Chapter 4:
Embarrassment is a feeling that I'm no stranger of, being scrawny and bald has it's serious cases of discrimination and bullying, from my high school life to my work, discrimination and it's byproduct of embarrassment is something that I once lived by. On all those years though, I developed myself to resist that kind of harm on my mentality, and to this day I'm 100% bully-proof and invincible to discrimination.
But even with my years of experience, I'm still sweating hard just by sitting in front of my non-biological sister, if you want to reason out that it may be hot, my condominium is fully air-conditioned. I feel that my sister obtained a doctorate in law instead of medicine due to the amount of scrutiny she's leveling at me, a scary smirk plastered on her face. Sure that smirk could easily melt the hearts of a hundred horny and perverted and Shekinah-enthralled men, but to me who knows her twists and turns all too well, it was terrifying considering the fact that her eyes were twinkling dangerously.
Beside me was a recovering Riven, still weak from the things she went through but was determined to hear what her 'savior' has to say. I laughed at the fact that Riven called Shekinah her savior even though she quickly explained that it's a part of her job description as a doctor. Good thing Riven didn't say something about 'Noxus' or it would be harder to explain to a Doctor who believes in cold hard facts.
"Soooooo . . . how long have you two been together?" Shekinah asked as she leaned atop my glass table with her elbows, her head rested on her knuckles. That certain smirk still on her face.
"W-What?" Riven replied a question back uncomfortably, she sounded unsure how to answer Shekinah's question, I myself felt like that. But with Shekinah, the only thing you could do is answer her question or the situation could turn from bad to worse, especially if you're hiding something.
"Three days, including this one" Riven looked shocked at how I answered but did not say something other than bow down, in what feeling, I don't know.
"Status?" Shekinah continued asking, I saw Riven . . . flinch? when she heard Shekinah saying that. I'm not sure.
"Friends" I replied tiredly and with a heavy sigh.
"You sound unhappy, bro, don't you like the situation?" she asked teasingly, obviously implying my implied relationship with Riven.
"YES! I'm totally happy because you're overthinking things again, sweet little sister!" I said, making sure to add every bit of sarcasm I could muster, stifling the urge to sound nervous and resisting the urge to curse, in the process. She's my beloved sister, I don't want to be angry with her, though I had a serious case of weird anger issues with Shek, it goes like this, if I get angry with her that anger will quickly dissipate when I remember what she's been through or for some weird reason, when I look at her. To put it simply, I can't be angry at her.
She sighed at my remark as she laid back at the sofa she was sitting at.
"It was a normal day, nothing special, nothing extraordinary. I was going at my usual routines . . ." Riven began, I noticed Shekinah listening at her intently while I'm hoping that whatever she says, even if it may sound unbelievable to Shekinah, it would provide the necessary information to get rid of Shekinah's thinking.
" . . . A league match was underway, and I was assigned to a particular summoner named Poseidrone" I flinched, that was my username in the game while Shekinah looked increasingly confused.
"The match turned out amazingly, the summoner was experienced and was aware of my strengths and weaknesses" it was obvious with the way she talked that she had no clue that I was the summoner named Poseidrone, though I thoroughly explained to her the other day about the League of Legends being a game. She was angry at first, believing that I was implying that the hardships she and her fellow champions battles was just a game to me, that was until I showed her a video of the game in my laptop, I didn't install the game in my laptop so a video would have to do.
"Until something unexpected happened, the skies became dark and darkness fell across the field of justice, the last thing I remembered was something . . . Bright. The next thing I remembered after was Francis, taking care of me" I was slightly embarrassed by the last part, worse, Riven gave me a cute and earnest smile after, I wish my face didn't go from slightly tanned to grilled red.
Shekinah just gave her a very worried look.
Then she laughed.
Hard.
I sighed heavily at that, I kinda expected that reaction but Riven looked horribly confused as to why my sister is laughing.
"That's funny!" she said before continuing to laugh again.
I looked at Shekinah with pity then at Riven, who had a fierce look of determination about her.
That does not look good.
Riven stood up, not minding the stitches on her abdomen and went to her(MY!) room. My eyes widened when she returned with her half blade. At this point, Shekinah was just chuckling, her laughing fit starting to ease down. Her eyes were focused at the thing that Riven carried.
"This is my weapon" Riven said simply.
Shekinah covered her mouth and did her best to not laugh. All her efforts were null and void, though, as she went up again in a laughing fit.
