New Year, New Driver

by -dolce-
Tags   taiwanese  

"Hi." Genie looked up from fixing the cakes in the display rack and saw Danson smiling his 'billboard smile' and she felt her knees turn to jelly. She grabbed the counter for support before she returned the smile.

"Hi yourself." She glanced at her watch and saw that it was too early for his weird lunchtime which was around 2pm. It was just ten in the morning. "You are a little early." She countered and signaled Bianca to replace her at the cashier and joined Danson on one of the tables with clubhouse sandwiches and orange juice in tow.

"Is this on the house?" Danson tapped his pocket and smiled sheepishly.

"Stingy!" Genie laughed. "That's alright. You still have funds for not getting the change all the time." She said while munching on her sandwich. "So, what's up?"

He placed a small box wrapped in red paper and silver ribbon on the table and pushed it in front of her. "Xin nian kuai le." Genie's eyes were wide.

"What's this?" She picked the box and placed it down again. Was he really giving her a gift?!

"New year's gift." He rolled his eyes. "Open it." He ordered.

"Oh. Thanks." Genie unwrapped the package absentmindedly and opened the box. It was a perfume. She brought the bottle out and saw her name engraved on it in beautiful cursive. "Oh my god." She can't believe it.

"I hope you liked it. I just sort of bottled your scent. It was really meant as a peace offering but since I am, in your words, stingy, it's double purpose." He was laughing now looking at her stunned expression.

"Xie xie ni. I love it." Genie gave him an awkward smile before she fished something out of her pocket. "This is not as grand but I made it myself too." She handed him a small dream catcher no larger than his thumb. "Xin nian kuai le."

"It's pretty. I hope it will catch all of my nightmares." He beamed. "Where did you learn to make this?" He asked casually.

"In the orphanage." She replied as casually as possible too.

"GENIE!!!" A thunderous voice called. There were three guys standing near the cafeteria's entrance. One of them slightly ahead than the others, very good looking in a rugged kind of way. His feet were apart more than necessary and his strong arms were crossed in front of his chest. He looked like a gang leader. Or a gang leader wannabe to be exact.

Genie stood up knowing who exactly was calling her even if she was not facing the entrance. She left Danson without a word and walked towards Alan. Danson's eyes were alert even if he can't hear their conversation. It was just brief and Genie was calm and composed and the guy spared him a couple of glances while talking to her irately. The guy then exited the premises but not after giving him a death glare.

"Who the hell was that? Your boyfriend?" Danson asked Genie even before she could return to her seat. He forgot the previous conversation they had. He didn't know exactly why he was not happy about what he saw just now.

"God no!" Genie replied vehemently. She took a sip of her orange juice. "He's Alan Luo. My classmate."

"As in Alan Luo of Luo Canning?" He asked. The annoyance didn't even subside a bit. So he was the problem son of Elison Luo.

"How did you know? Oh well, don't answer that. Yeah, he is." She replied nonchalantly.

"He seem interested." He prompted.

"He's more than interested." She retorted. Her eyes darted to him. He seemed to be in deep thought.

"He looks dangerous. You should stay away from him." His voice indignant.

"Don't worry about him. I can handle him. And besides, he won't hurt me." She said confidently.

"How sure are you?" He asked, obviously not convinced.

"Very sure." She said.

"How can you be so sure?" He won't budge.

"He loves me." She said casually.

"He told you that?!" That Alan Luo sure was something. And she entertains him?!

"Well, not exactly. But in every classroom where all my classes are held, he spray painted 'Genie, you are mine.' on the blackboards that it had to be replaced by the administrators." She said it in a very uncaring manner that Danson almost doubled over.

"How can you not care?! That guy's a lunatic! Don't you see it, Wen Xuan?" Danson can't believe his ears.

"What am I suppose to do? Run and hide? And will you keep your voice down? He's my problem, not yours." She was a little irritated by his overreaction. Genie still can't believe that from being sworn enemies she's now confiding to Danson of all people!

"I am just concerned." He said defensively, voice softer.

"I can take care of myself." No doubt about that, Danson thought.

"He looks mad that you are dining with me." He stated the obvious. "Are you sure there's nothing going on between you two?" He didn't know why on earth he should be sure about that. He didn't know how he should react either if ever Genie would give an answer he didn't like to hear.

"As sure as I am sitting here." She replied sarcastically while eating his sandwich. His sandwich!?

"Hey! That's mine!" He shot back.

"You are busy being angry that's why I ate it." She put down a bite which was all that has been left.

"Hmp." He made a face before his demeanor became rather austere. "Seriously Wen Xuan, you should not be hanging out with that guy." He's really comfortable around Genie eversince they made a truce. He's been frequenting Nancy's more than necessary these past few weeks and Genie's his constant company. "Maybe I should take you to school." Now, did he really offer that? Willingly?

"W-what?" Did she hear that right?

"I'll be your chauffer." So, he really did offer that. "I'll see you at four." He didn't wait for her to react. He went out of the cafe humming a tune. Genie was staring behind him, agape.

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"Ma..." Quan called Phoebe. She was sitting on the swing inside her greenhouse. Her eyes were fixed on the hydrangeas in front of her but he could guess she was not seeing anything. He walked towards her and sat on the empty space beside her. He placed his arms around her and enveloped her in a hug.

"What is happening, Quan? Am I losing track of things? I guess my kids are too old to need me now. They won't even tell me what the problem is." She didn't even realized that tears were flowing soundlessly on her face, lingering on her freckles.

"Mama, you do understand this will happen sooner or later, don't you? Your children are tough people. You brought them up in a way that they are able to face anything that comes their way. Maybe this time silence is appropriate. Maybe it was too painful for them to say it. For now. You know how much they adore you, how much they look up to you. One day they'll tell you, you'll see." He caressed her hair. He could not bear seeing her wife in pain. Her anguish was a torture for him.

"I want to help them but they won't let me!" She cried.

"Let them be for now. Let them be for now." He shushed her sobs while he swung slightly back and forth.

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A/N: Well, this chapter is like half and half. Half happy, half sad. I know the story's becoming a little heavy so I promise the next chapters to be light ones.