*PRESENTLY*
"Sis Olivia!"
"Big sis!!"
Her twin siblings loud voices snapped Olivia out of her thoughts. She gazed with hazy eyes at them and knelt down to their eye level.
"You both know I love you both very much, right?" She asked,not knowing herself why she asked that question.
The twins facial expressions showed that they were perplexed at being asked a question that could be likened to being asked if one loved to eat! Of course they knew their big sis loved them... very much.
"Yes" They nodded repeatedly.
"I love you too" Maya said and took a step forward and covered her small arms around Olivia with a tight hug.
Jerry squeezed his cute face, looking like someone who was left out. He also wanted a hug. Why does Maya get a hug and he doesn't? His eyes were becoming teary when he saw his big sis' hand stretched out to him, inviting him to join the hug's club. He proudly accepted the invitation and in one mighty jump, flung himself on Olivia but unfortunately for him, in the process, he accidentally stepped on Maya's foot. And of course, Maya would have none of it from her brother.
" Watch it, Jerry. You stepped on my foot!!" She yelled, still not letting go of the hug which she was clearly enjoying. Jerry ignored her and tried to concentrate on a girl who had just caught his attention across the park. She sat on a bench and was alone, seemingly staring at passersby and would flinch if it seemed like someone was coming close to her. Her black short hair danced along with the wind. Her nose—
"Ahhh!!! Stop squishing me!! " Maya's auto tone voice jolted him back to the current situation which he wasn't liking one bit.
" Hey, you're the one who's squishing me!" Jerry shot back.
" You—"
" Let's go home ".
It seemed the whole world suddenly came to a standstill as the twins stared wide-eyed at their older sister, slowly backing away from the hug, checking to see if she was joking. But their sister's poker face gave way. She wasn't joking.
"But you sai—"
"Shhhh... Enough. We're going home and that's it." Olivia cut off their protests, leaving no room for any further questions.. Well, her purse was running dry... and fast. Seeing her sister and brother's disappointed and sad expression implanted on their faces, she heaved a deep sigh. It was really going to be a long day.
" Don't be sad, Okay? We will come back soon, I promise." Olivia said softly and ruffled their hair, hoping to pacify them.
" You promise?" Maya asked, her eyes slightly widened and her head tilted to one side, a gesture that made Olivia's heart melt instantly.
" Yes, cutie pie. I promise" She said with a reassuring smile.
" Cutie pie? " Maya asked, her head still tilted to one side.
" Yeah"
" What is cutie pie?"
Olivia laughed.
"Umm.. well" Olivia cleared her throat. " Cutie pie is someone who is very cuteeee" She said stressing the last syllable. "And someone who's adorable, sweet and pretty like my little sister!" She playfully pinched Maya's nose after her explanation.
"Ohhh, can you call me cutie pie from on? Please, please, please? Hmm?" Maya clasped her hands together, as she begged her big sis.
" Cutie pie it is! " Olivia answered with a heartwarming laughter.
" Yay!! I'm cutie pie! Jerry, do you hear that? My name is cutie pie. Call me cutie pie from now on, Okay? Hmm?" Maya roughly tugged at her brother's sleeve, shaking him for a positive response.
" Aish!! Stop being so rough with me!! Are you even a girl at all? Who cares if your name is cutie pie or not?!" Jerry yell-whispered, shaking his hand off his sister's grip.
" Huh? Who doesn't care if her name is cutie pie? Look, watch this. " Olivia stood up from her squatting position and cleared her throat. Oh Lord, help her for she was about to lose her voice for her sister's sake.
" Ladies and gentlemen" She started, yelling as loudly as her voice could allow. " Please kindly let me introduce to you the most beautiful, sweetest, cutest, amazing, wonderful and kindest little sister in the whole wide world!! I'm telling you guys, she's one in a million!! My sweet sister here, Cutie pieeee!!! " Olivia made a hand gesture to her sister to let people know she was the one she was talking about. She was panting so hard after yelling so loud that her chest was heaving up and down. Gosh, so much for pleasing her siblings! Her eyes met with that of her brother's who was staring at her in awe. He probably wasn't expecting that of her.
