"Bummy Sunday"
Part One
~By Vilsy-Chan
Questions? Comments? Spiritual advice?:
Sunday is a weird day. When I say weird, I mean different. Not that Sunday is different from any other day… it's just different. Now that I've thoroughly confused you and myself, I'll tell you about a truly different Sunday I experienced.
My alarm still goes off on Sunday mornings. I'm too lazy to fix it so it doesn't, 'cuz I'll just have to turn it back on again come Monday. It goes off pretty early, and since I stay up so late on Fridays and Saturdays, I don't even hear it. I just sleep right through it. This Sunday, I slowly opened my eyes around 10:00. I guess the blurry numbers I saw were 10:13, or something around that. This was pretty early for me nonetheless, but I rolled out of bed anyway. I sat there in my boxers for quite some time, trying to come to terms with not only my environment, but my agenda as well. Kari was obviously nowhere to be found; she's not one for sleeping very late. By late I mean 8:00. Anyway, I figured she'd already left the house to do whatever activities she does on Sundays. Dad would be at work, and mom would have left me a note explaining what anomaly she had left in the microwave for my breakfast while she goes out shopping for the day. I figured, what the hell, I'll take my time 'waking up'. I then went back to thinking about what the day had in store for me. Soccer practice? No… did that yesterday… Hmm… No… did that yesterday too… took care of that on Friday… I suddenly came to the bizarre revelation that I had absolutely nothing I needed to do. I sat on the edge of my bed blinking for quite some time.
I really like Sundays like this. No matter what the weather is outside-- sunny, rainy-- it's always a bummy day. I looked towards the window of my room and saw that it was not particularly sunny, but not overly dreary. "I could go play soccer with the guys," I thought out loud to myself. "They're always out there on Sundays." For once, I had no real desire to go out and kick some goals. I turned over many thoughts in my mind. The mall… the movies… the park… arcades… downtown… I didn't want to be any of those places for some reason. I just wanted to stay home… and be a bum.
I walked out of my room, still sporting my boxers, and made my way sluggishly to the kitchen. Low and behold, there was a note taped to the microwave door from mom herself:
Dear Tai-hunny
Hope you slept well, sweetheart. Mommy has to pick up some groceries, pick up a shirt for your father, a dress for myself, a new pair of shoes for your sister, and new underwear for my Taichi-kins.
[Spare me, mom…] Mommy left you some spinach eggroll pancakes in the microwave. Don't heat them too long or they'll get chewy. [Great…] I hope you have a good day honey, and don't forget to call me on the cell phone if you go anywhere or have an emergency! Love ya honey!Mom
I tossed the note aside and peeked into the microwave. The spinach pancakes growled at me, so I quickly shut the door again. I was about to retreat when my stomach began protesting. I rubbed my tummy, coaxing it to stop growling but it didn't relent. Heaving a deep sigh, I set the microwave for 1 minute, hoping it would kill the pancakes before I would have to consume them. When they were done, I stabbed them with a pair of chopsticks just to make sure they were deceased.
Having painstakingly finished my breakfast, I walked out onto the terrace, still in my boxers I remind you, and leaned against the railing and peered out across the bustling city. Look at all those people, I thought. They actually have something to do today. I wasn't sure if I was jealous or grateful, but I noticed an old lady sitting on another balcony cattycornered to mine who was staring at me, and I hastily backpedaled into the house.
It was almost 11:30 and I had wandered around the apartment about 3 times. I had no idea what to do. I was now sitting in my drawers on the couch, flipping through the channels. I had gone through all 240 channels twice and hadn't found anything appealing. Have you ever noticed that? Nothing good comes on TV on Sundays. I heaved another one of those sighs and looked out of the glass door again. The phone suddenly rang and I almost fell off the couch. I pulled myself back up and peeked over the backrest of the couch as if the phone were a savage animal trying to burst from its caged confines. It was a bummy Sunday. I didn't have to take phone calls. The answering machine was perfectly capable.
Hi, you've reached the Kamiya residence. We're not in right now but if you leave a short message we'll do our best to get back to you! Buh bye!
Mom made it sound like we were celebrities.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!
Hi mom, it's me Kari. I'm at Danielle's house now, but I'm dragging TK to the all day "Chick Flick" matinee.
