~What is going on?

I was walking down the street early in the morning. I was in a bad mood because my mum and I had gotten into another terrible argument. I walked by a Japanese Restaurant that was almost opening. Even though I had studied computer science in college, I was desperate for a job. And when I saw the 'Help Soon Wanted' sign on the door of that restaurant I peered inside to see if anyone was there. Then someone from inside opened the door and startled me so much that I fell down.

"Seriously?" I mumbled to myself. "I am so sorry," the person said extending his hand to me. I looked up at his hand, ignored it and got up by myself. "Do you own this place?" I asked. " Yes. My friends and I own it," he replied. I followed him inside and saw his friends. Everyone there was Japanese and were guys except for me. "Hello," I said to all of them. "Hello, Hailey. I am Chikao ," one of them said. "How do you know my name?" I asked. He pointed at my necklace which had my name on it. "Oh, I see. Nice to meet you," I said. "Are you here for a job?" another one of them asked while he was still staring at his phone.

"Yes," I replied. "Sorry we all have not introduced ourselves properly. I am Mako, the one on his phone is Sana, you know Chikao now, the person you met at the door is Ahmya and Tana just walked in," one of them said.

I turned around and saw the person who had just walked in. "What did you want to be in particular? Chef? Cook? Waitress? Cleaner?" Ahmya asked. "Waitress," I replied. I really couldn't understand why they were there owning a restaurant. I am not kidding if you saw them on the street you would have thought they were some famous superstars or something. "Oh, so you can't cook?" Ahmya asked then smirked. "Did you need a cook?" I asked. "No, we only needed a waitress so I guess you are hired," Ahmya said then smiled. "You guess?" I asked. "No, I'm sure. You are hired," Ahmya said and his smile grew wider.

They all seemed so nice and friendly. And they seemed to be about the same age as me. "When will you be opening?" I asked. "In one week," Mako replied. Then I saw Chikao removing the 'Help wanted' sign. "Can you guys cook?" I asked. "Yes, we," Sana said finally looking up from his phone. His cold expression scared me a little. "Oh, I see. Are you all from Japan?" I asked trying to break the awkward silence, but it didn't it just made the silence last longer until Chikao said, "Yes, we are." What made you to come here then?" I asked. Then Sana said I was 'annoying and too talkative' in Japanese. I did learn Japanese ever since I could talk because my mum for some reason really loved Japanese and forced me too, but it was finally paying off.

"What did he say?" I asked pretending like I didn't understand. "Um... he said you are nice," Chikao said. "Really? I thought he said I was annoying and too talkative," I said. They all stared at me then Sana said ,"I did not know you knew Japanese." Ahmya hit Sana on the head and said, "He means he's sorry." "How do you know Japanese?" Tana asked. "I do not want to talk about it, " I replied. "So when exactly should I show up for my first day?" I asked. "Next Monday," Tana said.

"I will see you all soon then," I said and said goodbye and left. I thought they were a little bonkers, but I really needed a job and I couldn't just give up on such a good opportunity. "I can't go home. Whare will I go? Oh no I left my money and credit cards at home," I said to myself. I searched through my purse frantically, but I could find any money at all. "Where's my phone?" I asked myself and searched through my purse again, but I couldn't find my phone.

I sighed because I knew I would have to go to my mother's mansion. I walked into the mansion and my mum started scolding me again. I ignored her and stormed off to my room. My mum and I never really got along because we were like oil and water. And I never met or saw my dad and my mum never never wanted to talk about him.

Then I remembered that I wanted to ask my mum why she always made me learn Japanese. So I swallowed my pride and went downstairs to talk to my mum. "Mum, I am sorry," I said. "I'm also sorry, dear," she said. "Well, mum, can you tell me something?" I asked. "Um...sure. What is it?" my mum asked. "It's about you making me learn Japanese. Remember ever since I could talk we only used to talk to each other in Japanese and that only changed recently? So I was wondering why you loved Japanese so much," I said.

