HAZEL'S POV
"Why are you still here?"
"Airon!" I excitedly run towards him. He's on their house's side.
"Why are you still here?" he asked again.
"I can't sleep. How about you, why are you here?"
"I can't sleep either." - him.
"Ahmm .. are you mad-"
"No I'm not mad, why would I?" - Airon.
Ahh he's right. Why would he be mad, it's just a dinner. He doesn't care right? Like I'm just his neighbour and I'm the one who asked him to teach me cooking. It would be a favor to him if I stop bothering him on his free time. He should be resting instead of cooking for me-
"Oi. Don't overthink things." how did he know? Can he read my mind? "We'll continue your cooking lesson tomorrow."
Hays I thought he would say we stopped that lesson. Great. But I'm leaving tomorrow. I will leave him again? Gad! I feel bad.. what if..
"I'm leaving tomorrow. I'm coming home."
He look shocked. "What?"
"My dad want me to spend my weekend at our house."
"Oh okay."
It became quiet. So .. "Ahmm .. do you have other plan this weekend?"
"None anymore since you're leaving."- him.
"Ahh.. eh... do you want to come with me?"
"You want me to come with you? Why?" - he asked.
Why? I don't know.. I don't want to leave him alone. "It's just.. I don't .. ahmm.. I'll feel bad if I leave and you will be alone here."
He sighed. "I'm okay. I can do other things-"
So he don't wanna come with me. "It's okay! If you don't want to come. I won't force you hehe."
"I didn't say that. I just don't want you to feel bad."- Airon.
"So you're coming with me?"
"Fine. If that's what will stop you to feel bad for me." - Airon.
"Yey! Then, pack your things now and we're leaving in the morning." I excitedly brag at him haha.
He nodded again. "Only if you'll sleep already 'cause it's very late."
"Ahehehe okaaayy. You too. Good night." I smiled at him before turning around and go inside my house. I went to my room and I slept peacefully now.
...
"What should I do when we arrived at your house?"
I'm controlling myself not to laugh because this is the first time I saw Airon looking nervous. He's asking about my family.
"Airon, relax. My mom and dad are kind. And my half brother too. I'll introduce you as my friend okay?"
He calmed down. "Okay. Why am I being nervous? It's not like I'm meeting them as your boyfriend already right?"
"Yes." I nodded. Wait.. what? Already? "What-"
"We're here." he said.
Yeah we're here. The bus stopped. We just need to walk a little longer and we will be at our house. I just hope that she's not there.
"You said you left because of family matter." he said while we're walking.
"Ahh.. Yes but it's not because of my parents or my brother hehe."
"Then what-"
"There! My house. Let's go." I led him and here we are.
I opened the gate and came inside. Then I opened the door, it's not locked.
"Haze! My baby, I missed you!" my mom hugged me when she saw me. Then she turned on Airon. "Who is he? Your new boyfriend?"
"No mom! He's my neighbour and a friend." I said.
"Haze! I'm glad you came. Your mom really missed you and begging me to make you come home." my dad showed up. He's just like my mom, kind and sweet.
"Dad. I missed you both too."
He looked at Airon. "Who is he? Your new boyfriend?" see? just like mom?
I sighed. "He's my friend dad. I invited him to come with me."
"Good morning ma'am, sir." he greeted.
My parents look at each other and nodded. "Okay. Ahh put your things on your room first Haze. And his things too. What's your name again?"
"Airon, sir."
"Airon, yeah. We'll call you when the food's ready. Take a rest first."
"Yes. Thank you."- Airon.
We went to my room. I put our things on my cabinet and I told him to rest wherever he wants. Hehe I lay on my bed.
"Ahhhh I missed this."
"Why don't you go back and live here again." he's sitting on the couch. Yea I have that here in my room hehe.
"I can't." I stared at my ceiling. I can't live with her, I don't want to see her. I have more grudge on her than Harry.
"Why?"
"Because of my sis-"
"Hazeeee!" It was Semi. He's calling from outside my door.
I came to open it and he hugged me tight. He doesn't know that Airon's here. When he noticed, he pulled away and went close to him.
"Who are you?"- Semi.
Airon stood up. "I'm her friend."
"And why are you here?" - Semi.
"Semi, relax. I asked him to come with me. Be good to him, he's helping me in my house there."
He faced Airon again. "Just kidding bro haha!"
"So how are you all here Semi?" I asked.
"We're fine. But, let's talk about that while eating. Let's go, mom told me to call you and your friend." so he knew Airon's here?? HAHAHA.
We went to the dining and sat down. Airon's beside me while mom and Semi's on the other side and dad, of course in the middle.
"How are you there Haze? Are you eating good?"- Mom.
"Ahehe yes Mom." that was after he cooked for me.
