THE UNREQUITED QUESTION.

Oliver returned from school, he couldn't find his dad at home.

'What's up with Dad these days?' He thinks out loud. He pulls his cloths and takes his bath. Afterward, He looks for his shirt from his closet, and at that time he touches something like an old rusty box. He decides to investigate it. So, he brings it out from the wardrobe. It looked old and creaky. He opens the box, and in the box were old pictures of his dad and his mom.

His dad did not ever tell him who his mom was. He had absolutely no idea how she looked like. His dad told him that she died after giving birth to him, but he never spoke about her again.

Oliver takes hold of one of her picture and hides it in his hip pocket.

'I need answers; I don't know what is true or a lie anymore.' He rushes out of the room as he kept repeating, 'I need to know more - I am confused,' as he walked on the street. Fortunately, he meets Charles on his way.

'Hello, Oliver.' Charles greets casually.

'Hello,.' Oliver replies and keeps quiet, subsequently, looking disturbed.

'What's up with the frown? The Oliver I know is always cheerful and optimistic. What happened?'

'It's something important; we need to talk somewhere safe.' Oliver whispers.

They both enter into an empty basketball court. They survey the court for some time. When it was certain that it was clear of anyone; they sat to talk.

'Oliver…?' Charles shifts closer, 'What is wrong?' He asks calmly.

'I think my dad has not been entirely truthful about my mom.' He pauses and looks around, then, he brings out the picture. 'I saw this hidden in an old box, which I found in my wardrobe. I don't understand why it suddenly showed up there, but I'm sure this is my mom's picture; I saw a picture in which the three of us were in. but my mom was looking really sad for a new mom.' Oliver explains.

'Give me that.' Charles collects the picture. 'She is an African-American, just like you. Ah! I see where you got your looks from; I was starting to wonder.' Charles jokes.

'It's not time to joke around,' Oliver tells him. 'I need to find more information about my mom, but I am out of ideas.' He speaks, frustrated.

Charles holds his jaw and thinks for a moment. Immediately, he jumps up.

'I've gotten an idea.' He says impatiently.

'What is it?' Oliver asks.

'Since you're now a student of the best science and tech school; you can easily scan her picture and put it on the web browser.' Charles beams as Oliver jumps at the idea.

'Charles, you're a genius. Why didn't I think of this?' Oliver says happily and hugs Charles.

The two friends leave the basketball court to Oliver's house. As soon as they reached, Mr. Myles was waiting outside for Oliver.

'Young man, where are you coming from? You know it's late; you ought to be in bed, by now.' Mr. Myles speaks harshly.

'I was out with Charles. He was showing me around.' Oliver lies innocently.

'You're going to school tomorrow. Don't hang out with people that have a completely different future from yours.' Mr. Myles speaks irrationally, not minding how Charles would feel.

Charles is an orphan. He lost his mom at infantry, and his dad was a soldier, who died in the line of duty; He was all alone. When he met Oliver, he loved him as much as a brother. He saw Oliver as his only family, even though; they are from totally different worlds. When Mr. Myles spoke to him harshly, he felt awful. He went back to the place where he could call home – the streets. He worked for a drug peddler, who was very notorious.

Charles did not live a pleasant life; he slept under the old bridge or anywhere else he could find, for the night.

The night was bad for Oliver; neither was it sweet for Charles. Oliver wanted to help his friend, but he and his father barely had enough to satisfy themselves. Oliver was truly helpless.