You wake up alone and not in the hospital anymore which is surprising and yet weird. You realise you’re at home, the home you rented with your sister. You sigh; you wish it was somewhere relaxing. Home, the rented house seemed not like the home you wanted to go back too. It must be because you wish so badly to see them, say mum and dad and not have to be so alone but then again where was home? If home was with them how come they aren’t looking for you?

You’re old enough to work and live by yourself but it feels like a dream. Getting injuries that one day was not there but the second is. That car coming when you’re so sure was not in your way. Was it an accident?

You stop thinking; it’s all behind you. Everything you’ve experienced in the pass. It means not so much now. Realising this you get out of the room and into the kitchen. Hobbling on one leg and trying not to realise the pain you carelessly walk in with a smile. Plaster... not so great when you have work and not as great when you’re busy. How are you going to pay the bills?

Yumi and the lady (that lent you the bike which is now wrecked) are busy doing something behind the kitchen top.                                                                   

“Hello” you say softly.                                                                                                                                   

They look up happily and you smell pasta. Lovely homemade pasta, the smell is so nice. You smile happily back at them but inside you seem sad. Yumi seemed happy.                                                             

“Hey sis, Ms Woo wanted to cook pasta so I told her she could” Yumi spook so excitedly.

 Making pasta seemed so fun; unfortunately you have a hurt right arm and an injured left leg. This reminds you of the shooting. What happened when you blanked out?  Shocked you ask:                                                                     

“What happened at the hospital?”  Their faces turn sour and they blink at you but turn back to cooking  

“You fainted and we bought you here, Yumi is still sick if you don’t know. It’s been four days” Ms Woo seems to say between cutting up vegetables and looking at Yumi. Not looking up at you in any of the words she said. Four days? Four days she’s sick? Or four days since you were lying in bed? Maybe not asking was a good thing, the tension was getting heavy.

“OKAYS. Can I help?”  You say hopefully trying to be hopeful and changing the subject which seemed to matter to more than one person. They look at you again and looked at each other, they were agreeing. 

It seemed so different today. Did they know about the shooting accident? Were they letting you go easy because you were injured? It seems fair if you had one hand and one leg not injured but then again shouldn’t you be at the hospital in room 402?

“You were at the hospital but I took you here because of the problems they seemed to have and Yumi wanted to visit you but we couldn’t find you so we signed you out which took a lot of effort but I know I seem to be blabbering on and on about this. I know I talk so much but I know why you’re here. Your orphans who ran away right? I had to know and I’m going to say that I’ll look after you until you’re old enough or when your parents come or somebody. It’s just I feel that you need rest and I hope your ok with that and I know it seems quick but can i?”

You look at her amazed; she was speaking under one breath. It shows she wanted to tell you earlier for the whole time it seemed so fast to process. Did she want to look after you and Yumi? It seemed amazing and so... great that someone would help you out but it wasn’t that she wasn’t a good person but after the accidents and the wrecked bike plus work and to pay back the bike it seemed like a burden to have to keep her looking after you and Yumi when you owed her so much.

“Umm why?” was the only thing that could come out. Yumi looked at you with this look that is so hard to explain. Was she cross? Or saying you should accept? Did she grow a little older today? What was with today?

“I know you’re not ready for all the things in life, you spend time trying to be an adult and lying so you could be away from whatever it is and to protect Yumi. I feel I should at least be a guardian for you and Yumi until you both can work and do things freely”

Why did it sound so good? But why? Why now? Why of all things? Ms Woo isn’t so nice after all. She has a hidden agenda, she’s hiding something.

“Okay but don’t think you should babysit us. I’ll see. I can’t work anyways so... I’ll need all the help there is and thanks Ms woo but what about the land lady? “

Ms Woo walks up to you, slowly. “She’ll know, Mrs Wang said she’ll let you off until you get better but you still need to pay”

Not that words are better than actions but how could she know and tell? Trust seemed so far and words seemed so fake and useless. Accept... was acceptance all you wanted?

Taken back by everything you hopelessly say “okay” but didn’t know what for. Wasn’t it easier to not do anything so rushed and sudden. It’s not so long that you ran away and hid in a rented house but to have a guardian to look after you, to say they want too was more than a dream. You still feel sad. You feel hopeless and alone. No friends and nobody to trust, to talk too but Ms Woo wanted to know and help out. Was she different then all the people you’ve met?

So many questions that needed answers, you’re hoping they get answered along the way.
A new beginning seemed more than a lot you... doesn’t it?

Its dinner or at least what you think it was. It’s 6:02pm and it’s not so dark out. The table is set and dinner is served but you had a feeling you were missing something.

“Here my best served pasta with meatballs and my favourite topping: celery. If that’s ok but it’s Italian so I’m not sure you like Italian or tried it but eat up ok” Ms woo talked so fast still. She wasn’t like this all the time. Why was she talking so weird today? Talking fast, breathing slowly and smiling a lot. What was so... like why talk and be like that now? Is it because of nerves?

Dinner with Yumi and Ms Woo. It seems better then a dream.

Pasta was delicious, second serves all around and happy laughs filled the heavy tensions. It must be nice like this every day.  Celery had a weird taste to it but meatballs were nice. Ms Woo’s a good cook but can you cook sometime soon? Not anytime soon, it must be boring.

Night time came at 12 which would be the longest you’ve had and you like the company.

Cheers to new beginnings. It’s new and warming.