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.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpGFebkD2Q
"Nya, why did you leave?"917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRONIkN5fY
"You didn't say I couldn't," I answered. Stupid excuse coming from a stupid girl. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOStWnMvUMX
"I'm very sure you knew that I wouldn't have wanted you to go, and what if you got someone else sick?"917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkmvlP7E3Q
"How are you so sure it's contagious?" 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJFAKq1CFD
"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."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLGnsEsD2c
After that, I wasn't allowed - haven't been allowed - to leave the house.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnqhS4kuuD
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. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaum5TvLLu
And he refused to let it go.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1i7ftwSDGm
"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.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Dothfr1W2
"Where are you going to get oxtail to cook?" I asked him.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYt0HZRfhWZ
"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."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETBb19Trs1
Like mother, like daughter. But how does she even afford that? Come to think about it... what does Akatua do as a job? 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJXxfnnYHx
"No," I refused, shaking my head fiercely. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dZ9IqNZvP
"Nya," he warned.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEt36rVQ3JB
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.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwDne6P2KK
"What?" I ask him, pulling the bone from my mouth.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2GxoYXxZG
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. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmpXmIj9RQ
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.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsTOHRcAB2
"Thank you again, Kwamé" I say to him, preparing to take my plate to the kitchen. Of course, he beats me to it.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDTLjvemZm
"Sit," he commands, and for some unknown, God given reason, I am compelled to obey.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDVfwbq4c5
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. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lXvazhRV0
"About seeing my mother," I start.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hgU08VkAW
"I haven't told her anything. I figured that you'd want to tell her yourself."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiMlKRvZuL
I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't realise I was holding.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0jRJa25dp
"You're right. Thank you." 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtmmGWLB9V
"Well, it's your right," he says, bringing me some chewable vitamins and sitting on the couch beside me. "Are you feeling better?"917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouUPcUWZyE
"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. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXIW6JjGdu
"That's considerate of you, but what will you be doing here in the meantime?"917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTi1VY8W3u
I chew my lip and think about that.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdOSzWGcbS
"Binge watching something?" The idea sounds pathetic to my own ears.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtW5aWwcl7u
"How about we play a game?" he asks gently.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9Org6jUP2
"What game?"917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47ZuBSmvp2
"An honesty game. It's a way of getting to know each other." 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAG0KDcU8dx
"I thought you said that you didn't want to be friends." Not that I mind being his friend. I'm just confused. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrkpQAb79C
"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. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYr0QcqXX4B
"So you're like an almost friend?" I ask hopefully. That's getting somewhere, right?917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fvbJMpVue
He cocks His head to the side, thinking about it, before showing off a half smile. "I guess."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgZoyeyFiC
"So how does this game work?" I ask him, intrigued.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2IDgTvWHx
"You ask the other person something, and that person must answer honesty. It's also about trusting each other to be honest."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAladGHaJD
"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.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeJ7tBRVzx
"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.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGC1EwIXqb
"I would always celebrate my family members' birthdays. You?"917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QcdEs2WwZ
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.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡju3JfIIkBb
"Giving my mother a second chance."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNVwP9zY9A
That stops him cold.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfB2Qy23cr
"You expected me to be nicer, didn't you?"917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvNiD06t3R
"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.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNNaXhjwtr
"Well, uh, why don't we both find something nice to do? Something selfless."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqzaot4S55
"Why?" I ask in complete confusion.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaf9ZiiChs
"People say that it feels good."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlun4MQLiRz
"Do you really believe that it would do that for me?" I question him, my voice thick with doubt.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJawIgfL7N
"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?"917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTEcrfsZvG
"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.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpavzrR25Pn
He looks at me darkly.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxzMOyaOri
"There is no redemption for me. I've told you that already. Now, let's find something good to do with ourselves."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPDu46wIDL
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.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6S1yQIUVyg
"To being charitable."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHG5n7VON2
"From the bottom of our hearts," he says, also raising his glass, and then touching it to mine.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0vppE6pXu
He smiles at me and then clears his throat. "Back to the game."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOH4AODaCe1
