It's only had been an hour since the sun peaked through below the horizon, embracing the already busy city with its warmness.
Dave, never left his spot. His gaze intensely, yet intensively fixated into the distance, arms crossed, lost in thought. An intimidating posture.
Inside the house, having completed the house work an hour ago, Catherine is busying herself with breakfast in the kitchen, until...
Ahhhh!!
[SHATTER!!]
Being snapped back to reality by a sudden high-pitched sound, an unmistakable sound, Catherine's scream pierce through the house filling Dave with dread and at that instant, bolting towards the house.
Dave burst through the front door and rush into the kitchen, only to be met by an expected site- Supporting herself on the kitchen counter, her right hand on her chest with eyes closed as she breathes in and out heavily, Catherine, her face petrified. Beside the kitchen entrance, Chriss stands in front of a shattered glass bowl, his posture hunched back and his right hand on his waist as he furiously glared at Catherine, bags under his eyes evident of lack of sleep.
"You're kidding, right? Again? Catherine, again?!" Chriss snaps.
"I'm sorry, Chriss?" She says as she turns and face her brother, her voice light and apologetic.
"No, no. Again?" He repeats.
Dave just stands there with a raised brow, his expression perplexed.
"Well it's not entirely my fault. You startled me." She says
"That again, are you kidding me? I scared you? What are you, six? You know what, while you're at it, why not bring the whole house down, I can always find us another nice place to settle in. Stop breaking stuff, you're a grown up woman!"
"Hey, enough, Chriss. She didn't do it on purpose." Dave steps in.
Chriss's face was clear that he wanted to scold her more, but not wanting to embarrass his sister in front of Dave, he just stretches his poor back, groaning in discomfort, then lowers his gaze down to the shattered bowl and let out a fraustrated sigh.
"I'm sorry Cathy, really." he says, turning to a mini-fridge in the corner and take out an orange before straightening up, then adds. "What's for breakfast?"
Understanding her brother's fraustration, she calms herself down, understanding the fact that indeed she's always destroying what her brother sweats for, and everything he's done till today is for her own good.
Dave could clearly see that she was at a snaping point, but she's more respective toward her brother or anyone regarding who they are. The only time she could get to that point, is when someone has finally stepped out of their way.
"Uh, sweet potatoes," She replies, gesturing to the pot on the gas-stove. "It will be ready in about minutes."
"Right. I'm really hungry, it's like I never at dinner yesterday evening." He says.
"Actually, you showed your food no mercy as if like it could grow legs and bolt away. And then asked for seconds." Dave humored.
Catherine chuckles at the truth Dave just told his friend.
Slightly embarrased by Dave's honesty truth, Chriss just chuckles slightly, jabbing Dave in the rib as he walks out the kitchen. "Okay, Okay, bro. Easy."
As Chriss walk out, Dave turn and approach the mess on the floor before crouching down and start picking few slightly large pieces.
"You o-k?" He asks, carefully piling the broken pieces in his left palm.
"Y-yeah. Sorry for, you know, the childish scream. I guess something never change?" She chuckles nervously, lowering her head in embarrassment.
Dave just laughs softly. "Well, I kinda thought the worse. But you're good, don't worry. So what happened anyway?"
"I... Well... I was heading out to get started with laundry, I wasn't even aware I had... That in my hands. I guess, my mind was somewhere else. Chriss was coming in and just as I turned, at the worst possible moment, I met his haunted eyes at like..."
"Yeah." Dave chuckles, nodding his head in understanding as he grasp her explanation.
"Yeah... He shocked me to reality and before I could realize... Well, that happened. I can't believe you heard me screaming like a kid." She explain.
"Well, it happen. Just be more careful, kay?" He says as he straighten up, a small pile of shattered pieces in palm. "You might wanna... The broom should do the rest. I got to get this out." He says.
"Thanks." She appreciate, a sheepish expression on her face.
"Really, Cathy? You don't have to." He says while turning and step out the kitchen to the front door outside.
An hour later, Catherine is collecting the boys' empty plates, then step into the kitchen.
Leaning forward in his seat, Chriss starts.
"Ready to head out, my men?"
"Yeah. I think I've kept your homies waiting long enough. Time to meet them." Dave replies.
"Sweet. Jeff and the guys are eager to meet..." He pause, his face hardening. "That's right Jeff, that bastard! Oops, shoot" Chriss quickly slaps his hand on his mouth in realization of what he just said.
That's right, Catherine. His sister doesn't tolerate inappropriate language. She forbids improper choice of actions\words. Not in her presence, and certainly not in the house.
Chriss slowly releases his mouth, then voice out to the kitchen.
"I-I, sorry. It won't happen again. It just slipped out." He apologize, his voice low.
Dave in his seat, just smiles.
Turning his attention to Dave, he sighs, then continue.
"The guy really worked me and the guys out yesterday, he's the reason my back felt heavy, and I thought I slept like a rock, but when I opened my eyes, more like a rock was sleeping on my back, men. Pressed to ruin. I can't believe he even offered me a full time job, but I still can't accept it, not now at least. I'm okay with what we agreed on. He only needs to call me when there's a massive pieceworks going on."
"Why? You got history?" Dave asks.
"Yeah, bro. A dark bad-blood one," He replies, lowering his head to the floor suddenly feeling sorry for himself. After a moment, he tilt it up. "I'm trying to move on and live in the present now. I'm trying to build a future for myself, one that has nothing to do with being greedy and money worshiping," he turn his head and looks to the kitchen where his sister is busying herself."I... I almost made the worst unforgivable mistake in the past that I'm not proud of. Of all the things I've done, if I had gone through with that one..." He pause, turning his gaze back to Dave. "I don't think I would be able to forgive myself, or live for that matter. But... You're my bro... I will fill you in with everything, soon." He says, a sympathetic smile forming on his lips.
The room falls silent for a moment as if time had stopped. Dave, with a surprised face by his friend's words, looks into Chriss's eyes trying to gauge something out, but the only thing he sees is sorrow and regret.
"Right, anyway... The guys are eager to meet you, bro. So are the girls..." He says, a smug on his face at the last word.
At the word, girls', Dave raises his brow, slightly confused. At the same time in the kitchen, a gasp escapes Catherine's lips, followed by an aching in her heart at the mentioning of their female friends.
Catherine had no problem or concerns with her brother being and hanging out with their female friends, they're alright and cool people, in fact, they are special and beautiful souls to her and her brother, they are and have always been there for them. The girls have become something so special and precious in her heart. They may not be blood-related, but to her they are more than just friends, they have build a bond so strong it goes beyond friendship. To Catherine, these people, are family. But since the arriving of Dave three days ago, the most beautiful and perfect guy in her eyes, something has awaken and changed inside her, something she can't share with anyone else, something that's half of hers and half of someone else, someone she has come to cherish and admire. And the thought of him being with them, is shattering her fragile heart.
Catherine knows she's being childish and silly, but she can't help it. And no matter how hard she tries to convince herself that everything well be okay, that she will be okay, that her brother only wants Dave to meet everyone and look around, her heart can't seem to agree with her. And the fact that she has never been with a man, someone her heart has come to accept, is eating her alive now that her heart has come to love someone special to her, Dave.
"Girls?" Dave repeat.
"You heard right, my men. And they're ain't just any girls. He winks.
Just then, Catherine steps into the room, a sheepishly expression on her face as she looks at Dave.
"Have a great day out there with the guys, Dave. This is your first day stepping out since you got here three days ago, so have fun. Just... not too much fun." She says.
"Thanks, Cathy. And yeah." He replies.
And with that, the two step outside .