Labyrinth | ✓

t h i r t y - f o u r t h ♂

"Wow, your house is as twice as huge as mine. Not that I'm surprised, though, especially the fact that you lived in this area." He remarked as he slowly observed the house I had showed him. Stopping in the driveway, I instantly unplugged my seatbelt and opened the door to step out. Asher also got out, however he only leaned against his door as I trod towards the entrance.

"Thanks for the ride, Ash." I quickly remembered about the need to thank him. Before I unlocked the gates, I glanced over my shoulders to see him.

"Not a problem, man." While crossing his arms, a wide smile spread across his face. He then returned back to his car, and proceeded to open the window to speak out something. "Well, I gotta go now. If I'm late, my chick's gonna kill me."

My chick? I blinked, but after a certain amount of processing time, I started to know what he meant. From his frequent Facebook posts he had with his crush, he must have asked her out at some point and succeeded. They were currently dating, and from the comments, many of his friends I didn't know congratulated him, one of them being Seb.

"Okay." I nodded, before he raised his hand at me as a sign of farewell. He eventually closed the window while his car slowly departed from the driveway. Even from the distance, I could still hear the distant sound of his revving car.

I let out a profound breath. I didn't put much thought about it and gradually went inside. Obviously, I was greeted by none other than the mischievous, barking Myla. She was always the first one to welcome me back, probably because she had smelt me from afar. Like usual, her tail beat from side to side as she hopped all over me. I tried to grab her, but then she took off running, deeper into the house.

I sighed, before pursuing after the dog. When I arrived at the living room, I expected Lu or Katherine to be hanging out around here, or for Mother to pop up from her room or the kitchen. However, I sensed none of their presence. I skimmed around, and simultaneously peered at my own reflection on the mirror.

"Mom?" I called out, then waited for an answer, but no response was given. Where did she... go?

I slowly moved through the dining room, then to the kitchen, where I heard a faint creaking noise. Taking a peek on the kitchen, I noticed that the fridge was open, and someone was ransacking through its contents. What the fuck... who's that?

The person was humming a song, and based on it, I immediately assumed that it was a girl. Swallowing my saliva and gaining some courage, I snuck closer, feeling something clung tight against my ribs. Despite my soaring heartbeats, I tried to act calm as possible as I approached the oblivious girl. Suddenly, she drew itself away from the fridge, and in reflex, I stepped backward, and a yelp almost went loose from my lips.

When she noticed I had been there the whole time, she was thrown aback as well. She almost lost her grip on the chocolate milk and her bowl of cereal. Her fiery, red hair was revealed, but it was tangled and dishevelled. She didn't bother fixing them or the strands that was standing up. Despite everything, I recognized her instantly, much to my relief.

"Fuck, Jesus Christ, Ed!" She screamed. "You scared the living shit out of me!"

"I should be the one saying that." I narrowed my eye at her. "What the hell are you doing in the kitchen, and where's Mother?"

"Hmm... I wonder... what am I doing in the kitchen for...?" I totally had no idea, man." Lu asked in a mocking manner, shaking her head as she shut the fridge with her leg. The sarcasm on her voice can be compared to an excess grease dripping out of some food. I was completely immune to Lu's witty attitude, so I simply shrugged it off.

"To answer your question from earlier, Mother's going out with her friends, so she won't be here till evening." Lu placed the bowl on the counter, before she opened the carton and poured the milk into it. She then took a small spoon from the drawer. "Don't worry, though, Kat and I will be here if you need anything."