Riven was starting to look disappointed. She then closed her eyes. Oh no, is she trying it again?
Shekinah stopped laughing when she looked at the green energy that started to form around Riven's blade, it emitted a very powerful-looking type of energy. I was full of relief when she didn't try to form her blade or things would become dangerous again, and one of the people closest to my heart is here with us, that's the last thing I would like to happen.
"Let me guess, that's the one that caused the concussion" Shekinah said incredulously as she pointed the blade, she obviously doesn't want to be anywhere near the weapon so she's examining it from afar, I don't know how 'examining from afar' works though.
"What? No 'HOLY SHIT BRO' quotes?" I asked teasingly and incredulously, I was honestly shocked that my sister wasn't quite shocked at what Riven did. Glancing at Riven, looks like she's as shocked as me.
"If I said that bro, then I'm sure you would go apeshit and use that opportunity to laugh at me" She reasoned out while she crossed her arms, a smirk on her face, she's probably thinking that she outsmarted me or something.
I sighed, to my surprise, Riven did too.
"But answering your question, this was the concussion you were looking for, sis" I said, going back to the more urgent topic.
Her eyes widened in surprise, I just threw her a questioning and very confused look.
"You mean, you really did treat her wound properly?!" She asked incredulously.
"Hey!" I replied.
"He did" Riven's voice suddenly added to the mix.
"I don't believe it! You did something right for once!" Shekinah said with an expression that practically shouted 'Unbelievable!'
As a reply, I just smacked an open palm in my face.
"Well, now that that is settled, what do you wanna do with her?" Shekinah said, not teasingly but obviously without thinking as Riven looked like a tomato with white hair.
"Err . . . I did not mean it that way" Shekinah replied apologetically to Riven. Wait, why does she do that to Riven and not to me?
"I don't know actually . . ." I said, just to move on with the topics and stop embarrassing Riven.
The three of us became silent with that, thinking of things to do, since none of us knew what to do next and it's still 9am in the morning.
"Hey, I got an idea!" Shekinah proclaimed excitedly, with a big goofy grin on her face as she took Riven's hands in hers and hopped up and down.
I have a feeling that whatever she's thinking is something that makes me uncomfortable.
xXx
How did I get into this situation again?
Asked my mind as my back showed it's disapproval in a more felt nature. I felt dread fall over me when Shekinah had an idea, and what I felt was right on target. She introduced Riven to the feminine idea of 'shopping' or in my case 'forced slavery' as I was carrying dozens of shopping bags. Hell, I'm actually balancing myself every time I take a step just because of the absurd number of things I'm carrying.
I did my best-est trying to follow them as Shekinah kept picking clothes of variety for Riven, while the latter also has various reactions to a cloth that my sister picks up. Sometimes it's a blush, more often it's a wide-eyed look of fear. As evidenced when Shekinah picked up a slim shirt that would obviously showcase her . . . Um . . . Ahh . . . Upper body blessings.
I was glad that I'm not the only one feeling displeased by this little trip though, sooner or later Shekinah would tire of this very tiring thing she calls 'shopping'.
"Bro, you okay there?" Shekinah asked suddenly.
"What do you think?" I asked, sarcasm practically drooling from my mouth as she placed the umpteenth shopping bag on top of the tower of bags that I carried.
"Umm . . . I think this is enough for me?" Riven asked nervously at Shekinah, she looked like she's worried that the things I carry will fall at a moment's notice, which is probably correct.
Shekinah pondered for a moment. Then she smiled at me then at Riven.
"Riven, a woman has to have many clothes in one's closet, which is the next thing we would buy for you!" Shekinah explained with that smile in her face.
A closet? Who would she hire to carry the . . .
I paled as I refused to follow that train of thought.
"At least we should eat first!" I complained loudly as my arms tremble in fatigue.
"Of course, bro!" Shekinah said happily, I blinked my eyes owlishly.
Did she really just relieve me from my burden?
xXx
I should have known better.
Yes, we eat, and yes we eat in a first-class restaurant. The only problem being the fact that the money she used for buying our food was MINE. Not that I'm greedy, I'm just terribly thrifty and my work doesn't pay as high as Shekinah's who should be the one paying since she's got the higher paycheck.
I drummed my fingers on the fine wooden and lacquered table, my impatience and hunger starting to act up. Shekinah was doing something with her phone, with Riven curiously peeking at the device my sister was holding.
