His Sister

It's been a week since they went to an amusement park, but what happened is still vivid in her memories, as clear as water. Since then, she'd try not to cross Giovanni's path except inside the classroom. She rolls over on the bed and buries her face in the pillow.

Back then. After the two left together, Georgina thought they'll head back to where the other was but went straight to a familiar park. An old park that they consider part of their life too. Inside it, there's a tree house where they hide a lot of memories and their promise to each other. And seeing it again brought back a nostalgic feeling, but Georgina couldn't take a single step near the tree house. She still remembers the promise they made before, and to come here with this feeling, she already knows, the main reason he brought her here. Despite it, Georgina can't take a step to fulfill the promise. She knows well. They can't move forward when there's still something that might connect them in the future. But just a mere thought of ending it, right here and now, seems like a nightmare that makes her run away in fear.

She rejected him in the end. She's not ready to fulfill the promise and ran away in a hurry with tears in both eyes. She can't do it. There's no way Georgina can let go of the last bit of hope they held until now. She turns him down twice without considering his feelings, but she's the first one who can't let go. And keep dragging him back to the past.

Amidst thinking deeply about what she needs to do, the door abruptly opens. She saw Warren with his messy bed hair.

"Are you deaf? Auntie Sita keeps calling your name downstairs. Someone is searching for you outside. Go out and check for it." He said before walking back outside.

Georgina stares at nowhere with a confused look, trying to remember 'what day today?' 'Did she promise to meet someone?' Rather than asking such a question, she stands up and fixes herself. After a few minutes, she walked down and saw Auntie Sita talking to someone in front of the door.

"Auntie Sita, are you calling for me?" She asked. It made her flinch in surprise.

"Oh, Georgina. There's someone here searching for you. She said if I'll tell her name, it makes you remember her."

She frowns and peeks at the sight in front. Both eyes widened when an angel-like smile came out from a child who looked familiar to her.

"It's me, Sis Gina. I miss you a lot." The child runs in her direction and gives her a tight hug.

"A-Akisha... H-how did you know my house? Who are you with?" She asked in confusion, squatting down to the level on her.

"I'm with brother Jin since big bro won't let me see you." She answered.

A forced, brief smile escaped her mouth as she tucked the child's hair behind the ear before caressing her left cheek. She looked in front when another person came. He's Jin Carson from yesterday. He looked in a hurry and bothered. She stands up and tries to look behind as if there's someone, but he's alone.

"Auntie Sita, can you bring food for them? Guide Aki to the living room, too." She nods and takes the child to the living room while Georgina and Jin are left alone at the front door.

"H-hi, did we disturb you?" He asked, scratching the back of his head in shyness.

"Tell me what's going on? Did Van know you'll come over here?"

"N-no? Aki insisted to came here to see you and even begged him since we came back, but Van didn't let it happen. She's on a tantrum for a week, so I take her here." She rolls her eyes and touches her temple in disbelief.

"Look, Jin, Giovanni, and I are not on good terms until now. If ever he notices you'll come here with his sister, then..."

"I'm sorry, Gina. I promise we'll leave before he notices."

She heaves a deep sigh and looks in Akisha's direction, who sits on the sofa like an obedient child. "Fine. Get inside."

They walk towards the living room; she sits beside the child while Jin is on the single sofa. Akisha talked and told her a lot of stories and frustration about her big brother. This child is Akisha Javier, the seven years old younger sister of Giovanni. Since back then, they seem attached. It's one of the reasons both are comfortable, even though it's been a long time since they last met. The child didn't know the truth about what she did to her brother. It makes Georgina's guilt arise more than it is now.

"Sis Gina, why didn't you visit me in our house? Didn't my big bro tell you I came back?" She asked. It made her and Jin look at each other.

"W-well, I-I'm busy with school duty. I'm a Student Council President," A forced laugh escaped her mouth while caressing her hair.

"Big bro is rude. Whenever I search for you, he always scolds me and reminds me not to mention your name again. He loves you, right? You still love my big brother, right? I can't understand him."

No words came out of her mouth. She looks away with a hurtful look and tries not to make unnecessary emotion in front of the child. She'll lie again. It's better not to open her mouth.

***

After an hour of talking, watching TV, and playing around, they heard a continuous doorbell from the front door. Jin and Georgina look at each other in shock and turn to the wall clock. As their gaze met, they realized the person rang the doorbell. One hour has already passed since they came. It's a lot of time to sense they've been gone for a long time. She stands up and excuses herself to open the door. But luckily, Akisha is immense in her play.

The moment she opens the door, a death glare from a man she doesn't want to meet for an entire week welcomes her. She freezes, gulping in nervousness as he looks inside with madness. He's about to step inside, but she stops him out of instinct.

"What are you doing? Get out of my way. I'm here to pick up my sister." He said without breaking the death glare. "Akisha! Akisha! Let's go home."

He pushes her aside and walks straight inside. No words came out of her mouth as she watched him dragging the child with force. A loud weep echoes inside the house as Akisha tries to remove her brother's grip.

