It wasn't a long trip. Dad said traveling from our house to my cousins' by car only takes like 20 minutes or so, something like that, because we were only traveling to Otley, a town in Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England, by the River Wharfe, where my cousins' family live (obviously. I just said it).
I fell asleep for a couple of minutes, probably because I was wide awake last night and, of course, this morning. I didn't really get enough sleep so, I slept. And then I woke up, I realized my head was leaning on Callum's shoulder the whole time I was sleeping...
"Oh My God! I'm so sorry!" I said when I realized that my head was on his shoulder for the past couple of minutes of traveling.
"That's Alright" he said and looked out the window "We're here, by the way" he said, and I looked out the window.
The house seems "not so large" on the outside because when you look at it, there's only this Driveway leading to the garage, but the rear is amazing because it's being lawned with flowerbeds and such. Callum mentioned that they have this extremely gigantic garden/backyard. He also said that whenever parties take place at this house, it's always held at one of the gardens. ONE of the gardens. Meaning, there are still more gardens here. My relatives must be gold diggers, or they're just lucky enough to buy this sort off rare, 3 bed detached house, because it was a bargain. According to dad, the outside of the house is nothing really much compared to the inside.
And then, Ben helped me with my backpack, but then I said I'll handle it instead because...it's only a backpack, and I don't like being treated like a princess or even a child who couldn't carry her backpack on her own. Dad said we're going to spend the night here because tomorrow, we are going to the cemetery together along with my cousins to visit our grandparents' graves.
Anyways, this 3 bed detached house is located in Weston Ridge, Otley, West Yorkshire. We were all welcomed by Thomas (Tom), who is my uncle or my dad's brother because Callum told me earlier while we were walking from the limo to the front door. I guess I'm gonna have to call him "Uncle Tom" since he is my dad's older brother, which makes him my uncle.
"Joe, come here will you?" dad called me, and I went to him "Tom, this is Johanna".
"Johanna?" my Uncle Tom said.
"Hello, Uncle Tom" I said, in a bashful manner.
"I have been looking forward to meeting you for years now!!!" Uncle Tom said, and I just smiled and nodded "and Callum!!!" he approached Callum "you are certainly a grown man!!!".
"Thankyou" Callum said.
"Shall we proceed inside?" Aunt May, my Uncle Tom's wife said, and we all went inside the house.
"Callum!" a kid who looks like my age said in excitement as he ran to Callum and hugged him when we entered the Living Room.
"Hi!!!" Callum said. These two must be really close.
"Johanna, this is Simon. Simon, this is your cousin Johanna" Tom introduced us to each other.
"My cousin?!" Simon said when he turned to me.
"Be nice" Aunt May said to him.
"Hello, cousin!" Simon approached me and offered his hand to me.
"Hi" I said, shaking his hand.
"Joe, Simon is 16" Callum said.
"So, we're the same age" I said.
"Are you my cousin from Asia?" Simon asked.
"Well, yeah. Philippines, actually" I said.
"Ohh. Well, I'm delighted to meet you!!!" he said.
"You too" I said "Your house is so nice" I added.
"Well, everything in here is just extended, that's all" Callum said.
True enough. The Living Room is extended, and so almost everything in the house, I suppose. So, Callum and Simon gave me a tour around the house. The breakfast kitchen is also extended. There are three bedrooms in this house, of course. A master's bedroom, the kids' bedroom and a guestroom. Simon has 2 older brothers, which makes him the youngest. Their age gaps are only one year so technically, the eldest is eighteen and the second eldest is seventeen. The three of them share the same bedroom. There's a bunkbed for he and his seventeen year old brother and another small bed for their eighteen year old brother.
Simon explained that I'll be sleeping in the guestroom while dad will sleep on the sofa bed in the Living Room. And then I discovered that Callum, George and his family won't be spending the night here. Just my dad and I since we will visit our relatives' graves at the cemetery tomorrow along with my cousins and uncle and aunt, as a Family, while George's family and Callum's have another cemetery to visit.
We heard Uncle Tom calling for us downstairs for dinner while we were exploring the guestroom. As we came downstairs, two teenagers hugged Callum as they saw him. Afterwards, they turned to me...
