Gift

Aunt Lisa always talks about scientific shit, you know? And she always does it using the most complicated words she can find. She even talks in Latin whenever she can, that's just pure pretentious shit, it is her way to remind us that we are stupid monkeys compared to her. But even among so much trash, sometimes she tells interesting things. Once she talked about relativity: there is an experiment where different people are enclosed in different rooms the same amount of time but with a clock that goes at a different speed. One clock marked the seconds three times faster, and the other marked the seconds three times slower. The people inside the rooms had to make a test or complete a puzzle; the persons with the fast clock hurried and were pressed to finish fast while the others took their time, and when they were finished, they all compared experiences and they came to the conclusion that times goes different to every person according to the situation.

And man, that was what was happening right now; time didn't make sense to me, I don't know if we've been sitting for two hours or fifteen minutes, and how could I focus on something so stupid like time when Lina Sharp is in front of me? She's licking her Ice cream, licking it, which means I can see her cute pink tongue. Thinking that a girl's tongue is cute makes me a perv?

"Mom wants to take me to the Lollapalooza this year, isn't that cool?" Lina says giving another lick to her caramel sundae.

"Yeah, I would like to go. Mom took me to the Fun Fun Fun fest last winter and it was awesome. Texas is cool, and after the festival I went to a shooting range and I shoot a Beretta ARX160, that's a rifle" It took him five attempts to control the recoil to even get close to the target, but hey, he had to impress the girl. "It ain't as easy as movies make it look."

"I don't like weapons" said Lina looking away.

"Oh, I… I mean… umm…" Lemy didn't know what to say. Shit, I should have said I shot a 9mm and a shotgun, but you know, mom wanted me to know how to use a fire weapon, in case of zombies or the inevitable fallout of society.

"It's nothing, it's not like you have one in your home, right?" she looked him questioningly with those aquamarine eyes.

"Of course not, I just did it because my mom told me to. Lyra tried as well, you know?" Excusing himself behind Lyra always worked at home, but he realized that Lina didn't know that Lyra was the most serious and polite of all his sisters.

"Don't worry, I just don't like them, they are something created to kill… that's bad"

An awkward silence set between them like a wall in the middle of the table where they were eating.

Shit, shit, shit, fuck Lemy, you fucked up, the only girl that doesn't see you like a freak and you fucked it up, and now she thinks you're a psychopath addicted to weapons.

Remember what I told you about relativity? Well, it feels like we've been in silence like hours, and all because I wanted to show off, stupid cocky.

And you know what's worse? Lyra was better than him at shooting; in fact, she was better than him in almost everything.

"You haven't eaten your ice cream" the silver-haired girl said looking at him again.

"Oh, right, I… I forgot"

"You forgot you have an ice cream in your hand?" she said making what could possibly be the cutest laugh in the world. "You're weird, Lemy Loud"

Lemy looked down, ashamed.

"I like that"

Lemy look up expecting to see a mocking expression, but instead he sees a sassy smile and a little blush that enhance even more her freckles. Man that was fucking irresistible.

And that way, time changes its nature and goes faster and smooth like the current of a river.

"If you really want to come with us to Lollapalooza, you have to ask my mom if you can come, she loves you, you know it"

"Really? Me? Go with you? I mean, to Chicago? That would be awesome!" Lemy said with excitement, but then he thought in his father, his last report card and his F in biology, that takes him back to his grief and disappointment.

"What happen? You think your mother won't let you come?"

"Mom's not the problem" Lemy knows that when he tells his mother, she will not only let him go, she'll probably want to go with them. "My fa… I don't think my uncle will let me go. He is… He's the one who decides those things at home."

"Oh, I see…" Lina is the only one who has never asked about his family; she always keeps distance. It probably was a delicate topic, even more with all the rumors about the Loud house, that's one of the reasons he loves that girl. "Maybe I can talk with your uncle and convince him.

Lemy looked at her again; he couldn't believe there was someone who wanted to meet his gross family, and she even wanted to help him, but again Lina is looking away.

"Would you really do that?"

"Ye…yeah, but I need to meet him first, right?"

Lina's voice sounded weird, but you know? You'd be nervous too if you were a thirteen years old girl that has to approach a guy with the reputation of a pedophile.

