A sleek shiny, shiny BMW pulled up to the school compound. A moment later, a sweet girl stepped out from the car looked happy herself. Gazing to her surroundings. The school compound was already crowded with the students and also the parents. A few buses lined up along the street, ready to take the students for their trip. Far from the distance, the teachers were trying to gather the teenagers for the roll call. The scene was quite confusing as the students kept talking to each other. Their faces lit up with excitement. The trip was indeed one of the main events they had always been waiting for.

            “Sushar, get you backpack.” Pie reminded her daughter as she stepped out from the car.

            “Papa will get it.” Kim said. She rushed to get the bag from the car trunk.

            “Thank you, Pa.” The teenage girl thanked her Papa with a huge grin.

            “Mummy thinks your teacher is calling out for names. Shouldn’t you go there and check it out?” Pie said, redirecting Sushar’s attention back to her friends. They started to line up themselves in a queue.

            “Hurry up Princess. Papa and Mummy will catch you later.” Kim interrupted.

            “Alright Pa.” The teenage girl nodded and left quickly.

            *************************************************************************************

            “Everything is done?” Kim asked to her daughter as she and Pie headed to the girl direction. Sushar was talking to her friends, discussing about their matter.

            “Pa!” The teenage girl jumped to her so – called father. Clinging her hands to Kim’s neck.

            “Sushar, is that your Papa?” Kim heard her daughter’s friends asked.

            “Yes. This is my awesome Papa.” Sushar said, turning back to her friends. They are five of them. Three were boys and the rest were girls. They have always met Pie but not Kim in personal. Kim rarely showed up at school. Even if she did drive and fetch Sushar from school, she never really came out from the car.

            “Nice to meet you Mr and Mrs.Jittaleela.” The group greeted Kim in  unison. Kim shot Pie a look but Pie just nodded her head to her spouse as to go along with the flow. The teenagers surely didn’t aware of Kim’s gender.

            “Nice to meet you too, children. Are you excited for the trip?” Kim tried to sound friendly to the teenagers.

            “Definitely, Mr.Jittaleela. We are more excited in fact because Sushar can come along. Thank you so much for allowing her to join us this time.” One of the girl spoke up. Kim recognized the girl. She’s Sushar’s best friend. Unfortunately she could not remember the girl’s name.

            “All of you should take a great care of yourself, okay?” Kim reminded the teenagers.

            “And you Princess remember what Papa has told you.” Kim averted her sight to her daughter again. Deep inside, she didn’t want to let the young one to go but for the sake of her happiness, she got no choice to stop her daughter’s will. Pie was right; she should let her daughter to stand on her own feet. The girl was not a little child anymore. She has grown up and soon, she will live on her own.

            “Oh please Papa. You have reminded them to me for countless time.” Sushar groaned softly.

            “Okay kids. Mummy thinks all of you should go now.” Pie cut them, realizing that Sushar’s reaction might hurt Kim’s feeling. “The bus is ready.”

            “Well, see you later Mr and Mrs.Jittaleela.” The boys and the girls said to both Kim and Pie. They excused themselves yet leaving Sushar with her parents.

            “Papa and Mummy. I’ll go now.” Sushar said, picking up her backpack simultaneously.

            “Are you sure you got all your things in there?” Kim’s suspicious arose. She walked to her daughter but then Sushar stepped backward abruptly. Fear started to enveloped the girl.

            “I have them all in here Pa. Mummy helped me to pack the stuffs last night.” The teenage girl assured it to her Papa.

            “Right Mummy?” She hinted to her mother for a help.

            “Yes, Kim. I have checked everything according the list that you made for our Princess.” Pie nodded, saving her daughter from Kim’s inspection.

            “Alright, if Mummy had said so, then it’s fine.” Kim shrugged even though she doubt every single thing of her daughter assurance.

            “Pa, the teacher had call for my name. I got to go now.” Sushar said.

            “Why is it so soon? Papa didn’t hear anything though.” Kim tried to focus on her hearing.

            “Kim.” Pie nudged her spouse. She knew it well. Kim was not ready to let their daughter to go. Sushar who watched the scene burst into a soft chortle.

            “Fine.” Kim pouted long. “At least give a hug to Papa first.” Kim spread her arms to her daughter, welcoming the teenager into her embrace.

            “Papa gonna miss you so bad.”

            “It’s just about the weekend, Pa. It won’t take that long.” Sushar coaxed her Papa. She was still as thoughtful as she had ever been. The only difference now was the cute little Sushar has already grown up to be a beautiful teenager. The teenage girl was no doubt as pretty as her mother Pie. She did inherit Kim’s gene for the height and that added another credit to her beauty. The tall and slender frame of the girl was part of every girl’s dream. One word to sum up the description about Sushar was she’s PERFECT.

            “Promise me that you will take care of yourself?” Kim loosened the hug.

            “Promise Pa.”

            “I’ll keep your words. Now you can go.” Kim said.

            “Mummy, I’ll go first.” The teenage girl came to her mother’s side and gave a long hug to Pie.

            “Take care of yourself and enjoy the trip.” Pie said to her daughter.

            “I will and thank you so much Mummy.” The girl whispered.

            ************************************************************************************

Pie told Kim that they should have left once their daughter safely gets into the bus but Kim insisted to stay until the bus gone from their sight. It seemed like Pie was all prepared with it when she just waited patiently in the car with Kim. She knew that Kim loved their daughter so much. The young one seemed to be the soul of their life. Definitely they could not afford to lose their only child. Sushar was everything to them ; the precious gift to their marriage.

            “Shall we move now?” Pie asked as soon as the buses started to leave the school compound. The one that Sushar boarded in has long ago disappear from their sight.

            “Shall we follow the bus?” Kim seemed didn’t bother to respond to Pie.

            “Kim this is too mu