"Hello" the older-looking one said "I'm Jeremiah, but call me JL" my cousin, "JL" said
"JL?" I repeated
"Jeremiah Leo McCarthy" he said
"Hey!!! I'm Joe!" I reached out my hand to cousin JL and he shaked it
"Johanna, isn't it?" he said, while shaking my hand
"Yeah" I said
"This is my brother, Ralph" he introduced Ralph, the second eldest. Ralph doesn't look pleased enough to see me...
"Hi! How'd you do?" I reached my hand out to him and he just walked away!
That was so rude!
"Callum?" Aunt May called
"Yes?" Callum replied
"Would you care to help me in the kitchen? Only you can make the perfect Blueberry Cheesecake" Aunt May said
"Yeah, sure" Callum said, as he followed Aunt May to the Kitchen.
I went inside the kitchen and thought how cute Callum looked while preparing the ingredients with Aunt May. I don't know why, but I felt myself smiling as I looked on.
Aunt May was focusing on many different dishes at once, and she needed help. I don't really know what I did, but I approached Callum inside the kitchen and smiled at him.
"Is there a problem?" Callum asked, while crushing Graham Crackers.
"Maybe I can help" I said
"Really? You know how to cook?" He asked
"Yeah" I said
He scoffed
"Really?" he asked
"My mom's sort of a baker" I said
"Sort of?"
"she is"
"So, that makes you one too?" he said
I gave a small laugh
"Sorta" I said
I was just helping Callum with the dish the whole time, and there were a couple of instances that I scooped cream cheese with my finger and placed it on his nose. He was washing the dishes at that time so, instead of doing what I did (scooping cream cheese or what) he hugged me tight from behind and ruined my outfit. Later on, were were both just playing around with the left-over blueberries and cream cheese and the graham crackers inside the kitchen, until Aunt May arrived and asked Callum and I what the heck just happened.
***
"Come on everybody! Let's have dinner!" Aunt May called us from the garden.
Okay! Like, no way! The garden is just too damn amazing! Are we even having dinner or a birthday party?! Callum's right! The backyard/garden is huge. It's perfect for celebrating an event or something.
I was seated just across my cousins at dinner. Cousin Ralph and I were just across each other, which was awkward because he wouldn't even look at me. I was playing with my iPhone and waiting for text messages from my friends in the Philippines that would never come while waiting for dinner to be served. And then I realized there was WiFi. But, of course, there's a password...
"Hey! Do you think you could budge in the password for the WiFi for me?" I asked Ralph, handing him my phone but instead, he took a banana from the center of the table and ate it, ignoring me.
"Phone off the table, Johanna" dad said.
"But I just wanted to send a message to mom and Jenna" I said.
"Here!" cousin JL took my phone from me and entered the password for the WiFi. He gave it back, I was already connected to the internet.
"Thankyou" I said to cousin JL.
"No problem" he said as then he turned to Ralph and hit his shoulder "Be nice!"
Later on, the Blueberry Cheesecake that Callum and I made by ourselves was served. Ralph was the first to try it, and I was smiling when I was watching him eat the Blueberry Cheesecake...
"Callum! Your Blueberry Cheesecake's improved a lot!!!" Ralph said
"Well, Joe did most of the work" Callum said. Ralph frowned later on and gave the plate of Blueberry cheesecake to Maisie and Jaidee.
"It's too sweet! I'm on a diet" Ralph said.
I didn't mind him afterwards. I simply rolled my eyes and read my messages. Some of them were from my friends like Jenna, Alexa and Kate (she's more of Jenna's friend) and most of them are Twitter and Facebook notifications. But right now, I don't seem to give a heed on my Facebook and Twitter notifications. I lost a lot of Twitter followers...So What?!
I started reading my mom's reply to my email that time when I emailed her during Computer Class and then my Computer hanged and then Luke saved me, yeah! That email! She replied to it eight hours later, and I only saw it two months later.
