[pyrokinets]

Daniel:

His message didn't make sense to me so I scrolled up to try to find out more about what he was trying to say. I was blown away by how much my mother and Alex had corresponded during the past months. It seemed to have started last year when he was still coming over from school. Most of the earlier messages were the sharing of common thoughts and opinions. I scrolled back down the message log. There were messages from the time when my last year’s results came in and my parents changed some ground rules.

(May) I’m sorry about this.
(Alex) It’s no problem. I understand that I was a distraction to Daniel.
(May) It’s just for now. You can start coming here again once Daniel gets his grades back up.
(Alex) Won’t you miss me?
(May) Ha. You sure it’s not the other way around?
(Alex) I didn’t say it wasn't.
(May) It will probably do you good. You can start looking for a girlfriend.

Then, a large bulk of messages later, there was some of Alex asking my mother for advice.

(Alex) Aunty, I need some advice.
(May) Yes dear? Finally found a girlfriend?
(Alex) Wah! How you know? Have you been stalking me?
(May) I was just guessing. So who is she?
(Alex) ummm…she’s my classmate. But she’s not the one I wanna talk about.
(May) Oh? What’s the problem then?
(Alex) Well… there is another person I fancy.
(May) Alex! Don’t go chasing everything with a skirt!
(Alex) No la Aunty. The thing is, my current girlfriend kind of surprised me with the proposal to be an item. All I could think of at that moment was all the times you told me to get a girlfriend, so… I accepted.
(May) So you don’t like her?
(Alex) I like her. She’s a nice girl. But I don’t like her in that special way. Not like this other person.
(May) Haha. Who is this other person who stole Alex the Great’s heart?
(Alex) Ummm, she’s an acquaintance of my girlfriend. She reminds me of someone special I was in love with once.
(May) Oh Alex. I suggest you get to know both girls better first. Who knows? You might have a change of heart and find that your current girlfriend is the one you want in the end.
(Alex) Okay Aunty. Thanks.

More benign conversation followed. I continued scrolling down until I find something interesting.

(May) Alex, how are you?
(Alex) The same I guess. Haha. How are you?
(May) Lonely. Daniel is studying for exams and Uncle is away on a business trip.
(Alex) Don’t you have any friends?
(May) When you grow up and get married Alex, your friends will eventually drift apart.
(Alex) No family?
(May) They’re out of state, in my hometown.
(Alex) You better get Uncle to take you out when he gets back to make up for this.
(May) I don’t know. He seems to be losing interest in me again.
(Alex) How is that possible?
(May) Hey, when you’re married for 16 years, things start to get stale.
(Alex) Sooo… he’s growing stale? Because it can’t be you.
(May) Haha. I mean we just get comfortable around each other.
(Alex) Hmmm… What are you wearing?
(May) Alex! That is inappropriate.
(Alex) You’re back to wearing baggy clothes again aren’t you?
(May) They’re comfortable.
(Alex) Skirts can be comfortable.
(May) Dressing up is so troublesome.
(Alex) I remember you used to dress up back when I was around. How was Uncle’s ‘interest’ then?
(May) … Point taken.

Okay… that was a little too close to creepy for comfort. But come to think of it. My mother's daily attire did completely revert back to T-shirts and pants after Alex stopped coming. And then all of a sudden, lately when I came back from tuition classes, she would greet me in cute baby doll and spring dresses or skirts and tops, most of which I have never seen her wear before. She must have gone shopping. Shrugging, I continued scouring her inbox.

(May) Hey, how is your relationship going?
(Alex) Fine. How is Uncle’s interest level?
(May) Haha. Fine.
(Alex) Seriously?
(May) Yes. Changing my wardrobe works.
(Alex) You ready to take it to the next level?
(May) What next level?
(Alex) Lingerie.
(May) Alex, you naughty boy. I’m not discussing this with you.

Creep alert. I’m seeing Alex in a whole new light here. Moving on.

(Alex) Aunty. SOS.
(May) What’s wrong?
(Alex) I need help.
(May) Are you in trouble?
(Alex) Umm… not exactly.
(May) Tell me what’s wrong.
(Alex) I need to acquire birth control pills. Can you tell me how?
(May) Alex! What have you done?
(Alex) I just lost my virginity. Yay.
(May) Oh God. But, you’re so young…
(Alex) I’m 16. Some guys I know got laid by 14.
(May) This is not right. You should be focusing on your studies now. There will be plenty of time for this later.
(Alex) If you’re not going to help, then just say so.
(May) Alex, I don’t mean it like that.
(May) Alex?

Fuck me. Alex had sex. At least I know it’s not with my mother. I wonder who is his lucky girlfriend? Maybe he told my mother. I need to continue looking through the messages.

(May) Alex, I'm sorry. It wasn't my place to tell you what to do. I just care for you. I got pregnant with Daniel when I was very young and it placed a lot of opportunities beyond me and Uncle’s grasp. I don’t want the same thing to happen to you.
(Alex) I'm sorry too. I was desperate and lost my temper. Sorry Aunty.
(May) Do you still need the pills?
(Alex) It’s alight. She found a way to get it.
(May) Your girlfriend?
(Alex) Ummm… no.
(May) Oh Alex.
(Alex) I know. I'm the worst.
(May) You need to come clean with your girlfriend.
(Alex) It will hurt her. She and my girlfriend are very close.
(May) Then you must stop seeing this other girl.
(Alex) I don’t want to. I think I have feelings for her. Don’t worry Aunty. I’ll figure this out.
(May) I hope so.

Interesting. It would seem from the following messages; life went on as usual after that. Then I came upon another segment of messages. They were fairly recent.

(Alex) So, did you upgrade you underwear?
(May) I don’t know what you’re talking about.
(Alex) I just got a few new pairs of lingerie for my sex friend. She looked so good in it. I immediately thought about you and how Uncle will surely enjoy it.
(May) Okay! Okay! I’ll see what I can do. Just stop talking about it already.

And then I got to the most recent messages.

(May) Okay. You win. Uncle owes you his gratitude even though he doesn’t know it. I've never seen him so energetic.
(Alex) Eh? I wonder why?
(May) Very funny. It’s because of the lingerie.
(Alex) I told you so.
(May) Okay, Okay, I should never have doubted you.
(Alex) I'm glad you said that.
(May) Oh dear.
(Alex) Because, I'm going to tell you where to go from here.
(May) I am already regretting this. Me and my big mouth.
(Alex) Are you shaven down there?
(May) Goodbye Alex!

And finally, I got back to the message whose arrival caused me to invade my mother’s privacy.

(Alex) Hey, still ignoring me? Look, don’t just take my word for it. Let Uncle decide.

Upstairs I hear my father roar in climax.