Eight Hours

"Hello," she said to the secretary. "Hi. My name is Heart. And this is my brother, Pulsus."

"I'm sorry?"

Heart swallowed her nervousness. Next to her, her little brother, Pulsus clenched his fists. Heart couldn't think of a way to calm him down. But if she didn't calm him down soon he'd pop a vein. And not his own vein, but the vein of the secretary.

Heart repeated, "My name is Heart. And this is brother, Pulsus."

"Last name?"

"Mine or his? But I guess that wouldn't matter. We have the same last name." Heart laughed, butt he secretary's facial muscles must be malfunctioning because his indifference morphed into annoyance. He hadn't thought Heart funny. Heart picked up the pace and answered, "Sishon. Our last name is-."

"Spell that for me, please?"

Heart got the feeling the secretary rarely said 'please' but instead of commenting on that, she spelled her last name.

Pulsus pulled at her jacket. He shook his head. "No," he whispered. She shushed him, and did her best to ignore his sad, scared eyes. He has to go to school, Heart reminded herself.

The secretary found Pulsus' name and information. He confirmed the information with the stack of papers Heart brought. Then with a smile that would've deterred an attacking polar bear said, "Welcome to kindergarten, Pulsus. This way."

"But he's scary!" Pulsus barely whispered. Heart agreed, but fearing another of the secretary's smile corrected, "He's dairy-free! He's- he's dairy-free. Free of dairy. Dairy gives him-."

But the secretary did not hear. He'd led them down the corridor and disappeared into a classroom shutting the door behind him. Heart wasn't sure whether or not she should follow so she turned to Pulsus. He could've looked sadder if he tried, but he was too scared to try.

"Pully," she said to him, "you can't say stuff like that out loud." She wished he would ask 'Why?' She wished he would fight for his American-given right to freedom of speech, but he just looked at the floor, trembling. She knelt to look him in the eye. "Look, Pull, I know. School's hard. Neither of us like school, but for now we have to do what's required of us."

Pulsus rolled his eyes but nodded, obliging to his *ate's desperation.

Just as she stood to her feet the secretary opened the door inviting them in. "Thank you for your patience. Come in." Heart got the same feeling the secretary also rarely said 'thank you', or 'patience' for that matter.

He led them toward the classroom teacher who stood at her desk, hands neatly folded in front of her. The students were quiet. Not even whispering rumors (that would become facts) about the new kid. Heart preferred rumors to their silence. At least if they were talking she could shut them up. She likes shutting people up. Proving them wrong. They were always wrong about her and her brother.

The teacher, whose name Heart would never learn to pronounce, announced to the class, "Class, attention. This is your new classmate, Pulsus Sishon."

Heart was surprised not to hear a snicker reverberate through the students. They continued to sit in silence.

"Class," continued the teacher, "say 'Hello' to Pulsus."

"Hello."

Pulsus glowered.

"And this is Pulsus' mother."

"Sister," Heart corrected. "Sister. Just a sister. Guardian. Sister. My name's Heart." She smiled.

"Well, Heart. Would you like to take your brother to his seat?"

Pulsus grabbed Heart's hand and dragged her to the only free desk in the room. He plopped down, pulling her down with him. She had to kneel next to him. "Hey," she whispered to him. "I'll be here five minutes before I have to pick you up. How's that?"

He nodded.

"You- you have a great day, Pull, and then we can have ice cream after, okay? You'll be fine."

He shook his head, but let go of her hand and pushed her away. He stared at the desk.

"Okay!" Heart said. "I guess I'm out of here. Thank you. Lovely classroom. Great decorations. Well. Have fun class. Okay. Thank you," Heart quickly bowed out of the room.

She'd told Pulsus she'd be five minutes early to pick him up, but Heart had nowhere to go. She could only loiter around the area. What would she do for eight hours? She had a book with her, but didn't feel relaxed enough to read. If she opened it she would just stare at one word.

The last time she did that, she ended up not reading the book at all for with every attempt to read that book, she could only see the one word she stared at. That word was 'elusive'. She looked up its **definition: difficult to find, catch, or achieve; early 18th century: from Latin elus- 'eluded' (from the verb eludere) + ive. Later she told Pulsus a new word she'd learned.

Even later, Pulsus tried to tell their parents, but they were unresponsive.

Heart didn't have the heart to tell Pulsus they would never respond, but she also didn't want Pulsus to stop trying.

Pulsus stopped trying to do a lot of other things.

Heart raced down the street looking for an open store to loiter in. She'd have to fill eight hours. She figured she'd best fill those hours with ways to keep Pulsus trying.




*Tagalog for 'older sister'- term of respect.
**http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/elusive