"
To: johannamcc1115@yahoo.com
Fr: juliaMnavarro1214@hotmail.com
Dear Joe,
I missed you so much! Everybody here misses you, most especially Jenna, Kate and that gorgeous barista you and Jenna befriended at Starbucks in High Street. I saw Jenna and Kate last night at BGC. I took a short dinner break from work to buy snacks from McDonalds' and I bumped into Jenna and Kate. They were skateboarding along with some boys that I'm sure you've never seen in before your entire life. The both of them are actually upset because you won't mail them back, but they do miss you as much as I do. I hope you're having a wonderful time there because I don't think Bobby and I will be able to visit you there soon because we're both really busy. Just have fun and reply as soon as you see this :) I lalalalalalalalalalove you too!"
My mom is just too cool!
Seriously?! Jenna started hanging out with Kate and some boys?! Jenna seriously replaced me?!
And Uncle Bobby?! Wow! I've been staying with my dad...REAL dad for too long that I forgot that Bobby Martin, my FUTURE stepdad exists!
"
To: juliaMnavarro1214@hotmail.com
Fr: johannamcc1115@yahoo.com
Dear Mom,
I'm sorry I haven't been mailing to you for months now. I have finally exposed myself to the English world. God mom! Like, it's so amazing here! I made a lot of friends and yeah, some of them are boys. I'm doing good in school too. Honestly, the lessons they're teaching us here are lessons I've already tackled back there. Like, those lessons in 7th Grade! Can you believe it?! But I love it so much! It's making my life easier! We're studying Romeo and Juliet right now at English class. Seriously! Remember I played Juliet in our Romeo and Juliet school play like two years ago? I still know the story until now. It's also a damn good thing that I brought all of my books with me here!!!
Anyway, dad and I are having dinner at Uncle Tom's house along with some family friends. We're all going to the cemetery tomorrow to visit grandma and grandpa for All Saints' Day and for All Souls' Day. I met my cousins as well. The eldest and the youngest are really nice to me. The second eldest is such an asshole. He hates me! I can tell! But, you don't have to worry about anything anyways! I'm doing great here!!! Actually, more than great! So, I hope to see you soon! Love you all!!!"
After sending the email, I was about to write another one to Jenna, but then dad just took my phone away from me.
"Wha..."
"Let's eat first" dad said as he placed my phone inside his pocket.
"Yeah! Let's eat first as a Family, Joey!" Ralph taunted me.
"It's Joe" I said to him
"Ohh! I'm so sorry! You forgot to introduce yourself to me earlier" he said, and he took a bite of roasted beef
I wanted to scream at the top of my throat, but I couldn't! It somehow takes a lot to get me mad. Right now would've been the perfect time, but still, not so perfect...
"I'm Johanna Ricci Navarro McCarthy" I introduced myself and smiled as I reached my hand out to him. At first, I thought he was going to ignore it just like what he did earlier, but here's what happened...
"Ralph Benson McCarthy" he shaked my hand.
After letting go of each other's hands, I brought my hand sanitizer out and sanitized my hands while he brought out a small pack of tissue and wiped his hands with it. PATHETIC! I stared at his small pack of tissue afterwards...
"You know what they say!!! If you have an issue, here's a tissue!!!" he said.
I smirked.
"And what is that issue, may I ask?" I said.
"I'm just really conscious of germs, that's all. Who knows? You probably picked your nose or perhaps did some nail biting before dinner"
"ohh no you didn't"
"I just did!"
"Well, a tissue couldn't kill germs, could it? At least a hand sanitizer could kill a lot of them!"
Everyone at dinner became silent after the incident. Probably because I started stuffing food in my mouth afterwards. Okay! Super Super awkward! Callum decided to "break the silence" later on...
"Joe is one of the smartest students in her year" he said.
"I'm what?!" I said with my mouth full, which really bothered dad.
"Joe! Chew your food before you talk!" he said.
"Sorry!" I said as I covered my mouth with napkin and chewed my food "I'm what?!" I repeated when the stuffed food in my mouth was all gone.
"You're one of the smartest students in your year" Callum said.
"Impressive!!!" JL said, stuffing roasted beef in his mouth.
"The lessons here are way easier than lessons back in the Philippines" I said.
"Tell us about the Philippines, Johanna" Uncle Tom said.
"Yeah! Uncle Steve visited the Philippines twice, but never even told us anything about it" Simon referred to my dad.
"I told you enough" dad said.
"Obviously it's in Asia and I think everyone knows that" Ralph was being an asshole all over again!
"What do you call those things you use for transportation? Jeepney, isn't it?" JL said
"Yeah" I said.
