...band aid

Before Su Yan could get to her, Tale was out the door and running to nowhere in particular. He would chase her but maybe it was better. He let her go and shut the door behind him heading upstairs to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Tale stood in front of her parents house with wet eyes. She hadn't been crying but she was on the verge of doing so. For a minute when all three of them had looked at her with disappointment written on their faces she was afraid she was now in yet another cage, where her decisions didn't matter. It was always about the rest of the world and not her. But she shook her head to the thoughts. "Don't overthink it, it's only just a misunderstanding," she talked to herself.

She was going to go back where she came when headlights flashed her way. It was her dad's car.

"I guess this is it," she said under her breathe as she helped opened the gate for him to drive in.

Government Residential Area Phase Two.

Tale was predictable, or so they thought. She had nowhere to go asides her parents house, but that didn't seem possible as they were still mad at her for quitting her job. And that was the base of Su Yan's worry, he was sitting outside the door and calling her phone for what seemed like the thousand time.

She wasn't going to give him a heart attack that woman. She just wasn't.

"She's okay I'm sure," Precious came outside to meet him. "Tale is truly an... interesting human."

Su Yan faked a smile.

"All I'm saying is, you should have let it run it's course."

Su Yan frowned now.

"I mean, Tale wasn't going to move out without letting you know, it's quite obvious. Maybe she was only looking and have no plans of leaving now."

"You didn't see her, she looked—"

"Happy?" Precious raised her brows at him. "She deserves to be—"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, she's been through quite a lot these past months and we are lucky, I am lucky she didn't fall into depression along the way. She just started living. I am saying let her, let her be herself. You don't want her to feel trapped and push her to a place where she wouldn't be free to tell you what she is up to until it's too late, you really don't," Precious sighed.

"I just wish she could have told me, what if she's tired of staying with me, with us?" he replied sounding worried.

Precious laughed out loud. "Oh my god, you sound pitiful. You really panicked huh?"

He nodded almost innocently, checking his phone again hoping she calls.

"If Tale isn't tired of me yet, then you are nowhere close to getting sidelined. She loves you."

Su Yan tensed, he was yet to hear that from Tale herself.

Precious drew close to him resting her head on his shoulder.

He gave her head a friendly kiss before easing up a little.

"She's okay, I promise. Tale is a big girl," she assured him.

"I'm sure she is. Okay that's a lie, I can't help but worry either way."

"I understand, it will be okay alright," Precious tried to encourage him further.

It was late now, she wasn't going back to Su's place any time soon. And maybe this was the opportunity she needed to talk to her parents, or avoid them while hiding out in her room.

Time to rip off the band aid, she stood up from her bed and walked downstairs to the living room where her parents were quietly seated.

Few words had been said when she arrived, and fewer words were passed around during dinner and the awkwardness of it all was too much to bear.

"How have you both been?" Tale asked forcing a smile and taking a seat opposite her dad.

"Fine, what's wrong?" He asked outright.

"Nothing is, I'm good." Tale watched his face. He was back to being silent. Her mum wasn't looking her way right now.

"I moved in with Precious," Tale blurted after total silence filled the room.

"Why, because you can't afford rent anymore?" Her mum finally spoke.

Maybe it wasn't the best time after all. Tale stood up ready to go back to her room. She was leaving in the morning anyway.

"Answer the question," her father shouted halting her in her tracks.

"We got attacked, almost go killed. I had a gun pointed at me, I was hit. I had to get stitches, my house was ruined, torn down." She let a tear roll down her cheek. "I could have died, and all you both care about is money, and having a job." She has managed to keep her voice low while talking.

Now they were truly silent. "Why didn't you tell us, how would we know you—"

"So this is my fault?" She asked.

"Don't say that!" Her father sounded angry again. "How would we know, why didn't you call us when all this happened. Now you want to blame us for not magically understanding,"

"Fine. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I almost died. I'm sorry I disappointed you beyond belief but I am not sorry for the decision I made for me. If me being happy mean nothing to you both, I will keep my distance." She was angry now. "I almost died but didn't. I will not waste any moment of the chance I got pleasing anyone but me. I matter the most to myself." Tale ran back upstairs to her room, locking the door behind her.

She wanted to cry but found she didn't have it in her, so she dropped to the floor beside her bed and picked up her phone.

Thirty five missed calls graced the screen and two texts. All from Su Yan.

"See you in the morning." She replied before switching off the phone for the night. She just wanted a little space.

From everyone.