it..."
"Oh? What's your type then?" James choked. "Why are you even asking that!? I'm just fourteen, mate." "Oh come on! It's not like you haven't dated yet! Just tell me!" James thunk about it. Should he? No. Mark has a loud mouth, for sure he would see him in just a day diddly daddling about James's type on girls. "I won't tell anyone, don't worry!" Shit, it's like he reads what's on his mind. Ah, classic Mark. "Ugh...Fine! Just don't tell anyone! Not even a deaf person, okay!?" Mark nodded eagerly like a dog wagging its tail.
"..."
"So? What's your type?"
"...Someone pretty... And bright..." James confessed. Quiet and hesitant. "...Is that all?" Markl asked. James nodded shyly as he rest his head to his arm while sitting underneath the tree that Mark was dangling to. "Man, that's pretty vague, y'know? Tell more! Almost everyone is like that."
"...ugh! It's not that easy! I can't explain it! How about you, huh!? What's your type then!"
"..."
Mark got quiet and James notices this. Curiously, he raised his head up and turned around. "Mark? Why did you suddenly got–" James paused in surprise. Not only did he got quiet, but his cheek is also all red as he bit his lower lip as if trying to speak but couldn't. "Oh." James let out. "Oh!"
He realises what's that look means. Mark got a crush but didn't dare to tell who. His face was adorable. Almost. But it was absolutely hilarious for James to see this reckless kid got all bashful and quiet just because he have a crush. "Ooh! Tell me who it is."
"S...S-shut up! It's no one! No one at all!" James laughed out loud. Louder than before. Oh, how the tables had turned. This was a wonderful discovery, Mark having a huge crush to someone that's probably in their school. And based on his expression, he might've probably liked them for a while. "That ain't fair. I told you what's my type and you're not even going to tell me anything?" "I told you it's no one!"
"Liar liar, pants on fire." He said teasingly which makes Mark even more redder than before, "So, does she have a beautiful eyes? Long hair? What colour? Black?" He asked again and again and judging on the other's expression again or how he turned more red, he was probably right.
"Come on! You're so obvious! Tell me who is it, will ya?" He said while laughing. Boy, this is really fun. "I told you it's no one!!!" Mark jumped down from the tree then ran away towards where his sister and her friends is. Trying to hide away with the help of them and that just makes James even more amused. "Man, who would've thought that he can also fall in love?" He said to himself as he watch the boy scurried away.
Just then, just in a second. James immediately stopped and turned to the fields again. He looks for something or rather someone... What is going on? "James!!!" His friends called him over, he turned his head to them and saw them waving and smiling. And of course, Mark looking away. He turned back to the fields before saying, "Weird... Must've probably my imagination." And then went to run back towards his friends who were waiting for him. It was probably nothing.
Right?