Innocence by Liezl Bustillos (best color ebook reader txt) 📕

never once thought it could end his life. If he went there with me, I shouldn’t be here with you. I must’ve died with him.” The atmosphere suddenly melancholic, the silence was hurtful. He sipped on his coffee then continued. “Remember those guys we’re with when we came to pick you up in the orphanage?”

Looked to my left recalling that time. “I can’t remember their names and faces…but I do remember there were five of you including Akira. What about them?”

“Actually, those two died almost seven months ago while investigating in that region. That’s why your father and I returned there.”

“What happened to them?”

He shook his head. “It’s already a long row to hoe and I still dunno.” He snorted. “I guess you got your curiosity from the Mizuki boys. Is that what you get living with those jokers?” He sneered, probably pulling himself out of misery. “The first time I saw you, you were just too quiet, wide-eyed, innocent little girl. Now, look at you! Time sure flies.”

“Dad called the night before he…uh…” A lump suddenly grew in my throat stopping me from saying it. His eyes narrowed, pupils dilated. I cleared my throat. “He said I should go visit Dr. Khali again.” His expression seemed interested.

“What did you tell him?” he asked. I shook my head. “Do you like her? That Khali?”

Dr. Elizabeth Khali was my psychiatrist. I didn’t know anything about her, except the way she handled her work. She was an old lady with hoarse voice that kept hunting me even in my sleep.

I nodded. “Do you? She’s kind. She’s a female, so I think we had a connection. I felt that she understood me.”

“Of course, that’s their job. You know…” he uttered snapping his fingers and making a face I couldn’t describe.

“No, I wasn’t talking about that.”

“You should see her. Akito wanted that.” There was a thin pause. “How’s your studies? I heard you’re being bullied. Is that true?”

 “It’s fine. I have friends. Finally.”

“You met him? The kid…” he looked up with his brows furrowed. It seemed he couldn’t remember the next words. “Uh, I forgot his name.”

“What kid?”

He hummed thinking hard. “He has a tattoo and--”

“Oh a tattoo, yeah, I think so. Almost every boy in that school has ink on their bodies. Abominable.”

“Abominable?” he laughed. “Lady, that’s what you call art!”

“Don’t tell me you have one?” He was making a sympathetic tsking sound, shaking his head side to side. “They look like bad guys trying to look cool to me.” I explained. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. “Uncle, there’s something I think I need to show you.” I reached for my bag to give him the envelope and the note I found in Akito’s room. Maybe he knew about it too. Not sure if it is somehow connected to anything, but it was still Akito’s. Most of me wanted to at least know a little of his work, a curiosity. This classic play-detective-game was to blame.

As I was about to pull it out, his eyes suddenly grew and held a hand. He gulped superlatively, eyes shifting eastward and westward. “What’s wrong, uncle?” Did he know what I am about to show him? A quick glance over the shoulder-- just a crowd of people I did not know who obviously love mud in their system. “Is there something wrong? Someone you know came by?”

“I forgot there’s something I needed to buy.” He clarified with a mumbled curse.  Or maybe I was just being pessimistic, as usual. Before I could say anything, he stood up, finished his coffee and said his goodbye. “You take care of yourself—and your brother.” I followed him outside as he immediately got in his old tinted faded blue car.

“Sammy!” An all familiar voice called. Ichigo. The last on my list: see someone I knew from school. She was running towards me in her six-inched wedge heels and eyeblinding flowy yellow dress. “You brat! You should buy a cellphone or any damn thing where I can contact you anytime, anywhere! It’s frustrating when some idiot is hardly reachable.”

“Are you talking about me?”

“Who else would it be?” She hissed as she pulled me back into the café and flashed a gleaming white smile. “Coffee?” I shook my head. It was like déjà vu. She raised her hand, waving to someone.

“What are you doing?”

“Menu and order.” She said innocently.

“It’s actually self-service here. And that you’re actually waving at a customer” She looked disappointed finally taking her arm down and brushed her long blonde hair.

“I’m sorry about your father.” Yup, those words. I was thinking what Akira felt whenever someone would drop those words. To my point-of-view, he didn’t like it at all. It was the same expression I eventually learned these past days. And of course, my very bones knew from the beginning that sympathy was not enough unless suffered the same fate. A grim and a fact.

Akira will be fine.

“Did my brother tell you?”

“He told Charles, I heard it accidentally. How are you? How’s your brother?”

“It’ll just take time. I need a job. I don’t want him do all the work, I have to help him.”

Her mouth curved downward. “I think I need that too.”

“Why?” I asked in terror.

“I’m broke. My parents cut me off. My bank’s drained. They don’t know where I am, and never heard from me. I’m driving them nuts the way they’re driving me.” She laughed. “I’ll ask Tasuki. He has a hotel. It’s not a five, but it’s still a hotel.”

“So, what did you come here for?”

“Oh yeah!” She took the paper bag. “It’s all blue. They’re all my babies and I’m giving them to you.”

