FictionPress.com - let the words flow| FictionPress.com - let the words flow |
| Home Just In Communities Forums Beta Readers Dictionary Search | Login Register Extras |
.three.
C
A I N – A N D – A B E L – R E D U X
There were certain times –although, mostly that times only occurred when I hung around with my sister, Helena for more than two hours- when I’d like to relate myself with the envious Cain.
Except, I was the younger one from the two.
And that I was nowhere near committing fratricide. Not with this Abel of mine.
“What do you think about this?” Helena asked with her naturally husky voice, her newly bought Moschino dress swirled along with her slender body. There was a hickey on her neck so I didn’t need to ask how the hell she could manage to buy that dress.
“You look great,” the exasperation in my tone was too obvious but I was too tired to tone it down. I needed roughly fifteen minutes to go trough my wardrobe and search for my outfit to my first tutoring-session with Nic. But Helena, who played only the small part (my driver) needed more than an hour to search for the right clothes.
I asked for her reason and her answer was simple. Boys. Because she’d be meeting boys and there’s no way she’d look ugly in front of them.
Helena tossed her thick, curly red hair. It was glinting under the light and I was once again reminded at how much I coveted it. I looked at the ceiling and let my body fell to the bed, a pathetic attempt to not look at her and get yet another qualm about my looks.
Luckily, Helena was quick to read the situation. She decided to put on her more down-to-earth brown top and a pair of hot pants. Her choice of wardrobe for the current might seemed average, but anyone should know that nothing would fit into the average category if Helena was the one who wore it.
And I should note that I was trying so very hard not to sound like a jealous sister, because I certainly was not.
Alright, so it was a lie.
I was jealous. Helena was one of those ‘too perfect it hurts’ type of girls. She graduated magna cum laude from my school three years ago and immediately got a job as an apprentice of a well-known architect. She didn’t posses an hourglass body, but she definitely had curves and boobs, despite how light she weighed (110 pounds stretched for 5’’6, imagine that).
And…
“You look great, too, Rietta. Bet the Aldridge brothers will be all gushy trying to get your attention.”
She had the attitude that would just kill every intention to kill her.
Call me funny. But I actually shared secrets with my 20something year old sister. Well, she might not be the best adviser, being a girl who always had her way easily she was, but she’s supportive.. in her own way.
“Your sarcasm, sis. It’s poorly hidden,” I said.
Helena put her hand in front of her chest; her face adopted a perfect semblance of shock. “I’m surprised you can spot that.”
I nearly rolled my eyes. “Simple. You’re not one who gives compliments.”
Helena looked at me from the mirror. She had this foxy smile in her face, the kind that would always appear before she said something ‘supportive’. “So you want me to say the truth?”
“No, thank you.”
Oops. Too late. “You look disastrous in that outfit,” Helena had already begun her little drone. “You should try wearing blue, or maybe black. Pink is just isn’t your color. It makes your skin and face look dirty,” she paused for a while to take a good look to me. “Or on the second thought, it always looks dirty. Don’t you know what facial means?”
So much for having a very supportive, very honest sister, don’t ya think?
“Thank God I’ve developed a horribly thick skin. Normal girls will turn suicidal,” I reached for my cardigan, the black one, and put it on. “There. Better?”
She was about to open her mouth again when I realized that I didn’t want to know what she’s probably thinking.
“Stupid question. Let’s go.”
Helena tossed her hair as she gave reflection the last look. “Hey, you’re being smart. That’s a rare moment!”
See what I meant with her impossible-to-kill attitude?
-
I was sixteen, but my awfully obsolete mother hadn’t let me get my own driving license. As boyfriendless as I was, Helena became the only one who could pose as my driver, since both of my parents were out of the house in daylights. That is, if I’d proved myself to be a good sister for her.
The requirement was simple: obey everything she said.
And yeah. The fulfillment for that was, to say at the very least, torturous.
“Ready to meet Nigel-kins, Rietta?” Helena said as soon as she got her hands into the steer. From the looks of it, I bet she’s itching to get this car went up to 100miles per hour.
I tightened my seat-belt. “Don’t let us get killed. That’s all I ask.”
“Roger.”
Off 85MpH we went.
Anyway, it turned out that our houses weren’t really that far. It only took fifteen minutes to arrive there by car. And yeah, Helena’s tendencies to get lost compensated her high-speed driving so my assumption was more or less accurate.
