Chapter 7: Summer Days part 2; Going through the Motions
A few days go by; at times they go unnoticed, until it becomes a routine to do, without breaking it. Everything is set in place, not an edge bent or crack, everything is just as is. Days that were work; hearing the alarm clock, while for off days; a knock would happen on the door, a grumpy roommate be on the other side, yarning nonsense, that the dead sleep could wake, and it was time to see the morning sky.
" . . . Oh Princess Night Stripe, bless the kingdom with your lovely face." Shooting Star shouted through the door, sleepiness thick in his voice edged with taunts that went on for miles, awake or not, banging his hand hard as he could against the door, waiting for response, when nothing happen, he kept at it. "Shall I fetch young mistress Raven to come wake you?"
A break, took place, his hand ready to go again, but stopped when a very much walking dead of Night Stripe opened the door, nothing but a lone light inside his room, goggles hanging around his neck, as his eyes silted a heated glare to the taller teen, a certain hue on cue set across from ear to ear.
"Good morning, sunshine, you have slept long enough. Come see the day, and have breakfast. Now, please and thank you. Footie PJ's are an option."
The taunts far from stopped, with one small plus side, Shooting Star left him alone finally. Going back in the room, blindly and carefully getting towards the desk that lay by the bed, grabbing for a bottle, feeling for its shape, before having what was inside applied to his eyes, soon his goggles were now back on right, letting him fix the lighting his room, by opening the dark curtains more. Switching off the lamp, as he left the room, readying the day through his head, as planned for today.
In order, it was done, finding fresh clothes for later, set on the bed, quickly planning the rest, which after eating, shower and go from there. Waking up along the way, as he soon headed down stairs, seeing Shooting Star trying hard not to burn the toast this time, as Night Stripe noticed cereal on the table, taking a seat and pouring some into a bowl, dry, not caring for a spoon and just eat with his fingers.
Popping little colorful sugary roundness of breakfast in his mouth, in thought, for what to do, after his list of things was done. They were short, but the day was long one for summer, and timed to burn it, was the only thing coming to mind for it.
Glancing ways when Shooting Star, finally sat at the table, eating as well. The silent was short.
"Just great, I got a long shift but you get a day off. I hate you."
They were just words to fill in the space between them, having Night Stripe give a shrug back to the other, throwing back a few more. Before placing the bowl down, when he noticed the time, leaving the kitchen not long later.
"Hey, you're not done yet. Come back and finish this!" Shooting Star looked to the time, looking away and went back to eating his toast, later in thinking of bothering with what happen forehand when it was the right time.
Night Stripe ran up the stairs, missing a step now and then, almost tripping, gripping the railing for dear life, to soon finally reaching the top floor, heading to Shoot Star's father's office, already hearing a ringing happening on the computer that was once on sleep mode, now full on charge.
He took a seat, finding the headphones fast enough to plug them in, to soft the call tone seeing as he left the door open, upon seeing the name of who was calling. Answering it, but for speaker, and waited.
"Hey honey, the old sparrow is out and the news flocks happily."
He clicked away from speaker, changing to Skype cam, smiling, though still tried but waved at his mother.
"Did you just now get up?"
He signed it wasn't that long ago, and seeing to that it was his off day, it was become lazy day. When the answer seemed justified to his mother, she let it slide, though she still had something to say about it.
"Don't try to overdue, Night Stripe, you need your sleep so be sure get the hours you need. Okay?"
He gave a nod in understanding, asking how her day and what not, glad to be able to see, she looked healthy, her stomach larger than ever now. Though, he didn't bring it up, and found something else to speak about.
"Well, I finally went in for a checking. And I couldn't be any happier, so over the moon, I haven't called your father about it, yet. Its twins! I haven't asked for the genders; still want it to be a surprise. Though it being twins alone, oh boy, this is just too wonderful words. Night Stripe, you are going to be a big brother, oh this is making a proud mother right now! Meh-hum, its proudest thing ever, I tell you!"
Night Stripe smiled fondly at his mother, letting go on what she wanted to say.
"But I something for us both, which will make us proud, I could say guess, but I can't hold it in. I got a slim packet from your English teacher. Honey, you never told me you enter into a short contest that the school was doing . . . I haven't read the story, but I found something else when I opened it, before mother saw it anyway. Would you like see it?"
Night Stripe responded with a carry on for her.