[That poor devil.] I should be home around 6 tonight. I wasn't sure if you were out and had the cell phone or not, but I guess I'll try calling that too. See ya later.BEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!
Great, no little sister to bug for a whole day. I lay back on the couch and stared at the TV. Some guy was blabbing about American football. Who the hell cares about American football? I turned the TV off and sighed. I seriously considered going back to bed, but once I'm awake… I'm awake. Something inside me suddenly told me I was lonely. I blinked a few times, then slapped myself in the face, thinking myself delirious. "Come on, Tai… lonely?" I said out loud, for some reason. I'd been alone in the house plenty of times… but not usually on Sundays. I took into account that I'd have the whole rest of the day to myself… alone. I scanned my eyes back over to the phone. A thousand thoughts rippled through my head, then immediately stopped on Sora.
I stood up and walked over to the phone, staring at it for a short while. I didn't think Sora would be home. She has tennis practice and matches, and when she's not playing tennis she's playing soccer. Maybe she was tending her mom's flower shop today. With all these impeding thoughts in mind, I let the idea that perhaps she was having a bummy Sunday too prevail. Good thing I did… or… at least I think it was good…
My fingers fumbled over the keys as I tried to dial Sora's number. For some reason my motor skills are impaired when I call her house. As if I had Parkinson's disease, I shakily brought the receiver to my ear. It seemed to ring forever, and I grew disheartened and was about to hang up. A banging sound suddenly emanated on the other side, sounding as though whoever picked up the phone had greased fingers.
"He-hello? Sorry."
I paused, thinking I had dialed the wrong number, but instead of avoiding embarrassment, I asked, "Er, hello? Is Sora there, please?"
"This is she."
I stood there open mouthed for a few moments. I hadn't recognized her voice at all. She sounded like a woman. "Oh, S-Sora. I'm sorry. It's Tai."
A short pause on the other side. "Oh, hello Tai. I didn't recognize your voice." How coincidental.
"Oh, eh heh. I didn't expect you to be home."
"Yeah, it's just one of those Sundays I guess."
Boy I could relate. "Yeah, one of those Sundays."
"My mom's keeping the shop open today but she said she doesn't need my help. Go figure, I have nothing better to do today."
"Eh heh... heh…"
"So what did you want?"
What did I want? I wasn't prepared to answer that toughy. "Er… I uh… well uh… that is… um… nothing."
Sora laughed at me. Hmph. "I see. I thought you might be out playing soccer in the park today. I was going to go down and see if they would let a girl in on the action… but for some reason I didn't feel like getting out of my pajamas today."
For a split second I envisioned Sora in her pajamas. Not anything like you wear on your honeymoon or something. I'm not that hentai… Eh hem. "Mmhmm…" was all I could spit out.
"Do you have any plans for today?"
This was my big chance. I was so lonesome and bored, but at the same time I didn't want to go anywhere or do anything. "Sora? Would you like to come over?"
Silence. Ah great going Tai, she thinks you're a weirdo now… more so than usual. "Sure, that'd be great."
A sweatdrop rolled down my temple. "Really?"
Sora let out a cute little giggle.. Aaah, did I say cute? I meant… uh… serious. "Of course. When can I come over?"
"Now! Er… that is, whenever is good for you."
"All right, I'll be right over Tai. See ya."
She hung up the damn phone just as I blurted out something that sounded like a combination of "goodbye" and "holy crap".
I dropped the phone back into its cradle and sat back down on the couch, staring at the blank TV. I couldn't believe I had just invited Sora over. I sat there for a good fifteen minutes in disbelief. Stupid me didn't snap out of it until the doorbell rang. Nervously I stood up and took a few steps towards the door, when I realized a key factor in being a host. One should be wearing more than his boxers when receiving a guest.
"Oh crap! Just a minute!" I shot into my bedroom like my pants were on fire, had I been wearing any. My guest must not have heard me because she pounded on the door again. "No time, no time. Can't keep Sora waiting! Bad hosting!" In my haste I managed to find a gray wife beater and threw it on. I am such an idiot.
I swung open the apartment door, which was still being pounded on. I stood in the doorway with a befuddled look upon my face. "S-sorry about that… Sora…"
God she was beautiful. I felt like the biggest moron standing there in my drawers, staring at her with my hand on the doorknob. "It's ok, Tai." I smiled with relief but then she laughed at me again as she walked in. "Kawaii boxers."
