After dinner, Solana headed to her bedroom, she switched off the lights.
The night sky, illuminated the room. Solana pushed the curtains aside and opened the window, she stretched her head out, admiring the full moon.
'Time has moved on, so have the years.
people, countries have changed.
Even the world.
But you,
Mr. Moon haven't.'
'Tonight, only you can accompany my lonely soul'
Snuggled, wrapping myself with the warm blanket. I tossed and turned, adjusting myself on the bed and closed my eyes.
Next minute, I turned again, lifted my head and punched the pillow.
Ahh, why can't I sleep? This bed is far softer than my old one. I don't get it... maybe I'm not used to such luxuries.
Glanced at the clock on the drawer. '9 pm'
Idly stared at the ceiling, my mind wandered.
All of a sudden, here I was, strangely holding him, gazing at him with a heated gaze. I locking my sight on this frivolous behaviour, was appalled. Wanted to flee, yet strangely for some reason, my legs, my hands defied my command. Out of control, out of impulse my body, boldly pushed him hard, pinning him to the wall.
Submissively moaned, to my attacks. Aware of the situation, I yelled 'Stop' a countless time in a second, falling on deaf ears; they continued defiling my purity. Like an animal, Ai feasted on him; licking and pecking his nape, all the way to his sharp jaw. A hand roamed, touching his shapely body, his pecs through his garment.
Resisting this feral desire was futile. As I breathed in our amorous scents and drowned in his deep, ocean eyes. Gently held his head; pulled him in, intertwining our tongues beneath our lips. Sending a tingle down my spine, I awakened.
With widened eyes, I squealed "Ah... Oh no!!" and sprang up, covering my red cheeks.
'What the heck?'
'Why did it have to be him?'
Intimate images of us, flashed through my mind. I sighed.
'Weird. My body is in love'
'I don't think, I can sleep anymore!'
'I need to distract myself'
Shaking the dream out of my head, I got up and sat on the desk. I placed my hands on the table, hummed to an ancient tune.
My fingers moved, gently tapping. Her hands glided to and fro, on the table. "la la la lah la la. la la la lah, la la"
===
At the other side of Boston,
In a small bar,
A boy with a guitar case strapped to his back, entered, pushing through the glass door, it chimed. He headed to the counter, a group of boys were talking and drinking beer. A guy glanced behind.
Brad said "Hey guys, look it's Aaron!"
The others also turned to meet him.
Timmy said "Hey where have you been? You totally ditched us last night?"
Aaron walked past them, he put his case down, leaned it against the edge of the table, he sat on the stool. He removed his hat and laid it on the table.
"Hey, Micky!"
The bartender said "Yeah" while he rubbed the mugs. "Get me something light... Oh, and with some ice"
Kevin probed him, he said "Where were you last night?"
Aaron said "It was an emergency, sorry guys."
Leon said "I hope you weren't fooling around with a girl?"
Aaron just grunted.
Kevin said "Leon, Aaron isn't the type to ditch work for a girl?"
Timmy said "Now that I think about it, does he have a girlfriend?"
The bartender passed a cocktail to Aaron.
Leon said "I don't think, I have ever seen him with a girl before. Aaron is such a loner!" "What do you think Brad?"
Brad said "Nope, If I remember correctly, he didn't have a date for prom."
Kevin was taking a sip of his beer. Suddenly, he spat his drink. "What? Really?"
Brad said "Yeah, it was not like there was no girl that liked him, he just rejected them all."
Kevin said "Hey dude, next time do us a favour and introduce us to some girls… I certainly don't want to stay a bachelor forever."
Aaron lightly punched Kevin on the face, he said "Find your own love dude, you will appreciate them more if you don't treat them like some kind of freebies"
Kevin said "Hey, stop ruining my hair, we have a show tonight!"
Aaron smirked, he rubbed Matt's copper hair, he said "Well, you can fix it again later."
The guys laughed; Aaron went back to his seat.
Timmy said "Aaron, why don't you date one of your fans?"
Aaron said "Work and love can't be mixed."
Kevin said "True"
Brad said "Yeah, we know that but from the hundreds of girls we met in college, there must be someone that catches your eyes!"
Aaron said "Not even one, they are all the same. Nothing but empty husks"
Leon said "Sorry but I am not buying that. Guys, I suspect he must be a gay"
Timmy said "Really?"
Aaron chuckled; he took a sip.
Aaron smiled, he said "If I was a gay, then I would probably be smooching you guys backstage?"
The guys laughed.