"Liar." Airon mumbled. But we heard it so we looked at him.
"She's not eating healthy foods before she met me." he said.
"Airon? You don't have to say that." I pouted at him. Hmpp now, my Mom will be more worried.
"What?! I told you to eat or order foods at a resto if you can't cook!" -Mom. See?
"What do you mean before she met you?"- Dad.
"I'm teaching your daughter how to cook and forcing her to eat healthy foods. You wouldn't mind right, ma'am , sir?"- Airon.
"Of course! It's good that you're there to help our daughter. Thank you for that son."- Dad. Son?
"I was really worried about that 'cause I know that she can't cook. Now that you said that you're helping her, that's good to know. Thank you, Airon right?' - Mom.
Airon nodded. Semi and I are just eating and listening to them. This is normal since they just met him. Full of question. We sometimes laugh but of course, Airon didn't. Hahaha I don't even saw him smile once. Did he know how to do that? I wonder what his smile look like hehe.
We're about to finished eating when someone arrived and interrupted us. Tss.
"Having fun without me?"
"Sophie, I told not to come this weekend!" - Mom. "And why did you bring Harry here?"
I froze when I heard his name. He's here? With her? I didn't turned to look at them. But she went to Mom's side so I can saw them. She's holding Harry's hand and he's staring at me. But I just look away.
"Don't be rude Mom. I just want to see Haze too, right babe?" she looked and ask Harry.
Semi stood up and grabbed her arms, maybe to drag her somewhere but she didn't let him. "Sophie, don't ruin their reunion. How could you-"
"I am not ruining anything. I just want to be here too."- her.
"But you'll just fight with Haze again, so I don't want you to be here." - Mom.
They continued fighting but I can't move. I don't know what to do. I saw Dad waiting and calming Mom. I looked at Airon, I didn't expect that he's looking at me too, worried.
I reached for his hand and pulled him up to leave. I didn't looked back even if they're calling me. We left our house. I walked away again.
"I'm sorry about that Airon." I said. We're here now at my favorite place. Riverside. There's a wide space here and we saw kids playing volleyball. We're sitting at a bench under this tree.
"It's okay. I still won't ask you question, so don't let your tears to fall."
I gasped and laugh. "Hahaha thank you. I was really about to cry but when you said that, my tears got scared to fall."
"Tss. So, are you okay or not?"- Airon.
"Honestly, I'm not. But it's okay."
"You're not okay but it's okay? What is that?" - Airon.
"She's Sophie, my other step sibling." I started. Maybe if I told this to anyone, the pain and burden will lessen. I looked at the kids playing and continued to talk. "Semi and Sophie is my Dad's child with another woman, she's long gone so we let them live at our house. At first she's very kind and friendly, but when she saw how my parents spoil me and how happy my life is, she got envious and started to bully me."
"You let her bully you?" - Airon.
"Shh! Let me finish." he nodded. "So, yea she bully me behind my parents back. She looks innocent when facing my parents. And even though she's not my Mom's child, she still loved her as her own daughter. I tried to understand her and didn't fight back. Not until she joined my school. She met my ex-boyfriend and become his fan. He's famous because of volleyball, just like you."
"I'm not famous."
"You just didn't notice but a lot of girls are going crazy over you haha."
"Even you?" oopps! I didn't answer. "So, what happened next?"
"Sophie got more envy and successfully stole him from me. She kissed him in front of us and he kissed her back so I walked away. I tried my best to understand her but that was the last straw. I told my parents about it and said they will send her away but I stopped them."
"Why?"
"I told my parents that I will moved out instead of her. Even though I hold a grudge on her, she had no one to turn to if my parents will be mad at her too. Even Semi is there and wanted to moved out with his sister but I stopped him too. I told them to understand Sophie until she changed so I can go back but.. well, we saw that she's still like that."
He stared at me for a long time before he spoke. "So, you're being kind and worried for her after all she had done to you?"
I smiled at him. "Yes. I'm hoping that she will be my kind sister again."
"And what about your ex? He's the one who's with you on our tournament right?" his face change.
"Yes, it was Harry. The guy earlier. He's handsome too right? Hahaha!"
Now he's glaring at me but I just laugh at him. Then I stood up. "I want to try volleyball. Can you teach me?"
"Where? Right now?"
I pointed at the kid's, "There."
He looks disgusted hahaha I remembered, he hates germs and that ball is probably dirty. "Okay nevermind. Let's just head back to our house?"
He sighed and started to walk towards the kids so I followed him. What will he do? Clean the ball first in the water?
"Wait Airon, you don't have to do this if you don't want to get dirty." I said.
He picked up the ball that's not being used by the kids and turned to me. "I said it's okay if it is you."
NEXT CHAPTER...