"You don't have to push yourself too hard; we don't even know if your mother wants to take me, and I don't even know if I can get the money for the ticket…" And I don't want my father to see you, I don't want that bastard to put his hands on you, I don't want you to drool for him like everyone in the house, but knowing him, Lemy doubted that Lincoln I fuck everything that have my DNA Loud would be interested in someone outside his cult.

"I'll talk to my mother; like I said, she loves you, and about the money… well, you could sell us some other of your treasures; always you sell something, the reputation of the store goes up"

"Do you want to take everything from me? What's your plan?"

"If you wanna know… the idea is take everything related to rock and roll from you, and turn you into a boy band fan" Lina laugh thinking on Lemy being a fan of a boy band.

"Lady, you're diabolic. I rather be deaf than listen to those fags. I even know how to speak sign language so don't you even try"

"Do you really know how to speak in sign language?" Said Lina who already finished her ice cream, then she snatches Lemy's, which at this point was liquid.

"Yup, for real" said Lemy who was moving his hands doing the corresponding signs for what he was saying. "I'm a mysterious man."

"How do I know if you're not moving your hands randomly?" She looked distrustful, and that expression of uncertainty and curiosity, new for Lemy, looked cute, just like when she smiles or she gets angry. She even looked beautiful when she cry, not that he wanna see her do it, he would never want to see sadness and pain in that beautiful face.

See man? That's why people make fun of me: it doesn't matter how I look in the outside, I'm soft in the inside. I'm weak man, that's the truth.

"You can't. All you can do is trust me." Lemy bit his tongue. Shit, that was too weak, too sloppy. Who the fuck did he think he was, Aladdin?

"I do" said Lina, interrupting his thoughts and getting up. "All right, I'll try to convince my mom to take you to Chicago with us; you try to talk with your… uncle."

"I'll do."

After what she said, he would definitely go with her to Chicago. Man, he would definitely go with her to the end of the world, you heard her, she trusted him.

Lina extended her arm and pointed her fist towards Lemy, and of course he bumped his fist against hers.

Lina never greeted or farewell with a kiss on the cheek like all the girls in school, and that was something he loved and hated, 'cause fuck, he wanted to kiss her; imagine kissing those freckled cheeks, man. But at the same time, the thought that anyone could kiss her just because everyone does it, that bothered him.

He loved the way she leaves. Well, he loved everything about her, did I said that already?

"Well, I gotta go. Mom sure wants me to help her to close the store."

"I gotta go too; I have to pick up that stupid dinosaur"

Lemy watched her go, and cursed for the millionth time the fact she was two years older than him. She was fifteen and studied the high school; which meant he only could see her when she was on the store or the skate park.

Right now, Lemy walked with the giant box in his hands.

The present was perfect, the cover was perfect, the envelope was perfect; the guy of the store had that wrapping paper full of dinosaurs on a orange background. The guy said the character was Reptar, from a 90's Nickelodeon cartoon, you know, before Disney bought it. I don't care, but the guy discounted 50 bucks when I told him Lizy's story. I told him while he was wrapping it, and I had to listen to his rambles. ¿Does it reminds you to someone? But talking again about the gift; man if I only could give her this on her birthday, it would be awesome.

Her birthday would be on October 21th, and it was around the corner, because summer was just a week away and everyone would have to return to school on September. Fuck, just seven days of freedom. It really fucks me up to think that I'm a week away from starting the seventh grade; it would be the same shit like it was sixth... oh wait, it would be worse. At least the last year I had my sisters to support me, but with all the shit I'm in right now… well, I better get ready for a shitty school year. I'm not worried about what might happen to me, you know? I've received a lot of hits along my life, some of them really hard, but Lizy… man, I'm really worried about her; she's about to start the first grade, and she's going to the same private school with Leia. The first grade of school is hard, and it will be harder for her since she was educated at home so far, Liena took care of it. Lemy wanted Liena to keep doing it, but now she was a teacher on a kindergarten; she finally received her title, and would start working next month.

The reason she was educated at home all this time was… well, the kids in the neighborhood, the ones that would be Lizy's classmates, they… kids are cruel, have you ever heard that? It was true, it fucking was. I lived it myself, just like all my older sisters. You think Loan locks up at home 24 hours just because her DNA's fucked up? Ok, maybe it was, but two or three of her problems were because of those monsters that people insist on call kids.

