Rena & Zed - Chapter 17
Jasir's POV
Just then, Mr. Midi knocked on the door.
My mom, his sister, opened the door for him and greeted him before he hurried in to check on Zed.
Having done my part and joined a father and his lost son, I stepped outside.
I must tell Rami.
He might have some insight.
I knocked on the Clips’ house next door.
Lina opened the door. “Hello,” she said.
“Hi, where’s Rami?” I asked.
“He’s not back yet.” Then she closed the door in my face.
Can someone remind me if we’re fighting? Because I don’t remember.
I turned to leave and found him behind me, just arrived.
“Hi, Rami,” I said. “I thought you were working?”
“I am working,” Rami said. “Been working even before I got my master’s.”
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
“What are you going to do when you finish your master’s in interior design?” he asked me.
“Carpentry,” I said. “I got my bachelor’s degree for that trade after all.”
“You did a master’s degree and you’ll be a carpenter?”
“Well you did your business management master’s degree and you’re a butcher.”
“Yeah, but that’s not my dream job. Only temporary.”
“I’m graduating this year, finally,” I said. “Can’t wait to be free!”
Zed then joined us.
“Won’t you welcome us in?” he said.
“What happened to your eye?” Rami said, his eyes on Zed’s black eye.
Zed sighed. “I should find a way to hide it.”
“Can I touch it?” Rami asked.
“No!” Zed exclaimed. “Not even Jasir tried that!”
Rami and I both felt offended somehow.
We looked at each other.
“So I’m dumber than the dumbest guy you know?” Rami said, raising his eyebrows at Zed.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Zed said.
“Rami!” Cindienne called from behind the door. “Dinner is ready!”
So Rami deserted his comrades for food.
Zed and I headed back to my house.
Halfway there, though, Zed stopped, eyes wide.
Then he looked down and bit his lower lip.
I examined his face. “What?” I asked, looking around to figure out what he saw.
Ah.
There she was.
Sitting on the front porch of Zed’s house.
Grandma.
Staring at us.
“Plum, what happened to your eye?” she said.
“He’s fine, he’s fine!” I called out to her. “We were just fighting!”
“You hit him?!” she exclaimed.
“No!” I almost yelled, feeling a bit hurt that she could even imagine I did that. “It was just an accident with some bullies!”
She stood up and walked toward the steps, leaving her wheelchair behind her.
We ran to her before she attempted to walk down the steps.
She instantly grabbed Zed’s face and examined his black eye. “My poor Plum,” she said. “What did they do to you?”
Samira hurried to us.
She glanced at me.
I glanced back at her.
Save us.
She nodded.
Telepathy between siblings.
“What’s wrong, Grandma?” she said, helping her back into the wheelchair.
“Someone punched Zed’s eye,” Grandma said.
“Oh,” Samira said, “don’t worry, he’s much better now. It doesn’t hurt him anymore. It looks worse than it feels.”
Grandma looked at Zed for confirmation.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” Zed said.
Grandma nodded slowly.
Maybe she’s trying to convince herself.
Samira grabbed Zed’s arm and led him inside his house. “Come on, it’s getting cold,” she said.
“Let’s go, too,” I said, pushing Grandma’s wheelchair inside.
That night, Zed slept in his own room.
But he didn’t attend classes on Tuesday. I guess he’s still in pain.
After my classes ended, I walked to Rami’s butcher shop, since I wasn’t able to chat with him yesterday. His butcher shop is a bit far from Main Street, at the edge of Springhill.
It’s near Penstill City, so he supplies shops here in Marbletown and the city.
Marbletown is the town. Springhill is our neighborhood. The butcher shop is in Springhill, in Marbletown, somewhere on this earth.
Definitely on land though.
Nothing like Atlantis.
Most of the neighborhood people get their meat from the grocery store, because it’s closer. I’m pretty sure Rami supplies it, though.
It’s good. My sister will marry a rich man.
I just wish his shop was closer.
I’m talking to myself too much because it’s so far away.
And Zed is too sick to walk with me.
When I finally got there, I dumped all the info at Rami.
“Do you think he’ll go against us to keep his title?” I said in the end.
“I don’t know, but there’s really nothing you can do about it,” Rami said, chopping a chicken like a pro. “It’s his choice, in the end.”
“Yeah, but I could have kept my mouth shut,” I said.
He nodded. “That’s true,” he said.
“Hey, you’re supposed to say no.”
“No, no,” he said, waving his gloved hand in the air, “even if you didn’t tell him anything, he was bound to know about this.”
I gave him a flat look. “You think I’m dumb or something? Changing your response based on my request?”
“I was just teasing you the first time,” he said, grinning like he won a prize. “But it’s true that everyone will know. We’re going to be giving out flyers.”
I let it pass.
I have a big heart.
Plus, it can’t be any good to become enemies with your sister’s fiancé.
“Hey, look at the bright side, J-man,” Rami said. “What if he really wants to help? Give him a chance.”
I sighed. “Yeah,” I said. “I was pretty hopeful until Zed ruined it.”
Rami chuckled. “You have me to cheer you up, don’t you?”
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks.” I walked to the door. “I need to go. Dad is probably waiting for me at the carpentry shop.”
“Okay. LOL. Lots of love.”
“Yeah, LOL.” And I was off.
Tomorrow is Wednesday. Ber had mentioned he’d have info by then.
So, during lunch break the next day, I went to the cafeteria to meet Ber. Fortunately for me, I found Zed there as well.
“Back to school?” I asked him.
“I feel better,” Zed said. “Why are you still standing? Have a seat.”
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“I’m going to meet with Ber.”
