Say Something

It was about a week later, when Hiro had all but forgotten about the strange visit from Aunt Cass in his bedroom, that something similar happened again.

Hiro hadn’t thought much of their chance meeting. He was in the kitchen late one morning, finding that he couldn’t really stand to eat ramen noodles for breakfast every day. No, today, he was in the mood for a bit of variety, perhaps something a bit more substantial. He took one long look in the pantry and his heart set itself on a packet of microwave pre-buttered popcorn. Not only was it a prime choice for his planned morning of movie-watching, but it also took a whole twominutes less to prepare, compared to the ramen noodles.

Aunt Cass arrived shortly after he’d tossed the popcorn in the microwave. She looked a hell of a lot more dressed down than she usually was at that time of day. She didn’t even have any make-up on.

“Good morning, Hiro,” she said, yawning.

“Oh – hey, Aunt Cass.” He tapped a beat against the kitchen counter as he watched her quietly work her way around the kitchen. She wasn’t compulsively pouring herself a cup of coffee today; it looked like she was trying to prepare some sort of special herbal tea. She was moving quite meticulously too, as if she were drowsy, and Hiro felt compelled to comment on it. “Are you sick, Aunt Cass?”

She turned to him, her expression not as alert as it could’ve been. “What? Oh… No, not really. I’ve been worse. I am taking a sick day though.”

“Cool…” He couldn’t really think of anything else to say. “I, uh… hope you feel better.”

She smiled at him once before turning back to her hot tea. But then the microwave started popping, and she stopped what she was doing. She broke out in a breathy laughter. “Really, Hiro?” She shook her head. “Popcorn? The first meal of your day?”

“Ah, it’s just this one time, Aunt Cass, I promise.” He smiled sheepishly at her. She continued to shake her head at him and he felt like trying to justify his choice. “I’m watching a movie so… I thought it would be appropriate. All I need is a super-sized Pepsi and I’m good to go!”

She scoffed. She turned to face him, leaning against the bench like she wanted to have a bit of conversation. She sipped lightly from her steaming mug before murmuring, “I do worry about how you’re eating, Hiro, now that you’re not in school anymore. You should let me make you breakfast more often.”

“Oh, uh...” He shook away her offer awkwardly. “Thanks, Aunt Cass, but… aren’t you already busy enough as it is?”

“I will always make time for you, my darling.”

The microwave stopped. The smell of only slightly singed popcorn filled the air, aggravating Hiro’s empty stomach, and yet he didn’t fetch it just yet. Aunt Cass was staring at him again, like she had that day. Except instead of smiling, Hiro could’ve sworn she was… simpering. It wasn’t a warm feeling she gave off, it was… something else.

The microwave beeped again, startling Hiro, giving him the push he needed to break away from Aunt Cass’ gaze and retrieve the popcorn. He didn’t want to hang around anymore than he needed to; he just grabbed a bowl and dumped the hot bag inside it. He flashed a tiny, nervous smile at Aunt Cass as he turned to leave, and he had just made it through the doorway when he heard her call his name.

“Yeah?” he asked, voice hitching up a little. He coughed and tried that again, trying to sound a lot manlier than a barely-pubescent boy. “Um, yeah?”

Aunt Cass approached him slowly, still nursing her tea. “Would it be OK if I watched the movie with you?” She made her eyes sad and her lips pouty. “I would really love to see a movie together. I feel like we haven’t done that in so long…”

Hiro gulped. He hadn’t planned on sharing his space today, but he couldn’t think of a good reason why she couldn’t join him. Especially when there was so much pleading in her eyes. “Um… OK,” he croaked out, and she perked up immediately. He found himself trying to discourage her. “I don’t know if you’d like the film very much though… It’s got violence, and katanas, and horrifying family secrets, and…” He shrugged. “I’m just sayin’, it… may not be your kind of thing.”

She was close enough now that she laid a hand on his shoulder, smiling. “I don’t mind all that, Hiro. I really enjoy family drama. And if the violence is as bad as you say it is, maybe you need some parental guidance.”

She laughed and Hiro shallowly echoed her as he led the way up to his bedroom. He was still reeling from her sudden inclination to watch a film with him. He couldn’t remember a time where she was ever interested in sitting down and watching a film with him, just him. Nevertheless, he cleared some space on his desk (via moving an arm across the surface and bunching all his things into piles), tilted the screen a little in her direction, and scooted over to give her some space. She rolled over Tadashi’s desk chair and joined Hiro just as he started the film.

Hiro was disappointed. He had been so pumped to see this film but now, before the opening credits had even finished, he just wanted it to be over. He wanted Aunt Cass to leave so he could be alone to put up his feet and laugh obnoxiously and ram handfuls of popcorn at his mouth. Instead, he sat quietly and woodenly, eating his popcorn one piece at a time. He’d never felt so restrained.

At least the movie was brilliant.

He peeked at Aunt Cass from time to time, and it looked as though she wasn’t following the movie very well. But she hadn’t asked Hiro to explain it to her, so he didn’t. He had high hopes that she would get bored and confused enough to leave around halfway through, but her sudden movement was for an entirely different cause. He didn’t know what she was doing back there, behind him, but then he felt her hand on his back.

He had switched to sitting on his chair backwards, with the seat under his chin so he had something to rest on. His back was completely exposed and she was definitely taking advantage of that. He didn’t know what could’ve possibly possessed her to do it, but she began to rub his back with just one hand at first, and then both of them. She ran her palms up and down his back in slow, methodical movements. Within five minutes it had turned into a full-on back massage.

Hiro didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know what was going on. All he could think to do was just to keep watching the film and pretend that it wasn’t happening. He had it in his head that it was strange to react only now, after it had been going on for some time. Even as Aunt Cass moved her hands so that they were underneath Hiro’s shirt, he still didn’t know if it was too late to react.

He wanted the film to end. The intensity of the action and music denoted that they were in the middle of an all-important climax, but he wished he could just skip past all that and get to the credits. His back felt so good right now, but he hated the numb, tingly effect it was having on his body. It was making him feel so weird. But then he found himself feeling weird for thinking that he felt weird. He was so confused.

Hiro spent every last minute of that film wishing it was over, and when it finally was… He didn’t know what to do next. Eventually Aunt Cass withdrew her hands and returned Tadashi’s chair to its rightful place. Hiro remained where he was, stock-still and tense as ever. Then he felt her arms come around and embrace him. “Thanks for letting me watch the movie with you. I enjoyed it. Was it as good as you were expecting?”

She was waiting for an answer, Hiro realised. Against all odds, he got one out. “Y-Yeah. It was great.”

“Maybe we could watch another movie sometime. Just you and me.”

Again, she was waiting. Hiro felt like there was a nest of wasps swarming inside him. “Sure,” he replied. Was there any other answer he could give?

He felt her press a kiss to his cheek and then she was gone. As Hiro continued to sit there, staring at the credits as they rolled, he noticed that she’d left her cup behind. She hadn’t even finished it. It was cold and still half-full.

He reached around and gingerly touched the skin on his back. It felt hot. Hot and weird.