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.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNoijYRzuQ
"Nya, why did you leave?"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRu6GRHCQte
"You didn't say I couldn't," I answered. Stupid excuse coming from a stupid girl. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQxGrqI7Pb
"I'm very sure you knew that I wouldn't have wanted you to go, and what if you got someone else sick?"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgywOjiZs1Z
"How are you so sure it's contagious?" 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSj2ySM07wr
"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."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwAQ6oqitA
After that, I wasn't allowed - haven't been allowed - to leave the house.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuPCj1QbeT
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. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwkWun3ZjG
And he refused to let it go.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkmnf0HsSE
"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.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpfJ63XMD6
"Where are you going to get oxtail to cook?" I asked him.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpX0dp6w1m
"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."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsqGRbn8ld
Like mother, like daughter. But how does she even afford that? Come to think about it... what does Akatua do as a job? 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9weej4xNR
"No," I refused, shaking my head fiercely. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOrGSwWojq
"Nya," he warned.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLadK7EWKS4
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.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFRURxQLUw
"What?" I ask him, pulling the bone from my mouth.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1R8hffrBa
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. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDU0KTqAW3
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.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXxGichDqU
"Thank you again, Kwamé" I say to him, preparing to take my plate to the kitchen. Of course, he beats me to it.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHymZ2ZZD56
"Sit," he commands, and for some unknown, God given reason, I am compelled to obey.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YFOgpCI6y
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. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNCWoDDcnx
"About seeing my mother," I start.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2RZJFc6hW
"I haven't told her anything. I figured that you'd want to tell her yourself."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0b05BmuLJJ
I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't realise I was holding.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UBjD1NDNg
"You're right. Thank you." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yLbUkLxQQ
"Well, it's your right," he says, bringing me some chewable vitamins and sitting on the couch beside me. "Are you feeling better?"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Rc1w6YNmi
"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. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0UJH5M2B9
"That's considerate of you, but what will you be doing here in the meantime?"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyl6vWs84C5
I chew my lip and think about that.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EBXLr3aH3
"Binge watching something?" The idea sounds pathetic to my own ears.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSl6ZhMVHV
"How about we play a game?" he asks gently.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMitkam8O1
"What game?"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYjkX1lJCr
"An honesty game. It's a way of getting to know each other." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEUuJVeJxE
"I thought you said that you didn't want to be friends." Not that I mind being his friend. I'm just confused. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ264NLTfvL7
"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. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Fb2UpxNcA
"So you're like an almost friend?" I ask hopefully. That's getting somewhere, right?745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdttZ5SRvC
He cocks His head to the side, thinking about it, before showing off a half smile. "I guess."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFFQDznueq
"So how does this game work?" I ask him, intrigued.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kB3sUOO9p
"You ask the other person something, and that person must answer honesty. It's also about trusting each other to be honest."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNEUCzDdqf
"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.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRaWvPZkbSv
"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.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObF19JvvSq
"I would always celebrate my family members' birthdays. You?"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6Gux67ZLo
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.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDIGoFPwPv
"Giving my mother a second chance."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcqzlLRqs4
That stops him cold.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIJ1RPaHlR
"You expected me to be nicer, didn't you?"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aIwzwTMlw
"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.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHF954lHhXX
"Well, uh, why don't we both find something nice to do? Something selfless."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUaIYfqNcl
"Why?" I ask in complete confusion.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPgTiA1T2x
"People say that it feels good."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfboIrXtKY
"Do you really believe that it would do that for me?" I question him, my voice thick with doubt.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUysTbXs20f
"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?"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9TSFfVGb7
"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.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwa30uDnNN
He looks at me darkly.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNF7a7WURTK
"There is no redemption for me. I've told you that already. Now, let's find something good to do with ourselves."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYcYprN9Hn
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.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlwFqBgbQ3
"To being charitable."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BYHCsczgQ
"From the bottom of our hearts," he says, also raising his glass, and then touching it to mine.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyriZ3SqsMJ
He smiles at me and then clears his throat. "Back to the game."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknVjzDfvb0
