rolando'ѕ p.o.v.

It was the weekend at last, and I rushed out of my classroom. I finally have the chance to spend time with my son, seeing as how we're both busy as Hell during the week. The drive home is full of traffic, but I have music to keep me motivated and confident. When I arrive home, my son is sitting on the front porch. He's reading a novel, sipping a mug of coffee.

I lean in to kiss his head, but he flinches. His eyes are filled with fear, which differs from the blank look he always gives his mother and me. I back away, putting my hands up. He relaxes a bit, but the tension is still in his eyes. I sit with him, and there is a tremendous amount of silence.

The sky is slowly turning into a shade of midnight blue, bright white stars scattered across the darkness. Eventually, Michael gives up on continuing the novel and plugs his headphones into the earphone jack of his cellphone. Silence emerges still when Su calls us into the house for dinner. The moonbeams light up the lawn as we stand up from the table positioned underneath the living room window. I frown slightly, noticing the mess of abandoned leaves and dirt.

The meal is eaten in silence, Michael not talking. Su and I exchange worried glances as he nibbles on his chile verde with white rice. Su sips her iced tea, and I drink some apple cider. We do our own thing after the dishes are washed: Michael to his room, Su to the living room, and me to my little office. I try to write up an assignment for my students but am at a loss for words.

Worry still fills my heart when I think about my son. What happened to him? Who caused this anxiety to fill his senses? Why is he scared? So many questions, so little answers.

Chapter four is finally complete. Questions.

1.) What was Rolando drinking during dinner?

2.) Whose point-of-view do you want to see next: Harriet's or Luca's?

Word Count (excluding author's note and footer): 327