They messed with her, and she was alone; she didn't have anyone to support her so those fuckers and bitches had their fun with her until Lyra went to school. Liena couldn't go to the same school.

That's why Lizy didn't go to kindergarten. We tried, you know? We really tried. One time we took her to the park; she wanted to play on the sandbox with the other kids, and for a moment things went good, for a moment I thought nobody would recognize her or judge her for something she didn't chose to be, I thought she wouldn't have to pay for the sins of the bastard she call father, and things went to shit. We took our eyes out of her for five minutes, and the last thing we knew was that a little brat was throwing sand at her face while calling her freak.

'Kids are cruel' well, I was a kid… ok, I was smaller, and I was really cruel. That little bitch would never forget who Lemy Loud was; her mother had to hit me with a rock to take me out of her. Remember I told you that I received hits from life? Well, I meant it, that woman had a strong arm. When I woke up I was in Aunt Lisa's lab, and Lizy was hugging me tight while crying. Aunt Lisa gave thirteen stitches to my forehead, and there was when we decide that Lizy would never go to kindergarten.

And now she would go to school, and it scares me that I won't be by her side, and it scares me even more to know they would leave her alone there, but Aunt Lola offered herself to pay the private school where Leia was studying. That school was at the Royal Wood's exit, and it had its own transport, and from what Leia told me (when she still spoke to me), nobody knew… nobody knew our family.

Lemy's grip tightened on the gift wrap; remember all that past shit, what happened to Loan and each one of his sisters and what he lived himself made him angry. And you know what's worse? His sisters and he had to deal with that crap daily, even today, and Lemy thought the stigma he was carrying would follow him until the grave, and that really made him mad.

You blame me for hating my father? Can you really blame me? We have to pay for the sins of that son of a bitch, you think that's fair?

Lemy was abstracted in his hate and didn't notice that a car paired with him and was following him slowly.

A honk made him jump out of fright and recoil in defensive position, covering himself with the box.

Aunt Luan's laughter echoed on the empty street. The yellow Sedan shone as the sunbeams even hit the old paint job.

"Kid, if you keep walking like that, one day something bad will happen to you. I've been following you for two blocks and you didn't even notice me" Lemy was still in alert mode, all he could do was stand there and watch her laugh her ass off. The brown-haired woman narrowed her eyes and with a soft voice said: "want some candy, kid? And maybe when you finish I could give you something even more sweetly"

She winked.

Lemy swallowed and his grip on the box tightened.

Her laughter took him off his astonishment. His pale face was changing into a red blush.

That woman wants me to eat her… shit. Maybe my father is not the only responsible for my bullshit.

Lemy sighed; her laughter told him she was just messing with around, but in this family you never know, man.

"Come on Lem, get in, I do have snacks."

Lemy reluctantly got in; for a moment he thought in refusing and keep walking, but I told you already man, Lemy Loud is weak with women, especially the ones from his family.

In the car, he settled himself while holding the box; the back of the car was full with her party stuff. Although she was now a professional comedian and had presentations on bars and theaters, (she even attended Comedy Central once), she still used her free days to attend birthday parties. This time she just had one, and in the glove box he found a bag full of candies.

This was the party of some spoiled brat, because this shit was good. Oh, look at this, a giant chocolate bar, come with daddy.

"So, are you ready for this Tuesday?" she said pointing at the box.

"This Tuesday? Oh, it's Loan's birthday." Yup bro, in two days it would be Loan's birthday. "Yes, but this is for Lizy."

Luan looked forward and hit the gas. The atmosphere became tense, he could feel it, and it was awkward. He'd rather be tortured with one of her awful puns.

"You love Lizy too much, don't you?" She said without taking her eyes off the road. Suddenly, her voice lost that characteristic happiness.

"Yes, I do." Man, this is weird. Why is she asking that? Of course I love Lizy.

"She's very small."

"Yeah, she is." Ok, don't tell it's just me. Man, this is weird.

Luan nodded again and kept driving. They remained silent for at least ten minutes; Lemy couldn't even turn on the radio; his hands were busy with the box. Luckily for him, they arrived home.