“Hello, Jasir. Hello, Zed,” Ber said as he walked toward us. “May I take you aside so we can talk in private?”
“Sure,” I said.
He must have something important to say. Something against the dean.
I’m sure.
Zed and I followed him to the lobby downstairs.
“I talked to the dean,” Ber said. “He said he sees all as his children and he did his best to judge fairly even though it wasn’t his job to handle your case.”
I felt my heart sink.
“He denied that Umu is his son?” Zed said.
“I asked him and he said we were all his children,” Ber said. “What, do you want me to interrogate our dean?”
“But-” I began, and stopped, not sure what to say.
“He didn’t judge fairly,” Zed said firmly.
“I understand your feelings but I cannot allow you to throw such strong claims about our dean.” Ber looked at Zed with no expression on his face. “Please watch your mouth.”
Zed held Ber’s gaze for quite some time.
I could feel the tension in my own jaw.
“Why would Fiona lie to us?” I blurted out, feeling the heat rise to my face.
“Some people like to get others in trouble,” Ber said. “Or she personally has a grudge against Mr. Klepper.” He shrugged.
“She married Umu. Why would she lie about who his father is?” Zed said.
Ber narrowed his eyes at Zed. “You think too much for your own good, Zed.”
“Tell Mr. Klepper to think about his judgment,” Zed said. “He clearly didn’t think enough.”
Ber looked at me. “You better back out of this if you don’t want to get in trouble.” Then he stormed up the stairs.
I looked at Zed.
He looked back at me and sighed. “I guess we’re on our own,” he said.
Later, I stopped by the grocery store to see Zed. I was still upset after the conversation with Ber and needed to talk about it.
I found Rena and Lina waiting in front of the counter, so I stepped into the storage room.
“Hey, should we tell them what happened with Ber?” I asked Zed.
Zed was putting some apples in a bag. “Yeah, I guess,” he said. “I mean it’s their case, anyway.”
Soon, we told the girls what Ber said, and they joined me in feeling upset.
“Ber said that?” Rena said.
“Ber Berroni, the most noble gentleman who exists to help the students in need?” Lina said.
“Yeah,” I said.
“What a hypocrite.” I could see the fire raging in Lina’s eyes. I hope I never become her enemy.
The black kitten hopped onto the counter.
The white one meowed from below.
The song of sadness.
When Rena and Lina left, confused and irritated, I myself left to get more consoling.
From my brother-in-law.
“Ooooh,” Rami said after he listened to my story. “Looks like you were right to worry.”
“He should be on our side! He’s the student representative! Why is he doing this?!” I said.
Rami shrugged. “What if he’s also related to the dean?”
“Very funny, Rami.”
Rami chuckled.
I sighed and watched Rami chop some ribs.
When he was done, he took off his black apron and gloves and washed his hands.
“Hey, Jasir,” he said as he walked to me. “Can you keep a secret?”
His eyes twinkled with excitement.
“Depends,” I said. “How long?”
“Until my wedding day,” he said.
“That’s like a month or something,” I said. “Sorry, too long.”
“Oh, come on,” Rami said, nudging me with his shoulder playfully.
“Fine, I’ll do it for you, Rams.”
“Don’t call me Rams,” he snapped.
But he didn’t have time to bicker because he was too excited.
“Listen,” he said in a whisper, “I bought a car!”
I gasped.
“Oh my God!” I exclaimed, grabbing his bulky shoulders. “Take me on a ride! I want to discover the world!”
“It’s a secret, remember? I can’t take you cruising.”
“Please please please please.” I tried to turn my puppy eyes on.
“Jasir, you do NOT look cute,” Rami said. “You look terrible, actually.” He put his hand over my eyes.
“Just a short drive,” I said. “Please.”
He patted my shoulder. “I wonder if Samira will be as excited as you.”
“She won’t.” I grinned. “No one will. Drive me instead.”
“Maybe after the wedding, Jasir.”
I released my grip on his shoulders and folded my arms. “You’re so mean.”
He sighed. “Fine, meet me before dawn. I’ll take you cruising, you crazy boy.”
I high-fived him. “Yes! You’re the best!”
“I’m the best because I will do what you want?”
“No, no,” I patted his shoulders. “It’s who you are.”
He smiled with a raised eyebrow.
I ran out of the butcher shop. “See you soon!”
I slept early that night, after letting Dad know I’m meeting up with Rami around dawn.
He was confused with the time of the meeting, but he said it’s okay.
I set my alarm, woke up before it, hurriedly changed out of my pajamas, and ran to Rami’s house next door.
He was waiting in the garage.
It was a sleek red sportscar.
“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,” I tried not to scream as I got into the passenger seat. “Where do we go?”
“You have 5 minutes to decide,” Rami said, putting on his seat belt.
“Bossy boots.”
I thought hard.
Everything is still closed right now.
Where do we go?
“Rami, there’s nowhere to go at this stupid time you chose,” I whined.
“Can’t risk Samira seeing it,” he said.
“What about me?” I whined.
“Okay, fine, we’ll just cruise around town,” Rami said, turning on the car. “Just be quiet.”
“Why are you treating me like a baby?”
“Because you are.”
“Well, then you’re a baby too, since you’re only a year older.”
“A baby with a car? Not bad.”
I laughed.
It was dark, but it was fun.
“Hey,” Rami said, “are you planning to buy a car one day?”
“I don’t have enough money.”
“Be ambitious, dude. I know most people in the neighborhood don’t own cars, but it’s great to own one.”
I leaned back in my seat. “Nice car. Congrats.”
“Now you remember to say that?”
I chuckled.
It was a good ride.
Thanks, Rami.
I owe you one.