Olivia awkwardly smiled and yelled for all she was worth "And of course the most awesome, coolest, bravest, wonderful and cutest brother in the world, Jerrryyyyyy!!!" She said, also making a hand gesture towards her brother. By now, Olivia was a panting mess and she couldn't help but slump to the Park's playground, grinning sheepishly at her twin siblings who were awe-striken at the maddening display she just performed. Well, it was a good performance anyways. Hehehe.
There was a loud silence which suddenly engulfed the always noisy and buoyant park. There was an elephant in the room.
People around stopped to give them odd looks, particularly Olivia, wondering if they needed to call the cops and the mental hospital at the same time. The girl was clearly outrageous!
Olivia didn't bat an eye to the sudden silence and weird looks everyone was throwing at her. She couldn't care less. She was trying to impress her siblings and nothing else mattered as far as she was concerned.
Jerry and Maya stood there simply staring down at their older sister who was busy smiling up at them. What in the world is going on?! They looked around and saw people staring at them like they were crazy. Well, crazy or not, they were going to act like one.
Maya fell to ground and screamed "I'm cutie pie!!!!" The statement was followed by giggles and laughter coming from Olivia who was enjoying every bit of the current situation.
Jerry followed thus and also fell to the ground and yelled on top of his voice" Hello everyone my name is Jerryyyy!!!. I'm the most coolest, bravest, wonderful and cutest brother in the whole wide world!!! Woohoo!!!" He shouted, giggling and waving frantically at the same time, clearly enjoying what he was doing.
The three siblings were in their own world as they broke out into a fit of laughter, ignoring the odd looks people threw their way. But then a loud clap sounded in the park, followed by another and then followed by another until the whole park was filled with sounds of standing ovations coming from people who thought the three siblings were crazy.
'PAPAPAPAPAPA'
'That was amazing!!'
'Yeah, an amazing performance'
'They're so cute'
'I wish I had siblings like them'
Compliments of praise were showered on Olivia and her siblings who now had their jaws to the ground, surprised at the sudden change of view they got from the people who thought of them as crazy. Olivia was starting to feel dizzy and she made the first move to get up from the ground then the twins followed thus.
Olivia stared at the people who were still clapping with so much strength. There were so many of them that she started to feel like an A- list celebrity. Well, they needed to leave. She was starting to get hungry.
"Come on, let's go home"
"We are coming back here again, right?" Maya asked
" Of course! Cutie pie, we're coming back here soon" Olivia assured ' when I have enough money' she completed the remaining sentence in her mind. She knew she dared not say it out loud or else... they were not leaving the park any time soon.
"Ok, let's go home" Maya said.
Olivia made to give her hands to her siblings to hold so they could leave but Maya put her hands at her back and pouted
"I want a piggyback"
Olivia immediately bent down to Maya's height and spread her hands out backwards to Maya, who excitedly obliged and jumped on Olivia's back, snaking her small hands around her neck, grinning from ear to ear. Her big sis was the best.
All Jerry could do was glare at his sister as she smiled at him. Tch, what does she think she is? A newborn baby? This sister of his was starting to get on his nerves.
Olivia rose and held Maya in place with her left hand and stretched out her right hand for Jerry to hold on to. Jerry took it without complaining and let himself be led by his sister. He wasn't no baby, he was a man. As he was almost out of the gate of the park, he remembered something... or rather someone. He turned his head towards the direction of where he had seen her. The girl who was sitting on the bench earlier... but she wasn't there. Where did she go? Jerry wondered. Oh well, he didn't know her. He shrugged and turned his head back to the front and chatted with his big sis, while heading back home.