“But-- What for?”

“Tomorrow’s party, dummy!”

I realized tomorrow will be Friday. “Time sure flies. I didn’t realize. I don’t like parties at all… thank you, though.”

”Ditto. But they were really busy at school. I heard the council is doing a lot of effort inviting people. I was actually absent the whole time too.” She laughed. “So if they bully you for not helping, you’ll have me.” We both giggled. “I hope the seniors will love it, it’s for them after all. We can drink somewhere after the party.”

“You just said you’re broke--”

“Not when it come to drinking.”

I rolled my eyes. “By the way, have you heard of Ground Zero?” I asked unthinkingly, lifting one shoulder. “Maybe you know?”

“You mean earth”s—Oh wait… Isn’t that a code or something?”

“I’m not sure.”

“I think it’s a casino hotel…” She shrugged. I took the note and showed it to her. “Yup. That ‘Friday’ just confirmed it.”

That was fast. “Really? It’s not a code then?”

She leaned closer and hinted, “It’s actually referring to prostitutes.”

“Prostitutes?” I repeated and she nodded. I didn’t know this about Akito, but really? I chuckled with the thought. I guess that explained the old phone. But what about the pictures? Must be from a case his doing. Maybe I was just over analyzing things.

 

I went home and saw Akira sleeping soundly in Akito’s messy room. He was still wearing his navy blue long sleeves, black pants and shoes. He was so tired he didn’t have time to take a bath. Since his dad’s death, he had been coming home late from work, heading straight to his room, no talking, and no eating. He would lock himself. I was left wondering what was in his mind as well as what he was feeling. I never had the chance to talk to him.

Moreover, since that day, there was this tang, a redolence of pervasive cigarette smoke in my room. Prominently at nights, never during the days. Menthol when inhaled, absinthial in maw, and gravelly in the gutter. A soothing feeling in loneliness, but not fear... I was sure neither Akito nor Akira smoke. They were health conscious.

Maybe it was just my imagination. All maybes. I grabbed my specs sitting in the corner table, examined it as I lay in bed.

No lights, just the moon. I was expecting another horror, but the feathery stench towed me to Zs.

Chapter 7: "Just Girls"

The thin skin near my eyes swelled itching in pain after the impassive lady threaded every unwanted follicle of my eyebrows-- she didn't turn a hair every time I closed my eyes gasping in awe. Ichigo on my right side was laughing while putting on eyeliner. The lady started putting me some too, starting with layers of cream and powder. She filled my brows with a small brush touched on a cork eyeshadow, then eyeliner and mascara that made me teary eyed, and blush-ons. I had no idea what I looked like. Ichigo said it would be a surprise. My face was getting thicker and heavier.

"Beauty is gained through pain." She was putting a soft, dusty baby pink lipstick that matches her alabaster skin tone. Actually, anything looked good on her.

"You mean 'enhanced' beauty."

She took a peach coral lipstick in a pouch, came to me and started dabbing. "You have beautiful teal eyes, but your bangs were on the way. You were like a talking Shih Tzu in eyeglasses. Never thought you were human." She grunted clipping my long bangs to the side, and then turned to pick a dress I would wear in that mountain she gave me. "Okay, wear these." She held up a blue knee length sleeveless polyester maxi dress with black lacey florals up top, and a pair of nude three or four inches pointed shoes matching hers.

"Are you sure? Is... isn't that too short? It's like putting lipstick on a pig. And I don't want people to see my oxter. I think I'll just wear jeans and--"

"What the hell are you saying? Every girl fantasizes a princess look. Not a midnight-Cinderella." She chided and forced me into wearing it and pushed me towards the mirror. "There. Fits like a glove."

I walked slowly and was dumbfounded when I saw myself. Tilting my head side to side, swiveling, staring and examining every detail, blinking a few times, pouting my lips. I blasted, "I never thought I am a girl. It was like looking at a different person."

"What's with those puppy eyes? Do you like it?" I looked at her through the mirror. She was wearing pearl embellished navy blue sleeveless crop top midi pencil dress, showing her smokin' lean figure and gigantic hips.

"Well, I don't have that monster body."

"Oh unfortunately, you are a flat board." Chloe said pulling my hair back.

"I don't know if you're being rude and a bully or just being honest."

"Well, I'm being honest and a reliable friend." She then looked at me and gave me a squeeze. It felt like she was worried. "I know your father just died and you should probably be grieving right now. Your brother will get over it. You will. Death is just the beginning for those who are left behind. You both should learn how to enjoy your lives. You have all the time in the world. Life goes on, dummy."

I pursed my lips and nodded lightly. “You sound different.”

“Had to learn how to say it. Charles’s mother, Tasuki’s father, and now…your’s.”

 

 

The car stopped at the entry accosting with red carpet and standing sprays. The car door held open by a man dressed like those of chauffeurs, and Ichigo's long legs finally stretched to the soft carpet.

I followed