"So amazing! Wish we have one of those here in England" JL said.
"Jaidee and I have a picture of a jeepney!" Maisie said to JL.
"Yeah! Joe gave it to us!!!!" Jaidee said.
"Well, fine! I'm gonna ask Joe to give me one too!!!" JL said, and everyone laughed...everyone, except Ralph. It's almost as if he's pretending that nothing's even happening around him. Is this guy even sick?! Seriously, what's wrong with him?
"So, you're my cousin?" he finally turned to me.
"I know! It's completely unbelievable isn't it since we don't look alike, both inside and outside!" I said, because I finally had enough of him!
"That's because I'm more handsome than anybody else in the McCarthy family"
"But not everybody in the McCarthy family is handsome because not everybody in the McCarthy family are male"
"Male or Female, you know what I mean!"
"Would you shut up?!" JL said to Ralph
"Ralph, that is not a nice way to treat a cousin whom you've just met" Aunt May said.
"Cousin?! Cousin!" Ralph said.
"Yes! Cousin!" Uncle Tom said.
"What is wrong with you?" Simon asked Ralph.
Ralph stood up and walked out from the dinner.
Everyone stared at me right after he went back inside the house. Okay! Like, what the hell! Did I do something wrong?! I stopped eating after that. Perhaps that's why people were staring...probably because they noticed that I froze.
"Joe?" JL asked me later on.
"You alright?" Simon asked after JL.
I didn't answer them or even looked at them. I just stared at the backdoor where Ralph entered the house when he walked out of dinner.
"Forgive Ralph, Johanna. He's just warming up" Aunt May said.
"he'll snap out of it soon" Callum said.
I know I should hate Ralph, but I don't feel hatred or anything. Something's wrong, that's for sure. I feel sorry for him. Maybe I should talk to him...
I placed my table napkin on the table and stood up.
"I lost my appetite" I said, and then I walked away.
Just like Ralph, I didn't look back at the people watching me walk away. I'm not embarrassed and for sure, so was he.
I went straight to his room, or should I say the room that he and his two brothers share. When I went inside, I was surprised to see him crying while sitting on JL's bed.
"Ralph?" I said when I entered
"My God!" he yelled when he saw me "you again?!"
"Look, I"
"I walked out to get away from you!"
"Well" I shrugged walked towards him "I don't doubt that you did"
"Don't you ever knock?!"
"Why? Embarrassed?"
"Of what?"
"Of me, seeing you cry?"
"No!"
"Yeah"
He covered his face with his hands.
I sat beside him. I thought it would bother him, but...no. Not quite...
"Dude! What the hell's wrong with you?" I asked.
"Why are you here?" he asked
"I don't know" I shrugged "I guess I just wanna know why you hate me"
"Who told you that?"
"You just said you walked out because of me, didn't you?!"
"I did, but I never said I hate you"
"Then, what's wrong with you?"
"do you have any siblings?" he asked me out of nowhere
"what kind of answer is that?!" I raised my voice
"It's not an answer, idiot! It's a question"
"no! no, I don't! "
"Perhaps that's why you don't understand how I feel"
"Feel what?"
"the pain I've been going through"
"that's weird. You seem to have a good relationship with your siblings"
"they're not my siblings" my heart leaped as he said it.
"What?" I said.
"I'm an orphan" he said.
"You can't be. You and Simon share a resemblance"
"That's because we're cousins. Well, we were. my mother and his mother were sisters. Identical twins. Then my parents, biological parents died in a car crash when I was three. Aunt May is the only close relative I have left."
We both stayed silent for a few minutes. I didn't know what to say.
"Say something" he turned to me.
"Like what?" I asked.
"Anything".
"You're the one who should be saying something after the way you acted during dinner".
"That's what you want? Fine!" he turned to me "I'm sorry I've been such a sot at dinner. I just-" he shrugged "I don't know how to interact with a foreigner"
"I'm not just a foreigner now, am I?" I said and he shrugged
"What do you mean?" he asked
"I'm a McCarthy, you're a McCarthy. We're family" I said, and he grinned. He hugged me afterwards and of course, I hugged him back. Whoah! Okay! Like, this guy could be really sweet sometimes.