But still, at the sight of Nigel’s house, I couldn’t help gaping.
“Your future husband has serious issues with money,” Helena voiced my thought out loud.
I wetted my lips as I took another glance to the overly white, overly glorious house in front of me. “Agreed.”
“There should be a law against huge houses like that. It’s intimidating for us, normal people.”
“Again. Agreed.”
Helena turned her head to me, there was an excited zeal inside her eyes and I just knew that an idea had just popped inside her head. “You should totally make Nigel-kins yours, kiddo. But just in case, you can also pine for his brother, or father, for that matter. We’ll live luxurious life.”
It took me three seconds to refrain from my tentative-coma state. “Slut.”
“Fun slut,” she amended.
“Poor slut.”
That foxy smirk appeared again. “Let’s just meet Nigel-kins before I lost control and kill you.”
“Sounds like a plan for me.”
Helena pressed the bell a few times. The house loomed large in front of us, and there was a huge garden in front of it, complete with the little fountain and the nearly-nude sculptures depicting Greek Goddesses. I didn’t need to think twice to guess that Nigel’s house must be all-white inside.
A middle-aged man with formal garb was the one who opened the gate, and Helena immediately answered his questions expertly. It took her a while, but finally, we got into the house.
Just suddenly, the intimidation became so real. I scraped the hem of my cardigan like a twelve year old, feeling ridiculous to be the only thing in color. There was my sister beside me, but she could hardly feel embarrassed at all.
Like I thought, everything was white. The foyer, however, was blindingly white. The chandelier must cost the same as Helena’s car, and that information wasn’t comforting at all. Suddenly, the gap between me and Nigel became even deeper that it had been.
Sure, me and Helena were schooled in some prestigious private school, but that’s not without a lot of effort. Both my parents had to work hard so that we could get into there, and aside from our second-hand home theatre, there’s nothing really worthy lied in our house.
I tried my best not to look at the paintings and the other knickknacks. There’s no need to advance my embarrassment.
The man was talking with british accent. “Please wait here for a moment. Nicholas will come down. He’s been waiting for your arrival, Ms. Pegg.”
After he left, Helena immediately elbowed me hard. “Nicholas, huh? I thought you’re seeing Nigel.”
“He’s out of my league,” I admitted.
“So you’re aiming for his brother, instead?”
“Nope. I’m pretending I’m aiming for him so that Nigel will notice me.”
She tilted her head and clicked her fingers in approval. “Charming. That’s something that I’d like to do. One question, is he as good-looking as Nigel?”
Right in the same time when Helena’s mouth closed, Nigel bypassed us. Neither of us heard him coming because he wasn’t wearing any footwear, and he didn’t seem to notice us beforehand either, for he’s so engrossed with his Pocari Sweat.
I almost thought he’s blind when he halted as he’s halfway passing both of us.
Gauche silence ensued.
Nigel was wearing sweatpants, and only sweatpants. There’s a little towel dangling on his shoulder, which was wet with sweat. There was funny smell wafting from him, and for once, his hair wasn’t spiked but instead sticking on his face and neck.
Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. And I thought Nigel couldn’t look even hotter. He’s practically breathing fire looking like that.
“Working out?” Helena was the first who found her voice.
Nigel smiled. All sweaty and fresh from the gym, and he smiled like that. His hotness exceeded what (wo)mankind considered normal. “Yeah.”
He then looked at me and my sister, well, 80 percent of his staring was to my sister, but I was happy enough to be spared even a glance. I dropped my gaze so that I could take a good look on his bulging stomach. Whoa. The six-pack was perfect.
And was that a thatch of dark colored hair that I spotted there?
He interrupted my ogling by a rather nervous chortle. “You’re not.. (ahem) my guests, aren’t you? I don’t remember ever meeting you two.”
Touché. We shared eye-contact two days ago! You didn’t know how much it hurt, Nigel. My heart was suffering from internal bleeding here.
“No, no,” I said, forcing a smile to obscure my disappointment over his disregard. “We’re Nicholas’s. I mean, I’m Nicholas’s, she’s here to drive me.”
From the corner of my eye, I could see Helena watching me really carefully with a really weird smile.
Nigel cocked a thick eyebrow. “You’re Nicholas’s? As in, you’re his girlfriend?”
