Chapter 5

• In King's classroom at Elite Kiddies Lounge, colorful balloons filled the large space. The atmosphere reeked of giggles and laughter from the lively kids and their parents. At one corner of the classroom, Hanord followed the lustful eyes of Kelvin as they fixed on a young woman's backside, all the way out the open double doors.
• "Did you see that girl?"
• "We're here for father and parents time with their kids, not to haunt for girls!" Hanord muttered through gritted teeth.
• "Doing some window shopping isn't that bad. I should–"
• He leaned next to Kelvin's ear, shutting him up. "Look around you, Kelvin, you are in your son's classroom for fuck's sake. Jeez! Control your libido for just a moment."
• Eyeing Hanord, Kelvin grunted deeply.
• "Today, no chasing of skirts, yeah? Don't disgrace the little guy." He glanced at little King pouting as though ready to cry any minute.
• King shared a sad glance with Hanord, his eyes wet and shaky. A little girl wearing pigtails held a plate of cookies in front of him, King frowned at the girl whose face had turned red like a tomato, then walked away, taking the direction where his father was.
• While King shuffled forward, Kelvin rose from a little chair to his full height. He swept his eyes around the classroom and found eyes glued to his body. Ignoring the hungry eyes, his tight gaze fell on Hanord sipping his wine casually. "Who said anything about skirt when she was wearing panties?" He rolled his eyes and glanced at his crotch.
• "Panties?" Hanord almost choked on his wine. "Jesus, man! When…"
• "Sorry, I mean… pants."
• "I can't believe my ears!"
• "I need to know more about her. I want to see her slim body under my covers."
• Hanord shook his head. "You're making all the women here blush. And the men… well…"
• "How is it my fault?"
• "Daddy?"
• Kelvin and Hanord turned their gaze towards the little man standing in front of them. He slipped his hands into his cute suit pants and dabbed his eyes with a folded handkerchief.
• "Would it be that hard for you to call me by my name?"
• "Nana said not to…" He sniffed.
• "What are you telling the boy? To call you by your name?"
• "He makes me feel so fucking old. Daddy here and there."
• "Come over here, little guy. Your godfather, Hanord is here." He brought King into his arms.
• King threw his eyes away from his father's fierce gaze.
• "But you said you enjoyed it at one point, right?"
• "Not anymore, man." He took two steps backward, holding his hand in King's face. "Stop coming close before the ladies start to gossip. You know how they are."
• King stopped and folded his hands around his chest defensively. "Why are you here, Daddy? Where is Nana and Mommy?"
• "That again!"
• The sudden explosive jerked them. King rushed back into Hanord's arms.
• "Easy with the boy, Kelvin, you know it's not his fault. He's still a child."
• He should grow the hell up." He ran his hands through his hair. "I want him as a man! It's exhausting as it is!"
• "Then you should have been more careful and not impregnate his mother!"
• "What?"
• The classroom filled with silence.
• Clutching King to his chest, Hanord swallowed hard. "Kelvin…" He averted his gaze from the fuming Kelvin.
• "Go get with your stuff and let's leave this place, the fun is dead!"
• "We just got–"
• "Go on!"
• Hanord jumped off his seat.
• "Why are you yelling, Daddy?"
• "Get your stuff right this minute, King, and make sure you two are right behind me!" He spun around and stormed off.
• ******
• Meanwhile, under a cloudy sky, Syntia stood in the old tree's canopy, gazing at the huge sign; Elite Kiddies Lounge, mounted on the wall of the exquisite building. Her sharp sighs mercilessly beat the hard whispers of the wind blowing through her long dark hair.
• "Now I'm here, just like Franca's brother told me… so why suddenly do they seem to have occupied the vacant space?" Her welled eyes fluttered. "Not even the janitor position is– is… What sort of ill luck is this shit? Huh? Why does it seem like my tears have become my main meal of the day?"
• Syntia's heart shook at the restlessness creeping up and down her spine. As though feeling the chills poking at the exposed part of her skin like a needle, she hugged herself and crouched down, her back was pressed against the rough tree trunk.
• "If you're not hired, then I would advise you leave before your worst nightmare crashes on you."
• Syntia glanced up at a beer belly security man scowling down at her. She slowly glide up the tree trunk, picking her peeling purse along. The man in uniform looked Syntia up and down, then suddenly took a step backward as if realizing something.
• "What nightmare exactly, old man?" She closed the distance between them. "Is it a crime to take a little shade from a tree? Or do I have to pay for that as well?"
• "Please forgive me, ma'am…it…I thought it was some homeless…person disguising to–"
• "Homeless!" Her voice exploded on the security man abruptly, jerking him off the neatly lawned school ground. She gave a quick glance at her body and shook her head. "To hell with your sight!"
• Holding back tears, Syntia stormed off with her palm pressed against her mouth, leaving the cowering man who suddenly stiffened like an ice block, under the tree.
• The second Syntia passed through the main school gate, the fuming Kelvin burst out of the building. Every heavy step he took shook the school, forcefully cracking that ice trapping the security guard.
• ******
• On an overflowing bus, Syntia squeezed herself through the flooded aisle. Sliding her way to the driver's side, she muttered, "God! I hate this scrap!" With beads of sweat dropping from her crumpled face, and the passenger's eyes boring into her, she swiped her bus pass on a machine, and after a beep, she got out.
• "If I don't get a better pay than the two hour kitchen job with that stingy and mean boss, there will be trouble. My life will most definitely be gone!"
• Wearily walking through a walkway, Syntia paused at the ring of her phone. Her squinted eyes stared blankly at the vibrating mobile phone in her hand. This time it was tied with a multicolor ribbon.
• "This better not be another peanut call, I'd be so… so pissed!" Then she answered with a firm tone. "Who's this?"
• "Oh, hi, miss Syntia. I'm from Clearview."
• With every word of the caller falling into her ear, Syntia sighed sharply, rolling her eyes as she sat on a street bench next to a water fountain. Clearview, uh? Same Clearview? As she shook her head dejectedly, she drew in a deep breath, as if taking a drag from a cigarette, then she puffed slowly.
• "We didn't hear from you at sunrise today. You were supposed to come in this morning."
• "Sorry, Mr… I don't go for interviews I didn't request for. And besides, I did some diggings; and I wouldn't want to have any connection with such a beast for a boss!"
• "Pardon?"
• "You are pardoned, sir!" Her tone was as sharp as a blade.
• Syntia lay on her side, ignoring passers-by staring at her as if they were stepping on pidgin poop with maggots crawling in and out of the heap lined up. "My life is full as it is, Mr. I don't want more. So goodbye!"
• "Please wai–"
• The line was cut off after a double beep.
• Draping her knitted sweater on her body, her eyes began to droop. She struggled to fight with the drowsiness, but eventually, drifted away. While lost in her mind, the steps of people passing by slowed to a halt. They stared wide eyed as they gathered around Syntia who puckered her lips, hugging the air over her body.
• "Are you sure about this? Should I… should I take it out now?" Slowly and shakily Syntia slid her hand down her lower body.
• A strong laughter erupted from the thin crowd, growing while they watched Syntia drowning deeper and deeper under the soft light.
• "Don't you think we should stop her now?" An older man whispered to a young woman next to him.
• The young woman chuckled. "Do you get to see stuff like this everyday, grandpa?"
• "What!"
• "Let's just watch until the cops come, yeah?"
• The old man shook his head and moved closer to Syntia. "You better get up if you don't wanna be in the backseat of a police cruiser!"
• The old man tapped on Syntia's shoulder harder, jolting her awake. Her wide eyes scanned the now large crowd, then grabbed her purse and sprinted out of sight.