"Hailey, you know when I was still modeling we used to visit Japan so often. So I wanted you to be able to communicate easily with the people there," my mum replied. Her answer didn't make much sense though. "What about my dad, mum? Shall we never talk about him? Is he dead or alive? Mum, I am twenty five years old, I am not a child. So why won't you ever tell me anything about him?" I asked.

My mum didn't say anything as usual and she looked really sad as usual so I had to apologize and drop the subject as usual. "Mum, I got a job. I start on Monday," I said trying tolighten up the mood. "Why did you do that, Hailey? Don't you know you are really really beautiful?" my mum asked. "I don't know what you mean. From what I know I am really ugly," I said.

My self-confidence was always low, but once when I was little and a another girl called me ugly my self-confidence hot rock bottom. I couldn't look at my reflection on the mirror and I hadn't for fifteen years. "Oh, come on. You really are beautiful. You would know that if just looked at the mirror once," my mum said. "Well, I don't want to,"I said and stormed off to my room. "She didn't even let me tell her about my job," I mumbled to myself. I knew I was acting really really childish, but I was just so frustrated because my mum never really answered my questions. I avoided my mum for the rest of the week.

My mum was a famous and rich former model and she had made enough money for me and my great-great-great-grandchildren to live without lifting a finger. Her mansion was so big it could shelter a whole army and there would be plenty of space to shelter a tiny village too.

For as long as I can remember it had just been my mum and me because my older brother and I had a huge age gap of fifteen years. My older brother studied medicine and as he graduated he moved out and started living his own life. I really envied my brother for having his own life. So at that point of my life any job that could bring me closer to moving out of my mum's house would be fine. I knew I could just take some of the money my mum gives me, but I really really wanted to be independent for once.

On Monday I woke up bright and early and so that I could be on time for my first day. I saw Tana standing outside. "I am not late, right?"I asked. "Yes, you are just on time,"Tana replied. I walked inside with him and saw it was so beautiful in there. The last time I was there I probably hadn't noticed how good the restaurant looked. "We can rest for a while since it's too early to expect customers," Ahmya said. We sat down and chatted for a while, then Chikao asked, "Are you by any chance also Japanese?" "No,"I said. "You look like your Japanese. Is one of your relatives Japanese? Last time I wanted to ask you, but you said you didn't want to talk about how you were fluent in Japanese," Chikao said.

"Well, maybe I do look Japanese, do I?"I said and giggled. "You might? Don't you look at yourself in the mirror?"Sana asked. "Well, I haven't looked at my reflection for the past fifteen years,"I said. "Why not?"Mako asked. "Someone once said something about how I look when I was a child,"I said. "What about now?Can't you look at yourself now?"Mako asked. "I just don't feel like it," I replied. "You should though it's been fifteen years you don't look that terrible now,"Sana said. I rolled my eyes."Can't we talk about something else?"I asked.

I could almost feel everyone staring at me, but Mako changed the topic. After a little while we began working and after a few minutes five customers walked in they were probably college. Mako and I went to welcome them since they were our first ever customers. Mako got the customers seated and I took their orders.

Soon their meals were ready and I took them to them. "Please enjoy,"I said. "Thank you," one of them said. "Can I ask you a question?" another one of them asked. "Sure,"I replied. "Are you two siblings," she asked. "No. We are not,"I replied. "Oh, I see,"she said.

I went back to the kitchen and didn't think much of the customer's question because more and more customers kept coming and some of the others who came also asked if we were siblings. When we finally closed I went home. It was a huge mess. My mum was so annoying she always went to parties and threw huge parties too and it seemed she had just thrown another one of the lavish parties.

Then I saw my mum in the kitchen trying to make dinner which looked like it was burnt and smelt like it had come out of a garbage bin. "What are you doing, mum? Where are the chefs and maids?" I asked. They quit, but the agency will send new ones tomorrow morning. "Why did they quit?" I asked. "They said that they didn't want to clean up 'my messes' anymore," my mum said.

"Mum, why would you do that?"I asked. "Do what?" my mum asked. "Throw another one of your stupid parties," I replied. "That is no way to talk to your mother! I have given you everything you have up to now and this is how you treat me!" my mum shouted so loud and angrily that I was surprised. I looked at my mum with so much anger and she looked back at me the same way. I turned around and stormed out of her house. I went and stayed at a hotel. And that's when I decided I was going to look at my reflection.

