You know what I hate about big family dinner, almost everyone is around, and they keep on asking same questions every time. How's school? Have you gotten a boyfriend yet? How's things going on with you? Every god damn time, it's just boring and annoying.
It is like they all care, but really they don't. The whole room is full of relatives like aunts, uncles and cousins from my mother's side. The kids are running outside in the garden, playing hide and seek. There's one person in this room that doesn't have any family member here, and she is sitting on the couch. Chloe looks uncomfortable like she's out of place, her jeans are full of holes like the others she wore, and she is wearing a white hood to it.
"Jason." I turn around to my aunt Rachel, she is my youngest aunt, only five years older than me, she is my favorite and the annoying one of them all.
So how is soccer? You see that's why I like her more, she asks about things I care about.
"Great, the coach looks impressed after today's practice." She smiled brightly.
"That's good, because you're good." I smiled too.
"So do Chloe also play soccer?. Rachel asks, and we both turned to look at her, she looks like she wants to run away."
"I don't know." I replied honestly.
"She seems a little lonely over there, I should go to her and talk to keep her busy." I just nod my head okay.
After dinner, my aunt's and uncle came over to me talking, it was like they stood in a line or something. Just asking boring questions, now they're talking to each other. About work, family and weather. I just stand in the background, wishing I could just disappear from here.
I walk upstairs straight to the top of the roof. Met Chloe leaning on the railing, just looking at the view. The sun is about to go down, looking as beautiful as always. The sun shines on Chloe hair, I walk over and stood close to her. She doesn't even turn to look at me, she was just watching the sunset.
We stand her for some moments of quietness, the only sound we can hear is that of the children downstairs. Their yelling and laughing, it's kind of nice to listen to them. it keeps the awkwardness away between us, I turn to watch her. She now looks at me too, her eyes tells me she has been crying silently for some time, her skin looks sore and eyes red. She has a smile on her face, but it couldn't hide the hurt in her eyes.
"You okay?. She smiles brightly and nods yes. Obviously, she is lying to me. Chloe looks at the last view of the sun and I do too.
"It's beautiful here, she says." While still staring at the sky. Yes it was, until you showed up. I sigh, she turned to look at me with a crooked smile and sparkling blue eyes. It makes my stomach tingle again, I can't seem to remember anyone watching me like that before, and it makes me feel weird I don't know why.
"Okay, I am going back inside." I say back to her uncomfortably and walk downstairs. Seems like some of them have left, mom was talking to Rachel. And it looks like Dad was looking for someone or something, he walks over to me.
"Jason have you seen Chloe," of course it's her.
"Yes, she is on the rooftop, his eyes goes wide immediately."
"Alone?yes."
Certainly, it's not like she's going to jump, I roll my eyes, his face goals hard again.
"If you had to go through some of what she went through, then I bet you, you would have.
"Well, it's not like you told me anything about her, so I do not know." I yell a little bit loud. He breaths out, I look around to see people watching us. Dad looks behind him and I follow his gaze to see Chloe standing behind.
She stands there scratching her neck, nervous and looks uncertain. Then she walks back upstairs, I look at dad, his face is blank.
"It's better I go talk to her calmly, I just nod afraid to say anything."
The crowd keeps getting smaller as time passed. All of the children and parents have also left. I step out into the garden underneath the moonlight. There is nothing like the smell of the cold night that wakes you up at night. The sound of the door opening make me turn around.
"You okay, honey? Mom asks, taking on a jacket.
"Yes," I answer. She sat beside me, we sat in quiet for a while, enjoying the sound of birds singing. The sound of cars driving on the road, going home to their families or on to their late night shifts at work.