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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SjuqGKFJW
"Nya, why did you leave?"723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pAJQsoDXe
"You didn't say I couldn't," I answered. Stupid excuse coming from a stupid girl. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEw7M3eJlp
"I'm very sure you knew that I wouldn't have wanted you to go, and what if you got someone else sick?"723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVByYMRka2
"How are you so sure it's contagious?" 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdl2wAKcmKw
"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."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElLT4nkoU9
After that, I wasn't allowed - haven't been allowed - to leave the house.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GVpdlUjh0
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. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrBrJ8iFUF
And he refused to let it go.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQZu3JomSn
"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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPab74bhAy
"Where are you going to get oxtail to cook?" I asked him.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59mpZ42Buj
"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."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIej9kl6gyt
Like mother, like daughter. But how does she even afford that? Come to think about it... what does Akatua do as a job? 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRGxYwlvew
"No," I refused, shaking my head fiercely. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUScfZ8icNV
"Nya," he warned.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyAYRQJKaw
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQycRR2As0F
"What?" I ask him, pulling the bone from my mouth.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1F88kONzb4
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. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWp0BgFWZA
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwOQYclqD2
"Thank you again, Kwamé" I say to him, preparing to take my plate to the kitchen. Of course, he beats me to it.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJz35Levf3H
"Sit," he commands, and for some unknown, God given reason, I am compelled to obey.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPe1FF5kSt
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. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEEbgiWAYl
"About seeing my mother," I start.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWR4PQYtU0h
"I haven't told her anything. I figured that you'd want to tell her yourself."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNWrsIiPIj
I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't realise I was holding.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41uqmazZOU
"You're right. Thank you." 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9FclVc3GE
"Well, it's your right," he says, bringing me some chewable vitamins and sitting on the couch beside me. "Are you feeling better?"723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeg53uxU8l
"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. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxGxJcO4TS
"That's considerate of you, but what will you be doing here in the meantime?"723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wYeLTFiIw
I chew my lip and think about that.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFn4vHGI7K
"Binge watching something?" The idea sounds pathetic to my own ears.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkR2qFBBFx
"How about we play a game?" he asks gently.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡao6xzyv8Ug
"What game?"723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6r60hnhvu
"An honesty game. It's a way of getting to know each other." 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWqJAxWC3E
"I thought you said that you didn't want to be friends." Not that I mind being his friend. I'm just confused. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWcdq4JfsN
"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. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJ6En7PRoa
"So you're like an almost friend?" I ask hopefully. That's getting somewhere, right?723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFMtNAALvB
He cocks His head to the side, thinking about it, before showing off a half smile. "I guess."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhs8fFvqo7
"So how does this game work?" I ask him, intrigued.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9e6VuA0FcM
"You ask the other person something, and that person must answer honesty. It's also about trusting each other to be honest."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CoLEXg89f
"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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTicQOX366Q
"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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CtKeabZc6
"I would always celebrate my family members' birthdays. You?"723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2lO2huRdf
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4R5nvemFB5
"Giving my mother a second chance."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiaZxRYwXJ
That stops him cold.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVmlpnA9gC
"You expected me to be nicer, didn't you?"723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzhtqR51Pe
"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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kx173eB1j
"Well, uh, why don't we both find something nice to do? Something selfless."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetAJIxuUzI
"Why?" I ask in complete confusion.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMwnKozNFg
"People say that it feels good."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBWgH4bMEg
"Do you really believe that it would do that for me?" I question him, my voice thick with doubt.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnUiHO2hJT
"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?"723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVwSzwauvP
"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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlOEQ5zb67
He looks at me darkly.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJ7bUpeKW4
"There is no redemption for me. I've told you that already. Now, let's find something good to do with ourselves."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02VcNFZq4l
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzRSmyfuOL
"To being charitable."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpEDkLeRdm
"From the bottom of our hearts," he says, also raising his glass, and then touching it to mine.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG89aDJWANT
He smiles at me and then clears his throat. "Back to the game."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPAyDfJObE
Right," I reply. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaa3ELPqudv
