"What are you doing? Can't you see you're making mum panic?" Her voice cold and distant, the usual warmth sank at the bottom of the sea like her best friend did.
She pulled me off him and helped us get up.
"Where's my pancake Jay?" How would she react when she realises that Jay ate 'em all? But Jay- never disappointing ran to a cupboard and opened it revealing a pile of golden brown pancakes drenched in honey. I should have checked that cupboard.
He picked it up and handed it to Scarlett. She sat on the table, eating with her usual blank face and acted as if none of us were there.
I turned back and caught a glimpse of mum's face, broken, she changed it to her normal happy face as she saw me looking at her.
Truth be told, we were all broken when we realised the weight of the damage. The way Scarlett didn't get to the door of the house before she crouched and cried. The way she refused to come out of her room for three days three days. The way she broke down every second she wasn't talking to anyone or doing anything. That was two years ago when she was in grade ten.
That's the same school I'm going to, the same school all my family went to, the same school a girl had drowned- the water had nearly taken my sister, Scarlett with her. I am in fear whenever I think of going to this school but my mum says I must. That everyone she knows from her family went to that school and I must.
"Sea shell, you won't be able to eat the cereal now or else you would be late. So I'm afraid you just have to manage."
"What?!" I have to... what?!
"Come on now, we'll get something at the airport." I ran to where I left my cereal and started putting the cereal in the plate.
"Stop." Firm and final. I did. Until an idea surfaced and I continued putting cereal. I heard footsteps approaching me, chilling to the bone. "I said stop." I turned. Her brownish-black eyes cold.
"I will if you go with me to the airport." My hands were on the milk.
"I am going to go with you anyways." Silence, that's all I heard.
"You are?" I squeaked.
"Yes, I am." She attempted a smile but it out ghosty and broken- my heart ached with longing for the Scarlett that she was, the joyful one who entered all the different kinds of troubles with me and Jay. That's the same feeling of trouble that led her and her roommates along with her best friend to that lake.
Sometimes I worry about myself.
"Come on let's gooooooooo. I wanna see the airport here." Jay whined.
I shot him a look that says: can't-you-see-we-are-having-a-sistaly-moment-here?
"He's right, we have to go like right now." My mum said, already leaving the dinning room and heading to the front door.
Scarlett turned and started heading to the front door too, her now short hair visible. I remembered when she would flick her brown curly hair at me on purpose and I'll try to flick my black one but ended up flicking myself. Ha~ memories.
"SHANELLE! I WANNA SEE THAT AIRPORTTTTTTT!!!!" Jay screamed. Like really screamed.
"Coming." I said running for the front door.
My stuff was already in the boot of the yellow SUV.
"I'm going in the front!" I said making my way to the front seat.
"Not if I get there first." Jay said running to the front but mum was already there shooing him to the back seat. I laughed going to the front seat, rejoicing because of my victory only to be disappointed by the same shooing of hand. Even Scarlett was shooded.
When we hit the road we all looked at her for an explanation. She signed and said:
"Shanelle's going to be gone soon and you all should talk to each other. You won't be seeing each other for a while. एक दूसरे से प्यार करो" the last part in Hindi meaning Love each other.
We rode in silence for the first fifteen minutes before Jay said:
"I'm not going to miss you, you steal my food!"
"Sure you won't." I said.
"I'm serious."
"Well, I wouldn't miss you either."
"Good." We drove in silence before Jay spoke again. "How long would you be gone for?"
"Till the Christmas holiday." I answered.
"How long is that?"
"Three months. And I know that you know that."
"Why do you even have to gooooooooo?"
"Careful I'll think you'll miss me."
"Definitely not. I'm asking because I know mum would be sad when you leave and Scarlett would be even grumpier!" He threw his cubby hands in frustration. "I would have no one to play with or help me with my homework?"
"I'm sure Scarlett would help if you asked nicely."
"You thi-" mum shot him a look from the mirror that meant quiet."ok then, I'll ask her now." He turned to Scarlett and stared at her until she returned it. He smiled widely and insane. "Would you please play with me and help me with my homework?"
"Sure..." She said in a tone that meant 'whatever'. Jay shot me a look that meant 'seeeeeeee'
"Jay, she just agreed."
"Bu-"
"And we are here." Mum said parking in the car park.
We got down and took a bag each, striding to the security doors to get examined.
(This part is boring for me so Ima just gonna skip it. I'll do it next chapter. I think...)
My mum was looking at me so sad like she's experiencing the next of motherhood. Broken. Scarlett looks saddened, well she always sad but somehow she looks even more sad. Jay was trying to act indifferent to everyone else but I could tell from the eye-twitching to the restless way his legs moved that he was trying to hold on.
Looking at them, I felt disappointed? Confused? Like it's only three months before they see me again, what was the look with.
"You all realise it's only three months right?"
"Of course we do, we would just miss you. That's all." Mum said.
"Miss? Never. I would be happy that you're gone. I could jump on your bed." I gave him a look that meant 'you better not' "or not. Point is I won't miss you." Jay said acting all chill.
"Head over to the front gate for boarding. The plane for Jicyisn has arrived. I repeat head over to the front gate for boarding. The plane for Jicyisn has arrived." With that the voice quenched and I looked up to my family. Who were observing people moving to the line.
"So any last words?" I said.
My mum hugged me first, her hug calm and mature. "Please don't do anything stupid. I'll miss you a lot. Well the only thing I wouldn't miss is the trouble you seek- one trouble taking off the list. One to go."
"Mum!"
"Ok, I'll miss you too मेरी बेटी" My daughter.
"Awe I'll miss you too mum." She let go and I side stepped to meet Jay.
"So what are we going to do here?" He asked.
"I dunno what do you think?" He just shrugged. "Ok" I side stepped again and met Scarlett.
"Take this." She ordered, I obeyed. It was a book with a pink fluffy cover and saying 'Scarlett's guide to life away from family.' I looked at the book then her, then the book, then her.
"You did it. I'm so proud." I knew she used to write, I never thought she would continue after what happened but here was a book made by Scarlett. Dedicated to me. Me. I hugged her so tight she gasped. "I love you no matter what."
"If you love me that much can you promise me something?"
"Sure, anything."
"Don't stay during the Christmas break and avoiding the lake next to the tower in the forest."
"Wha- where- huh?"
"You'll understand better when you are there. But please promise me."
"I promise." With that she let go off me. I waved goodbye on purpose turned, heading to the line when I felt chubby hands wrap around me from behind. Bingo.
"I'm not going to miss you, I'm just doing it because mum said I should."
"Of course you are. Who would miss me anyways?"
"Goodbye Shanelle. Whatever you do don't get a boyfriend."
"Pretty word for someone your age."
"Bruh I'll turn 9 by November, just promise."
"Random but ok. I promise." With that he let go of me and went back to mum. I joined the line and walked to the gate. Finally seeing the plane the plane in it's full glory. White with the company's name displayed in large bold letters on it. The wings stretched out, tail, wheels all beautiful.
Freedom.
Random thought spawned. Then I realised that here was the plane that I was free. I'm finally free of that bond, that letch controlling my every move, every life. Telling me what and what not to do. But now it was over and I was free. With one final wave and smile to my family I turned back and acknowledged the plane in a whole different light.
I am free. I'm going to break a lot of promises and I won't be sorry.