"Is this what you call a cellphone?" She asked me.
"Yeah, it's a device for communication just like you guessed" I replied, I oftentimes forget that Riven is pretty much an alien to this world and therefore is very ignorant of many things, good thing she asks me or Shekinah and not go around and go apeshit on cameras. I shrugged, that's not a nice thought.
Riven did a very good job at keeping her ignorance and curiosity in check while we were in the mall though and I was proud at her for that. Proud because I practically did a one day crash course through everything that there is in this world, it's not easy good thing my work demands me to learn a lot.
"Bro?" Shekinah asked. I was mildly surprised that she sounded serious this time. Hey, after all we've been through in this mall, you can't possibly blame ME.
"Yeah?" I replied.
"I'm sorry but I have to go to the hospital . . ." She said sadly, the feeling is mutual though. This is the first time I've seen my sister in almost three years, I was actually lucky and blessed that I knew the hospital she's currently working in, for I'm sure that her cellphone number has changed many times since we last met.
Riven also looked sad, well I can't blame her, Shekinah is really fun to be with even though she puts me in the most extreme of extremes at time. Plus the fact that she saved her, instantly makes Shekinah a dear and close friend of Riven's. Though I hope she won't be thinking of 'debts' soon because that kind of thinking is very very annoying for guys like me and my sister, we help when we can, not because we're expecting a reward.
"Sis, wait." I said right before she stood of off the wooden stool that she was sitting at.
"Hmm?" she asked absentmindedly as she took her bag and her medicine kits.
"Your number" I replied, she chuckled.
"Just like old times, eh?" she asked, both of us in nostalgia and melancholy over the old days.
"Yeah, just like old times" I replied with a smile.
"Bye bro, bye Riven" she said before she each gave the two of us a kiss on the cheeks. Riven stiffened when my sister's lips touched her skin, obviously not used to that kind of showing of friendship.
"She's . . . Very nice" Riven said while she caressed the cheek in which Shekinah kissed.
"No, she's a slave driver" I said before heavily sighing, which earned a friendly punch from Riven. But even how friendly the punch is, it still hurt, I'm scrawny remember.
"Ouch! You do know how frail I am right?!" I complained which made her laugh. It was a beautiful sound, her laughter.
"You complain too much" she ventured after chuckling.
"It's a part of my pleasing personality" I said with a smile.
"Then you're very hard to please" she said sultrily, her voice nearing the point of purring, my eyes widened and my cheeks became red at what she just said.
"Hah! I got my revenge!" she proclaimed victoriously, I simply did a facepalm, I forgot that I've said many things that made her feel like what I feel now; Embarrassment.
Then the food came. And my senses were on high alert, knowing all too well how Riven eats. The food was actually good for three people, or for one fat guy or . . . well yeah . . . A Riven.
The waiter placed a tray of potato slices, three pork steaks with rice, a big pitcher of iced tea, a very good looking grilled fish, three grilled pork chops and three fried ice creams. Riven's eyes glazed over the food, as if she's unsure which among the meat category will she eat first. Taking the opportunity made by her momentary distraction, I quickly snatched a pork steak meal, only for my hand to be swatted away as Riven took that one, though I returned to my place in the table with the pork chop meal and the potato tray.
I started to eat, never taking my eyes off Riven. Who started to eat like a monster, I made a mistake of looking down at my phone, then when I looked back, Riven had two plates shiny and clean.
"You should eat more, you know, you being scrawny and all" she said right before taking a bite at a pork chop.
I sighed, "How could I eat more when you're hogging all the food?" I pointed out.
I saw Riven stop suddenly, looking like she's embarrassed by her actions. Then she gingerly pushed a plate with steak towards me, I blinked then I started digging in the plate.
"Sorry . . ." she said in a tiny voice, god it sounded cute.
"You don't have to be you know, and I'm not actually wanting this one" I replied as I pushed the steak back at her.
Then she had this determined aura all over her, which made my eyes scrunch in curiosity.
"No, you will eat that" she said simply and . . . dangerously!
She started toying with the knife and the fork, flipping the two of them as if she's ready to throw them at any moment, which she probably is.
In simple words, I'm scared shitless and I started to dig in the food.
Unknown to me, Riven smiled when she saw me eating as fast as her.
xXx
Shekinah laid down her binoculars, a smile in her face as she saw the two talk and squabble.
She's absolutely happy for her brother.