I sweatdropped big time, looking down below my waist at my decorative boxer shorts. "Thanks…" She stopped by the couch and turned her head and smiled at me. I tried to hide that I was blushing.
"I guess it really is one of those Sundays."
I nodded and continued to stare at her. She was wearing her white tennis uniform. That cute little white skirt that swished delicately about her thighs as she walked. I didn't know Sora wore girly stuff like that when she didn't have to, but I thought she looked angelic in it. She apparently noticed that I was staring at her thighs.
"I called my mom at the shop and told her I was going to go practice tennis, so I had to look the part."
I nodded again stupidly. She didn't need to explain herself to me. It didn't bother me that she blatantly lied to her mother. Not at all… She spoke again, breaking my trance.
"You ok, Tai?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Sorry." I shut the door slowly and continued to stand there.
"So what are we going to do? Where's Kari? Is your mom home?"
One thing you must never do-- ask me more than one question at once. "Uhhhh…" Her smile is so cute… er… serious that is. "Wanna play… a game or something?" I babbled.
"What game?"
"Er, uh…" I pulled my undershirt and snapped it back against my chest. I do that sometimes when I'm trying to think, or pretending to think.
"Donkey Madness?" Great Tai, yeah she really wants to play a stupid video game.
"Sure, that'd be fun," she agreed. She sat down on the couch and carefully tucked her skirt under her thighs. I looked at her curiously and she just grinned. "I'm warning you, I'm really good at this game."
My macho-guy-ness kicked in full gear and I gave her the biggest, most incredulous smirk I could muster. "Heh, yeah right."
By quarter of 1:00, she had beaten me 8 damn times. When we started I sat next to her on the couch, tossing the second controller at her and kicking on the game. I didn't want to beat her too badly at first, so I figured I'd go easy on her. Then she beat me twice… and I sat on the floor leaning on the coffee table. Lucky shot, I figured. I decided to stop "going easy" on her, and starting playing "for real". Then she beat me 3 more times, and I sat even closer to the TV on the floor, convinced that my vision was going bad and that was the reason for my poor performance. By the 7th time she kicked my butt at the stupid game, I was practically sitting on the TV. I whipped around and glared at her dubiously. "Quit cheating, will ya!?" She laughed at me for the 3rd time.
"I'm not cheating, Tai! You're just losing--badly! Why don't you just give up?"
I clenched my fist and raised it in the air dramatically. "I refuse to give up!" I overreact sometimes. I turned back around and clutched the controller, eyes blazing at the TV screen. "One more game, winner takes all!!"
Sora blinked at me, wondering why the last 7 games suddenly had no meaning. "All right."
"You're going down, Sora!"
"Yeah, ok."
"I mean it, I've got you right where I want you!!"
"Mmhmm."
"Wahahahahaa! See that! Ehehehehehe!! I gotcha.. I… I… crap."
"I win again, Tai."
I bit my lip and dropped the controller. No one ever beats me in Donkey Madness. The game's damn programmers couldn't beat me if they tried. Sora was truly something. I turned and looked back at her and she was just smiling. No sarcasm, no gloating, just smiling. How does she do it? "Er… are you hungry?" Good way to change the subject, huh…
Sora gently put down the controller on the coffee table and nodded slightly. "Yes, a little bit."
"Want something for lunch?"
She bowed her head and smiled. "Yes, please."
God she's so cute. Crap… that was a thought, not a statement. Anyway, I pulled myself to my feet, and I noticed she kept looking at my boxers. I walked around the couch, sweatdropping. I wondered what she was thinking. Maybe it totally grossed her out that I would have the audacity to be in her presence wearing boxer shorts and a wife beater while she was dressed in a beautiful white skirt. I hadn't thought about it… Sora had been my friend since we were really little kids. She was almost like my sister in that respect… only I don't think my sister is hot… er… you know what I mean… I thought about retreating to my room and putting some damn pants on but that would defeat the purpose of a bummy Sunday. I resolved that if she were bothered by my appearance, she'd let me know.
I found myself in the kitchen and was about to yell back to Sora to ask her what she wanted when I choked, seeing that she had followed me right in. I coughed and hacked a few times, glad that I'd stopped myself from yelling, but wishing I hadn't swallowed my tongue. Sora tilted her head to the side, looking rather worried. "You ok, Tai?"
