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.595Please respect copyright.PENANARG2uv0N7pb
"Nya, why did you leave?"595Please respect copyright.PENANAuPvBQsdl3U
"You didn't say I couldn't," I answered. Stupid excuse coming from a stupid girl. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAzTb0CnGuNz
"I'm very sure you knew that I wouldn't have wanted you to go, and what if you got someone else sick?"595Please respect copyright.PENANAMPNEcSFJWq
"How are you so sure it's contagious?" 595Please respect copyright.PENANAozfdk2qsPy
"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."595Please respect copyright.PENANAmLQ8DSed1d
After that, I wasn't allowed - haven't been allowed - to leave the house.595Please respect copyright.PENANAhAXFLtg1Xu
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. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAdNY1L5WELG
And he refused to let it go.595Please respect copyright.PENANAFd8XVTlHbE
"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.595Please respect copyright.PENANAg181DN7aUU
"Where are you going to get oxtail to cook?" I asked him.595Please respect copyright.PENANAhkQZU4VSoL
"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."595Please respect copyright.PENANAqMW320ktjX
Like mother, like daughter. But how does she even afford that? Come to think about it... what does Akatua do as a job? 595Please respect copyright.PENANAjmo44n9IHV
"No," I refused, shaking my head fiercely. 595Please respect copyright.PENANANYtBP4hRgT
"Nya," he warned.595Please respect copyright.PENANAGZSvbS0HRy
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.595Please respect copyright.PENANAG8GsdAPlLu
"What?" I ask him, pulling the bone from my mouth.595Please respect copyright.PENANAomsWgthnsw
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. 595Please respect copyright.PENANABe3tQe6PVm
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.595Please respect copyright.PENANAp37schvJvS
"Thank you again, Kwamé" I say to him, preparing to take my plate to the kitchen. Of course, he beats me to it.595Please respect copyright.PENANAh7F9buzj7r
"Sit," he commands, and for some unknown, God given reason, I am compelled to obey.595Please respect copyright.PENANAaIYNFgUhub
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. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAPdJg3UI0sU
"About seeing my mother," I start.595Please respect copyright.PENANAQsca2CQFmi
"I haven't told her anything. I figured that you'd want to tell her yourself."595Please respect copyright.PENANAZbZHq4NpKx
I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't realise I was holding.595Please respect copyright.PENANA856nOjOXBX
"You're right. Thank you." 595Please respect copyright.PENANAUQy6aS7HGy
"Well, it's your right," he says, bringing me some chewable vitamins and sitting on the couch beside me. "Are you feeling better?"595Please respect copyright.PENANAQS2fWVevIO
"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. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAHhEbQpHDgQ
"That's considerate of you, but what will you be doing here in the meantime?"595Please respect copyright.PENANAx2UWqqvmQt
I chew my lip and think about that.595Please respect copyright.PENANA3QId5KK7Ps
"Binge watching something?" The idea sounds pathetic to my own ears.595Please respect copyright.PENANAUB7uKmpGhA
"How about we play a game?" he asks gently.595Please respect copyright.PENANAFk9cD4idWu
"What game?"595Please respect copyright.PENANATPlIIOCGwU
"An honesty game. It's a way of getting to know each other." 595Please respect copyright.PENANAExvSE3bb6O
"I thought you said that you didn't want to be friends." Not that I mind being his friend. I'm just confused. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAluygwa0QM6
"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. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAhRMWFoMU9Y
"So you're like an almost friend?" I ask hopefully. That's getting somewhere, right?595Please respect copyright.PENANAglbMAdxeYI
He cocks His head to the side, thinking about it, before showing off a half smile. "I guess."595Please respect copyright.PENANAKRofOPa6D0
"So how does this game work?" I ask him, intrigued.595Please respect copyright.PENANASvkBGTkaZH