On the screen, she held a white ribbon to the camera, even though the large number was on there, a bold and happy smile never left her face.
"Your first try, and you get in the top thirty, Night Stripe, oh sweetie, you got a talent in you yet. I'm so proud. Is that why you didn't want father or me to know? You weren't sure of how this was going to go?"
Night Stripe guilty nodded his head.
"Honey, no matter what, we would never be ashamed of all of your life choices, worry yes, but never ashamed. If you even told us, you entered and lost all together, it wouldn't have changed a thing. Only knowing you tried would matter to us. And this, Night Stripe, is just as the same and I couldn't say I love you any less than before. Be proud of this, okay?"
He gave a nod.
"Would it be okay, if I read your story?"
He signed out that now, wouldn't be a good time; he had other things to do, and had chores Shooting Star wanted him to help out on.
"Okay, I'll read it later. Again, honey, good job."
He made a kissing motion with his hand to his lips to the screen of his mother's face.
"You're welcome." She replied back while making a fist clockwise circle the center of her chest as she said it.
He soon made another sign of asking to her.
"Yes, we did finally finish the nursing room. And have no fear, your room is locked, she can't get in. As far as she knows, she lost in her own bubble of how to do thing. But still, bless this woman, we are getting things done. Not only with the nursing room, but also the bills paid off, Parasol is coming by later to pick up some things, I hope by then, I have read this master piece of yours . . . you shy away and blush now boy, it means everything."
Night Stripe looked away still, shaking his head with a small smile, fanning his face to calm the heat. His mother at times was just too much her kind words did for him, frowning only a moment when remember something, but drop it, going back to the smile and looking back at his mother.
"There's my little man, smiling proud for his work, as he should. I also need to know, are you going to the dance on Wednesday? Shooting Star had asked me about it, and seeing this was going to be last time you guys see each other, before he goes off to college, I think you should."
Night Stripe shook his head, telling his mother the reasons of he would never go. And there was after the dance anyway, he could hang out with his buddy, not forgetting he was staying with anyway. It wouldn't matter how it looked.
"Every second someone is not with a friend, how are they really a friend to each other, if they can't see all the troubles together? And too bad, I got a nice suit for you to wear to the dance, you are going. That is final, young man . . . don't give me that look, you're books and games will be there when you come back. Please for me, for your siblings . . . you know they are going to take after me; that's a good enough reason . . . yes it is, and stop changing the subject, you are going. That's that."
Night Stripe only looked helpless at his mother, his eyes widen when he heard another nearby, muffled by the walls, but still very clear. It was then he deciding to say goodbye.
"Goodbye, have a good time, behave; I'll talk again soon when I reach your father. Parasol will bring the letter later. Bye." She said in a low voice, waving, and the screen went blank for the call died.
Night Stripe took off his headphones, unplugging them, turning off the computer, so at ease in listlessness loss he was, he didn't even know he was doing do it, as he soon he was leaning in the big office chair, in thought. Debating on whether it was worth it or not.
"You are tagging along, do or die, man, I will drag you."
Night Stripe looked to voice, signing away a storm to Shooting Star, who was at the door, minding his own thing, arms crossed with a pointed look, as he leaned against the door frame.
"I might be the devil, my dear little Night Stripe, but you're the fool making a fuss over nothing. Again, I will drag you, Parasol too, don't think she won't."
Night Stripe signed his friend a question.
"It's in Manehattan."
Shooting Star let that soak in for his small buddy, trying to cover up of how his voice cracked when he tried to form the word. That shock look Night Stripe was the same he had too, when he got the acceptation letter, his parents played a different tune, but overall, he was living by the end of summer, no matter how it appeared after that.
Night Stripe gave him his response.
"Alright, glad we got that settle. I got to get ready for work, you are on your own for today . . . and for my sake, wipe that look from your face." Shooting Star said, crossing the office and headlock his friend, roughing his hair, to get rid of that sad look, now switched with a unmissed of anxious stare for the other to let go, having the former say. "That's more like it, and hello again there red hue, I almost missed you." He laughed when Night Stripe tried to put more force of the other to let him go.
He soon did, heading for the door. He was about close, to head off and to get ready for work, before calling over his shoulder, for the other to hear. "It's a nice day, leave the cave you hermit, after you have bathed!"
He bolted when he heard rushing footsteps coming after him. Laughter filled the halls of the house until He was out the door, leaving his friend to do what he wanted.