Right," I reply. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObYlwSOgOn
"My turn," he states. "What's your date of birth? You know mine, but I don't know yours."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sPSdLv3Xq
"July 7, 1997," I reply. "We have the same birthday."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2cVImsjSL
"Huh. That's cool."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVxotFuiwd
"Um... favourite drink?"917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwlB4t5DcZ
"As a cow or human?" he asks.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHC9BcNp2Ux
"Both, I guess."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5e8pkCzza
"Um, as a cow, I like water. Clean water. As a human, I like Red Stripe, 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdQtrqti0z
917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzWc1lPhMO
Sorrel or lemon flavor, depending on my mood."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGfGbt8oFm
"Wow," I murmur. "Same for me. As a human, I mean."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0KXmjGrON
He grins at me, the smile lighting up his face. "I guess we're not that different after all."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWuXY4XHrm
***917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AKjng05Vu
"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. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92SwYQBryV
"Well, it's not like we're used to doing this," I defend weakly, the excuse sounding pathetic even to my own ears.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuqmV8GR7H
"There has to be something," he replies. "What about food?" he asks.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPfM1p3LRb
"People have food allergies, and celiac, and stuff like that."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hPEH4WN1b
"So we buy a variety of foods."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUjm9hGSFw
"With what money?" I ask him. Has he forgotten that I'm a waitress?917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxnTwh82fc
He sighs in frustration.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VkvrVuzS5
"Well, we could go to a children's home and read for them," I suggest.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9ItUfllCl
"I hate children."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64OEt7oSHO
"It's not about what you like, Kwamé."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTDYLj3Q2P
He grumbles incoherently under his breath, screwing up his face like a spoilt child.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7gZYNWobt
"You must be able to get over your distaste of children for one day, just for the sake of charity."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nqMI1EEKE
"I don't know if I can," he grumbles.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJbqnlUNQb
"Yeah, you can. You just have to try."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswz79FDSiy
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?917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBT9LGSmMa
"Fine. What day?"917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAsQE0cjp4
"How about next Wednesday?" I suggest hopefully.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxEwsXZm2i
"Okay. I'll bring some books."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQrYvZFYLi
"You aren't reading?" I ask him.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡww8zfycTH9
"I've forgotten how to read."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTdAp9dNFE
"That's crap. You were using my phone this morning."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cnSBIhF6s
"I swore that I wouldn't let you see me like this again."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBiIWQubTjG
"That's a terrible excuse. And how would you bring the books?"917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSNYgSOZuC
"Cart," he replies, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5JDu4wiCw
"Kwamé-" 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4li73Fuq8J
"I'm not good for children."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpZzaXK2Do
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. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPH7YL9LKfs
"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."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBBsEtqlpZ
"I'm evil," he reminds me.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxy0mvgREP
"Don't start with that again," I scold him. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOYuYLRiFo
"Children can sense evil, you know." 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIT4HKdnBr
Yes I do. That's how I knew that my foster mum was off, not evil, but far from good. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡet3dfjCSST
"Just be your normal, sweet self. They'll love you."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVvUD9cgIi
"You think?" he asks me with great skepticism.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdKnFq8d7l
"Just be nice. Trust me when I say, they'll love you," I tell him again, as if repeating the words will convince him. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcP3BfaGnRM
"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. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOTn8DBkgd
"I think I'll be good to visit my mother tomorrow. The day after at latest."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUK4xdbIlj
"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."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1ARecccB9
"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.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2p6clhTnTs
"So... what do you want to talk about with her tomorrow?" he questions, taking a sip of his fruit punch.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0B0JUHwmU4
"I don't know. Probably try to find out exactly why she left me. She was pretty vague last time."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUB00ZNKC8
"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." 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ohfeP6kt5
"More magic?" I ask him cautiously.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFug2fkf21W
"Way too much for you right now."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡardNYU2D0z
"I can handle it," I insist although I'm far from sure.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQ6fAb8CKe
"Well, you can ask her, but I doubt that she'll tell you."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOZXoh0lqm
Sighing, I rest my head against the back of the couch.917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEa3fVhYQON
"Well, it's her decision as to whether or not she wants to open up to me."917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX37lDBVJUr
"There are other ways to open up to someone," he insists, trying to defend his friend. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK27ec2QwBQ
"Okay fine. I'll accept her decision, but I'll still ask. That's okay?"917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhPaDktGcZ
"Yeah," he replies, nodding his head in agreement. 917Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNrVb9Z8ey
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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