"You ask the other person something, and that person must answer honesty. It's also about trusting each other to be honest."595Please respect copyright.PENANA8FB6tg6IAD
"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.595Please respect copyright.PENANAFMyqRJREmd
"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.595Please respect copyright.PENANAJcZhzZkDEt
"I would always celebrate my family members' birthdays. You?"595Please respect copyright.PENANAAmTv2cIfUq
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.595Please respect copyright.PENANAVHYisNNmhC
"Giving my mother a second chance."595Please respect copyright.PENANAsrrYG9TvSb
That stops him cold.595Please respect copyright.PENANARnecj3yYAK
"You expected me to be nicer, didn't you?"595Please respect copyright.PENANAWFmiFao9R2
"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.595Please respect copyright.PENANA9HFAINIyvM
"Well, uh, why don't we both find something nice to do? Something selfless."595Please respect copyright.PENANAwoUTQzx3El
"Why?" I ask in complete confusion.595Please respect copyright.PENANAZCvZEfecsQ
"People say that it feels good."595Please respect copyright.PENANAt4YiUAR5C5
"Do you really believe that it would do that for me?" I question him, my voice thick with doubt.595Please respect copyright.PENANAa7zxbjnUDU
"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?"595Please respect copyright.PENANAcqZCe7pHlS
"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.595Please respect copyright.PENANAYyFb1eOE5T
He looks at me darkly.595Please respect copyright.PENANAVifIzkDBgP
"There is no redemption for me. I've told you that already. Now, let's find something good to do with ourselves."595Please respect copyright.PENANAkPWMByNT5K
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.595Please respect copyright.PENANAT48fQDzN20
"To being charitable."595Please respect copyright.PENANA6nlmipwVXN
"From the bottom of our hearts," he says, also raising his glass, and then touching it to mine.595Please respect copyright.PENANAQNd4vRV0XF
He smiles at me and then clears his throat. "Back to the game."595Please respect copyright.PENANA36plfaZGrs
Right," I reply. 595Please respect copyright.PENANABe8wb378OH
"My turn," he states. "What's your date of birth? You know mine, but I don't know yours."595Please respect copyright.PENANAsDt4bCw1QO
"July 7, 1997," I reply. "We have the same birthday."595Please respect copyright.PENANAOU5oErj7D3
"Huh. That's cool."595Please respect copyright.PENANApObcFqcjs3
"Um... favourite drink?"595Please respect copyright.PENANAc6jGd2jEZf
"As a cow or human?" he asks.595Please respect copyright.PENANA1QDuXhslqd
"Both, I guess."595Please respect copyright.PENANAS8fFyjLC2x
"Um, as a cow, I like water. Clean water. As a human, I like Red Stripe, 595Please respect copyright.PENANAfjCkHaIk7I
595Please respect copyright.PENANAiRIlOGpxAy
Sorrel or lemon flavor, depending on my mood."595Please respect copyright.PENANAics77kO5WY
"Wow," I murmur. "Same for me. As a human, I mean."595Please respect copyright.PENANAHU6pT3ONo6
He grins at me, the smile lighting up his face. "I guess we're not that different after all."595Please respect copyright.PENANA4obF2Y2EVX
***595Please respect copyright.PENANAhF8hGPka7J
"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. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAWH0JsVtPOl
"Well, it's not like we're used to doing this," I defend weakly, the excuse sounding pathetic even to my own ears.595Please respect copyright.PENANAeUJnMOnkEL
"There has to be something," he replies. "What about food?" he asks.595Please respect copyright.PENANAtSdNEwrRvM
"People have food allergies, and celiac, and stuff like that."595Please respect copyright.PENANAkDilpUUU4j
"So we buy a variety of foods."595Please respect copyright.PENANAhFjTYL1i40
"With what money?" I ask him. Has he forgotten that I'm a waitress?595Please respect copyright.PENANAWU6lR6iwbl
He sighs in frustration.595Please respect copyright.PENANA7RwKU9oA9U
"Well, we could go to a children's home and read for them," I suggest.595Please respect copyright.PENANAtaTBJJuX7d
"I hate children."595Please respect copyright.PENANAIkzK1ckUIM
"It's not about what you like, Kwamé."595Please respect copyright.PENANA7kEcLkQQ4L