"Joe, you're one of the only few people who knows. Not even JL and Simon or even Callum know" he said
"Isn't JL a year older than you?" I asked
"JL and Simon couldn't remember a thing about me getting adopted".
"That explains a lot".
"Now" he said, breaking away from our embrace "What's your mother's phone number?" he said as he brought his iPhone out.
"What?!"
"What's your mother's phone number" he repeated
"Stalker much?" I said
"No!"
"Then why-"
"Do you want to talk to her or what?!"
"Talk?"
"I could make a call"
"You're serious"
"are you deaf or stupid?" he asked
"you suck!" I said, hitting his shoulder with a pillow
I told him my mom's phone number and he dialed it. England time is seven hours behind Philippine time. So, if it's like 8:00pm right now, it must be 3:00am there. The phone was ringing, but I was about to drop it when I realized that it's only 3:00am there, but my mom finally picked up before I could drop the phone call...
"Hello? Doctor Julianna Navarro here, may I help you?" mom said on the other line. She didn't seem exhausted or anything. I thought she would be asleep by now...
"Mom?" I said
"Johanna?" she said
"What time is it there? Why are you still awake"
"It's 3:00am here, sweetie! I'm on graveyard shift for the rest of the week" that explains why "What time is it there? Are you with dad?"
"It's 8:00 pm here. We're at Uncle Tom's house. I'm using my cousin's phone"
"Ohh, right! You're father told me last week"
"I really miss you, mom"
"I miss you too, sweetie" I teared up a bit because I miss my mom a lot and I felt really guilty that I haven't been talking to her for weeks. Ralph saw this and then he wiped the tears off my face and smiled at me. I smiled at him back.
"How's Jenna? Does she still visit you and Bobby?" I asked, and then there was silence on the other line for a few seconds
"Mom? What's going on? " I asked
"Ohh! I'm sorry, darling. it's just that..."
"what?"
"You probably don't want to know"
"Ugh! You can tell me!"
"Jenna doesn't visit anymore"
"Obviously! I'm not there anymore. Who else would she visit?"
"She started hanging out with Kate and a group of boys more often"
"That's okay! I made a lot of friends here too"
"But, why won't you call Jenna?"
"I'll call her after this"
"Perhaps you could call her now because I'm getting off the line. Duty calls, sweetie. I love you"
"I miss you" I said, and she dropped the phone call from the other line.
"You and your mum seem really close" Ralph said
"Of course. We're all each other has" I said, playing with his phone "Could I make another call?"
"Of course!" he said, as he took his phone from me. I told him Jenna's number as he dialed it and handed the phone over to me.
Jenna answered after the 6th ring. Well, that took her long enough! Well, it is only like 3:00am there. Yep! I'm a basic bitch. But on the other line, it sounded as if she's in a party....
"Holla!!!" she said on the other line, laughing
"Jenna? Hello?" I said
"Whoever this is, come to Kate's house right now!!!" there was a lot of noise in the background: music, people laughing and screaming, I could tell! She's at Kate Garcia's party.
"Hey! What's going on there?" I asked
"Ferocious all the waaay!!!" she yelled
"Ferocious?! Isn't that Kate's wildest party every year?!" I said, and then Jenna just laughed "Is there a party there?"
"Yah! Partayying at Kate's house" something's definitely not right! she sounds drunk!
"Jenna! This is Joe!" I raised my voice
"Jo-Johanna?" finallly!
"Dude! What's wrong with you?!"
"I thought you're in...I thought you're in England-"
"Yeah! I am!"
"You bitch! You won't fucking reppp-ply to my-fucking tweeeeeets" she sounded really drunk, and she laughed afterwards
"Everything alright?" Ralph asked me, and I turned to him and shaked my head "I don't think so" I said
"You know, Kate-" she laughed on the other line "she is like so so sooooo much-better than youuu! She's with me on-thheee Volleyball team and-she's my bestie! My sissie! My everything! She's-fucking-nothing like-youuuu!" she said. Of course, those comments stinged me. How could Jenna say those!? "Hey! Talk to this bitch, will you?!"
"Hello?!" a guy's voice said on the other line
"Who the hell are you?!" I raised my voice. He didn't answer me. Instead, he just laughed
"Whoever you are, leave Jenna alone! where's Kate?! I wanna talk to her! What the hell did you freaks do to Jenna?!"
