Vanilla

Part Three

JACQUELINE

"Amber, are you hungry?" I asked her when we get into the car. Well yes, I am hungry, I only eat breakfast and now it's almost time for dinner, so yes, I am hungry.

"Yes, but I want to go home and sleep." She answered and then yawned. "And that's not my name. My name is Marissa."

"Yeah sure, Marissa. Show me the route." I said. "So you are Chinese?"

"Yes. Why did you ask ? Did I look like not-chinese?" She asked me with her confused face, she turned her towards me and slowly come closer to me.

"You look like more to Korean, I guess." I said.

"Oh really?" She is blushing. "My mom is a Malay woman."

"Oh okay." I nodded. "So, Chinese plus Malay equal to Korean? Is that so?"

"Yeah, I guess so. By the way you so are pretty, just like an angel that just fallen from heaven."

She said it then she fall asleep. And how am I supposed to send her home when I don't even know where she lives?

So I brought her home. It's twenty-thirty; her family must be worried, so I searched for her phone in her tote bag. There were MacBook Air, some books and a pen, I searched thoroughly and once I found it, I opened up WhatsApp application and searched for Cristina, and I text her.

I carry her on my back with her bag and mine on my left hand, I touch the key card at my door and then I kick it. I put Amber on my couch and exhaled. That's tough. I looked at her face, so peaceful. Luckily tomorrow is Saturday, so we don't have to go to the school.

"Meoww." That's my cat meowing, he is probably hungry so I go to the kitchen and give some fresh fish from the fridge.

"Good boy, Cassie." I pat him on his head. He purred as he asks for more fish, I give him another one. "That's the last one, Cassie. No more after this. Or else you will puke on my couch and if you don't realize, we have visitor, so be nice." I said to him, I know he couldn't understand me but he is the only friend I have, here, in this penthouse.

"Meow."

"Good boy, Cassie. Promise me you will be nice?"

"Meowwww." He meowing and nodded his head, it's just like he understands what I am babbling about.

"Okay, good. So let's do our pinky swear."

"Meow." He patted my pinky finger. Every time I asked him to do pinky swear with me, he will pat my pinky finger twice and he will do exactly he promised to.

"You know what Cassie? Anyone who doesn't follow their pinky swears will need to cut off their pinky finger."

"Meowww!" He sounds angry, maybe because I interrupt his meal time.

I carried Amber into my bedroom and placed her on the bed, covered her with comforter, she might shiver from the coldness of the night.

I take a quick shower and put on my bath robe, stretching and resting on my couch while watching some Malay drama with subtitles on TV. Cassie came and sat on my lap, and then I decided to give Aleesya a call. I said that I have something to tell her and we decided to meet for morning coffee at coffeehouse down the road.

After I hang up with Aleesya, I switched off the TV and went inside my bedroom to check on her then to take some extra pillow in the cupboard because I decided to sleep on the couch outside.

"Goodnight, Amber. Sweet dream."

"Hmmmm." she humming on her sleep.

And when I was about to leave the bed, she pulled me near her and she said "don't leave me, please." I don't know either she is awake or not but she doesn't let go of my hand. I sleep here with her and I am happy.