The sedan pulled into the drive and stopped aside Vanzilla 3000; Luan was still with her gaze fixed to the front and her hands gripping the steering wheel, so Lemy had to stay there.

You know man, there are times were you know you have to stay where you are and wait. And I would be lying if I say I don't want to know what aunt Luan has to say. Probably was another of her jokes.

"Loan spends a lot of time with you too…"

"I wouldn't say a lot of time, lately she…" Lemy stops talking when he remembered how she, like his other sisters, has distanced herself from him.

"Yeah, but she still talks with you, and that's way more that anyone can say."

"Well… yeah, sometimes we talk. Why?"

"Liena and you are very close"

"Where do you wanna go with this?"

"Blondes never get out of style" the bitter voice of her aunt echoes in the car. "I know Liby is not very… Look, it's that stupid thing in her teeth… you gotta understand she won't have it forever… Lemy, I had brackets too and look at me now; I have the most perfect smile in Roya Woods." That's true; aunt Luan have the whitest and most beautiful smile I've ever seen, "And I know she's tall and thin, but give her time; some girls bloom late. If I told you that Lynn couldn't grow her breast until she was pregnant with Lacy, would you believe me? And look at her now, she's sexy, she has a goddamn hot ass."

Everything went silent again.

"Alright… I-I understand." That's a lie, I don't know what the fuck is happening right now.

"No you don't!" His aunt's sudden yell made him flinch, almost like when Aunt Lucy comes outta nowhere. "Liby is too shy… it's that bloody thing on her head… she's not as sexy as Lyra or Leia, but damn she's beautiful Lemy, I know she is. Isn't it beautiful her hair color?... so… she have so much love to give… you just need to be nice with her… just give her a chance, don't leave her at the end as if she were your last option."

Again everything went silent.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" this time he yelled, and Luan looked at him with fear. "What is wrong with you!? You're telling me to… what the fuck... you… what the hell is wrong with you!?, you come here and offer Liby as if she was a piece of meat, as if she were a… How dare you!? She's… she's… beautiful, and cute, and I know she's shy and delicate… and that's why I will never, ever, ever do that to her! I won't do that to any of my sisters! I'm not like my father and Liby is not like you! She's… they all are better! Liby deserve someone just for her alone, you said so, she's cute goddamn!, and more important, she's beautiful in the inside, she can get a cool guy, a lot of them, she doesn't have to settle with her brother. None of us have to be like you… so go fuck yourself! I won't do that to her, or Liena, or Loan, or…" Lemy's face was too blushed in anger. "…Lizy. You… you think I'm interested in Lizy… you think I would… you think this gift it's because I want to… I'M NOT LIKE HIM! I'M NOT A FUCKING PEDO SON OF A BITCH LIKE HIM!"

Lemy opened the door and got out the car as fast as he could.

Luan stayed there in silence, totally frozen; an expression of surprise in her face. She lay on the steering wheel, closing her eyes, and closing tight her fists.

Good job, Luan, not only didn't help Liby, you made it worse, and fuck; it really hurts when a kid tells straight to your face that you're a pervert…. The good news: Lemy loves Liby; the way he defended her… For a moment he reminded her to Lincoln, for a moment she got excited when she watched him that angry, yeah, Lemy loved her sisters. The bad news… he only loved them as sisters.

Remember when I told you that sometimes I flirt with Mary Jane to deal with all the shit in the house? Well, there's something better that a joint of the finest weed. Don't worry man, I'm not talking about cocaine or crystal or any of that shit, nope. What really calms me down, no matter how fucked I might be, is…

Look at Lizy while she's sleeping. Do you have little siblings, nephews or children? No? Well man, then you won't know what I'm talking about. You don't know what is like to look at that little one snuggled up and breathing slowly. You don't know what is like to see a little girl, all dirty and tired, lying in a bed lost in the world of dreams, where nothing bad can happen, where she's secure, and if you don't have a little kid in your life, you won't know what is like to sit and watch for minutes that little creature sleeping, and feel, at least for a short time, that there's nothing bad happening in the world.

