CHAPTER 14: I understand nothing

I woke up late today, 9 a.m. and Allen was already gone. But there's breakfast on my kitchen counter. I wash up, eat the breakfast Allen got me, and open my laptop to work on the pictures I've taken in Kintara. Allen came by a little before eleven to drop off the fencing team's uniform and my lunch. He left quickly to help the decoration crew and I'm getting a little bored.

Well, a lot bored, actually. I've finished sewing all 23 uniforms a little after three and I go back editing the basketball team's pictures while listening to Metallica's albums. I tap my fingers on the keyboard, bored out of my mind. I turn on Skype and decide to have a conference call with Marsha and Chuck.

None of them picks up. I pout and then just decide to finally take a long warm bath. I take out the bath salt Marsha got me that have been sitting, collecting dust in my drawer.

I clean myself then hop into the bathtub, closing my eyes, enjoying the warm and relaxing water. I haven't stayed in there for long before I hear a ringing tone from my Skype account. I quickly get up and put a towel around my waist and run outside the bathroom.

"Hey!" I answer the call carefully as Marsha and Chuck's face pops up on my screen. She's still in London and Chuck's still back home.

"What the hell?! Put on some fucking clothes first you dumbass!" Chuck shouts at me when he sees me only in my towel while Marsha just giggles. I grin apologetically and rush to my closet to put on some decent clothes.

"'Sup? It's rare for you to be back in your room this early," Chuck asks, frowning at me when I finally sit in front of my laptop.

"Are you sick?" Marsha asks immediately, whereas, I immediately regret the choice of calling them.

"No," I snort, "I was just tired. I went to Kintara on Saturday, and well, maybe, just, tired," I try to speak as convincingly as possible. I mean, I didn't totally lie, right?

"And you're staying in? How obedient of you," Chuck mocks me.

"What about your jobs?" Marsha asks. "And your meals?"

I scratch my head, feeling nervous. I don't really get why, though. "Well, Allen is helping me with them..." I say slowly. The both of them blink.

"How... exactly... is he helping you?" Chuck asks.

"Well... he's doing some of the stuff I have to do then he brings me food." I tell them as fast as I can.

"Do you realize that he's the sole heir of the biggest retail company in this country?" Chuck laughs at me, mocking me. So does Marsha, though less mocks from her.

"Well, he offers! Quite stubbornly too, if I may add!" I defend myself.

I feel bad about it too, you know. I mean, not only he's like, super rich, but he's also very kind and considerate. I feel like a jerk who uses him.

"Where is he now?" Marsha asks. I look at the clock on the wall. It's currently a little after five.

"Basketball practice," I tell them. "Oh! By the way!" I suddenly exclaim in excitement when I remember another reason for calling them. "Liam's opening a bar on King's Road in a few days," I tell them excitedly. They also become very excited when hearing the news.

"Really? A bar?" Marsha asks.

"Yeah. He invited us to come to the opening party. Haven't heard the details yet, though. I'll ask Jimmy later," I say.

"If it's in a few days, I can't come then," Marsha says a little sadly.

"When are you coming back anyway?" Chuck asks her.

"In a week or so," She tells him.

"How's Kenneth by the way?" Chuck asks her again.

"He's doing great!" Marsha's face lit up, I can't help but smile myself. "He'll start his residency next year so he has to be extra strict with his study. But I'm confident he'll be just fine," She talks so excitedly, I can see that she's very proud of her boyfriend.

We are also very confident that Kenneth will be able to graduate the top of his class and become a great doctor. That guy's like crazy smart.

"Where's he now?" I ask.

"He has an appointment with his professor. I'll be meeting him later," She says."What about you Chuck? How are things back home?" she asks Chuck this time.

"Boring. Without you two," He shrugs and Marsha and I roll our eyes. "No. seriously. I've nothing to do here. I went out with the boys a few times. Went to Sha's house a few times too. Went to Lee's house a couple of times and that's about all. I'm bored out of my fucking mind but my mom won't let me go back," He complains. "Oh, by the way, your little monsters send their loves," He says to me. I smile gratefully at him. The three of us are silent after the mention of my family. I lower my head, knowing what's coming.

"Aren't you going to ask how they are doing?" Marsha asks flatly, breaking the silence. I can't help but flinch at the sound of her voice.

"They're fine. If they're not, Chuck would've said something, right?" I say, directing the last word to Chuck.

"They're fine," Chuck says. I raise my eyebrows cockily at Marsha.

"See?" I say to her.

"But they miss you," Chuck adds silently.

"Hmmm..." is all I can manage to say.

"Just go back home, Lee." Marsha says. "It's been almost three years. You haven't been home since you move here. Not even once," Like I need to be reminded.

"Not that I don't want to, Sha. I can't. I'm busy," Now I'm making excuses.

"Lee..." Marsha is about to lecture me, I'm sure of that, so I cut her before she could.