Right," I reply. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxjKGHjgCs
"My turn," he states. "What's your date of birth? You know mine, but I don't know yours."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTCw5wzm0O
"July 7, 1997," I reply. "We have the same birthday."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ljc7HY0Kl
"Huh. That's cool."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQwZBSGdnO
"Um... favourite drink?"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREZBmRkRr3
"As a cow or human?" he asks.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtHRiV57O5
"Both, I guess."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9BcmwykZr
"Um, as a cow, I like water. Clean water. As a human, I like Red Stripe, 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSPCj3Fc8k
745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEsppfw1Fc
Sorrel or lemon flavor, depending on my mood."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVod1vEHdh7
"Wow," I murmur. "Same for me. As a human, I mean."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeA426Gkfu1
He grins at me, the smile lighting up his face. "I guess we're not that different after all."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTsfstGVef
***745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIdlF7bc7G
"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. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJj6j7AYxSd
"Well, it's not like we're used to doing this," I defend weakly, the excuse sounding pathetic even to my own ears.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJutkoaePq9
"There has to be something," he replies. "What about food?" he asks.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdkkuDYKH4
"People have food allergies, and celiac, and stuff like that."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbufmNlfrq
"So we buy a variety of foods."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyLj8ukZvd
"With what money?" I ask him. Has he forgotten that I'm a waitress?745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCTasWhWEn
He sighs in frustration.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgxRjMBINZ
"Well, we could go to a children's home and read for them," I suggest.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcfsdOcFz4
"I hate children."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3s77MjZcb
"It's not about what you like, Kwamé."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUDjhS64gK
He grumbles incoherently under his breath, screwing up his face like a spoilt child.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhTkHawJFq
"You must be able to get over your distaste of children for one day, just for the sake of charity."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZNzp4B7Fh
"I don't know if I can," he grumbles.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokJkbaNRFt
"Yeah, you can. You just have to try."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsi0kWeuYCM
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?745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VyZAbPrs3
"Fine. What day?"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKIgym4PRZ
"How about next Wednesday?" I suggest hopefully.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8z3ZStzNs
"Okay. I'll bring some books."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26J1pJbvLt
"You aren't reading?" I ask him.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyc1NlanNn
"I've forgotten how to read."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0d1cdxf0tr
"That's crap. You were using my phone this morning."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OkGt5PKTK
"I swore that I wouldn't let you see me like this again."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARrPx5ZGyI
"That's a terrible excuse. And how would you bring the books?"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MzUy6Lwub
"Cart," he replies, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlTU32TuO5
"Kwamé-" 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjhniIVExK
"I'm not good for children."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8UXMKCjBzO
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. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPRKuDGIH1
"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."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh68yQikLKi
"I'm evil," he reminds me.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtFChK1Osz
"Don't start with that again," I scold him. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgH2ONMYZG
"Children can sense evil, you know." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkG9zZIFn9
Yes I do. That's how I knew that my foster mum was off, not evil, but far from good. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LRGYJLg4h
"Just be your normal, sweet self. They'll love you."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1LUj1wE8x
"You think?" he asks me with great skepticism.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClvzhRNJqs
"Just be nice. Trust me when I say, they'll love you," I tell him again, as if repeating the words will convince him. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMonl5jZAHe
"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. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrx9ORVnzxp
"I think I'll be good to visit my mother tomorrow. The day after at latest."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPdvdiiq2C
"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."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRiQHjO90u0
"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.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEuF4o7xN5
"So... what do you want to talk about with her tomorrow?" he questions, taking a sip of his fruit punch.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjBnMamcOu
"I don't know. Probably try to find out exactly why she left me. She was pretty vague last time."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVz9mg8FV7
"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." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKd5rwnGsHW
"More magic?" I ask him cautiously.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUvWI5Isof
"Way too much for you right now."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CA2i2IWIy
"I can handle it," I insist although I'm far from sure.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbL3V4MTOL
"Well, you can ask her, but I doubt that she'll tell you."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NvrobqfWA
Sighing, I rest my head against the back of the couch.745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3sNkAsbb0
"Well, it's her decision as to whether or not she wants to open up to me."745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRckcxpbAVU
"There are other ways to open up to someone," he insists, trying to defend his friend. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjU01wd3Ck
"Okay fine. I'll accept her decision, but I'll still ask. That's okay?"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyr2TRfRuV
"Yeah," he replies, nodding his head in agreement. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnB1hMmtm3
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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