SIMONA
My knees gave out, completely devoid of strength to keep me standing. I fell on the bench as he approaches me. Every incoming step is like him stepping on me. My heart is beating like a party drum. He gets so close, and I instinctively shrink into the hard wooden seat. Half wishing I could liquidate through it. I can literally feel the rage coming off him like perfume scents. Is he going to hit me? It is his fault though. If he had not insulted my Mom first I wouldn't have retaliated the same way. I want to argue that in his face right now. But I am tongue-tied and trembling from head to toe. Elion has never been the nice guy—probably never will. He is the guy he fucks around and gets into fisticuffs constantly—I have never heard that he beat a girl though. But he just looks so devilish now which makes me think that he would not mind hitting me. If I were to encounter a lion, I am sure I won't be as scared as I am now. I let out a scream, closing my eyes as he raises his fist ready to punch me. Then came a hard rough sound that almost makes me jump off the bench. I feel nothing. I open my eyes to see his fist at the bench wood back. He had punched it instead of me. He is looking down at me right now with a rage-twisted expression. The same expression you have on when you are about to squash an annoying insect that bothers you.
I see Freddy. He is running to us—to me. Relief instantly floods through my fear heightened nerves. Surely he could stop his friend from beating the shit out of me, no?
He stops just a few steps away and asked what was going on. The question was directed at Elion as his name was called to it. Elion does not move. I didn't dare too. "You are going to pay for that." He growls in a low tone and then marches off. He blew past Freddy who was meaning to ask him something. I sat still and unmoving. I can still feel his presence looming over me. The fear I feel is almost similar to the one I felt underneath the fucker who tried to- No don't think about that Simona. This is different. Calm down. I mentally tell myself that, shaking it off.
"Are you okay?" Freddy squats in front of me. Hands feeling my face. "You look pale with fright. What did he do to you? Did he hit you?" There is an edge to his tone as well as worry. I could not help but wonder if he would fight his supposed best friend if I told him that he hit me.
"No." I answer. My voice barely above a whisper. He lets out a relief exhale and sits besides me. He then asks what happened and I told him everything. "Both of you were in the wrong. You shouldn't have brought your mother's into it." He reprimands after my narration. "But it is his fault. He is my friend and I know how much of a jerk he can be.
I will only advise that you stay away from him and avoid crossing into his paths now that you're kinda related." He warily adds.
I pursed my lips before stating, "So he is Richard's son then." I was waiting for the answer that I already knew.
"Of course he is. Why else would he be here?" He looks at me. Studying my scared and surprise expression. "You didn't know did you?" I nod no. "It is a surprise for me too. I never thought you would turn out to be Elion's sister."
"I am not his sister." I shallowly argue.
"Half-sister then."
This all brings together a realization. A cruel one. Elion is Richard's son and that makes him my stepbrother. Which means that I have crushing on my stepbrother all along?! This can't all be right. I mean how can he be Richard's son? The two of them look nothing alike! Maybe I would have realized the connection if I paid attention to my mom's new last name. Thinking back, I remember that the name my mother used to sign as guardian on my lease as well as my college school forms was Barbara and a last name that starts with a M. Mayers! I surely would have connected the dots if I paid the least bit of attention. Mayers is not a common last name unlike mine.
"Simona. Simona?" Freddy's voice pull me out of my thinking. "Did you hear that sound?"
"Hear what?" I ask. Then came the sound of something crashing. From the loud noise, it is something heavy. It is came from inside the house. Freddy and I glance at each other.
ELION
I paid no attention to the maids welcome greetings. I have never replied these greetings. I don't know why they still bother. I am never n a happy mood whenever I come here. They make it even worse by saying "welcome home sir." This is no longer a home. It stopped being one when Mom... No. I manage to block the memory. Recalling it won't do me any good right now. I no longer have the mood to sit in the dinner. Lucky Barbara. I go straight up to my room reminiscing that girls words. I start my breathing exercise to calm down. It was not enough. Maybe seeing my mother's paintings will help. It has before. I push open the door to the room opposite mine expecting a cluster sight of paintings, artworks, canvases and other paint materials. I am seeing none of that. Instead of an untidy room overfilled with art materials, I am seeing a clean girlish bedroom. This is my Mom's art room. There is no mistake, I can even come here from outside with a blindfold on. What the fuck is this? On the shelf close to the damn bed that is not supposed to be here is a picture of that girl. I did not feel the sting of the glass shards picture encasement piercing my palms. That bitch dared to use my Mom's art room as her own bedroom? How dare she?At once, the anger that I have been suppressing comes up again. I trashed the entire room in a span of minutes. Everything was now in ruin. It still is not enough. I needed something or someone to break for this.