“Imbecile,” I heard Helena whispering.
“No!!” I said, a little too loudly I supposed, “No, I’m not. I mean, well, I… I did try to, but that’s not the real reason. It’s all not—“
I seemed to confuse Nigel a lot. He’s looking at me like I was sort of mental-institution material.
I gave up. “I’m not his girlfriend.”
Another deep chuckle escaped his lips. “Bet I’m spreading disgusting smell. So I’ll take a shower, and you guys wait for Nicholas,” –he glanced at me when he said his brother’s name, his lips pursed smugly- “don’t miss me, Ladies.”
Helena waved at him cheerfully. “Bye.”
I would like to wave at him, too, but my body had disconnected from my brain so I pretty much stood there like a vapid doll.
Nigel nodded at us, but before he turned around for the stair, he spoke again. I couldn’t fail to notice that he spoke mostly to my sister. “By the way, I’m Nigel, currently single, but am searching.”
“Yum.” Helena responded. “I’m Helena, and I’m taken. My sister Henrietta, however-“ she, to my surprise, put a hand on my shoulder and tapped it gently- “is very single and in need of a boyfriend.”
The rejection was subtle, and if he’s hurt by it, then he must had done really good work hiding it. For once, Nigel fully looked at me and pointed at me with his gun-formed fingers. “We should go out sometimes, then.”
I swore I farted in response. Thank God it wasn’t audible. Daniel was right when he said vast excitement gave your stomach a crazy upturn.
Helena’s grip on my shoulders tightened, but her smile didn’t fade.
“Yeah,” I beamed at Nigel weakly, “we should.”
He grinned back at me and finally took the stairs, sipping his Pocari Sweat every once in a while.
Helena’s hand lifted to her nose, pinching it. “Shit. What did you just eat? Your fart smelled awful!”
“I admit that the chemical reaction within my body is abnormal,” I said, not knowing if I could produce a comeback that could make more sense.
“Did he just ask me out?” I asked Helena, my mind still couldn’t believe the words that Nigel’s lips had blurted out.
“I’d call that joking around if I were you. Never put your hopes high to guys like him.” Whoa? Was this my imagination or Helena was actually acting like a real sister?
“I mean,” she continued droning on, “he’s going to be a great friend, but not a great boyfriend.”
“You’ve just met him once,” I reminded her.
She stroked on her thin nose. “True, but remember I have more experiences than you,” she let out a pause stride for dramatic effect, “loser.”
I eyed her for a while and she uncharacteristically avoided my gaze. Instead, she landed her gaze to the paintings, and as far as I knew, Helena Pegg abhorred these artistic things.
“So, Nigel’s like.. a male version of you?” I guessed. FYI, Helena was notorious in the male-population, particularly because of her hobbies of breaking their hearts.
Helena’s face turned pink. “Cut my boobs and transplant a penis on my crotch, and I’d be him.”
I let out a long string of ‘uuuuggghhh’ before I said ”That’s a disturbing train-of-thought.”
“Trust Peggs to have these kinds of notions.”
Nodding in what I hoped came off as sarcastically, I clapped at her. “Funny, sis. Really, it is.”
“Then laugh,” another voice piped in.
“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha,” I let out a dry laugh before then I realized that it was not my sister’s voice.
“Uwow!” I exclaimed at the sight of Nicholas waiting on the staircase. “Geez, what’s with the Aldridges and their mysterious way to appear?”
Nicholas rolled his eyes. He’s wearing a sleeveless sweater with a white shirt inside it. Had other boys wore it, they’d look extra ridiculous, but somehow the outfit fit quite well to him. Maybe it had something to do with his unique face.
“You must be Nicholas,” Helena smiled at him.
He didn’t smile back at her. A Kodak moment, alright. “I never know I’m so popular,” his tone was sarcastic and he’s glaring at me when he said that. Not a good start. He must be thinking that I was talking behind his back, which I did but I never intended him to know about it.
“You’re not. Only she knows about you,” I quickly conceded.
“I’m Rietta’s-“
“Sister, I know. I’ve heard you,” he sounded bored. And to make matters worse, he’s leaning his back on a wall. I once read in the internet that if guys do that, they’re in the verge of dropping dead due to boredom.
Absolutely not a good start.
