Allea

seventeen

Time -how easily it slips away when you don't want it to.

You never really get a chance to realize this until you look back at things. My eyes were centered on the photo frame on my office table, it showed the picture of Kai's ninth birthday, Jackson and I stood at his sides and he between us with a wide smile and open arms, I had a slight smile, and Jackson had an awkward one -like someone has forced him to smile. We took this around five years ago, Kai's soon turning fourteen now, his birthday's just a few months away.

I didn't have time to stop and think that how fast the years went by. From past years managing this company, I barely had time for anything, and with this the organization I started. Moreover, the biggest obligation I considered was of Kai, but him being an understanding child, I never had much to worry about him.

And Jackson, let's not think about that old man, my mood will get sour.

Moving my mind away from these thoughts, I focused on my desktop screen to continue the work, that's when my iPhone started ringing, the caller id showed Kai's name.

"Aren't you coming home for dinner?"

Without greeting or anything he directly jumped to question, my gaze flickered toward the wall-clock which showed seven in the evening. From past years, our routine of eating dinner together didn't change, there was rarely any day we haven't eaten dinner together. So, him urging this question, makes me think that he's up to something.

"Kai, did you again do something stupid?"

"What? No, I didn't do anything!"

"Then why are you asking such an obvious question?"

"Um...why can't I? I'm hungry so can't wait anymore, hurry up!"

"Well, then you can eat alone, don't disturb me, stupid-fool."

"I'm not a child anymore! You don't talk to me like that!"

"Oh really, then why do you sound just like one?"

"I...I..."

"Here we go again with stuttering."

"...Forget it, are you coming home or not?"

Huh? How was he able to control himself so soon? I'm now convinced he's up to something. "On my way."

When I hung up the call, I tried to remember was there something I'm forgetting? This is our usual way of talking to each other, he hates it when I talk to him like a child, he considers himself a man, not even a boy. In the past years, he has grown up so fast, sometimes it hurts seeing him getting big so soon, I liked it when he was a tiny eight-year-old, at least he acted like a child. But now Kai acts so maturely sometimes like he has realized what responsibility is waiting for him. At the age of thirteen, Kai entered high school and he's also planning to finish it as soon as he can, he has always been a smart boy, not once disappointing me.

I also got admission to an online university -I didn't really have time so I chose the easiest option, Business Management. With that, I also had acquired a hobby, or more like to fill the lack of things I know about this world, and satisfy the itch of curiosity. One side of my office has full-wall shelves of books of various genres and languages all around the world.

Thinking that Kai was waiting for me, I stood up to leave, when my gaze fell on the calendar on my desk and seeing today's date I recalled and realized why he's so eager to have me home.

Today's my twenty-second birthday.

Elijah & Kai must have planned something, a smile appeared on my face as I imagined their huge smiles awaiting me.