I didn't want to head back to Aunt Abbi's apartment. I already knew what would be waiting for me when I get back.
Unfortunately there was only delaying the inevitable.
BamBam insisted that I get back to the apartment. I had told him I wasn't on good terms with my mother and he said that I shouldn't add more offenses to that. He was right, and I hated that he was.
BamBam dropped me off at the apartment and so now we stood just outside of my aunt's unit.
"You can do it, Skye," he cheered me on. I didn't express my doubt but made a face. He muttered a quick farewell before walking off.
Just when I thought he was gone, he called my name. I turned around to look at him and he just gave me a thumbs up.
I smiled at the gesture.
He had gone for a minute or so but I was still standing outside of the apartment door. I stared at the doorknob, acting as if it were covered in poison.
After a while, I finally decided to just go inside. What I hadn't expected was my mom acting as if I hadn't just came in.
I thought I woyld just walk past her but her cold voice stopped me halfway to my room.
"You were gone for a while, Skylar." Her back was to me as she was preparing the food to make lunch.
"Uh, yeah. Sorry," I muttered. What else could I have said?
I stood there awkwardly, waiting for her to say something else.
She turned around, forgetting her task before. "Is that all I'm ever going to get from you? I'm sorry?"
"Mom...."
"I'm upset over what you said, but I still worry about you Skye. I don't want you to get hurt," she said.
"Well, I'm fine," I muttered. "You shouldn't have to worry all the time. I can take care of myself."
"That's it. I don't want you to. At least, not yet," she admitted. "You're still here with me. Let me be your mother before you go and leave me. I keep trying to take responsibility. I know I messed up for a few years, but I'm trying Skye. I need your cooperation."
I didn't know I was crying until I felt her wrap her arms around me. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," I murmured over and over.
I don't know how many times I muttered that word, sorry. I've said it so many times before but it seemed foreign on my tongue. Sorry couldn't even begin to describe how I felt.
After my parents' divorce, it wasn't only me who had been hurt. I knew mom had it rough, but I focused more on how it affected me. I barely noticed mom for the first two years, she'd been too busy hurting to really pay attention to me. Neither of us knew how to comfort each other. Now here she was, telling me she wanted to make up for it. For years now, she had been trying to reach out to me but I wouldn't let her.
Here we were, trying to mend that broken relationship. Trying to mend what we hid through snarky comments and false smiles. I hadn't realized how much I wished those had stopped until now.
It was so long ago when I had helped mom cook and it was weird when I got to do it again now. This was how we decided to start our renewed relationship, by cooking lunch together.
Just as we were about to start eating lunch, a knock came at the door and mom instructed me to answer it. I did, surprised to see the boy who had left just some hours ago.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"I wanted to see if you were okay," he said almost hesitantly. I smiled a bit, touched that he cared.
"We're doing well now, if that's what you were worried about." When I told him yesterday my situation with my mom, I hadn't realized how close we had become. It was weird that I spilled out those feelings to someone I had known for only a week, but it happened. I didn't think we were close enough friends that he'd worry about me.
"That's good," he muttered. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and honestly I didn't know what else to say either.
"Skye, who is at the door?" mom called out and I was thankful to her for saving us from the awkward silence.
I opened the door a bit wider and stepped aside so mon could see BamBam. "It's just BamBam. I think you've met already," I said as she walked up to us.
"That was a brief moment and we didn't talk much," she replied to me before turning to BamBam. "Did you eat lunch already? Would you like to join us?"
I shook my head. "Ma, I don't thi-"
"Sure, I'd love to," BamBam said, cutting me off.
I think my eye just twitched a bit as I faked a smile. "You don't have to, really. Aren't you busy?"
BamBam shook his head. "We have practice later, but I should maybe eat lunch first."
"Is that the other reason you came here? To beg for food?"
"I was going to ask you out, but you already made plans to eat here." He shrugged nonchalantly while I tried to keep my cool at his choice of words.
Mom realized we were just standing there by the door and ordered us to head to the table. She set another plate and utensils at the table.
"Skye hasn't told me anything about you," my mom said to BamBam. He frowned but didn't express any other sign of being hurt. Of coutse he would know the reason why I hadn't told mom about him. Mom was just oblivious to the fact that I had told BamBam.
"How did you two meet?" Mom directed the question to the both of us and BamBam and I exchanged looks.
Umm, BamBam assaulted me in public to hide from his crazy fans. Nope. That conversation would not go well.
"Uh, it was first day," I answered honestly. Then I lied. "I was, uh, walking around andhe just walked up to me and spoke in Korean. I couldn't understand what he was saying. I told him this, then he explained to me, in English, that his friends dared him to ask for my number."
BamBam shot me a smile, thankful. I mean, the actual story would be quite embarrassing on his part.
"It wasn't yours specifically," BamBam cut in, playing along. "They told me to ask a stranger. You were just a random pick."
I couldn't tell what mom was thinking. Her look was calculating, as if trying to figure us out. It made me nervous for some reason.
"I can see that you've become quite close," she finally said. "Is this friendship going to last? I mean, we're leaving in a few days."
And she just had to remind me. Realization hit me like a truck going over the speed limit. We were going back home. But for some reason, I wasn't ready to leave. Not yet.
"Mom, it's not like we're dating or anything," I muttered.
She smiled. "Hey, I'm not saying you guys are."
I looked up at BamBam, his smile now seeming forced, and quickly looked away again.
Friends. We're just friends.
"So, do you guts plan on keeping in touch or will BamBam here be referred to as 'the guy from that trip to Seoul' or whatever it is you teenagers can come up with?"
BamBam shrugged. "Well, I know Skye will not forget me. I'm just really unforgettable." He winked at me and I rolled my eyes.
"And conceited, too," I muttered under my breath.
"What was that, Skye?" mom questioned to which I replied with a "Nothing," and a fake smile plastered on my face.
"How about I bring you guys to Jeju. A trip to Korea wouldn't be complete without visiting the lovely Jeju Island," BamBam suggested.
Mom smiled. "I don't know. I'd love to go, but it seems like the invitation is only directed at Skye," she said.
Mom, you're not supposed to be encouraging this.
I think both BamBam and I were blushing, the amusement in my mother's expression being the expression she wore for the rest of the meal.
We all finished and BamBam had to leave already for their practice. I would have asked to come with but he mentioned that I should spend the rest of the day with my mother. I'd have more time when we get back to LA, but I decided to stay.
"So, about my invitation," BamBam mentioned as I walked him to the door. "Would you like to come? The other members could come as well."
I thought about it for a second before my answer came flying out of my mouth. "I'd love to go," I said. "It'll be an adventure." I didn't like adventures but for some reason I made exceptions for this boy.
BamBam's expression lit up and I couldn't help but smile along. "That's good. I will inform the others," he said. "We can go tomorrow. Bring extra clothes. We might stay the night."
His enthusiasm was amusing and I couldn't help but be excited for the trip.