It was going to be my first time in fifteen years to look at myself. For the past fifteen years I had made sure there were no mirrors around me and even when there was any I wouldn't dare look at my self. I hadn't taken a single picture of myself for fifteen years.

I knew there was a mirror in the bathroom and as I walked towards the door to the bathroom I noticed my arm was bleeding. "What happened?" I asked myself. I went back and sat on the bed and stared at the cut.

I didn't feel any pain and I was sure it wasn't there before. I wanted to get my purse which was on the table because it had a bandage in it but as soon as I got up I my head started to hurt and I could hear a loud ringing in my ear my vision was getting blurry I fell to the ground in pain and I started screaming in pain one person from hotel service quickly came to help me since I hadn't locked the door.

I fainted and was taken to a hospital.When I woke up I saw my mum sitting next to me. "Why are you here?" I asked. "Hailey, can't you stop being rude for once in your life?" my mum asked.

I ignored my mum as she went on and on about how rude I was. My mum eventually got tired of scolding me and left the hospital room. I called the nurse and asked her to brief me on what was wrong with me. She said something about having to much on my mind and not resting enough.I knew there was no way I collapsed just because of fatigue, but I didn't want to complain so I let them give me anti-biotics so that I could sleep well.

The next morning I discharged myself early and snuck into my mum's house so that I could get ready for work. I arrived at work just on time. "Good morning," Tana said. "Good morning," I replied. After about an hour Ahmya said he was going to buy some supplies, he didn't return for almost two hours. A few minutes after Ahmya returned I got a call from my mum I ignored it and she left me a voicemail but I didn't bother to listen to it after another two hours when I wasn't too busy she called me again.

I reluctantly answered it. "Are you Miss Angelina's daughter," a male voice asked. "Yes. Why?" I said. "Your mother has died," he said.

I was so shocked that I dropped my phone, but then I picked it up. "What do you mean? My mum is perfectly fine," I said, but tears were streaming down my face. "I understand that you are in denial. Please come to Angel Hospital," he said. "I don't understand, what happened to my mum?" I asked my voice was shaking and I was crying even more."I will explain when you arrive," he said and hung up.

Without a second thought I ran out of the restaurant. I was still wearing an apron and I left my purse. All I had was my phone I knew hospital was because my brother worked there it was only a ten minute walk from the restaurant, but I sprinted so fast that I think I was there in less than two minutes.

I saw a paramedic and said, "I spoke with a paramedic who said my mum had died." "That was me. Follow me I will take you to see your mother," he said. I followed him and saw my mum.

"Mummy, you look so cold," I said. "Why didn't you give my mum something warm to wear?" I asked the paramedic.He just looked down and walked away. "Mummy, your skin looks so pale, you were a model you should know how to take care of your skin," I said.

"Mummy, won't you answer me? Are you made at me for talking to you rudely before? Mummy? Why won't you answer me? If I talk to you in Japanese will you answer me? Mummy?" I asked, but my mum would not reply and it started to sink in that she was no longer alive.

But I refused to believe that. "Mummy, I really am sorry. Won't you forgive me? Mummy, please say something," I said, but no reply. I started screaming like a mad person until some nurses came to drag me out. After I calmed down I looked up and saw Ahmya, Mako, Sana, Tana and Chikao standing there. "Are you okay?" Tana asked. I wiped my tears and then I stood up.

"I'm sorry about that I just had an really important issue," I said. "It's okay. You should take some time off," Mako said. "That won't be necessary,"I said. "Why?"Sana asked. "I quit. I understand that this is short notice so I will work until you can find a replacement for me. Goodbye,"I said then walked away. I couldn't have walked more than five steps before I felt dizzy and my vision went blurry I felt like I was going to faint, but before my head hit the ground someone caught me I couldn't see the person's face properly and I fainted.

