City of Blinding Lights

I walk through the front door.
“ I’m home “ I wait for a minute. All I can hear is my voice echoing on the walls. There is no one home. That doesn’t happen very often I run upstairs and take a quick shower. When I’m done taking a shower and still drying off the doorbell rings.
I tightly wrap the towel around my small body and run to answer the door. Outside is Clover.
“ Hey! What’s up? “ She asks as she invites herself in and kicks her shoes off.
“ Just taking a shower. Why? ” She jumps onto the couch and faces me.
“ You better throw on some clothes and throw them on real quick ‘cause I’m taking you shopping for the concert “ Oh yeah ( note sarcasm ). I totally forgot about the stupid concert.
Clover sends me up to change. I quickly blow-dry my hair and throw on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt Clover gave me for my birthday that says : Blink if you want me.
“ Hurry up “ Clover is really getting anxious down there.
“ I’m on my way “ I yell back to her as I run down the stairs. She opens the door and we run to my car that I got for my sweet sixteen. I have no idea what brand it is but it’s old and it’s grey and it works. That’s enough for me.
We park in front of the mall and Clover drags me in. We jump from one store to the next and I’m not really paying attention to what Clover is trying on. She always comes out of the changing room in new outfits, I tell her they look nice when I don’t really give a shit. I hate shopping. I sometimes go shopping with Clover but really I just sit outside of her changing room trying not to fall asleep.
Finally, almost three hours later, Clover had found the perfect outfit. She bought red jean-shorts and a black and white striped t-shirt.
“ I think I’ll wear the necklace you gave me for my birthday as well. Don’t you think it will go well with the shirt? “ I just nod, not really remembering giving her a necklace for her birthday. But hey, she doesn’t have to know that.
Clover drops me off at home and I wave to her before I walk through the front door. I shout again and again no one answers. I go into the kitchen and see a note on the counter.

Naveen!
We went to Carlos’ parents for dinner. I know you don’t really like them so you don’t have to come. We’ll be back late. If there’s anything wrong you know my number.
Love
Mom

I dropped the note back on the counter. My mom usually never leaves notes. Why didn’t she call me? Or leave a message? I open my purse to try and find my phone but I now see the reason why I didn’t get a call from her. I didn’t have my phone with me.
I slowly walk down the stairs to my room. I hate walking down the stairs to my room. Why does the house have to be on so many floors? I know that we need this space but I would really much like to have my room on the first floor instead of the basement sometimes.
But anywho. When I finally get to my room I see that my phone just lay on my bed and probably had since I took a shower. I took it up and saw that I had five missed calls. Whoa. I’m popular. I unlock the phone and start scrolling down my calling history.

15:49 Clover
16:30 Mom
16:45 Mom
18:18 Neil
18:30 Mom

Neil? Why would he be calling me? I put my phone back in my pocket and try not to think about it any further. I make noodles for myself and eat them over a few episodes of Friends. I think I’ve watched each episode like 500 times, but I’m so going to watch it at least 500 times over. I eventually fall asleep over the background laugh in the TV. I guess Joey said something stupid as usualy.

*******

Next day went by pretty smoothly. I woke up at 11 when my little brother Seamus was getting tired of mom and Carlos. I usually don’t get to sleep for this long. It surprises me that Heidi, my older sister, wasn‘t up yet. She usually got up at 5 and went to the gym. She‘s one of those freaks.
I look around. I’m in my room, funny I thought I’d fallen asleep on the couch. I guess Carlos just carried my to bed when they got home last night.
“ Wake up Naveen. I want to go to the park.” He jumps on top of me and seems to be enjoying himself quite a bit. I lift off of me and put him on the floor next to my bed
“ Fine Seamus. I’ll take you to the park if you hurry up and get dressed “ A smile spreads across his face and I can see two of his missing front teeth. He runs out of my room in his pj’s and yells out to mom.
“ Mommy Naveen is taking me to the park, Naveen is taking me to the park “ I hope he doesn’t fall down the stairs do to his excitement.
I take of the clothes that I slept in. Not really desirable being in the same clothes for more than a day, am I right?
I put on some sweat pants and an extremely baggy hoodie. Hey, come on. It’s not like I’m going to some kind of a fashion show. I’m going to the park with my brother. I don’t put on any makeup. I run downstairs and see my mom cooking pancakes. I take one from the plate with the ones that were waiting to get cold.
By the table Heidi and Carlos.
I put my brown straight hair in a ponytail and put my shoes on.
Few minutes later Seamus comes down fully dressed. I help him put his shoes on and than we’re out the door.
“ Just remember to be home by tea-time “ mom shouts after us.
“ Yeah, yeah “ We yell back at her and run to the park.

*******

We have arrived at the park. The weather is nice except for the rain. I put the hood over my head and hand Seamus his gloves. He puts them on and runs to the slide. I run not far behind him and catch him when he comes down. He takes a few more turns before he runs to the sandbox where he finds a bucket and a shovel.
I sit on the bench and flick through my phone while Seamus makes a big, big sandcastle.
I am scrolling through my newsfeed on facebook when someone sits next to me.
I’m so surprised that instead of looking up to see who the person really is I bang my head on his chin. It takes a while to recover from the pain so I don’t see who it is until I’ve gotten over it and can finally look up to face him.

Notes