The Newcomer (SEMI-ON HOLD)

Chapter Six

My brain is completely whack.

I don't know what time and day it is. I open my eyes, but the tiniest ray of sunlight threatens to burn my eyeballs. I felt my way around the house, my mom's yell for breakfast came out as a muffle. I didn't want to get up and I'm not hungry, but she insisted because apparently dad is flying to Europe for a very important work-related agenda.

That's not new in this life.

"Kim!" THUD

"Fuccckk..." I groan, rubbing my forehead that collided with the kitchen wall.

"Your language, Kimberly." My dad scolds me from the kitchen.

Grumbling, I press my palm to the sensitive throbbing spot. I force my eyes open to see two blurs, my parents I think, across from me. I rub my eyes and open them again. This time, a lot clearer.

"Sorry." I pull a chair from under the table and drop myself on the seat. Mom puts an ice pack in front of me for my forehead, and a plate of pancakes. "Is it Sunday today?" I ask them.

My dad laughs from across the table, nodding as he does. "Yes, honey, it's a Sunday. It's 8 in the morning and you slept for 15 hours." He tells me. "You must have had a wild Friday Night."

My brain is raging with confusion. Then again, if I think about it, it makes a lot of sense. I dropped Jacky off after our night in the city close to midnight, but I didn't come home straight away after. I couldn't. Driving home would mean the night was over, and going back to the real world. But I couldn't do that.

I had to stretch the night a little longer. I didn't want it to end.

Even when I got home, I couldn't sleep. All I can think about was standing on the 90th floor with Jacky, both of us just taking in the beautiful skyline of the city. It was almost a perfect fairytale.

I couldn't sleep until late in the afternoon yesterday, and it's all because my mind was stuck on the 90th floor of the Willis Tower. When I close my eyes, I can only see Jacky's smile and hear her laugh, even feel how her thumb brushed my knuckles— oh my god, I don't know what's happening.

"Your mom said something about a scholarship," my dad says, bringing me out of my own daydream. "Can you tell me about it?" He asks.

My mom turns to me, nodding her head to coax me into saying it. When I open my mouth to say anything, dad holds his hand out, silencing me before I can say anything at all.

I let out a breath, leaning onto my seat, trying to be as patient as I can. Mom glances at me, her gaze scolding. I shrugged harshly, eyeing my dad at the end of the table. He's doing it again! I wanted to yell so badly! He taps swiftly on his phone before getting up, his eyes not leaving the screen.

"Actually, tell me when I get back, sweetheart." While dad has his eyes glued on his phone, I glanced at mom but even she's not looking at me now. She's looking at my dad sharply, pressing her fingers against her temples. Finally, he shoves his phone in his pocket. "I just got a message. I need to sort something out in the office before my flight so I need to go. I'll see you both on Wednesday."

And just like that, he's bolting out the door. I turn to mom with a pointed look, my face vacant from any type of emotion. This has been happening for months now.

"Im used to it, mom." I tell her. "You woke me up this early for nothing."

"He's doing this for your future, Kimberly." She scolds. I lean on the table and let out a heavy sigh. That's what you always say. "He doesn't have a lot of time."