eight

I sat on the sofa watching the music channel, waiting for my parents to leave the house so I could have it all to myself. It's a Thursday and, according to mum, Thursdays are date days. Yes, my parents still go on dates, even though they've been married for fifteen years. Romantic, isn't it? I inwardly rolled my eyes. I could distantly hear the click of my mother's heels before she appeared, sauntering through the doorway of the living room in a sleek, deep-purple dress.

"Yibo, darling, Amanda made you dinner tonight, if you get hungry. We won't be back till late, so don't forget to lock up before you go to bed." She gave me a gentle smile that meant absolutely nothing and shouted for dad. He came into view not a few moments later, wearing his usual black tie suit.

"Okay, we'll be going." " He turned his gaze towards me with that not-so-warm glare of his and said, "Behave."

"Since when do I ever not?" I retorted. He raised his eyebrows and I could see that he was mentally straining to hold back a full on rant. He ushered mum towards the door, and just before he left he turned back as he remembered something.

"The maid's check for last week is on the kitchen side. Don't forget to pay her before she leaves." I nodded in acknowledgement, returning my attention to the television. They exited the house, and I sighed in relief. Good riddance. With a huff and a quick stretch, I pushed myself to my feet and made my way through the hall to the kitchen, where I found Amanda.

"Hey Mandy, what's up?" I leaned against the opposite side of the counter to where she was standing. She gathered her blonde hair up in a bun on top of her head. Showing off her naturally tanned skin. Feels like I haven't seen her in years. She's changed so much from when she first started when she was twenty-two. She's now somewhere around thirty.

"Yibo, it's good to see you around here. Ever since you've grown into a young man, you seem to have just been swept off the face of the earth." She chuckled; a smile that genuinely made you feel good. She's been our maid since I was about three.

"Yeah..." I contemplated whether to talk to her about my current situation with Zhan or not. I've felt like I could tell her everything my whole life but, I don't know, this topic seems a bit too personal.

Not that she'd care. She's more of a mother than my actual mum. I touched on the subject, only slightly. "Zhan's parents are going through a rough time," Amanda looked up from where she was wiping down the marble countertop.

"Oh?" She was too polite to ask what I meant, but I knew she desperately wanted to find out. Just the tone of her voice let it on.

"Yeah. His dad went and cheated with someone at the office. Zhan was gutted, but I haven't spoken to him for three days since it happened."

"Oh, that's a shame. They always seemed so happy.. " she muttered into space. Her voice grew louder as she refocused on her cleaning whilst slyly sneaking peeks up at me. I fought to keep my brows from furrowing in suspicion.

"You know, I haven't seen Zhan in a while. You never bring him over anymore."

Cautiously, I replied. "Things have been a little… weird with us at the moment." Her head instantly shot up, silently demanding more information. I shook my head and dropped my gaze yet again. "It's nothing, really." She pouted her lips in thought, trying to keep a smile at bay whilst she watched my face like she was evaluating me. Thankfully at this moment, behind the kitchen blinds, a bright light beamed through against the darkness of the night sky. I could hear the unmistakable sound of tires tearing up the gravel of our drive.

Amanda didn't waste any time in bustling off to answer the door after the sound of the bell echoed inside the house. I waited in the kitchen patiently until Amanda shouted, "Yibo, you have a visitor!" With which I lazily dragged my feet to the double doors that were the entrance to my house. Approaching the open door that Mandy was still standing in, I peeked around to see, first, at her feet, a black duffel bag. I didn't need to see his face. I've seen that duffel many times before to know who it belonged to. Mandy turned to face me with a wide grin before muttering,

"Look Yibo, it's raining outside. Invite the poor boy in!" Before giving me a cheeky wink and disappearing from my sight. I looked out behind Zhan to find that it wasn't raining, but just for reassurance, I listened intensely.

"It's not actually raining, Yibo." Instead of the sound of the pattering rain, Zhan's monotone voice greeted me. I slowly nodded, feeling only slightly like an idiot, as I stepped aside and gestured for Zhan to come in. He took the offer with no hesitation. After taking more time than I really needed to shut the door, so I graced him with an awkward look of welcome.

He glanced down at his bag before peering up at me shyly. "So, uh, I was sort of hoping I could stay here for a while?"

"Something happened?"

"My parents are doing my head in. They're constantly arguing, which sends Xuan packing off to her mates and Cheng to a hotel. I was the last one and decided not to stick around." He shrugged, adding, "Well, I mean, if it's okay to stay here….."

I pretended to contemplate it, holding him in suspense.