Mr. Champ then arrived at the parking lot and stopped right in front of us. Jonathan opened the
door for me, and I almost jumped at the sight of Drew inside.
"Drew!" I cried.
"Surprised to see me again, young lady?" Drew moved to his left, giving room for Jonathan and me.
"Hey Bro," Jonathan smiled as we settled in our seats.
I turned to Drew and was about to throw him a load of questions, but he was quicker.
"I will answer everything when we get home," he raised a hand to stop me.
Defeated, I closed my mouth. Only my mom and my uncle could silence me like this.
Drew was the youngest brother of my late dad. He has always been a big brother to me, since
the gap was just six years. When Dad died, he immediately transformed from a big bro to a
second father to me. He looked after me when Mom was away, just like Dad. But because our
security has been shaky lately, he preferred not to reveal our blood relation to anyone, making
us look like a couple.
Jonathan, on the other hand, was my bestfriend ever since I could remember. He grew up in
England like me, but still his parents tried to raise him like any other normal Korean kid. He still spoke their native language, just like me, making us outgrow the English accent as we got older.
I shifted in my seat, as the silence in the car grew more awkward. I cleared my throat to break it, not knowing what to say next. I looked at the guys on my sides, hoping one of them would bring
up a topic, but none did. Both of them seemed to be enjoying the silence.
Then, my phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey Drei! It's me, Kristine. You free on friday?"
I blinked, forgetting I gave her my phone number earlier.
"Friday?" I glanced at Drew, who furrowed his brows, "I'll check my schedule." Jonathan and Drew frowned at the sound of my reply. Some celebrity, huh?
"Go check it now. I'll call you later, okay?"
Before I could ask her further about the event on Friday, she hung up.
"I've checked your schedule Ma'am, and you do not have any engagements this coming Friday,"
Jonathan mimicked their butler, holding out his hands as if reading an itinerary.
"Cut it out," I shooed him away, silently cursing my reply.
"Who was that?" Drew asked. He was strangely serious this evening.
"Kristine, my new---"
"Close friend," Jonathan finished for me. I elbowed his side, just as Mr. Champ pulled into our driveway. Still holding his aching side, Jonathan opened his side of the car, and we followed him
out.
"How many times do I have to tell you, I'm straight!' I whispered to Jonathan, as Drew walked in front of us.
"Yeah? Well, prove it," Jonathan demanded.
I gaped. He was acting strange lately. "How?"
"Get yourself a boyf---"
"What are you two talking about in hushed voices?" Drew faced us, causing us to stop dead in our tracks.
"Nothing," we said at once.
He narrowed his eyes at us, but decided to drop it. He continued walking, finally entering the
house now.
Nanny opened the door, wearing a serious face. She smiled faintly, making me grow ridiculously
nervous all of a sudden.
We entered the living room, and my heart almost dropped at the sight of the familiar woman
seated on the couch, her back on us.
Drew and Jonathan stopped, but I advanced with baby steps.
I wasn’t quite sure who it was, but when I got nearer, I could not believe my eyes.
"M-Mom?"
She turned, both with a look of happiness and anxiety.
I ran toward her, giving her a big hug.
"When did you arrive?" I asked, sounding like a little girl again.
"Just this morning," she smiled, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
"I missed you mom," hugging her again.
She recounted what happened to her since she left. The security concerns have kept her busy
since Dad died.
"You shouldn't trust anyone Drei," Mom told me with utmost concern.
"I know Mom. And besides, Drew and Jonathan are always with me," I assured her.
We ate our dinner almost wordlessly. We seemed like lost in our own little worlds.
"By the way mom," I broke the silence.
She looked at me.
"Who was the victim? I mean, you said Dad witnessed a murder, right?" I spoke the words as if the events happened in ordinary days. My mom winced.
"Sorry mom, I shouldn't have asked," I apologized, going back to my meal.
"No, it's okay Drei. I know you would eventually ask. The investigators told me it was a guy
named---"
My phone rang.
We just looked at each other for a moment.
"Go answer it Drei," Mom told me.
With obvious hesitation, I reluctantly answered it.
"Hello?"
"So you've checked your schedule already?"
Kristine. I totally forgot about her invitation.
"Uhh yea," I lied.
"Great! I know you would never let me---- Hey!"
Then I heard the phone was grabbed by someone else.
"If you really don't want to come, it's okay Drei," a guy's voice said.
Silence.
"Oh, sorry. It's me, Anthony. It's my parent's anniversary this Friday, and they allowed me to invite some friends too," he explained.
"Oh. I see. No, it's fine. I have nothing to do this Friday," I said.
"Really? Great! Uhhh I mean, that's great that Kristine won't get bored being the only girl in the lot."
Was it only my imagination, or did he really sound excited?
"Give me back my phone!" Kristine's voice loud in the background.
"Thanks Drei. See you!"
He hung up.
I hurried to the dining room, remembering Mom was there.
***
Chapter 4
Mom left the day after for some reason I do not know of. When I asked Drew, he had the same
answer just like before: security.
The days went by in a blur. I didn't exactly notice each single day because I was bothered by
the situation in the family. Mom has always been... on the run.
I closed the door of my locker, and almost jumped when I realized there was someone beside
me.
"You almost gave me an attack," I told Kristine, who was smiling broadly.
She pretended to frown, but her eyes were still smiling.
"Don't you realize it's Friday already?" she beamed once more.
My mind was blank.
