CERTIFIED! Alpha's FuBu |NetJames|

11: FRIEND

***

"...Happy birthday, Lorrie!"

"Make a wish baby." The woman beside the kid said as Lorrie glanced at Uea before smiling and closing her eyes to make a wish.

After blowing the candle, everyone clapped for the celebrant and the simple celebration began.

"Uea, good to see you again. How's work? I heard you're working on a big project lately huh?" a man in his mid-forties asked while they ate at the dinner table.

Uea almost forgot how nosy the neighbors were. They probably heard about it from his mother again.

Just like every occasion, there were around twenty people at the house. Aside from their relatives, a few neighbors also came to celebrate the occasion—very typical in a normal family.

"It's actually doing well. How's your son, by the way? I heard he landed a job at a famous firm." Uea answered as he tried to change the topic.

The small talk went on and on and Uea already felt exhausted but he still tried to talk to the guests.

"Son, I made you this. It's been so long since you came so I thought... you know." Uea's mother said as she placed a plate of homemade peanut bars on the table.

Uea just smiled and the celebration continued till night with a few games and get together. It was around nine in the evening when the house finally went quiet.

"Phi, I'll clean up. You go and rest up." Sophia, Uea's 16-year-old sister, said as she got near Uea.

"It's fine. It's the least I can do before leaving." Uea said making the young one pause.

"You're not staying for the night? I mean, it's already late so..." Sophia paused and her face showed sadness all over.

"Shophie, I have work tomorrow so I can't stay here." Uea explained but the latter was still sad about it.

"You're leaving? I-I tidied your room, Uea. You can stay here and I can wake you up early so you won't be late." Uea's mother suggested making Uea let out a sigh.

"I can't stay here, mother. I already told you that." Uea said as he wiped his hands to get his stuff ready.

"A-are you still mad at me?" The woman asked making Uea stop.

"I'm not mad at you." Uea said, his tone cold and lifeless.

"You say that but you act as if I don't exist. Like-like you still hate me." The woman said as Sophia ran to stop whatever's going to happen.

"M-mom, you know that's not true. Phi's been busy and he'll get in trouble if he gets late, hm? Please don't be like this." Sophia tried to convince her mother.

"No! I've had it! I already tried to prove myself for years, Uea. What more can I do to be forgiven, huh? Should I kneel? Tell me!" the woman cried out making Uea let out a sig before finally turning to the woman.

"You know... when I was eight, I was food poisoned and uncle took me to the hospital. Did you even know that happened? Did you even know what food I ate to be hospitalized? It was peanut bars. Ever since that day, I was scared of eating that because it always brings me back to the helpless moment I had. Laying on this very floor as my drunk father slept soundly." Uea recalled and his mother went silent.

"You don't know me, mother. The same as I will never know who you really are. So drop the act and just live your life like you always did. Don't pretend that you actually care about me. Don't worry, I'll still be sending money so you won't have to think about that." Uea said, his eyes cold and showing no emotions after saying those words.