Kwamé has been here with me for the past three days. He's basically moved in, even carrying his own overnight clothes and toiletries, and he's given me more attention than any human has in it entire life. Then again, he isn't human. But that's not the point. The things he's done for me and the way that he's gone out of his way for me is truly touching. It's so serious that I had to sneak out to go to school yesterday, and while lying in bed, attempting to absorb what I had just read, he came in in just a towel hanging around his waist, looking quite upset.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSYE8VZigU
"Nya, why did you leave?"922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5d8DBnmnj
"You didn't say I couldn't," I answered. Stupid excuse coming from a stupid girl. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgM0XZqQai
"I'm very sure you knew that I wouldn't have wanted you to go, and what if you got someone else sick?"922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2AyDuBoQp
"How are you so sure it's contagious?" 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCVg3qaog4
"You have the flu," he deadpanned. "Don't bother using "I've never been sick" as an excuse. You did CAPE bio and you're doing courses now, so I'm pretty sure you know the symptoms."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtm5EJTUQC0
After that, I wasn't allowed - haven't been allowed - to leave the house.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4TNcpe8mu
I wonder how I'll ever be able to repay him, but then I remember that he's dead, and probably won't need much help with anything. He's been at my beck and call, and even when my pride keeps me from calling him, he somehow knows that I need him and comes to help me. An example of this is the time that I tried to cook myself breakfast. I've never been a great chef, but I refused to let him cook for me. I'm a grown woman, after all. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvlA64OpgI
And he refused to let it go.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FIB0lrokf
"You can barely stand, Nya," he said to me yesterday morning. "Let me cook for you. Oxtail, your favourite." He probably figured it out because of the amount of times I brought it home.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPk8wd62Ml
"Where are you going to get oxtail to cook?" I asked him.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8j96HNARtd
"Meat shop," he said as if it should be obvious."And I don't need to, anyway, because Akatua has loads of it in her freezer. She eats it almost every day for lunch."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMrqjHU7Bz
Like mother, like daughter. But how does she even afford that? Come to think about it... what does Akatua do as a job? 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hnZ2wQEgu
"No," I refused, shaking my head fiercely. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lsEjLF6Jx
"Nya," he warned.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHzEqqf5Sf
So of course, I caved. The same thing happened this morning, and here I am, sucking on oxtail bone in a way that only I can. I look up at him and notice him staring at me, as if I'm some peculiar specimen in a lab.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYiEftYGei
"What?" I ask him, pulling the bone from my mouth.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0CTYYBUGs
He smiles to himself. "Nothing... You're just kinda cute, you know? In a fluffy bunny kinda way," he clarifies. I feel my cheeks beginning to heat up at the compliment. I'm not used to compliments on my appearance. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66fvakkhUr
As a way of non-verbally changing the topic, mutter a quick "thank you" and then commence sucking on the bone again while looking at my plate. I do this with all the bones for approximately three minutes, before wiping my hands and mouth on the paper napkins on the tray.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuqP6E2Ae0
"Thank you again, Kwamé" I say to him, preparing to take my plate to the kitchen. Of course, he beats me to it.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpNoMjAEXw
"Sit," he commands, and for some unknown, God given reason, I am compelled to obey.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMGths5mMK
When he returns, he sits across from me, looking at me, waiting on me to speak. He probably sensed from my energy and read from my expression that I have something to say. And I do. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6r75aulOy
"About seeing my mother," I start.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1pUs7ye7Jy
"I haven't told her anything. I figured that you'd want to tell her yourself."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPQYBI5VIW
I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't realise I was holding.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsr47wFMGl4
"You're right. Thank you." 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGG9AgHpTKD
"Well, it's your right," he says, bringing me some chewable vitamins and sitting on the couch beside me. "Are you feeling better?"922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuPlTJm3APf
"Yes," because of you, "but I don't want to visit her until I'm one hundred percent." I actually care about her health. I might have some resentment towards her, but I don't hate her. What Kwamé said to me about possibility infecting others stuck with me. I was so concerned with getting the answers that I wanted, I didn't think twice before going to UWI and spreading my germs all over the school. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSr0ByGGtk
"That's considerate of you, but what will you be doing here in the meantime?"922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajshPUm37k
I chew my lip and think about that.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0N9Dt7aNZ
"Binge watching something?" The idea sounds pathetic to my own ears.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEroY03hRmr
"How about we play a game?" he asks gently.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtvZYUiEio
"What game?"922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqJpbJ9wTC
"An honesty game. It's a way of getting to know each other." 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKA6deSft73
