The Eight - Part Five: Melanin

Yes, I've gone back to writing my "The Eight" series. I don't really like my first four parts much but after re-reading them I realized how carefree they were. I wrote about what I felt like even if it was something I didn't understand. And that's alright because, even though I've grown, I still don't fully understand them. So this hopefully won't be much different. Also, writing in English is always hard for me, so expect lots of mistakes and since these texts weren't reviewed there'll be incoherences and too may adverbs. But I can't be bothered to check that now. Since the first four parts were written in American English, these new ones follow that. And that's all. I think.

After the meeting, me and Christopher stopped for a coffee and talked about the kind of things we always talk about. Everything was as usual. After that, we got in our bus, left on our stop and split up, each of us going home. Same as everyday.
So why do I get the feeling something’s weird today?!
I live on the third floor of an old building, by the road. It’s noisy, uncomfortable, and far from everything (except Christopher’s) but I’ve gotten fairly used to it. I live with my mom and older sister, who’s called Anne and perfectly normal. My parents divorced and I visit my dad every now and then. My family is pretty okay, though Anne is currently going through a rebel teenager phase. What I mean is, I’d be a pretty normal guy if I had some color. And, believe me, being like me isn’t nice: I have to be fully covered in clothing whenever exposed to the sun, so the heat really hurts during the Summer. Tanning is something that happens to other people.
I enter my building and lean against a wall, tired from walking. I suddenly remember Seth’s absence at the meeting today and I check my cell phone to see if there’s news from anyone, but there’s nothing. I wonder if I should text him. I must admit, Seth was never my closest friend and I’m afraid I’ll just be meddling in his life. I like Seth. I was just never able to fully understand him. Rage was never my thing… I never get out of control. When I punch some guy in the face it’s because I’m thinking very consciously that he deserves it for bad-mouthing Jesse and he’s a son of a bitch who’ll never do anything good in his life. And lately I’ve been punching a lot of guys in the face, and kicking some lower regions too. I guess you could say we’re at war.
I decide to go up and as soon as I open my apartment’s door I regret it. My sister is in underwear, eating some guy’s face in the middle of our corridor. She turns to me with some amazing rage.
“The fuck you doing here, you fucking brat?”
“Well, I’m pretty sure this is where I live. I could be mistaken, though. Should I try next door?”
Next door is our grandparents’ house. I was pretty sure Anne didn’t want them hearing about their granddaughter’s activities.
She walks up to me, standing tall over me. I can’t help being short. Sucks but you have to live with it.
“You bastard. You better not. I’ll kick you all over the place. Now just be a good boy and go to your room.”
“I don’t feel like it. I want to play Playstation 3 on the living room’s flat screen. Why don’t you go to your room?”
She shoots me one of those looks that mean I’ll hear about this and drags the poor guy, who’s done nothing but stare wide-eyed, to her room. I drop my stuff in my room and then get confortable on my favorite couch while my sister fakes exaggerated sounds, probably trying to drive me away from home.
AJ calls me after a while, which isn’t weird. She’s always calling everyone whenever she’s alone (meaning, without Jesse).
“Hi, AJ.”
“Yo. What’re you doing?”
“Nothing much. Wasting time. You?”
“I’m… What’s that sound in the back?!”
“Oh. That’s my sister.”
“Your… Sister?”
“Yeah… Oh! It’s not like that! She’s with some boyfriend or whatever!”
“Oh. Good. I mean. Not for you, I guess. Sorry, man.” She actually sounds relieved.
“Right. It’s no big deal. She’s just childish.”
“Uh-huh. Man, I’m so bored, I’m thinking about painting my toenails with Jesse’s polish.”
“Hahaha, go for it!”
“Oh, shut up!,” she becomes angry. That’s AJ alright. “I’m actually asking you to entertain me but guys really can’t take a hint, can you?”
“Uh… Sorry?”
“Fuck off!,” she says and hangs up. I stare at my cell phone in amazement. What the fuck. That girl is seriously disturbed. I turn my attention back to the game but it’s getting harder and harder to ignore my sister, so I get my headphones and shut the world off.

It’s just before dinner time, my sister’s boyfriend has left and my parents have came back, and I get a message from Jesse. She usually turns to me for advice, though I have no idea why. I don’t know what unites us. Maybe it’s the red hair. But she’s fun to be around and I’m always happy to help.
This time it’s something I know nothing about.
“Oh my god, help meeee, Will, please! Mr. Davidson is undergoing a divorce process! He’s leaving his wife! And that’s not all… He kinda may wanna marry me,” it reads.
“Kinda wanna marry you?”
“Yeah, you know. He asked me if I was up for it.”
“What did you say?!”
“What do you think I said?! Told him I was gonna think about it. Oh god, Will, what do I do?”
“What do you WANT to do?,” I ask but receive no reply. I’m seriously worried about her. That girl is too impulsive. I wonder if I should tell AJ but decide against it; she’d probably only get mad at Jesse for not telling her anything. Plus, she’s already mad at me. AJ is not an option here but, then again, no one else is. That’s probably why Jesse turns to me. Except that I can’t help her. I realize there’s not “something weird today”, like I had thought. Everything’s weird today. From Seth’s disappearance to this.
My parents call me to dinner and it’s only we’re halfway through it that my cell finally comes to life. It’s Jesse, of course.
“I want to do it.”
Oh, shit.