The Secret - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A large thump on the trunk and she was ready to go. Swatting her hands against each other to get rid of the dust on her hands, she smiled as she looked at the house she'd been staying at for days. Sighing like it was the last time to ever see this place, she then turned around to face the family, grinning and cheerful although her voice was shaky.

She gave bear hugs to Dave and I, a kiss on the cheek and the pat on the head for Mom and a handshake of thanks to Dad. Having given us little parting gifts, she insisted we open them only after she had left. Then she climbed into her old car, jumping on the old seat and breathing in deeply the dust that flew up. She claimed they were the smells she had missed for a very long time. Then she started the car and drove off, almost in ignorance of our repeated waves as she did so.

“I wish she could have stayed longer,” Mom remarked as she walked in line with Dad.

Dave and I looked at each other; no grin, no laughter, no smirk, no makings of a face, no sad look. It was without expression; both of us tired of laughing and mocking about the same subject. We went back to our rooms and went on, resuming our usual lives without Aunt Jan. And such difference it made! To be so united whenever she was around but the rules were loosened when she wasn't. I was in my room having the last look at the History project just before the presentation today when someone knocked on the door.

“Come in,” I answered without looking up, “It isn't locked.”

“What are you doing?” I saw Dave sit down on the floor in front of me.

“History project.” I answered, “Why aren't you doing anything?”

“Anything?”

“Homework, projects...”

“I don't have any.” He answered plainly.

“So what are you doing here in my room?” I pulled out a pink Magic Marker from my bag and began outlining the borders, “Don't you always have something else better to do?”

“Not really,” He replied sheepishly, “I ran out of comic books to read.”

I smiled, “I can give you some more money if you want more.”

“Nope,” I looked up when he had said that, “I have the money alright, just a little bored.”

I continued my work, happy I had some companion around, even if it was my freshman brother; a little chubby and a little awkward at times when we went out to the mall. We were so close, sometimes fighting but sometimes loving each other to bits. I found him to be the greatest friend I had ever need instead of the other people I call my best friends. No offence to Anne, but family is probably the only you ever need sometimes.

“Did you join any clubs in school?” I asked.

“No,” He sounded sad, “Nothing interests me.”

“Don't you love football?”

“Everybody says the coach is very strict.”

“So I heard...but she is good,”

“I know.”

There was a long peaceful silence before he spoke up again, “What song is this?”

“Isn't it just so sweet?”

He shook his head, “Sounds cheesy.”

I narrowed my eyes at him and resumed my work, “What are you doing here?”

“I'm a little bored, sis,” He answered, “I figured I'd just hang out with you for a while.”

He picked up a random storybook from the shelves and sat down to read, “Sis?”

“Hmm?” Outlining large circles was no easy task.

“Why is Mom so fond of Aunt Jan?”

Good question. “Aunt Jan took care of her when she was younger.”

“But why is Mom so obsessive about Aunt Jan?” Dave asked, “It gets pretty annoying at times.”

“Kinda,” I agreed, “But Aunt Jan is old after all, she needs someone to take care of her.”

“She seems fine to me.”

“That's because she doesn't tell us if anything went wrong.” I explained, “She doesn't want to worry us so much. She's got a weak leg, that's what Mom said.”

“But she looked fine and strong when she slammed the trunk and climbed into the car,”

“She had some medications this morning at breakfast, didn't you see her popping them into her mouth?”

“She did?” Dave tried to remember.

“Anyways, that'd be the last we'll see of Aunt Jan,” Dave looked up at the mention of my words, “Well, for now.”

I yawned, “Alright, time for school.”

“I hate school.”

“I thought you liked school.”

“Not when everybody there already has someone to talk to.”

“So you come up and talk to them then.”

Dave looked strange at me, as if I said something just so weird.

“Join a club, you'll meet some people there,” I climbed out of bed and started packing for school, “Look, we gotta leave now. Are you ready?”

Dave nodded and retreated back to his room. He came down the stairs and joined me, having some breakfast and leaving to walk together to school; we always did that together. It was probably the only time we ever got to talk seriously. Today just didn't seem to be that day though.

“What are you listening to?” I smirked; the loud static screamings and guitar were blasting way past the capacity of his bright orange headphones.

He pulled one side of the headphones away from his ears and asked for a repeat.

“I said, what are you listening to?” I repeated myself, “It's so loud.”

“Best way to listen to music, sis,” He grinned, “You should try it sometime.”

“And wreck my ears?” I smiled, “No, thanks.”

But he didn't hear anymore of that; he already had the headphones locked in place. One hand deep inside the pocket of the thin jacket I wore to wear off the mild morning chill and another hand to pull gently on a stray backpack strap, I walked with my brother, trying to enjoy the morning without feeling all so sleepy at the same time.