Kevin pushed back his glasses, he raised his voice "Alright guys, enough chit-chat, Aaron your absence last night, caused us to lose the gig. What are you going to do about it?"
Aaron said "No worries, I will handle that!"
Timmy said "Aaron, have you finished writing the new song?"
Aaron said "Not yet, I think by next week, it will be done"
Brad said "Well, then hurry up"
Aaron said "Yeah, if it was that easy!"
He gulped his drink down and slammed the glass mug on the table.
They picked their instrument bags and headed out. Aaron stayed back to pay the bill. He stood, adjusting the hat on his crown, hair peeked through the corners. He titled it down, shading his metallic eyes.
Under his hat, he smiled. Aaron pulled a girl's school ID from his pocket, he took a glance and put it back in. He walked through the door, under his breath, he said.
"Maybe, I should give her a chance…"
===
The next day,
Before sunrise, the alarm rang. I rolled, and fell out of the bed. "Ouch"
'What is that sound? Where is it coming from?' I groaned, my hand searched the table, and hit the clock. "Ouch"
I jumped, rubbing my hand. I slapped it down, but it still continued to ring. Irritated, I growled "Why can't this do-kicky just shut up?"
"Ahhh" I grabbed it; flung the clock outside.
'Thud'
Solana's father, who was outside, crossed the lawn and picked the newspaper.
"Why can't these newspapers boys deliver them to my door step? It's a good thing, I haven't turned the sprinklers on."
He heard a distant ringing, he looked around, an alarm clock fell and struck his neck, knocking him out cold. The alarm continued ringing.
I dusted my hands and stuck my nose in the air. Smugly said "Haha, take that you infernal thing. How dare you disturb my sleep?"
Just when I was about to step out, heard a faint ringing.
"That blast thing is still alive!" said and looked down. I gasped, as my pointed finger trembled in shock. 'How is that possible?'
I stuttered "Oh my gosh!... That wretched thing... It... killed my dad."
Rushed down in my nightgown. Barefoot, I ran on the moist grass and cried. Holding his back, I lifted his head.
"Dad, wake up?" shaking his body, showing no signs of waking up anytime soon.
Before I panicked even further, a thought entered my head. She knocked her head. "You. Big dummy! Remember the basic medical procedures.'
I leaned over and checked his pulse. Thank God, he is still breathing. He is alive.
Now, what should I do?
There might be something inside. Should I carry him in? but he is too heavy!'
An idea popped into my brain, saw a man jogging across the street, I shouted, "Hey, mister!" waving my hands to him.
The dark-skinned man stopped in his tracks, jogging on one spot. He said "Hey, what's wrong?"
"Come here. Please, I need your help!"
From far, he said "Oh you must be Mr. Van Gogh's daughter. What seems to be the problem?"
I calmly said, "Yes, I'm his daughter, Solana. Oh... Please, forgive me of my blatant disrespect. What is your good name, Sir?" giving him a slight bow.
The man stroked his unkept, grey beard, he chuckled. He said "My name is John Coleman... go easy with the Sir"
"Mr. Coleman, can you help me carry my dad in?"
He exclaimed "Woah, what happen here?"
"It's my fault, he got hit on his neck."
Mr. Coleman said "What exactly hit him?" while he examined Solana's father, Mr. Henry Van Gogh.
Embarrassed, I avoided his gaze, pointing to the alarm clock a meter away.
"Oh" said Mr. Coleman, holding back his laugh.
He lifted my father off the ground, dragging his feet, he said "Solana, can carry his feet?"
They carried Henry and laid him on the couch.
'Owh' Mr. Coleman stretched and patted his back.
"Looks like my back isn't like it used to be?" he said, and dryly laughed.
Mr. Coleman said "Do you have any of those first aid kit somewhere?"
"Oh" said, with a hand on my forehead. 'Wait, what's that?'
While thinking, an image popped in my mind.
Following my intuition; I went to the kitchen. And pulled out a first aid box from one of the top cabinets.
"You mean this?" I asked Mr. Coleman, showing him the box.
Ten minutes later, I covered my father with a blanket.
Mr. Coleman said "It is a good thing I picked up something from my old man, he was a doctor"
"Wow" replied.
Walking him to the door, Mr. Coleman said "Don't you have school today?"
"School?" I repeated, slightly tilted my head in bewilderment and said "Yeah… I guess"
Mr. Coleman said "Ok, I better get going otherwise, I will miss breakfast." "Bye, Solana"
With a wide smile, I said "Goodbye, Mr. Coleman and thanks for your help "
I closed the door and went to the kitchen, to prepared breakfast.