When I woke I was in a hospital room.I wished everything had been a nightmare, but I knew it was all real. I looked around the room and saw Ahmya, Mako, Sana, Tana and Chikao sitting at the corner of the room. I sat up quickly and looked around the room it was a VIP room. Whenever I was sick I would only stay at a VIP room so it wasn't a surprise.

"You are up," Ahmya said. "Why are you people still here? What about your restaurant?" I asked. "We closed it,"Chikao said. "You didn't have to close the restaurant just for me," I said. "We didn't close it for you. Wow, she's so full of herself,"Sana said.

"Then why did you close it," I asked. "It doesn't concern you,"Sana said. "Oh, really? Then why are you here?" I asked. "We are just nice enough to be helping you,"Sana said. I rolled my eyes. Then I looked directly at Ahmya and I could have sworn there were tears in his eyes. "Are you okay?" I asked him. He quietly nodded his head and left.The rest followed him out too without saying a word.

"Weird," I said to myself, but that was the least of my problems. I got out of the hospital bed and saw that I still hadn't finished the anti-biotics, but I didn't care. I violently pulled out the tube and needle. My blood splattered on the wall and it hurt a lot, but I couldn't careless. I ran out of the hospital room and decided to find my brother.

I wondered if the paramedic had called him too and I was wondering where he was. As I walked down the hallway and saw that paramedic again.I had so many questions for him, but I wanted to ask the most importantone first. "Excuse me," I said. "Yes?"he asked. "Do you know the cause of my mum's death?" I asked. "We aren't sure it could be suicide or murder," he said. "What is that supposed to mean?"I asked suffering from even more shock.

"There was traces of Thallium Toxicity in her body, but we can't be sure if someone was feeding it to her or she was taking it herself," he said. "My mum would never try to kill herself," I said. "Then did she ever tell you she was feeling unwell? If not then it is possible she was giving it to herself," he said.

I almost punched that stupid paramedic. "Then did you contact my brother?" I asked trying to calm my anger down."According to our records you are her only child,"he said. I rolled my eyes and walked away without saying anything else. I went to my brothers office and didn't even bother to knock, but inside was another doctor and patient. I mumbled an apology and walked away.

I went to the reception. "Can you please tell me what happened to the doctor who was in room 215?" I asked. "Room 215? It has always been the same doctor and she is fine she must be in her office right now," the receptionist replied. I felt worse by hearing that I was sure that was my brother's office, but then again maybe my memory wasn't that good.

I decided it would be better for me to just call him. I found his name on my phone, but before I could press the call button I saw his name fading and soon it was completely gone as if it never existed.I fainted again and when I woke up I was in the hospital room again and Ahmya, Mako, Sana, Tana and Chikao were standing and staring at me.

"Goodness. The doctors really to check up on you I think you have a fainting disorder or something," Ahmya said. I glared at him. "Goodness. The doctors really need to check your ears because you can't listen," I said. "Wow, she just woke up and she is already being rude," Sana said. "Can't you stop being rude for once in your life?" Ahmya asked.

Those words reminded me about what my mum said to me the last time we met. I looked trying to hide my tears. "Can you please leave?" I asked. Even though I was looking down I could feel their stares of pity. Then I remembered something very important, the voicemail my mum had left me.

"Wait!" I said as they were about to leave. "Have you seen my phone?" I asked. "Here. You dropped this on the ground. I almost forgot to give it to you. I am sorry about what I said I understand you are going through a tough time," Ahmya said then he looked away guilt flooding his eyes.

"It is okay, really," I lied. "We are right outside if you need anything, some company or someone to scream at," Ahmya said. They left and I play my voicemail. It was probably the last thing my mum would ever say to me.

"Hailey, couldn't you have stayed at the hospital a little bit longer? Or at least you could have taken the day off and rested at home. I am sorry that I yelled at you when you were sick at the hospital. Happy now? Will you come back home? I am a little lonely here all alone. Can you keep me company? Just because I am being nice now doesn't mean you wouldn't be dead when you come home, so make sure you are home early I can't wait to give you another earful. I mean how rude are you how could you discharge yourself without saying anything to me," it said.

I cried even more my mum didn't deserve to die, she could not have killed herself, she was waiting for me.

It had to be murder.