"Fratellooo! It's one week into the trial! We're getting far! Far far far!"
Lovino grumbled something, not audible enough for me to hear.
"If we're 'far far far' then we are 'close close close' to being 'dumped dumped dumped'!" he growled, making me start. My fratello constantly sounds irritated, but this seemed like the real deal.
"But Antonio is a nice person!" I retorted, folding my arms over my chest.
He sighed in exasperation, and gave me his "I don't have time for your shit" look.
"That's what you always say."
With that, my brother slipped his arms through his jacket sleeves, and threw on his knapsack. He briskly walked out the door, leaving me to try and catch up. Leaving me to try and catch up, while loudly crying his name, and drawing a bit of attention. Lovino turned to me with an embarrassed red face.
"Lovi, I'm scared to walk by myself!" I whimpered, finally being able to seize his sleeve.
My brother dragged me along.
"You're eleven fucking years old. Almost twelve! Get over it!" he scolded, without facing me.
I made a whining noise.
"But Toni is supposed to walk with us! It makes me feel secure..."
"Well, your little Spanish papa is sick, okay?! Deal with it for right now, and quit it with your babyish crying!"
Lovino never really got angry like that without getting a second thought. It made me feel really upset. He is my nice, smart big brother! Lovi is not a meanie. I sniffed a bit. But he didn't react.
"Lovi..." I peeped.
"The hell is it now?!"
I just shut up. We stopped at the corner of the sidewalk and waited in utter silence. I buried my nose in my scarf, but Lovino just had his hands on his hips, as if not even bothered by the cold. Opening my mouth to say something, I tried to tell him to put on his gloves or something, but my speech was muffled by my very essential scarf.
The bus screeched to a stop, causing my eardrums discomfort. Reaching for my brothers sleeve, I motioned my fingers to grip his jacket fabric, but got nothing but air. He didn't stop to guide me up the high steps. In fact, he was already in the bus.
"Wait! Wait Lovino!" but he didn't listen. I slowly hopped up the steps, feeling dejected. It may seem silly, but I felt offended.
The seat my brother say in was too full for even my small self to fit in. So I went to the seat we would usually sit in with the Ivan kid. At least, it'd be less lonely, as soon as Ivan got on the bus. His stop was only next...
I shivered in my seat with a blue nose and pink cheeks. Whenever I was cold, my brother and I would huddle up. He thought it was awkward, but I enjoyed it. Oh, why am I still talking about him. He's mad at me!
"Feli? You are looking like you suffer the troublesome thoughts?" a familiar voice sounded. I jumped a bit, and peered over to see the smiling Russian boy.
"Oh...I'm sorry. It's nothing!" I assured.
Ivan tilted his head.
"Hm...where's your brother?" he asked.
I'd been caught.
"Eh...he's being a grouchy-pants. He won't be nice to me, or let me sit with him!" I explained.
"Oh...I see. Why is this?"
"I don't know. He is just being this way."
"Does Ivan need to teach a boy a lesson?" his cheery smile looked more like a demented smirk now.
I quickly shook my head in fear.
"No no! It's fine!'
Just like that, he snapped back to normal.
"Okay~!"
I shivered again.
"Are you chilly?" he asked, noticing my chattering teeth and vibrating arms.
I nodded.
"With all those layers of clothing?"
I nodded again, with a sheepish grin.
"Usually, when I'm cold, my brother huddles with me. Since he's not here, I'm very cold..." I explained.
Ivan sighed and wordlessly put his knitted cap on my head.
"Here's an alternative." he gestured to the cap.
He paused for a moment.
"So, are you and your brother really close?"
For the third time on that bus trip, I nodded.
"For the longest time, we were all each other had."
...
...
I stepped into the school, feeling the relief of warmth hit me. I exhaled in a relaxed manner, and strode off to my locker.
Fumbling with the lock, it took me four tries to get the thing to click open. I fished around for my necessary textbooks. As I did so, I felt someone lightly tap my shoulder. Elizabeta was behind me with a triumphant grin on her face.
"I got something back for your brother."
She held out the romance novel that was stolen by a certain albino.
"You got it back!" I cheered, great fully taking the book.
"But..." she began. But she didn't have to continue. I opened it, and was completely horrified.
One of my brother's precious gifts from our mother...defiled by sharpie. My eyes widened.
The permanent marker left marks on almost every page. Words, scribbles, hateful doodles. I put my hand over my mouth. Lovino was going to be heartbroken.
I looked up at her. She had a grim expression on her face.
"Gilbert...how could he?!"
She looked down.
"I'm sorry for my friend's doings. I'll surely beat him properly."
I closed the book.
"No...don't...what he did was really mean...and it's hard to forgive...but don't hurt him..."
She smiled.
"You're a good kid."
...
...
I caught his unmistakable curl in the corner of my eye. I breathed nervously and advanced toward him. I bit my lip nervously. He looked at me with one eyebrow raised.
"What is it?" he demanded.
Without replying, I held up the book.
"My...My book?!" he almost squealed. A smile lit up his face.
I nodded, still biting my lips, now painfully hard.
He snatched up the book and began flipping the pages. Then his smile faded.
"He...how...Gilbert...GILBERT!"
"Calm down..!"
"I'll kill him!"
Then he ran off. I chased, though.
But I wasn't as fast. I groped at the air, trying to grab the first reachable part of him. But he'd already found Gilbert.
"You..." Lovino growled.
"What do you-"
He slugged him right in the nose. My brother punched the kid. So hard, he fell over. We stared down at him. Then, I looked at my brother in disbelief. The rage was clear on his face.
"Gilbert, are you okay?" I asked, hesitantly.
The albino looked at Lovi and scowled.
"What does to look like?!"
Blood began to trickle down from his nostril.
"I'll...I'll go get the nurse..!" I ran for the nurses office at lightning speed.
...
...
The three of us sat in front of the principals desk. Lovino still looked infuriated. Gilbert had tissues stuffed up his nose. I just sat there quietly with my hands folded in my lap.
"You know, boys. We have a strict 'no fighting' policy at this school," the principal said, with a frown on her face.
We looked down.
"You all are suspended for a week. Gilbert, I've called your mother. Lovino, Feliciano, I've called your father."
"What father?" Lovino mumbled.
Everyone looked at Lovi.
"Excuse me?"
"I said...what father?!" repeated, much louder.
"Don't get that tone with me." she warned.
"Lovino, please..." I tugged on his sleeve.
"Feliciano, maybe you've accepted it, but I haven't. How is it so easy for you anyway?!"
"I learn how to love faster than you!"
...
...
"How on Earth have you two already been suspended?!" Antonio scolded.
I hung my head, but Lovino stood straight.
"A fight? Seriously?" he continued.
"I just punched a kid in the nose...Feliciano didn't do anything..."
That made me feel a little guilty. He just defended me. I instantly regret what I said back in the principal's office.
Antonio sighed.
"...I'll be in my room...I'm still not feeling well."
He walked away without another word.
We stood there in the entrance hallway. I glanced over at my brother.
"Lovi...about what I said earlier..."
"That doesn't matter. You were right anyway."
I shook my head.
"No! No I wasn't!"
"Don't deny it."
He walked away too.
And I was alone with my thoughts.
-
Remember this story? Fufu, it's been a while.