“What if Achi could see you too? Pa, maybe this is your chance to get to talk to them again, do a proper goodbye.”
For the first time, Pa doesn’t change the subject. He actually looks like he’s considering what I said when I see the slight glimmer in his eyes. He takes a deep breath and asks, “So what memory do we do next?”
I go over my ideas, asking for more details from Pa’s high school memories. Every time he shows any doubt, I remind him about the possibility of Achi and Ma seeing him.
I don’t mention that I’m still holding on to the hope that this is the way Pa could stay for good.
21
The next day, I visit the guidance counselor’s office so I can request my sister’s permission to re-create another part of our parents’ love story. If the soiree was able to make Pa solid, maybe joining Battle of the Bands would finally make my family see him. Re-creating the moment Pa asked Ma to prom must rank pretty high in memories that would trigger a ghost’s resurrection.
Even though Saint Francis is the one hosting the Battle of the Bands event, Saint Agnes has some weird rule where we have to secure admin permission before participating in other schools’ programs. My sister had to sign five permission slips for Julia last year since she got invited to the proms of five different all-boys schools.
Achi narrows her eyes at me when I take the seat across from her desk. “Are you trying to get out of chemistry again?”
“No.”
“You’re in trouble with Ma again?”
“No.”
Well, not currently. I think.
I take out the permission slip from my bag and place it on Achi’s desk. “Do you mind reviewing this for me?
“Thanks,” I add when Achi picks up the paper.
Suspicion still clouds her face. “You’ve been acting so weird.”
It’s because I’ve forgotten how to act around my sister.
Whenever I want to make a joke or snap back at her when she tells me I’m doing something wrong again, I just keepthinking,My sister thinks I’m a star. This morning, she accused me of eating the star-apple fruit she left in the fridge and my brain thought Achi was calling me “star apple.”
How am I supposed to get mad at her when she hasthathanging over me?!
“Since when did you have a band?” Achi asks after reading my permission slip.
“Trying something new.”
Do you still think I’m a star?
Achi frowns at the print. “Your band name isThe Band?”
“It’sverynew.” So since I know that Achi secretly thinks I sparkle onstage, I’ve been very confident that she’d automatically sign off on my band proposal.
It’s my fault that I forgot that my sister is still my sister.
“I can’t approve of a band that only has one person,” she protests.
“It’s not just one person,” I say. “Kayla is with me.”
“Kayla plays an instrument?”
“Yes… her voice.”
Achi tilts her head, throwing me her resting constipated face. “Saint Francis also has guidelines that require all participating bands to have at least one Saint Francis student.”
“Yeah, Seph is playing guitar.” I peek at the form, bullshitting out of my pants. “I must’ve forgotten to write that there.”