"They'll understand," I cut her a little too harshly, even I cringe myself. But I continue anyway. "I have to make money, and save money, for them. I can't just leisurely come back for a vacation. I have stuff to do. Jobs to do. It's on me whether they're going to school or not. I'm just making sure they do. They'll understand," I repeat the same excuse I give them every time they urge me to come back home.

"Your grandparents..." Chuck starts and I cut him too.

"They're old. They no longer work and they only rely on their pensions. I can't let them use it for my siblings. They've no responsibilities for it," I say. "Now, since we've established that I am not going home this year either, can we talk about something else?" I ask and they immediately agree.

They always agree to anything when I'm like this. I mean, I get that they're concern and everything, and I can't really help it if I become this way where my family is concern. I feel bad. But I'm glad Chuck and Marsha understand me so well as we start to chat about something else entirely.

Well, we mostly talk about the upcoming Summer Festival. It's in a month and everybody on campus is running around like crazy. Chuck and Marsha are definitely going to come back before the festival to help with their own events. We are laughing and reminiscing about the past festivals.

Just then, Allen's face appears suddenly on the screen and the three of us literally jump out of our seats and curse him (well, not Marsha, 'coz she's decent like that). Allen laughs, of course.

"What the hell, man?" I smack his laughing face.

"Where the fuck did you came from?" Chuck asks, holding his hand on his chest, just like Marsha. "You almost gave me a freakin' heart attack!"

"Hahaha sorry guys. Well, I did knock and everything..." he shrugs. "Lee didn't answer so I just let myself in," he says holding out a set of keys.

"Since when did you have a key to Lee's room?" Chuck asks, frowning.

"Since whatever," I tell Chuck, rolling my eyes.

"I've been staying here a lot lately, so Lee figured it will be easier if I have a key. He also has one to mine," Allen explains.

"I see..." Chuck says but still frowning.

"Well, since the acting baby-sitter is here, I have to go meet Kenneth," Marsha says, "Thanks Allen, for keeping an eye on him for us," She says, smiling gratefully. I roll my eyes at her.

"Yeah. I gotta go too," Chuck says flatly.

"Love you both," The three of us says at the same time before we all hang up. I sigh and turn to Allen who is still standing behind me. I pout and kick his shin.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" he groans.

"I thought my heart is going to stop you asshole!" I kick him again.

"Ow ow ow sorry! It's not my fault! You didn't hear me!" I still pout at him. "C'mon. Don't be like that. Here. Food," Allen grins at me, dangling a big plastic back in front of me. Bribery? Hmmm... He knows what works on me. Heh heh heh Good boy.

"What is it? It smells amazing," I say sniffing the bag shamelessly. Allen chuckles and heads to the kitchen.

"Pig trotters in gravy. Ginger rice. Pickled radish and cucumber. And Nutella brownies with black sesame ice cream for dessert," He tells me and I jump happily to the living room table, waiting for him to serve me my delicacies. Those are the things that I especially like. "What were you talking about anyway?" Allen asks, sitting in front of me.

"Just the festival," I say. "Marsha's going to come back before the festival and Chuck's probably will be here for Liam's party," I tell him.

"The friend that's opening a bar?" he asks, setting the food down. My mouth is already watering.

"Yep," I nod. "Hey, you should come too. And Joy!" I say excitedly.

"I don't know about Joy, but I'll definitely come. Since you asked," He smiles while my own smile's disappearing.

"Have you talked to Joy today?" I ask carefully.

"Hmm? Yea. I'll be staying at her place tonight," He says. "If that's okay with you," He adds.

"Huh? Why wouldn't I be?" I ask back, confused.

"Nothing. Eat," Allen says, smiling as he puts a piece of meat on my plate.

Yep. Sometimes I feel like I still haven't been able to figure him out yet. Well, we've only been friends for so long so it's only natural that there are still so many things that I don't know about him. Even with Marsha and Chuck, I sometimes still can't understand some of the things they do or say.

But I think it's normal. I mean, you can't really know everything there is to know about someone, or something, it's just not possible. Take me for an example. No matter how much I expose myself, baring myself to Marsha and Chuck and no matter how much I trust them with everything I am, there are still things that I will keep to myself. Those things are the ones that make me, me. So I totally get it when people are being private, or just simply closed off. That's also the reason why I'm friends with so many kinds of people. Normal ones. Popular ones. Weird ones. I just take them for whatever they want to give me, and it's very cool with me. I'm also not the type to ask many questions, and that's also probably why most people tolerate me. Because I just let them be.

Does any of what I said make sense to you? Well, anyhow, Allen sometimes mumbles stuff like that and he sometimes gets lost in his own thoughts. Other times, he'll be messing with me. Joking and laughing with me. He seems a little confused most of the time. But since he doesn't tell me, I won't ask, and just be there for him. Just how Marsha and Chuck always be here for me.

And I hope that's enough.