We had dinner later that night. The whole thing wasn't as noisy as I expected, but still full of voices, not that I hated it, but I couldn't help but feel nervous. As a result I started biting my nails right there in the table; I've been doing this ever since I was very young, and still can't get over that bad habit.
The people at the dinner table were perfect strangers to me, and I started feeling awkward and uncomfortable. I hate it when there isn't a routine to follow, and I still wasn't sure if I'd manage to behave correctly with them.
I've got into many problems in the past for the way I behaved when I was with people around my age. Most of them said I was weird and rude to them, when I obviously wasn't. I try my best not to act like that, but then again, I keep upsetting my dad whenever he receives a report concerning how I was with my classmates that day.
I can't help it, I don't get what is wrong with me.
To be honest, I don't get what is it that people dislike a lot about me; so that day I decided to remain quiet, and didn't talk a lot.

Mi and Geng were eagerly chatting in a quick chinese, perhaps sharing thoughts, or just reporting how their day was. I didn't really know, I just tried to ignore it, and just ate the food that was on my dish.
The dinner of the day consisted in quite western dishes. Pasta and beef, with orange juice...I was expecting something more...akin to the region, so I stared at my plate, wondering how the food there would taste.

Xiaomei might have noticed how uncomfortable I was feeling, so she reprimanded them and spoke in english.
I hadn't noticed it before, her english was so good, i liked it.
Dad had told me she basically spent half of her life there in Canada, so yeah, her english being as hella good made sense.
"Guys, guys. Spaking in a language a person can't understand is from the worst things you could ever do to a guest"
Both of them nodded and apologised:
"Sorry, Xiaomei"
"No, um...I am sorry, Henry...I will try to talk in english more..." Zhou Mi said "Sorry if I made you upset"
"No, you didn't upset me, I just do not talk to people a lot"
"So...what are your likes?" Geng asked
"Eh, I like reading, and some TV shows...also, I like music"
"That's cool...which TV series you watch"
"Um, well, I like these british series called Whitechapel, it's about some policemen that investigate murders that resemble those from the 19th century...I also like Spine Chillers and Being Human and the Body Farm, among others"
"Oh, I think I have watched Whitechapel twice or thrice...the first season, I think"
"Really? I think it's pretty great, though I like the third one better"
"Isn't Whitechapel a music rock band?" Mr. Zhou asked
"No" Xiaomei quikly replied "it's not rock, they are a deathcore band"
"But isn't Henry talking about a TV series?" Geng questioned
"What is deathcore?" Mi asked
"A music genre based off death metal and hardcore punk" Geng asnwered "But we are not talking about that"
"We are talking about the rock bands Henry likes" Mr. Zhou replied
"You are just making things up" Xiaomei said "they were talking about some british TV series"
"Does Henry even likes rock music?" Mi asked again
"I told you it's not rock! It's deathcore!" Geng bawled "and we are not even talking about music!"
"By the way, which music genre you like the most, Henry?" Xiaomei asked me
The whole discussion was becoming more and more messy and noisy as the two boys started arguing louder and louder, and I absolutely had no clue what was going on. I felt dizzy and my head started to hurt.
"Actually, I..."
"I had a colleague whose child liked Whitechapel's music a lot" Mr. Zhou added to the already messed up conversation "He also likes these rock bands that sing in english"
Xiaomei sighed
"but they are not talking about music!"
"They are talking about death punk!" Zhou Mi blurted out
"Again, Henry was just saying he likes some TV series!"

Perhaps a lot of people would find the whole scene amusing, but it cracked up my nerves, it seriously did.
I absolutely hate noisy places.

"Stop it!" I gritted "Please!"
The whole table became silent, everyone was staring at me.
"I-I do not like it when everyone starts yelling and messing around!" I grizzled "Could you please stop? We could hange topics or something"

Han Geng gulped quietly
"Well...do you play any sports, Henry?"
Okay, back to the mainstream questions again.
"Um...actually I don't,  don't like sporting"
"Oh, I see" Geng replied "I really like dancing, though...perhaps I might teach you some moves"
"Thank you but no thanks, I really don't like dancing"
The was a moment of awkward silence
"But I do play instruments!" I blurted
"Really?" Geng asked "That's cool! Which ones do you play?"
"Um...I have been learning violin for one year...and piano for two years already"
No one was commenting anything so I blurted out again:
"But I do not like them that much"
"Why?" Mi asked, startled
"Eh...I just don't know...I don't feel attracted to them"
"You'll sure find out what you really want to do" Xiaomei said, pattingmy shoulder

Well, mother, if you say so...

-

As I said before, the background of Xiaomei's house was pretty big, though I didn't really liked to play or sport anywhere, there was this large fir which was my favourite place to sit down and read a book, or practice some violin, or just take a nap. Everything was silent and peaceful, and I liked it.
Truth be told, it wasn't always silent, Zhou Mi would come out most of the times as well, and, he made noise. He laughed and talked and played, sometimes would mock me around, sometimes he would yell, or invite me to come and play, you know, that kind of things.

I thought it was going to be like that for the rest of the holiday. But then, I remembered there was also a teenager in the house.

A noisy, funny, yet sometimes rebellious one.

Sorry for the lack of update. This time I brought you something more like an useless chapter, but the next one will be more interesting, I promise!