"Didn't I tell you not to come here anymore? Are you stupid? Don't make me madder, and just come in silence." Van lectures her, but the child cries out loud.

"I don't want to come with you anymore. You're bad!" the child shouts in the middle of her sob.

"Tsk. Come with me."

"A-argh! I-it hurts..."

Georgina flinches when Akisha complains of pain. Her eyes turn to both of them. They're about to leave the house. She saw how tight his grip was on the child. It'll make a mark if he doesn't let go.

"I-it hurts..."

She grits her teeth before she decides to stop Giovanni. "Can't you hear your sister? She's in pain." She said, looking directly into his eyes.

"Let go of my hand. I can do whatever I want."

"It's not an issue here. You'll hurt a mere child in your stubbornness."

"Stubborn?" He chuckled. "As far as I know, you shouldn't involve yourself in any of my family matters. Who's the stubborn and stupid one here?"

Those words made her speechless. Besides the child's crying, there was only an awkward atmosphere surrounding them. Not until the child pushes her brother, she looks at him with anger.

"Why are you talking like that to Sis Gina? Don't you love her anymore?"

"Love? Yeah. I used to loved her, but the word never existed between us anymore. You're still a child to understand this matter, so let's go back home."

He carries the child in a sack-like style. They can still hear the shout of Akisha while hitting her brother's back. She called Georgina's name, but she didn't stop them anymore. All she can do is look down as her tears fall nonstop. His words hit a bull's eye. Some part of her heart hurts a lot. It makes her want to cry with those simple words.

"I'm sorry about this, Gina," Jin mumbled, tapping her shoulder. "Van will not hurt Aki physically. Besides, he's still the same man, you know."

Jin apologizes again before he follows the two outside. A moment of silence came until she heard the car engines, and in a split second, their car vanished from her sight.

"What a sight! Are you crying because of what he said a while ago?" She got startled when someone came beside her.

"Marga? I thought you were not here." She wipes the tears that fall from her eyes.

"I never went out. So, do you still have feelings for Giovanni? It's my first time seeing the two of you get close in the classroom." She chuckled.

"Tsk. You can report to that witch, do whatever you want. Don't bother me."

Without a word, she goes back inside to help Auntie Sita arrange everything in the living room. Even if she tries to distract herself, the tears never stop falling. It's making her sight blur. His words echo inside her head.

"You should cry if you want to cry," Marga said, mumbling the words. She got the tray in her hand and put it down again.

"I-I t-told you to stop bo—"

Before she can finish those words, Marga pulls her to hug. She burst out crying like a river. It hurts. Those words hurt, his gaze full of anger and rude attitude towards her. All of it hurts a lot. If she can turn back the time, she'll choose not to hear any of it.

"You're doing fine, Gina. Cry as long as you want. Despite your mature attitude, in the end, you're still a child in heart." She taps her back. "I don't know what the two of you struggled with before, but the obvious thing is... Both of you are victims."

She cried for half an hour, like a child. It took that long to calm herself and go back to her senses. Both of them are on the sofa and sit side by side. When she calms down, she wipes her tears away and composes herself without looking back to Marga, who keeps silent until the end. But luckily, Warren is not here because she can't cry like that when he's around.

"Are you calm now?" She asked.

"I won't thank you,"

"You don't need to. But, Gina, don't you think it's time to let go of your ex? Look, I'm telling you this as a cousin, not as a dog of someone else..." Marga grabs her shoulder and forces her to face her side. "Giovanni will never love you again. Find someone else. Try to open your heart to someone. Maybe, there's someone who can fulfill the void space inside you beside him."

No words, just silence, she answers her with silence. Marga was about to speak when her phone rang. She removes her hand and picks up the phone. It's Janna. Her friend is the one who calls, based on the screen name displayed. Once again, she clears her voice before answering it.

"Janna, why did you call?"

"I'll remind you again. We'll go shopping at 3:00 p.m."

"Y-yeah, I'll come... See you later." She heaves a sigh as she ends the call.

*IN THE MALL*

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Georgina reached the mall. Since then, they walked around the shop inside. She expected the two to be active and hyper throughout the shopping but didn't expect in just an hour she'll get exhausted before them. Now, they go inside the jewelry store where they sell different jewelry with different designs. Janna and Maila look amazed amidst looking around, but she watches them with a bored look.

"I'll look for an earring over there. I want to buy it as a gift for my niece." Maila said.

"Sure, don't take too long."

Maila walks towards where the earrings are displayed while Janna wanders around, and Georgina stands at the entrance alone. Since she can't leave the two alone, she tries to look around until an infinity design necklace catches her attention. It's a small infinity design in a sapphire stone. Simple but elegant.

"Miss, how much is this?/ How much is this?" She was startled when someone pop out beside her and asked the same thing, at the same time, in front of the woman who looked confused.

"A-ah... Ma'am, Sir, this is our last set of designs." The woman looks back and forth between the two. "May I ask, who's between the two of you will get it?"

"I'll buy it/ I'll buy it,"