Even Helena, who was known to be a twister for a guy’s emotions, looked at loss at how to deal with this one. “Uhm, yeah. So, what are you two going to do?” she gestured ‘kissing’ with her lips, but Nicholas didn’t seem to find that amusing.
“We’re going to study,” there was no inflection in his voice. “and that’s it.”
“And that’s it,” I repeated, defeated.
Hell. That guy’s heart must made from ice. I was standing a few metres away from him, but already I could feel tremor running trough my spine.
“Frostbite alert. Frostbite alert,” Helena whispered with her mouth hardly moved. “Five more minutes and I’m turning blue.”
“I know. He does that a lot to women,” I responded, my mouth’s movement was limited. I’d practiced that kind of speaking two years ago. It cost my fifteen bucks because Helena didn’t teach anyone for free but it proved to be a quite useful ability.
“So, yeah. I’m going home then,” Helena said (normally), a smile was on her lips. Maybe she’s attempting to warm up the impossibly cold situation.
“Have a safe trip,” Nicholas said, but I knew he only said that for the sake of formality.
“When you want me to pick you up?” Helena turned her head to me before she left. And from her eyes alone, I knew that she’s laughing inwardly at my expense.
“Uhmm..” it’s four o’clock now, but I wasn’t sure how long I could survive this walking blizzard. Yesterday, I was aiming for four hours, but today, with his sweater and his devil-may-care attitude, I didn’t know if I could stand that long.
“We have drivers,” Nicholas offered.
“Oh… oookay,” Helena’s smile was unnecessary but she didn’t kill it off. Instead she grabbed me by the elbow and gave me a bone-crushing hug.
“Tough luck, sis,” she said in the progress of our hug, “that guy’s a friggin Himalayas.”
“Or should I just go straight to the ‘volcano’?” by that, I was referring to Nigel.
Helena was gifted with a brain that could process things fast. “Nah, you can trigger volcano to erupt by using Himalayas. That would make the relationship lasts longer.”
We broke off, and she went away.
And that left just me and Nicholas.
Gulp. Just suddenly, my cardigan wasn’t enough to warm me up.
Nicholas tilted his head to upstairs. “Let’s go. We can use Dad’s working room.”
“Okay.”
He waited for me to get into his place so that the gap between us wasn’t that big. I watched my steps carefully as his thin figure led me. But just seven more steps before we reached the second floor, he pivoted so that we’re looking at each other.
“You’re not bringing any book,” he said.
His mouth didn’t even move except for little twitches here and there.
Oh, oh shit.
He knew. He knew I’d been talking about him with Helena.
I laughed nervously. “Sorry, I forgot,” I said, my mouth wasn’t moving either. “Can I use yours?”
“Very well,” His lips were curved into a smug smile, and again I saw a dimple embellished his cheek. “So your sister’s getting frostbite.”
Realizing that there’s no way I could deny this, I only nodded weakly.
“Tell her to cover her legs, then.”
“I will.”
His march of triumph really bothered me. I thought my ability to speak like that was nearing perfect. How come he could notice that?
What if he knew anything about my plot?
“So, Nic, about the Himalayas and volcano thingy…” I began uneasily.
He turned around, and this time, instead for a smug smile, he adopted a confused face. “What Himalayas?”
I blinked. Not really believing my ears. What? He got the entire thing but the gist? Was that my luck or his curse?
“What Himalayas, Henrietta?” he pressed.
I quickly tapped away all the reveries. “Oh, nothing, I was just wondering if you could help me differentiating those two things.”
My answer seemed to put him down. He shrugged and kept walking, more lethargically this time.
“And it’s Rietta,” I added.
“You’re not calling me Nicholas either,” was his fast reply.
I didn’t want him to get the last word so I dug inside my head to get a comeback. But then my cellphone was vibrating and I just could ignore it. I flipped it open and saw a text from my sister.
Thts
why i drew u 4 a hug that time
& yeah, ur fart still stinks
p.s:
nic's status:
looks: (thumbs up)
personality: X X X X X X X
nigel's
looks: (double thumbs up)
personality: XXXX
xoxo, sis!
superficialSagacity, BloodRedRose22, .Breathe, iced-faerie, jacksy, LoveMySoul
And yeah, a new character. What do you think bout Helena? I think the next chapter would be fun because we'll get to see more . Thanks a lot for reading!