Lemy felt that way while he watched Lizy sleep; he stormed really furious into the house, and he was so angry that for once Lupa, who he met at the stairs and always had a sarcastic phrase to say, just stepped aside raising her hands like a robber surrounded by police officers. But now, after ten minutes… or was it ten hours? Relativity man, remember? Lemy was calmed now, or at least as calm as someone can be after yelling to your aunt that you don't want to fuck your sisters. Aunt Luan now would be mad at him now, and now he had to watch his back all the time.

He scratched his head, and remembered how she managed to put lice on one of his wool caps; his mother was about to cut all of his hair to end with that pest, but Lyra helped him with a special comb and a shampoo. That's why he doesn't use wool caps anymore; now he uses a bandana to tame his wild hair.

Lemy would spend his entire night watching Lizy sleep while thinking in his problems and meditating, but the voice of the other male in the house took him out of his thoughts.

"Dinner is ready!"

Lizy of course didn't wake up; the voice, although loud and manly, came slightly because of how far they were from the kitchen.

Lemy smiled, already tasting the happiness of his little sister once she wakes up and watch her gift. If the gift were for him, he wouldn't be that exited, you know?

Make his sisters happy is… intoxicating.

"Lizy, come on Lizy, wake up" He sad, touching softly her cheek, starting with a gently touch like the flutter of a butterfly, and then, taking her in his arms in the most delicate way possible. "Come on Liz, get up."

Lizy opened her eyes slowly and blinked; she looked at everywhere, and then focused her blue eyes on his big brother; a wide, honest smile brightened his face, or rather, her smile brightened the whole world.

"Hey"

"Hey" she answered with a smile on her lips, but when she rubbed her eyes and woke up completely, her smile hesitated, then she remembered why she was sleeping in her brother's room.

Lizy looked away sad, but before she could sink in the dark shadows of depression…

"Happy birthday Lizy!" Lemy said happily.

"Birthday? Today's not my birthday" she looked at him with those big eyes. "Loan's birthday is in two days, and mine is in October, remember?"

"Really? Oh, silly me" Lemy slapped his forehead dramatically. "You're right, it is in October, and you'll turn… three, right?"

"No! I'll turn six!" she said lifting six fingers in front of him. "I'm big now, and I'll go to school."

"Right, right, you'll go to school. Are you ready?"

"Of course, I'm really smart, Aunt Lisa told me."

"Of course you are, not like your silly brother, I thought today was your birthday… and now I have a problem." Lemy looked down.

"A problem? Lizy jumped off the bed and got close to her brother; she would be ready to help him with whatever his problem was. Lemy could count on her, she was now a big girl, and she was six… almost. "What's the problem? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay, but… look, I bought this cute gift for a girl whose birthday is today, and now there's not birthday girl… that's a problem."

Lemy stepped aside, leaving in sight the box behind him.

Lizy's face brightened and her eyes shone like two sapphires.

"That's for me?" she asked without taking her eyes off the box.

"That's for you, but your party in not today, so I'll have to save it until October, or give it to other girl."

Lemy took the box and walked towards the closet.

"NO!" said Lizy and hugged his hips from behind.

"No?"

"No! Give it to me, it's mine!" the little girl said pulling his brother's military jacket. "It's mine, you said so!"

"Nope, I said it was for the birthday girl, remember?"

"It's my birthday! Today is my birthday!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! I am!" Lizy was now jumping with excitement.

"You're a little liar Lizy Loud" He bent and finally gave her the gift. "But that's okay since I'm silly"

"Thank you Lemy!" Lizy couldn't decide between take the box or hug her brother. That made him laugh; that was Lemy's first sincere laugh in weeks.

Lemy hugged his little sister, and kissed her forehead.

When Lizy got free from the hug, she tore apart the wrap of the box.

Lizy froze for a minute… two… ok; now I'm worried.

"Lizy?"

The little girl screamed so high Lemy could swear the crystals of her room were about to break.

"Ahhh! It's perfect… it's… it's… aaahhhh! It's perfect! Aaaahhh!"

Another scream like that, and man, I will go deaf. At least I already know how to speak sign language.

Lizy took out the Indominus Rex from the box and looked it at the eyes, looking at its big fangs. The little girl was jumping with excitement and suddenly she ran out of the room.

"Mom, mom! Lemy gave me a new dinosaur! Look at it!"

You see? It was worth it, it fucking was. Who wants a stupid poster signed by the best guitarist in the world when you can make Lizy happy?

Gift