***
The three siblings finally reached their house and decided to take a rest while Olivia decided to go to the kitchen to make something for them to eat. But no sooner had they settled down did they hear a knock on the door. Olivia turned her head towards the door and wondered who it could be. None of her parents families had visited since the burial of her parents. Could it be that.. they've come now? or could it be the landlord? No! let it not be him! She—
The door was suddenly flung open and an average, fat man, with a pierced nose and a few missing tooth made his way into the room with heavy steps, his boots making noise on the tiled floor. Olivia's eyes widened and she forgot to breathe for a few seconds. It..it was the landlord!!
" M- Mr Anderson, Go- Good af- afternoon" Olivia stuttered as she forced a greeting out of her mouth. This man was a monster! What was she going to do now?! She's got no money to pay for rent and she needs time to be able to do that.
Mr Anderson laughed, showing the few tooth which had gone missing.
" Olivia" He muttered Olivia's name softly which only made Olivia shiver in fear, like a thousand spiders were crawling on her body. This man was definitely up to no good.
"Dear Olivia, how I love that name" Mr Anderson's gaze softened as he stared down at Olivia who had her head lowered. She couldn't bear looking at the monster. The monster who had once slapped her mother just because she had told him that he should give them enough time to pay the rent and the psychopath raised his sinful hand on her mother!
Olivia would be foolish if she didn't notice the lustful gazes Mr Anderson always threw her way anytime he saw her. Her parents knew this. They saw it. But they could do nothing as they were afraid of being thrown out into the streets. That was the worst disadvantage of being poor. You suffer in silence and digest whatever sh*t is being thrown at you and pretend to be happy at the same time.
Jerry and Maya who had earlier retired to their room had come running out as they didn't hear any sounds of plates clanking or water rushing from the kitchen and the first thing they saw was the dreaded Mr Anderson. Maya rushed to Olivia's side and tightly hugged her leg while hiding behind and looked up at the landlord with fear in her eyes.
" Don't you hurt my sister! " She half-yelled at Mr Anderson, her eyes becoming glassy.
Olivia was quick to carry Maya up to her arms and gave her light pats on her back.
" Awwn what a cute little kitten" Mr Anderson attempted to touch Maya but Olivia's reflex button was pushed as she stepped back instantly to avoid the psychopath's hand on her sister. No way in hell she wanted that bastard near her and her siblings!!
" What's with the fearful look? I just wanted to calm the little kitten down. Come on, I don't bite" He made to touch Maya again but was this time, stopped by Olivia's fierce voice.
" STOP!!! Don't get any closer. I know you're here for your money but I'm afraid I don't have it now. But I'm going to work hard for it and give it to you so until then, I'd respect it if you stay away from me and my siblings" Olivia said in a shaky voice, her voice hoarse and groggy from shouting all day. She didn't want to waste her voice on a pinche-puta*.
Mr Anderson was obviously dumbstruck with what was happening. Olivia.. Olivia just raised her voice at him. Him!
"You bi**h! You're going to—"
" And one more thing. Kitten"
"What?"
"My sister's name is not kitten, it's Maya. Please keep that in mind. So if you don't mind, please leave right now or I'll scream as hard as I can and you don't want the neighbors to see you here. I'm sure you care about your reputation, Mr landlord" Olivia said bravely. She didn't know where this sudden bravery came from but she was enjoying it.
The landlord stood there, still trying to digest what he just heard and saw. This Olivia was growing wings! But he was going to break it, savagely. He turned his back and headed towards the door but stopped in his steps to utter a warning.
"You haven't seen the last of me, Olivia" and with those words out of his mouth, he shut the door behind him with a loud bang, startling the three siblings.
Olivia let out a deep sigh and after successfully calming down Maya, she dropped her on the couch nearby.
" Forget what you've just seen and heard, okay? Nothing ever happened here. What did I say? " She said softly to her siblings.
" But—"
" Maya? " Olivia was loosing her patience.
Maya shook her head repeatedly" Nothing ever happened".