"I thought you said that you didn't want to be friends." Not that I mind being his friend. I'm just confused. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRy3BHLvpCQ
"This doesn't make us friends," he points out. "However, your social life is sad. You can't have binge watching and playing with your parrot as your only options." The way he says it makes me sound so... boring. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1Ad4YEotu
"So you're like an almost friend?" I ask hopefully. That's getting somewhere, right?922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpc3p9asps2
He cocks His head to the side, thinking about it, before showing off a half smile. "I guess."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVdRr64uhp
"So how does this game work?" I ask him, intrigued.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaGZ7UTJD6
"You ask the other person something, and that person must answer honesty. It's also about trusting each other to be honest."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8f8PJJRhf
"Okay. That sounds easy enough," I tell him, sitting up straight. "Truth or dare without the dare." He nods, then gestures for me to start.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJwVqQfnt1
"What's the best thing you've ever done?" I ask him. He looks off to the side pensively for a moment before turning back to me to answer.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAcn3sRs88
"I would always celebrate my family members' birthdays. You?"922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9H7dcgFfA
Once again, he surprises me. I wasn't expecting to hear that. His unexpected answer throws me off, and it takes me a minute to recollect my thoughts.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBU4LFZjlOn
"Giving my mother a second chance."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxl9GdS0QO
That stops him cold.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSZM5AUFb0
"You expected me to be nicer, didn't you?"922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRYKhjcYYc
"I didn't say that," he tells me, looking away. I know that he was expecting something like "feeding the poor" or "giving back to the children's home that I came from", but I'm not a nice person. I'm not bad either; I'm kind of neural.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7aLgKFdHs
"Well, uh, why don't we both find something nice to do? Something selfless."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMw8nL9gKPo
"Why?" I ask in complete confusion.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzizf6jjgrQ
"People say that it feels good."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGq0xHRdNvM
"Do you really believe that it would do that for me?" I question him, my voice thick with doubt.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3eEtAvcYJ
"I don't know. To be honest, I've never tried it, but apparently, neither have you. So why don't we try this together?"922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4zgc8O4tm
"You think that it might redeem you?" I ask gently, not wanting to push him to talk about something that he doesn't want to.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1ZLC1zaG7
He looks at me darkly.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0JGxAwKLN
"There is no redemption for me. I've told you that already. Now, let's find something good to do with ourselves."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfeJvwvDx2
I don't want to let it go, but I don't want to push him either. I want to try my best to not be a bitch. With that thought in mind, I nod in agreement, and raise my glass.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFMStE4wHx
"To being charitable."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXH6LZaLGm
"From the bottom of our hearts," he says, also raising his glass, and then touching it to mine.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTNbDtGmky
He smiles at me and then clears his throat. "Back to the game."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZ9PnXDNFj
Right," I reply. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGE141pUTV
"My turn," he states. "What's your date of birth? You know mine, but I don't know yours."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEC5jsawwm0
"July 7, 1997," I reply. "We have the same birthday."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLUngsfz8c
"Huh. That's cool."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWL02rPbgK
"Um... favourite drink?"922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6eN9C4AMZ
"As a cow or human?" he asks.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJPPFytPhC
"Both, I guess."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLvJxNUZtK
"Um, as a cow, I like water. Clean water. As a human, I like Red Stripe, 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9kZqZEwGI
922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTLDNnQV8W
Sorrel or lemon flavor, depending on my mood."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlsV5xmtE5
"Wow," I murmur. "Same for me. As a human, I mean."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDK6RWj6Ii
He grins at me, the smile lighting up his face. "I guess we're not that different after all."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6QltPhdLk
***922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYSIW6WFMH
"We must really be awful," Kwamé mutters. We've been staring at the table for over an hour, a blank sheet of paper for "ideas" laying in front of us, each with a glass in hand. He has fruit punch, I have ginger ale. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6jyzlfsGt
"Well, it's not like we're used to doing this," I defend weakly, the excuse sounding pathetic even to my own ears.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtabwynheBP
"There has to be something," he replies. "What about food?" he asks.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0ERGr41S2
"People have food allergies, and celiac, and stuff like that."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhD2jHzffc
"So we buy a variety of foods."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhURecNMXCt
"With what money?" I ask him. Has he forgotten that I'm a waitress?922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVjU1rXPqR
