C
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i promised you tomorrow and all i gave you was yesterday.
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"I have a daughter," the old man was putting together flowers. They were all different kinds, none of them going well together but somehow he made it fit. "She's around your age, I believe."
A lot of people are sixteen nowadays, is what I thought. Nothing special.
"Does she like flowers too?"
He smiled at me, "She loves them." He raises his hand to show me his little mix and match, "This is for her. It's her birthday today." I slowly nodded. His grey hair was getting to him, and his monolid eyes were sucked in by the dark circles. He didn't seem American at all, considering he had an accent. "Are you from Asia?" I asked, politely.
"Asia consists of a lot of countries, want to ask again?" I could see him sucking in his cheeks, preventing himself from laughing.
Thankfully, Dad was gone to pick up tea from a nearby shop so he didn't have to witness this embarrassing moment.
"Are you from South Korea?" I asked, again.
He nodded, "You got it."
"I watch K-Dramas."
He bursted out laughing, "Do you know how to say anything in Korean?"
I thought about it, was there? "I think I'm gonna butcher the pronunciation."
"That's alright, I'm sure mine's not so good either." He joked. I found myself relaxing around the man. "Annyeonghaseyo," I said. But it sounded more like An-nie-yong-ha-sayo. Sayo like mayo.
He didn't laugh, simply smiled proudly. "If only my daughter could learn from you."
He was joking, again. "I'm sure her Korean's way better than mine."
"Hm, hopefully it gets better. You father and I are great friends, you know? We go way back."
That was surprising to me. Father had mentioned a friend of his who lived in Aspen, Colorado. He never took me here until recently. "How did you meet him?"
"I was a new immigrant here and your Dad gave me work. He was supposed to be my boss but he ended up becoming a friend, my best friend."
"That's pretty cool."
I picked up a pink flower, smelling it.
It smelled like a warm summer day, the wind brushing your hair back and overwhelming you. So you close your eyes. It feels like that.
"That's a tulip, do you know what pink ones mean?" He asked, laying the flowers down. I shook my head, I didn't think flowers had meanings. "It means happiness or confidence. It's my favourite flower." I handed it to him, "From me, then."
"Thank you," he placed the single tulip in a small vase behind him. "It's your own flower," I pointed out, laughing.
"I know, but you gave it to me."
I was confused, but I didn't say anything else.
"How's it going here?" Dad came out with a bag in his hand. He was smiling at me and the old man. "Jong Suk-si, you look good."
"I should say that about you. Do you ever age?"
"I am younger than you. Let me know your secret, though." He turned to look at me and wrapped his free arm around my shoulders. "This is my son, Crius." He ruffled my hair, "But it seems like you've already met.
I couldn't stop thinking about her. She hasn't texted or called any of us. It's been two days and I'm worried. Extremely worried. If something happened, I'd like to know.
Even if she doesn't want to tell me.
Thinking back to our conversation, everything was well. We were a blubbering mess and it was adorable to see her trip over her words, but as soon as I brought up being friends she completely lost it.
I didn't understand, I don't think I'd be able to. There was so much about Alida that made no sense to me but there wasn't much I could do about it.
My feelings for her have intensified, if that were even possible.
While waiting for her to text, I called Sorin a million times. He, also, didn't respond. If he stole her designs, I'd ruin him. How could he even do such a thing? He went on a date with her, made it seem like he liked her and then pulled this shit? It didn't make sense, none of it did.
I watered the plants in my little room, the fresh smell of mint was so overpowering and calming. I picked up the book I started reading right after. As I was about to take a seat on chaise, the doorbell rang.
What if it's Alida?
On that thought, I ran to the door.
The person on the other side was the last person I'd ever expect to be here.
"Mom?" I whispered.
She pulls at her fingers, looking behind her and side to side. She steps inside the threshold but I block her way. "Mom?" I say louder this time.
"He's gonna come for me." What's she talking about? "He's gonna come for me," she grabbed my arm. Her nails dug into them and I held back a wince. "Who's gonna come for you?" In an instant, she was snapped out of whatever haze she was in.
Smiling, she wrapped her arms around me, or well my waist. I stiffened, I wasn't used to this. She hasn't hugged me in a really long time and she has never come to my place before.
"I've missed you." I froze, she sounded like mom.
Like mom, mom. The one before everything happened.
Next thing I know, she fell limp in my arms.
She fainted.
I picked her up, walking fast to my couch. This was all so odd. Her coming to my place, fainting, mumbling words. I ran to the kitchen to get water, spritzing some on her face.
Her eyes twitched and she grabbed onto my shirt, fisting it tightly.
"Don't let me go," she whispered.
"Mom?" She didn't respond.
Her phone rang, I ignored it.
It rang again and again.
So, ignoring it wasn't an option.
As slow as possible, I grabbed the phone from the hand that wasn't fisting around my shirt.
Turning the phone on, I saw Dorian calling.
But then the calls stopped.
There were over ten messages from him.
Come home.
Don't make me come and get you.
I suppose you like my belt, huh?
You think Crius can protect you?
Come home, right fucking now.
Anger knocked aggressively against my chest. What the fuck is wrong with him?
He hurt her.
He hurts her.
I can handle getting beaten up, but mom? She doesn't deserve it. I looked at my not-so-peaceful mother. Her brows were scrunched together,
All this time, I thought she chose to forget about everything. If she forgot, if she actually forgot about what happened, then the reason was something else. Not me, not because she didn't love me.
I had to protect her.
I was going to.
Her sleeve rose a little, I saw the bruise there.
Purplish-blue. It was new. I sucked in a breath at the sight of it.
I gently held her wrist to see more of it, to see if there were more.
Her eyes widened, "What are you doing?" She sat up, snatching the phone from my hand and scrolling through it. She bit the nails of her free hand, getting up. "I have to go."
"You're not going anywhere," I grabbed her hand gently, preventing her from moving.
"You're not stopping me," she smiled. "Your dad will be upset if I don't go home. I don't want to make him upset."
"Mom, does he hurt you?"
She froze, not looking at me. "I don't know what you're talking about, Crius."
"Mom..."
"We're holding a party after the competition, make sure you invite your friends to come over. I'd love to meet the girl who stole my son's heart." Her hand rose up to cup my cheek. I tried to read her eyes but they were back to being the eyes from before, the ones that pretended to be happy. "I'm happy," she said. "Your dad loves me."
"You don't call that love," I pointed at her wrist. She looked at it, covering it up quickly. "I fell and hurt myself. This was nothing."
"What about the messages on your phone?" I pushed.
"Crius, what is wrong with you? It's roleplay." She swatted my arm as if it were a big secret.
It was a big secret, a harmful one.
"Mom," her phone began ringing.
She picked it up, "Dorian."
I moved to snatch it away from her but she didn't let me. "Sorry, Crius and I were catching up. I'll be home soon."
She hung up and stared at the phone. Her hands were shaking.
This is nothing, yeah right.
"Mom, I'm not letting you go."
"Don't be so clingy," she said.
"Please, mom."
She shook her head, "I'll see you later."
She ran quickly to the door, I couldn't catch up.
Gone.
I didn't stop her.
I let her go.
That makes me worse than Dorian.