"Jenna's alright! Don't worry!" he hunged up after that.
"You okay?" Ralph said, patting my shoulder.
"I don't know" I was frozen with fear. I wanted to be at Kate's party to protect Jenna. But does Jenna really hate me?
"I'm going to get a bit of fresh air. Do you want anything, anything at all?" he asked as he stood up and went to the door, and then I shook my head "Suit yourself" he said, as he went out of the room.
Later on, I found myself dialing Michael's (Jenna's older brother) phone number. Maybe I could ask him to go to Kate's house and see what those beasts are doing to her....
"Hello?" he yawned on the other line. He answered after the third ring. Was he asleep?
"Michael! I am so sorry I disturbed you!" I said.
"I'm sorry, who's this?"
"It's Joe"
"Joe who?"
"Joe, Jenna's best friend. Joe McCarthy"
"Johanna McCarthy?"
"Yeah"
" Ohh!" he was finally awake. I could tell, the tone of his voice suddenly changed "Joe! Hi!!! How's England?"
"It's great! I missed you all, but do you happen to know where Jenna is?"
"She said she's doing a project at Kate's house"
"Dude, wrong!"
"What?"
"Go to Kate's house right now and please check on Jenna! I have a bad feeling about all of this!"
"Why? What's-"
"Just fucking check!"
"Okay! Okay!" I could hear him grabbing for his car keys and rushing downstairs on the other line
"Unfortunately, this is not my phone. Just go to my mom after you go to Kate's house and tell her everything so that she could tell me, okay?"
"Sure!" I could hear him closing the gate of their house on the other line. I hunged up afterwards because I don't think I could stand hearing a bad news.
I was still sitting down on cousin JL's bed and I wrapped my arms around me. God! I knew I never liked Kate Garcia! Total bitchy slut!
"Joe?" JL said as he came in the room
"Hey" I said "Ohh!" I got up immediately after realizing that I was sitting down on his bed
"No! It's alright!!! I don't mind at all" he said, as he placed his glasses on his bedside table "Why'd you walk out of dinner?" he asked
"To straighten things out with Ralph, which we did" I said
"Where is he now?"
"Outside... I suppose"
"Ohh, alright" he said, as I looked at my feet, still hoping that whatever is happening at Kate's house in Manila, Jenna would be okay.
"You alright?" JL asked, and then I stood up and walked to the door
"I'm heading for the guest room now" I said and I went straight to the guestroom.
I layed down on the bed as I got there. It felt great: Tranquility. But the thought of Jenna acting all drunk at Kate's party bothered me. I guess I'm just gonna have to wait for mom's next phone call or something and find out what happened to her.
"Johanna" dad said as he went inside the room
"hmm?" I said
"I did not like the way you behaved at dinner earlier"
"Ugh! Dad, seriously? Ralph and I are good now!"
"I know. Jeremiah told me, but do not use that as an excuse for your outrageous behavior at dinner"
"Why does it have to be all about dinner?"
"Because it's when you met your relatives for the first time and you show them this!? Are you ruining your own reputation!?"
"You're over reacting!"
"Go to bed. We're going to the Cemetery tomorrow"
"Dad-"
"Didn't you hear what I just said?! We're going to the cemetery tomorrow and if you don't shut up, I'm gonna bury you there alive, understood?!"
I rolled my eyes.
He went out of the room.
"Hello!" Callum said as he went inside the room
"Hey!" I said
"Well, Uncle Steve seemed frustrated. Saw him a few seconds ago, stepping out of this room" he said, as he sat beside me on the bed "Would you like to tell me what happened?"
Well, we argued for like a minute or something and of course, I talked back like I always do, and I guess he had enough. So, he went like "We're going to the cemetery tomorrow and if you don't shut up, I'm gonna bury you there alive!"".
Callum just laughed afterwards.
"I didn't know Steve's an Undertaker!" he said.
"I wish you guys could spend the night here" I said
"I know, but, it would be awkward. We wouldn't fit in the house. We could only fit in the gardens. Besides, I forgot my sleeping bag"
"You suck! You could sleep on the floor" I said
"So, uhh- does this mean, we're-umm-are we-" he cleared his throat "are we friends now?"