"Grrahaha… yep." I rubbed my throat, turning red as I looked back at her. "So, what would you like?"
She shrugged and leaned against the counter. "What do you have?"
Taking a deep breath, I recited the many items my mother had stocked in our kitchen. Sora tried her best not to show too much disgust after I had finished the list of he options. As politely as possible she informed me that she would enjoy a spinach omelet. This was probably because she knew that eggs were the only things I knew how to make. I dared not tell her the spinach was leftover from those pancakes.
After I had accumulated the motley of necessary ingredients (six eggs and the scary looking spinach), Sora gave me a funny look and finally said, "Tai, I'll make them."
I shifted my eyes up from the frying pan I had situated on the stove. "What?"
She rephrased her statement into the form of a question. "May I make the omelets?"
"Er… you don't have to, you're my guest…"
"I know but I need the practice for…" She looked at me somewhat shyly. "You know."
Truthfully, I didn't know what the hell she was talking about, but I nodded anyway. Then, as I watched her pick up the eggs and start cracking them into a bowl, a few thoughts about why and whom she would ever need to cook for crossed my mind. I stood there for a good ten minutes, turning it over and over in my head until one idea suddenly made my stomach turn. By the time I had this revelation, Sora was already dumping two perfect omelets onto two plates. I turned and gazed at her, imagining her wearing one of those quaint housedresses my mom always wears, with an apron and everything. She turned and looked up at me and she looked so much like a little housewife that it scared the crap out of me. I must have turned bright green because she asked me if I was ok.
"Yeah…" I murmured. "I just lost my appetite…"
"What!?"
Damn, she sounded angry when she said that. "No! I mean, I lost my… lunch… No! What I mean is… I've lost my mind."
I expected her to throw the damn eggs at me but Sora isn't a violent person. Not on a bummy Sunday anyway. She just laughed at me… again. I must be a damn comedian.
God those eggs were good. She hadn't taken two bites when I was literally licking my plate clean. She gaped at me in amazement as I sat back in my chair and rubbed my Buddha belly and picked my teeth like the slob I am. She smiled slightly and continued to slowly and delicately poke her eggs with her chopsticks and place them on her tongue. I blinked a few times, watching her in equal amazement. Girls are something else when it comes to eating. A little too patient for me. I shrugged and continued rubbing my full stomach when suddenly I felt a huge belch coming on. I thought nothing of it and was about to let it rip when I remembered that Sora was sitting less than three feet away from me. Like I had done before with the yell, I tried to suppress my gaseous outburst by choking it back. Now I haven't had too much high school science but I had a feeling that I would shortly experience a negative chemical reaction. Sora shifted her brown eyes up to me with another look of concern. I appeared as though I was suffocating.
"You ok, Tai?"
I nodded quickly, not wanting to respond verbally for fear that I'd let it go. Man, I sure prayed that sucker wouldn't get slick and venture out the wrong end. I'd have to jump out the window and hope that someone would scrape me off the pavement before mom got home. I finally swallowed the damn thing and it fought gravity all the way back down my throat. I was relieved, for the time being that is, because I knew that wasn't the end of that matter. Enough with my bodily disorders.
About fifteen minutes later (it took her that long to finish the dumb omelet), I took my plate to the sink and stopped in front of it. "Thanks Sora," I began. "That was really--" I suddenly felt something push against my backside.
"Ooh, Tai, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you."
I was like, damn. That felt a little too good to be an accident. Well I didn't say that but that's sure as hell how I felt. I told her it was ok and clumsily fumbled my plate into the sink. I'm such an idiot. She started to wipe the counter as if she worked here, and I felt kind of guilty. I hastily picked up a dish of discarded spinach leftovers and walked over to her, about to tell her not to bother cleaning the whole dang kitchen. Then it happened… I removed all doubt of my idiocy. That big piece of air got between my feet and I stumbled, hurling the noxious concoction of spinach juice and… whatever… all over Sora's white outfit. I regained my footing only to gape at her in utter disbelief. She stood there, dripping with vile green ooze, blinking as she held her arms away from her body. I thought I was going to die.
TBC…
Haha, Tai's so screwed!