“School magazine?” The boy in front gave a sheepish smile and offered the glossy booklet. On the front page was a feature on the latest in gadgets, news and the must-haves.

I sighed; I knew he had been standing there the whole morning, poor freshie, “Is it any good?”

He nodded furiously; eager for me to buy one, “We've got all sorts of news and great things in them.”

I stared at him, thinking for a minute. Since there wasn't anything much to do during our substitute gym class, I thought I'd get one just to pass the time by, “How much is it again?”

“5 dollars,” he said innocently, handing me the magazine.

Then he took the money from my hands and mentioned a polite thank you before sprinting off to other potential students (customers).

“Hey Emma,” The girl behind me suddenly called out, “Can I see that for awhile?”

I turned to hand over the magazine to Renee as she and her friends had a look at it. They talked about it awhile, pondering over something while I waited impatiently for them to finish. She and the rest of the other girls with her belonged in a different group, a different clique from me, Anne and Tobey. They were a mix of girls who had known each other for long and never could take lightly about a newcomer in their group, not that I'd ever tried to join them though, but I'd heard stories.

So imagine my surprise when she suddenly spoke to me. I knew the last person she'd ever want to talk to was me, having always looked down on people with no relatively excellent academic results. I kept my distance, no doubt of that, I didn't need people like her bringing me down all the time with her sleazy mean looks.

She brought it back, “Thanks.” I hid my disgust from her.

“What were you guys reading about?” I asked her before she turned away to avoid any further questions from me.

“Page 57,” She answered, “The news.”

“The news?” My eyebrows furrowed for more explanation.

She rubbed her nose slightly to rid herself the boredom, “You haven't till there, haven't you?”

I shook my head.

“The fall of the stocks down at Wall Street.” She answered, “Another case of everybody loses something.”

I was about to argue back about the statement but thought better. So I nodded my head as she immediately turned around to continue talking to her friends; it was clear I wasn't welcome to ask anymore questions. So I turned to page 57 and decided to read up on the subject itself since we had a free period for gym to spend at the cafeteria.

“What's that?” Anne came back with some drinks.

“Something about a Wall Street crash...” I mumbled, reading past the facts.

She hovered by before finally giving up and had me turn to the Gossips column.

“Oh...” She giggled as she read further the magazine I pushed to her, “They broke up.”

I looked over as I drank a sip of the Coke, “And you're happy because?”

“Not that I'm happy, Emma,” She smiled, “I knew it a long time ago, they just weren't going to work.”

“That's a mean thing to say,” I smiled, “But, true.”

A short pause ensued before she spoke up again, “How'd the presentation go?”

I removed my lips from over the straw and grinned, “I have just the story to tell you!”

She slammed the magazine with rapt attention when I began, “So Laura came in just when we were about to start...”

“No!”

“Yup,” I sighed, “And asked pretty, pretty, please if she could assist Tobey in the History project.”

Anne laughed at my face expression.

“And our History teacher said, I don't remember Tobey being alone for the project,” I paused for a dramatic effect as Anne uttered another 'No!'

“And then she quickly mentioned my name.” I smiled, “And pleaded and pleaded until the teacher allowed her to.”

“What did she do?”

“She held up the signs and posters for us.” I beamed at the smart answer.

We both burst out laughing, much to the dirty looks the other girls were giving us.

“Now everybody here thinks we're laughing at them.” Anne said in a low voice as she scanned the room.

I looked on as well, “Unless they are that selfish to think we'd ever laugh about them.”

Anne giggled, “What's their problem?”

“Are you coming this Saturday, for the field trip?”

She nodded, “Ugh, there are so many things one can do on a Saturday morning.”

“Like sleeping late?” I grinned.

“Absolutely yes.” Anne continued to scout the magazine for more unread details, “But yeah...there's nothing else better anyway.”

I let the silence flow as I watched a group of seniors walk in; a whole gang of them. I looked at them and back at me. Would I ever be like them?

“Wouldn't it be cool if we were seniors now?” I asked, “We'd rule high school.”

Anne simpy made a noise of acknowledgement and ignored my statement as she read the magazine. So I continued to stare at the group as they went along with their loud noises and laughter, wishing I, too was one of them. I closed my eyes for a minute and imagined my life as a senior in the local high school.

Little did I know, I would be going down a different path. I wouldn't like it, but it just had to happen. Adventures were never my cup of tea. Matter of fact, I'd avoid it as far as possible. The fall on Wall Street affected everybody. Some to even greater extremes of which, until I get there, prying my way past hidden secrets, cause newer revelations than the next.

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