remember when I knew

CHEN AZALEA

"AZALEA?"

Chen Azalea jumped when she heard her name and turned to face Sasha. She smiled at the young girl reassuringly. Sasha was probably one of her favourite, being quiet and obedient.

"What is it Sha?"She asked, remembering the nickname Jai often used for his sister.

She handed her a white paper. "I am inviting you to my cello recital."

Azalea blinked, looking at the sheet in her hands. She felt a warmth in her chest, knowing that Sasha appreciated her enough to want to invite her. "Cello recital? I didn't know you played cello?"

Sasha gave her an annoyed look, like she was tired of having to deadpan such obvious things. "That would be for I never told you."

Azalea nodded. "Right. Well I'd love to come, of course."

"Mom said you could eat dinner with us after it. I think she likes you, she smiles and mentions you all the time. But I do not think Jai likes you very much, for he always groans when she does. But I am sure he will not mind if you do come and eat dinner with us."

"Gladly," Azalea grinned at her, not nearly awake enough to translate everything that was just said.

Sasha nodded. She then stretched her mouth upwards a bit, and walked away, joining Heather. The two girls continued whatever they were doing on the computer.

Azalea looked at the ceiling. The people she called a few weeks ago really did wonders with it. Hopefully, they wouldn't need umbrellas inside next time it rained.

"You can leave in a few minutes," Amy said, taking the pile of books on the floor to put them on the shelves. "I have to stay either way and you deserve some time off."

She didn't need to repeat that. Azalea thanked her, took her coat and her bag, and put her shoes on. She walked out of the building and bumped into Jai.

"Sorry- I'm so-" he stopped when he realised it was her. "Azalea? You're already leaving?"

She shrugged. "Amy stays, so I got to leave."

He nodded thoughtfully, and added almost shyly: "If you wait a little, we can walk together?"

"Sure."

Obviously, she didn't know that 'wait a little' meant 'wait twenty minutes'. But apparently, that's what Jai meant.

"How could it take so long?" She complained when they finally arrived.

"His fault," Sasha just said, pointing at her brother.

"So not! I just had to explain to Heather how to use Bluetooth on a laptop to share some documents."

"And it took twenty minutes?"

He had a sheepish smile. "Well... I had to find out how to use Bluetooth on a laptop to share some documents first so..."

"Idiot," she facepalmed.

"Hey! Computers are Lucas' thing!"

Azalea raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright."

"I still thing you are an idiot," Sasha commented.

Jai laughed a little, and rolled his eyes playfully. "You're just a genius, Sha. I'm average."

"Last time I checked, bumping into a wall because you think it's a door isn't average," Azalea replied.

"That wall looked like a door. What else can I say?"

"Doors are doors. Walls are walls."

"And dogs are dogs," Jai grinned childishly. "I get it."

"How was your day?" Sasha suddenly asked her brother out of nowhere.

He frowned. "School. How was yours?"

"It was school."

They both nodded and Azalea felt like she was missing something there. She looked at the siblings talk and her eyes wandered on Jai's arms.

She remembered the cuts. What was she supposed to do? Tell someone? Who? Talk about it with him? When? How? Tell him lies about how life was going to be O.K.? Definitely not.

She didn't know how she could mention it to him. She couldn't just say 'Let's talk about the fact that you're self-harming.' and expect him to tell her everything.

What if he didn't want to tell her everything? Should she force him for his own good? Or force him to tell someone else?

"Azalea? Are you alright?" Sasha's voice asked.

She jumped a little and smiled at the girl. "I am. Don't worry. I am."

But Jai isn't.

********************

********************

********************

A/N: Hiya!

Me tired so I'm gonna make this short.

Question: who's your favourite parent-couple (in a book of course)?

I love Mrs. and Mr. Bennet's relationship (Pride & Prejudice).

My favourite moment is when Mrs. Bennet says 'You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.' and then Mr. Bennet replies  'You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.'

B. I. Y. A.

(there are no red dots this time! I'm a genius! A tired, exhausted genius, but a genius nonetheless.)