Tina’s P.O.V

 

It was really fun to stay at Aom’s place for this morning and noon too. We really had much to tease each other. I also noticed that Aom also liked to tease me too, not just me. At least I can get along with her by this way. Though I also felt bad sometimes when she tried to avoid me because she still didn’t like my looks. I really don’t know how I can explain her that I’m not as harmful as a dinosaur? She thinks of me as a harmful one. But never mind, I don’t consider it much. Dad leaves her to me in my care, I can’t let her all alone in that university. I have to stay close to her. Keep in touch, you can say.

I was very grateful with Aom’s mother’s kindness. I thought that what I was asking from her was just a thing to make Aom got uncomfortable with. Mean and I were about to leave when it was lunchtime unexpectedly Aom’s mother came in and stopped us for lunch her. Really, it was surprising. I excused her that Mean and I had other things to do though she was as stubborn as Aom, never lost. She still insisted on making us stay. Mean and I had no choice but to stay. Honestly speaking, her foods were very good and I was very impressed with that. After lunch, Mean and I insisted on helping Aom and her with dishes but she refused and let us went back to our home and so we left.

In the car

It is very silent in here and it is very unlikely that Mean stays as quiet as now. All she does is starring at the window without looking at me even a bit. I really can’t stand this situation.

“What are you thinking?” because I can’t stand this silent, this is all I can ask for.

“Nothing.” She replies while she’s still looking at the window.

I know her too well that when she says she’s thinking of nothing, there’s really something inside her head in there.

“Come on, don’t hide me. You really have something.”  I try to be playful as I always do to her, my adopted sister.

She finally gets back to stare at me though I try not to look at her much because I’m afraid I might did something wrong to her.

“Can I ask you something?” she rises her tone to get my attention at once.

“Sure, why not?” I smile.

“Aom starts to get along with you. Do you think that you both will become good friends?” she remains motionless.

I laugh while I am starring at the road.

“If I say no?” I only try to .

“Then what do you want her to be with you?” she doesn’t understand my jokes but she actually takes it seriously. So I’ll just take her seriousness to continue with my jokes.

“My girlfriend, maybe?” I smirk to convince that I am more serious indeed I’m not.

She turns away to window again. I try to give myself time to look at her and I can see that she’s not very happy at all.

“Good luck then.” She cheers me unexcitedly and continues. “I also think that Aom likes you as well.”

Eh? What makes her think like that?

“What? Aom? Liking me?” okay, that really freaks me out.

“You’ve never teased a girl in your entire life except mom and P’Air. But forget about them, you never tease even me though you tease Aom. Are you my Tina?” Mean suddenly turns into mad mood.

She really gets me into confusing ideas. To talk to her clearly, I have to stop the car to have a talk now.

“Mean, what are you talking about? Don’t get it confused, it was just a prank and I was just trying to play with you. I only want to get close to Aom by teasing and that’s it because dad really cares of her, do you think that I can get myself out from her? And what are you saying of me being your Tina? By which meaning you want to show me?” I really am serious now.

Mean’s face turns a bit to happy now.

“You mean, you only want to get close to her as your friend?” she grins.

“Of course, yes! And would you mind explaining me that?” I sigh.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Forget it.” Then her face remains as this happy as ever after I explained to her.

I am her Tina? What does she mean? I sure take her all as my sister since our first sight to each other. Maybe she means that I was different when I was young. Memories which remind her of me is pretty little so yeah, maybe she sees me differently because I’ve grown up to be a quite different person. Well, I’m not gonna take it seriously then.

“Hmm… So can we go home peacefully?” I smile.

She grins then answers “No…” then chuckles.

I raise my eyebrows, “huh?”

“Can you take me shopping at Central World Mall for a while?” Oh dear, I’m in trouble now. Obviously, Mean likes shopping a lot. She likes to shop when she’s happy and here she is, trying to spend money again.

“Uh, I uhh…”

“You always find excuses to excuse yourself from shopping ever since you were a child!” she chuckles.

Mean knows me a lot. When we were kids, my mother usually took us out to some small malls and enjoyed her shopping with us carrying her stuffs. I have never liked shopping since then. Though Mean is just like mom even if she’s not my mother’s biological daughter, they have most things in common while my sister and I don’t.

“Fine, but only this once.” Mean claps her hands then I chuckle a bit and drive to the mall.

At the evening

We arrive home at the evening with many stuffs in my car because of Mean was being greedy. She bought almost everything except men’s stuffs. I let our maids deliver all those things into Mean’s room just as soon as we reached home. I was too tired to carry all those things for her once again.

Just as Mean and I can reach the living room, I heard the sound of my mother chatting with someone, perhaps a man. Mean just doesn’t care and walk to her room while I am trying to walk into the living room to see who that is, surprisingly it’s Aom’s father. They both catch my standing at there then they stop their conversation at once and turn their attention to me.

“Tina!” My mom speaks with an exciting voice.

“Hi mom!” I smile.

“Tina, don’t you remember him? Perhaps you know?” My mom tries to test my memory. Ah ha! I don’t usually forget that easy, mom!

“Sure, I remember him. I just met him yesterday. Sawadee Ka, Uncle Jecht!” I smile and “Wai” to him.

“Take it easy, Tina.” He smiles warmly.

