Searching for Love, Found Wealth

He returned!

I dragged myself from my bed and slowly made for the sitting room. If he was the last obstacle I had to overcome so my last could let me be, I’m going to trample on him if I have to.

Adrenaline rush…. I ran back to my room and slammed the door.

Wrong move – but what should I have done? – Charles was standing ten steps away from my door! Our eyes met and then – the adrenaline rush. “Kiera” he knocked outside. His voice was deeper now but he still called name that same way “Ke-i-ra” instead of “Ki-e-ra”.

Aish, what was this love play we’re playing!

I sighed. I wasn’t going to do it. I should just act like I’m ignoring him “Go away” I said a little audibly. I didn’t get a response. I put my ears at my door. Nothing still.

“Go away. Leave me alone” I said and faked a little teary tone. “I’m sorry” his voice came from outside my window.

Jeez, he was now climbing down. This “little thing” remembered the escape route I showed him through my window? We were young then.

I just realized how long I’ve stayed in this house.

That route was suppose to be our little secret now he was playing it on me. He sat on my bed now, having that pouting expression.

I faked an angry expression. This was uncomfortable. Your ex-best friend begging you to forgive him for ditching you. And look at me, me leaving the life of a loner like a pro. I was glad he came back, why was I?

I tried looking away from him but something caught my attention and I just had to look at it.

“You’ve a tattoo?!” I exclaimed and rushed his left shoulders. Another wrong move but that tattoo was something else – it was a lion’s head, like a lioness’s actually with a sign inscribed under it.

I kept looking at it, when I thought to stop looking at it, I couldn’t because Charles was now staring at me. But why did it feel weird?! I had to try faking like the tattoos intrigued me. This was double uncomfortable. Why did he come into my room in the first place. Like I’m a grown lady now. Thank you?

“Do you like it?” he finally asked. I quickly dropped his arms and moved some steps back. “That is no way to get into a ladies room!” I reprimanded pointing at my window. “Oh!” he gasped “but the door wasn’t open”. He sounded sarcastic and that infuriated me more.

He gazed down at his arm looking at his tattoo like he didn’t know it was there. “I got this yesterday, my mom didn’t even know” he looked up at me “its temporary by the way, I can’t stand the real pain” he smiled.

“Duh!” I sighed and made a move outside my room. We weren’t getting into a conversation. I still had to be angry. Why was today the day he came.

When I got to the living room, he was already there. He made a wink at me. Sneaky, I shouldn’t have shown him my shortcuts.

Well, I was young and thought Charles to be one of the best things that happened to me. I always tried to be open but he was just a “drag”.

“Good evening, Mrs. James” I greeted and went over for a back pat, I received it – coupled with her smile and a nice compliment of “she’s growing up, prettily and fast”. I smiled as I walked to a seat, that’s a compliment you don’t hear every day.

My smile wiped off when I saw Charles staring at me with a smirk.

Mrs. James explained the sudden relocation – more better than Charles could have. It was due to a job offer and their father had to report to South Carolina the next morning.

All Charles had told me then – more like blabbered then – was that his dad really needed them to go away with him. To where? I didn’t know! Why? He couldn’t tell!

I gave him a little “look-at-you” face. He wasn’t even looking at me. Busy looking at his tattoo again. My mom and I served them some hot cocoa.

It was my idea, Charles loved hot Cocoa. But why was I trying to please him now…nevertheless, my mom and Mrs. James had a lot of catch-up to do.

Sitting to listen to them could be boring. I didn’t want Charles following me to my room again, so I left for the deck outside.

I got there and noticed he didn’t follow me. “Whatever was he doing there?” I grumbled to myself. Not like I needed him here… exactly. I sharply turned to my back, I hope he wasn’t planning on scaring me.

I looked down. No one. I came down the deck and peeked into the Living room. There he was still sitting! My mom must have cracked a joke cos soon they were laughing.

Charles was beautiful when he laughed, I got to accept that. And Mrs. James, some streaks of gray hair mingled in her blacks weaves. She must be almost fifty now. I backed them to think.

Charles was…. Eighteen? We had met at my four-year-old birthday and he was five then, soon to be six. Adding all that, since I’m fifteen, he’s probably seventeen.

(Aish, my brain and math)

Mrs. James should be proud of herself, she gave birth to a King.

My thoughts must have wandered far away because I didn’t notice when Charles left the living room and stood beside me. “Thinking of your boyfriend?”.

I snapped back to reality. How could he ask? We weren’t much on talking terms!

“Boyfriend? I don’t even have a friend. Since you left me, I’ve gone through hell with people. Boyfriend?, that’s a luxury I can’t afford. Who wants to have a boyfriend anyway? They’ll just walk out of your life one day”.

I glared at Charles as all those ran through my mind. If I say it, it wouldn’t be so nice. My lips just twisted left and right as I struggled to keep those words in. He began stating at my lips. That was uncomfortable so I stopped and headed for the deck.

I climbed up to the deck totally ignoring him.

“I’m sorry” he started the moment he found somewhere to sit near me. “The relocation was quick but I still had you in mind”.

I wanted to sigh but I didn’t. “I learn the Chinese language, its your favorite right!” I still kept quiet. “Kiera? You’re not still angry, are you?” I was about speaking up then a car revered below us.

It was Mr. James’s car. He still hadn’t changed it – through those five years – not like it needed to be changed. Charles had a sad expression, I guess Mr. James was here to take them home. “Good nighty” I whispered and began marching down the deck.

After greeting Mrs. James and waving “bye” to his wife, I gave one last look at Charles. He wasn’t looking at me but his tattoo again – the inscription were in Chinese characters.

“Could those signs be related to me?” I asked rhetorically while snuggling myself on my bed. It was now an hour since they left. “He had said he learnt Chinese because I liked it”.

My mom knocked on my door. She came in afterwards. I sat up while she laid on my sofa. We were quiet for sometime. She was probably thinking of what exactly to tell me.

I was the only person she chit-chatted with. But since, she had talked with Mrs. James today, I bet there’s something they had discussed she would like to share.

The seconds turned to minutes, when I was almost laying back on my bed, my mom spoke up “After they left, Charles’ mom had a girl child who died not to long ago. Charles had named her after you. The girl had died of sudden fever”.

My mother looked up to me now. That sounded like a recitation so I took time to absorb it. Shock was evident on my face. I began tearing up.

She continued “Charles felt something must have happened to you after his sister’s death. His mom said he was a little bit traumatized. They had earlier planned for him to return here for his University but they had to come earlier” she paused. “He really wanted to see you!”. My mom looked like she would cry.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I had been bad to him. Totally ignoring and being unresponsive. I was trying to hurt his pride as payback for leaving me but I never knew I was hurting his heart. It wasn’t his fault after all. I felt like the worst person in the galaxy.