"Of course! I mean, why would you think that?" I said
"Because if I could remember perfectly, when you just moved in here a few months ago, you said you didn't like me, although you felt like I'm more sensible to talk with compared to Steve"
"That was months ago. We've always been family friends. We just never knew it. But, okay! Consider ourselves as close friends now, but on one condition"
"What is it?"
"Who's the girl you're planning to ask out for the dance on Saturday?"
"Why does it matter so much?"
"I just wanna know!"
He laughed
"Jealous much, McCarthy?"
"No!"
"Actually, I'm jealous of Luke Taylor"
"What?"
"I heard he's thinking of asking you out"
"So, whoever your asking out on Saturday, you're doing it to make me jealous!?"
"Wait, I didn't say anyth-"
"OH MY GOD! Damn you, Callum! You're trying to make me jealous over something I don't even want to do or-"
"Ohh! So, you're jealous!?"
"I didn't say that!"
"You just did!"
"What are you yelling at each other about?" Simon entered the room
"Simon, your cousin's jealous" Callum said
"Of what?" Simon asked
"Nothing!" I hit Callum's arm with a pillow
"I still can't believe I have an Asian cousin!!!" Simon said
"I still can't believe I have a European cousin" I said
"Well, you are European too, Joe" Callum said
"Half" I said "Eurasian"
"Joe, do you think I could visit the Philippines one day?" Simon asked
"Of course, you can!" I said
"The Blueberry Cheesecake was amazing, by the way!"
"Thanks" Callum and I said together
"Wait! Joe, when did you arrive here in England?" Simon asked
"Like, 1st week of May, I think? I can't be sure" I said
"How come we only saw each other now?"
"Believe me or not, I was asking myself the exact same question" I said "So, you two were like childhood friends or something?"
"Not only the two of us" Simon said
"Also JL and Ralph" Callum said
"Simon, get down here! I need your help on something" JL called from his room, but Simon didn't move, as if he didn't hear anything or something.
"Let's pretend we didn't hear him" Simon said, then Callum and I turned to each other and shrugged
"Simon!" JL called again "Quickly!"
"Ugh!" Simon stood up "This is why you two should be thankful you do not have any siblings"
"Excuse me?!" Callum said
"Ohh-" Simon turned to him in fright "Right, nevermind" and just like that, Simon left the room.
I turned to Callum.
"You don't have any siblings" I said
He didn't say anything. He just simply smirked and nodded.
"Yeah...right" he said "Joe?"
"Yeah?" I said
"Have you ever kissed anyone?" he asked
"What?!" I shrieked
"Just answer the question" he said
"Why are you asking me that?" I asked
"Nothing" he said
"Well, no, I haven't. I've never even had a boyfriend" I said "What about you?"
"No" he said
I scoffed.
"No guy ever tried asking me out before" I said
"Why not?" he asked
"Because I scare them away. Sometimes, it's just my obnoxious self getting in the way" I turned to him "You know, in public, in the streets, at the mall, some guys would scan me and whistle at me, and that's really annoying and quite rude. I couldn't help myself but get back at them and tell them to fuck off"
"That's it?" he asked
"You know, like, sometimes the word "chick" is used to refer to a girl, right?" I said
"Well, yeah" he said
"God! I hate that! It's totally disrespectful!" I said
He gave a small laugh.
"Ohh, that too?" he said
"Like, pretty woman walking down the street, and then some guys would just say "Hey! Take a look at that chick!". And, there was this time when I had a Football Game and I was sitting on the bleachers, waiting for my teammates and my coach, and then some guys just passed by me and said "Good Morning, Chick!". It's rude, isn't it?!"
"Not that I used that term before, but, I don't really see what's the matter with that" he said
"First things first, I'm a tomboy. Second, girls, ladies or women are not baby chickens!" I said "Do you get me now?!"
Callum nodded as if he was agreeing with me.
"I like your point" he said "Although it doesn't make any sense"
"Cal" Maisie and Jaidee called from outside. Later on, they entered the room
"Hi" Callum said to the twins
"We're leaving" Jaidee said
"Ohh" he said, and then he turned to me "I'll see you in school"
I smiled and nodded.
"See ya" I said