“Oh, talking about you, I was just about to call you a moment ago. Your dad wants to make a small party inviting Jecht’s family to come over. Isn’t that wonderful?” she feels really happy for that.

“What for?” I ask her as I’m walking to sit next to her at the sofa.

“Mean is here now, don’t you want to make a small party for her arrival? And we also need to pay off Jecht’s hard work too. He works too much for today even though it’s weekend. It must be complicated for you as it’s for me, Jecht.” Then she turns to Uncle Jecht.

“Never mind, madam. I always do what gives benefits to J group.” J is the shortcut of “Jitaleela”.

My mom smiles while Jecht chuckles at a bit of himself.

“What about Ao – ”

“Aom and her mother will be here at anytime soon, don’t worry Tina.” Jecht cuts me off willingly.

“hmm” that’s all I can say.

I am a bit tired that’s why I tell them my goodbye for a while to go for a sleep. My mom approves it and so I walk to my room.

Just as I drop myself on the bed, I can feel that it’s as if I can never open my eyes again. I heavily fall asleep just as my head is put on my pillow.

3 hours later

ring ring ring…

I open my eyes step by step because of the noise of the alarm clock and I can see that it’s already dark by looking at my window. Wait! I didn’t set an alarm clock before I slept! I wake up and try to analyze the room for a moment then I can spot that my room is so neat (I usually don’t let our maids come into my room and clean everything, instead I just let the room dirty) and I feel that something is in my hand. It’s a small piece of paper, which someone must have left for me and even went into my room without permission.

The letter contains:

I don’t mean to walk into your room without your permission, but your mother asked me to wake you up. Though with all that snoring, I really couldn’t bring myself waking you up at all. I set an alarm clock to wake you up by next 3 hours. I expect to see you at downstairs at 8pm respectively after you have waken up.

Aom

So Aom went into my room and I didn’t know anything at all? Huh? Why did she come in? Didn’t mom have anybody else beside her to come in? We have many maids, and of course, my favorite house manager, uncle John. Of all those people, why did she choose Aom to come in? Strangely that I felt asleep without realizing anyone coming in. Stupid me!

I fold that paper into half then put it in my table’s locker as I get out of my bed. I go to the bathroom to wash my face a bit then get down to the garden outside of the house because my parents usually hold the party there. I walk slowly to the garden because I expect it not to be as fun as a party with friends and stuffs. Just with old people, how can it be so exciting?

As I get out of the house to the garden, I can see that there are BBQs, a table which suits for exactly 8 people, and of course, on the table, it has already been prepared with dishes and glasses. My parents and her parents keep talking a lot. But where is her? Where is Aom? I try to walk closer to the table to see where Aom is, unfortunately, she’s not sitting there. Ahh! There she is! She’s standing nearby the BBQs. I walk closer and closer to her though she doesn’t realize that I am here instead she’s thinking I am her father.

“Dad, just wait for a moment and everything will be ready.” She’s looking at all those meats and seafood without bothering herself to turn to me even a little.

I want to play along with her as well, that’s why I say: “Bring me all delicious food, honey.” I try to speak with a big voice like a man unsuccessfully. She notices that and turns to me.

“Who are you calling me honey?” she looks as if she’s willing to throw everything at me with all she got.

“And who are you calling me dad?” I chuckle.

“And how am I suppose to know?” she stares at me.

“And how am I suppose to react when you’re already calling me that?” I chuckle again.

She turns away to the BBQ again then I suddenly realize about her entering my room without my permission.

“You’ve never visit my house before, how can you know where my room is?” I started my main point of trying to find her.

She pauses and thinks for a moment then answers me.

“Please, I didn’t even want to. It was Auntie Helen who asked me to. Sheesh.” She complains.

“Uh huh, and why did you set the alarm clock? You know, you came in without a permission like that, I can call you a burglar.” Then I chuckle.

“Apparently your mother let me in. Can I not be a burglar?” she laughs at herself and I laugh with her too.

The thoughts of her arranging my room suddenly pops up in my head and I just wanna ask her why?

“And why did you clean my room?”

“Can’t you open your eyes widely when you get into your room? It’s so dirty and unbearable. How come you can live with this condition? Everything was a mess so I decided to clean all over my own.”

I remain quiet for a while then continue.

“You know, you’re the first girl who ever comes into my room. Nobody ever dares to come in even Air, Mean or my parents. And no maids have ever cleaned it because I usually clean on my own.” I smile.

She opens her eyes widely then turns back to me again.

“Huh? Seriously? Why didn’t your mom tell me?” she’s in shock now.

I laugh again “Uh, why did she have to?” I raise my left eyebrow and chuckle a bit.

Then suddenly, the ashes from the fire of BBQ come a long with a sudden blow of the wind, blow them on Aom. Luckily those ashes aren’t hot but they just mess up with Aom’s hair and face.

Aom is trying to get those ashes away from her face temporary.

“Oh let me help you.” I wipe all those ashes from Aom’s face but she’s still having a problem with her eyes. The ash must have been entered into her eyes.

“Stay still.” I command her because I am willing to help her with that.

Then she stays still and let me remove all the dirt. I put my fingers on her left eyelid then open it a little and blow her eyes with my air a few times.

Just as I’m blowing, the drop sound of a glass suddenly takes all of my attention. Mean is just standing a bit far from us with a shock face.