"My turn," he states. "What's your date of birth? You know mine, but I don't know yours."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMKciLe2sQ
"July 7, 1997," I reply. "We have the same birthday."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KZm9HeAW7
"Huh. That's cool."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFt4vN1JVx
"Um... favourite drink?"723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BpFJ2kfuP
"As a cow or human?" he asks.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt67KDaymuP
"Both, I guess."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVdBwfrFeF
"Um, as a cow, I like water. Clean water. As a human, I like Red Stripe, 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDJGGacHxP
723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGF3dXSitz
Sorrel or lemon flavor, depending on my mood."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnAxVZpnKN
"Wow," I murmur. "Same for me. As a human, I mean."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZnrzLPrpu
He grins at me, the smile lighting up his face. "I guess we're not that different after all."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvtsv7AqQp
***723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAHbAr4Seg
"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. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyexhCYfeY2
"Well, it's not like we're used to doing this," I defend weakly, the excuse sounding pathetic even to my own ears.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LK6qgSLTA
"There has to be something," he replies. "What about food?" he asks.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSu4IHzbqHe
"People have food allergies, and celiac, and stuff like that."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGcdmR2AB9
"So we buy a variety of foods."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02LOf5iMR4
"With what money?" I ask him. Has he forgotten that I'm a waitress?723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tMVE4iK2D
He sighs in frustration.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrczxPYTZK1
"Well, we could go to a children's home and read for them," I suggest.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLN1T4qWd1d
"I hate children."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jBfO5gUvU
"It's not about what you like, Kwamé."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfotv3KMh5
He grumbles incoherently under his breath, screwing up his face like a spoilt child.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc73XZt3xnX
"You must be able to get over your distaste of children for one day, just for the sake of charity."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnhFUHDahx
"I don't know if I can," he grumbles.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHveOm0qIY
"Yeah, you can. You just have to try."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlg1ickr10
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?723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBZF5rU5ww
"Fine. What day?"723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpw8cZf7sz
"How about next Wednesday?" I suggest hopefully.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ew5i63f6U
"Okay. I'll bring some books."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgdNaAkNkC
"You aren't reading?" I ask him.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmbAI2eOlk
"I've forgotten how to read."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCb5SUSY5nw
"That's crap. You were using my phone this morning."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sxKSpWdn5
"I swore that I wouldn't let you see me like this again."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCjWLixKg4
"That's a terrible excuse. And how would you bring the books?"723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSQQiEGYak
"Cart," he replies, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6J9sl2g2S
"Kwamé-" 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRrVP4jicR
"I'm not good for children."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Gsp0yNYX0
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. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmY6CTBlPr
"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."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71cabrCOeK
"I'm evil," he reminds me.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaa95gYXC7
"Don't start with that again," I scold him. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpqZwMO2VT
"Children can sense evil, you know." 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgf2eLxbzNs
Yes I do. That's how I knew that my foster mum was off, not evil, but far from good. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zuDZG1mLn
"Just be your normal, sweet self. They'll love you."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevoElXOXRh
"You think?" he asks me with great skepticism.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8PcZyYetu
"Just be nice. Trust me when I say, they'll love you," I tell him again, as if repeating the words will convince him. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hsweZ1XWV
"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. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3q7biJRBo
"I think I'll be good to visit my mother tomorrow. The day after at latest."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfVPIH32es
"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."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGI5jq8Lqci
"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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hD0jP0iFX
"So... what do you want to talk about with her tomorrow?" he questions, taking a sip of his fruit punch.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAw8w6tiMqk
"I don't know. Probably try to find out exactly why she left me. She was pretty vague last time."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7ijB3WRJq
"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." 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqrZFrSLDh
"More magic?" I ask him cautiously.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYig3ofEoH
"Way too much for you right now."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswacub5fKU
"I can handle it," I insist although I'm far from sure.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrzlRApKqr
"Well, you can ask her, but I doubt that she'll tell you."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wekFpM88R
Sighing, I rest my head against the back of the couch.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PiyUB5Slp
"Well, it's her decision as to whether or not she wants to open up to me."723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2G1QI5UDL
"There are other ways to open up to someone," he insists, trying to defend his friend. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEbqJKeu1s
"Okay fine. I'll accept her decision, but I'll still ask. That's okay?"723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8czT8P0yu
"Yeah," he replies, nodding his head in agreement. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66PIYuINTG
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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