He grumbles incoherently under his breath, screwing up his face like a spoilt child.595Please respect copyright.PENANA2p2X1QOVHW
"You must be able to get over your distaste of children for one day, just for the sake of charity."595Please respect copyright.PENANAuQzKIgHtxS
"I don't know if I can," he grumbles.595Please respect copyright.PENANAwk7Ase1ivj
"Yeah, you can. You just have to try."595Please respect copyright.PENANAynIAGHv8KC
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?595Please respect copyright.PENANACyIePlrmlL
"Fine. What day?"595Please respect copyright.PENANAYqgeQznyYk
"How about next Wednesday?" I suggest hopefully.595Please respect copyright.PENANArEPB62XHvh
"Okay. I'll bring some books."595Please respect copyright.PENANAUhVweltm8x
"You aren't reading?" I ask him.595Please respect copyright.PENANA45STKBTUQa
"I've forgotten how to read."595Please respect copyright.PENANAmfY2vU0fQJ
"That's crap. You were using my phone this morning."595Please respect copyright.PENANA6exesr1w0M
"I swore that I wouldn't let you see me like this again."595Please respect copyright.PENANAGAOcDUQHzq
"That's a terrible excuse. And how would you bring the books?"595Please respect copyright.PENANAvTXICZsvGA
"Cart," he replies, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAMeNKre3kga
"Kwamé-" 595Please respect copyright.PENANAeTwQ7wwD6k
"I'm not good for children."595Please respect copyright.PENANAujsYHMD2OL
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. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAgfBTocK4HL
"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."595Please respect copyright.PENANA4FGXe6cE63
"I'm evil," he reminds me.595Please respect copyright.PENANAujAs28qD1c
"Don't start with that again," I scold him. 595Please respect copyright.PENANA14ogrUXvgn
"Children can sense evil, you know." 595Please respect copyright.PENANAgExQoOXb53
Yes I do. That's how I knew that my foster mum was off, not evil, but far from good. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAWp5QFm1UTe
"Just be your normal, sweet self. They'll love you."595Please respect copyright.PENANAT8LoOc1aYH
"You think?" he asks me with great skepticism.595Please respect copyright.PENANA6xeYQd4Z9a
"Just be nice. Trust me when I say, they'll love you," I tell him again, as if repeating the words will convince him. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAFWhVd9t3DM
"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. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAEB9nQUxpxs
"I think I'll be good to visit my mother tomorrow. The day after at latest."595Please respect copyright.PENANAjRVAjPC73N
"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."595Please respect copyright.PENANArbXFnFQxCF
"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.595Please respect copyright.PENANAgyAYnP7MSi
"So... what do you want to talk about with her tomorrow?" he questions, taking a sip of his fruit punch.595Please respect copyright.PENANACWrhJttnoS
"I don't know. Probably try to find out exactly why she left me. She was pretty vague last time."595Please respect copyright.PENANAIquqxy8Ehj
"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." 595Please respect copyright.PENANAo7wnFsnaMC
"More magic?" I ask him cautiously.595Please respect copyright.PENANA1qKkcJEgVJ
"Way too much for you right now."595Please respect copyright.PENANAv3izs9FgNJ
"I can handle it," I insist although I'm far from sure.595Please respect copyright.PENANAMfNlEXg3EW
"Well, you can ask her, but I doubt that she'll tell you."595Please respect copyright.PENANAKVmLzWQzdD
Sighing, I rest my head against the back of the couch.595Please respect copyright.PENANAmsYmS3AmHm
"Well, it's her decision as to whether or not she wants to open up to me."595Please respect copyright.PENANAlohEyW0p5i
"There are other ways to open up to someone," he insists, trying to defend his friend. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAIxWYfRdRdg
"Okay fine. I'll accept her decision, but I'll still ask. That's okay?"595Please respect copyright.PENANAZTY4ZAOnIO
"Yeah," he replies, nodding his head in agreement. 595Please respect copyright.PENANAuADQn28n3s
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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