He sighs in frustration.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaanHsuO1l
"Well, we could go to a children's home and read for them," I suggest.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQSleqof0g
"I hate children."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIP9z8CPjU
"It's not about what you like, Kwamé."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyXi7C1Lyk
He grumbles incoherently under his breath, screwing up his face like a spoilt child.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IfynHO2ux
"You must be able to get over your distaste of children for one day, just for the sake of charity."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKExCuZTHG
"I don't know if I can," he grumbles.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFiMLnRZvK
"Yeah, you can. You just have to try."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4agVHNJSgj
He sighs heavily, as if I've just asked him to make some great sacrifice. It's not that serious. I mean, what does he even do with himself, apart from running up and down as a bull?922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjgJtkMIgx
"Fine. What day?"922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKr06iXyxb5
"How about next Wednesday?" I suggest hopefully.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vbFRBLBgT
"Okay. I'll bring some books."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxF8WLsejC
"You aren't reading?" I ask him.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJeGPg9Qq0
"I've forgotten how to read."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAO2bD4CBOM
"That's crap. You were using my phone this morning."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESJQKDkgy7
"I swore that I wouldn't let you see me like this again."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQVrqsjgQu
"That's a terrible excuse. And how would you bring the books?"922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VKBMPk07w
"Cart," he replies, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FlCxjltOw
"Kwamé-" 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Y7r0L4s5C
"I'm not good for children."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpckKOGCqcV
Ahh. That's why. It's in this moment that I realise that even though he planned on helping me to organise the charitable act, he didn't want to help me execute it. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkebZEdUbZq
"You're not some demonic entity that will cause the children to vaporise," I tell him, although I know what he means. "The kids will be fine."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWIWeXYguE
"I'm evil," he reminds me.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0Q2RFbyvN
"Don't start with that again," I scold him. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLdpBir5ft
"Children can sense evil, you know." 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIteDoaHSz
Yes I do. That's how I knew that my foster mum was off, not evil, but far from good. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNrpXXHMm6
"Just be your normal, sweet self. They'll love you."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyUskJqidC
"You think?" he asks me with great skepticism.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauyfxq8nuS
"Just be nice. Trust me when I say, they'll love you," I tell him again, as if repeating the words will convince him. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazKgCxYqpj
"Okay," he concedes in a tone that tells me that me that he doesn't want to talk about this anymore. In an effort to ease his discomfort, I talk about something else. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgoWJCsuYH
"I think I'll be good to visit my mother tomorrow. The day after at latest."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4C889hHVGl
"She'd love that," he says earnestly, seeming genuinely happy about my newfound desire to see this woman. "She's not pleased about the way that things turned out the last time you two spoke."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWV3Vdwtgr
"Nor am I," I confess, looking down at my fingers. If I'm going to be truthful with myself, I'm a little bit ashamed of my behaviour. Looking back, I was a little overdramatic. It doesn't matter; I'll try to make an effort from now on.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NgmgN4EW4
"So... what do you want to talk about with her tomorrow?" he questions, taking a sip of his fruit punch.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6Z9XxgbM5
"I don't know. Probably try to find out exactly why she left me. She was pretty vague last time."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuASR22OlwX
"I don't know if you're ready for that yet," he tells me, setting his glass down as if ready to have a serious conversation. "With the way that you reacted last time, I'm not sure how you'll take it." 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1w0TP39Pd
"More magic?" I ask him cautiously.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6idVU9c7D
"Way too much for you right now."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttLEa25ion
"I can handle it," I insist although I'm far from sure.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkthLjlR7B
"Well, you can ask her, but I doubt that she'll tell you."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTud8bGrwJ
Sighing, I rest my head against the back of the couch.922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVg9MCCA1em
"Well, it's her decision as to whether or not she wants to open up to me."922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡib3KEx5yVs
"There are other ways to open up to someone," he insists, trying to defend his friend. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCVE0aHZfk
"Okay fine. I'll accept her decision, but I'll still ask. That's okay?"922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2R4Lruxn6X
"Yeah," he replies, nodding his head in agreement. 922Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGU1JTRMky
I'm glad that he's conceded, but I can't help but wonder why he's being so strange about me finding out. I mean, how bad can it be?
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