Thirty minutes have passed, I laid the table with a rustic portuguese breakfast.
The smell floated to the living room, Solana's father still asleep. Getting a whiff of it. Feeling hungry, he rubbed his eyes awake and pushed the blanket away. Rubbed his sore neck, as he lumbered to the kitchen.
He gasped, as he laid his eyes on the dining table, then to Solana, who was busy preparing tea.
Without looking back, I said "Dad, Would you like your tea with honey or sugar?"
Dad blinked, with his mouth agape. "... Sugar is fine. Dear"
I poured him a cup, said "I hope you like mint tea. I have added a hint of lime."
Henry brought the cup close to his face, he sniffed. He blew it, taking a sip.
"Solana, it's lovely" He said.
I smiled, said "I'm glad"
I served him, and seated myself across the table.
While we were eating, he tapped the table, said "Solana dear, when did you learn to cook?"
"Ugh... recently"
"Oh"
Henry probed his daughter, he said "Really, when did you start cook? Normally, you would let me do all the cooking."
Internally panicked, 'I didn't know the previous Solana couldn't cook. It's not my fault... looks like I have to lie my way out... think Solana think'
Unfazed, I calmly answered "Whenever you were away... I kinda taught myself how to cook whenever you were away."
He said "Why?"
I internally debated. 'I can't let him find out. I have to talk like the actual Solana but If I do, I will probably hurt Daddy and I don't want to hurt him'
"I learnt to cook secretly because you seemed so busy, I wanted to help you with the cooking at least. And also, prepare myself for college lifestyle"
His face softened, said "Oh, that's so sweet of you... my baby is finally growing up"
He sighed, looking at her melancholically. Henry mumbled to himself, "Soon she will be gone!"
"What did you say, Dad?" "Nothing" He said, rubbing the same spot, where the clock hit his neck.
He said "Ouch, my neck is killing me."
Elegantly chewed my food, acting dumb, I said "You better start taking good care of yourself, Dad"
"I remember, I was outside, how did I end up on the sofa?" He said to himself.
"Ugh… You… somehow fainted, Mr. Coleman helped me to carry you inside"
"Oh really, then I better invite him and his family for dinner, tonight." He said, carrying the dishes to the sink.
In my bedroom,
After dressing up, I searched my brain, 'Oh I see, so I have to pack my bag accordingly to the school timetable.'
I unloaded and filled it with the correct books. And headed downstairs, wearing my school uniform. I brisked outside. Dad honked his horn, I quickened my pace and got into the car.
On the way, Dad said "Let me check if there is anything on the radio!"
He switched it on, he adjusted the frequency and increased the volume. The song played.
'Tonight's the night when we forget about the deadlines
It's time, oh-oh
I don't know about you
But I'm feeling 22
Everything will be alright if
You keep me next to you
You don't know about me
But I'll bet you want to
Everything will be alright if
I said "Dad, what is that? Who is the singer?" while the song played in the background.
'We just keep dancing like we're 22, 22
It seems like one of those nights
This place is too crowded
Too many cool kids'
He said "I guess, she is Taylor Swift... I'm not sure but shouldn't you know. From what I know the youth, especially teenagers love pop music."
"Taylor Swift" I repeated, mentally noted her name down.
Henry changed the channel, a smooth sound of the trumpet and saxophone played along with the light keys of the piano, on the radio.
"Dad, what's that?"
Henry said "Jazz music"
I closed her eyes, savouring the music, as I tapped my foot to the slow beat; the piano increased its tempo.
"Dad, I think I prefer jazz it's so peaceful and meaningful. I can feel it, his sadness, his confusion"
"Wow, you could feel all of that." Henry said, surprised.
"Me too, you should try your mother's music. It's crazy. Haha" Henry said.
My eyes lit up, I said "Really? Dad, can you show me?"
"Sure, there must be an old tape lying somewhere in the garage or the attic."
Just as he said that, the car slowed and parked in front of my school.
He said "Well, then we are here" he suddenly, pecked my cheek and opened my door.
Brightly smiled, and closed the door behind. And said "Bye, Dad"
Dad said through the window. "Bye, Solana have a good day" He took a U-turn and drove away.
"So, this is a school" I saw the students entering the school campus.
Before I took another step, "Yo girl, move away! Girl, move away"
'crash'
We both fell, crashing against the grass. I fainted, as my forehead winched in pain.