Chapter VII

Tina’s P.O.V

 

The sound of the glass breaking takes all my attention from helping to trying to look of who that is. Mean is just standing there with her emotionless face. Aom is just as confused as I am and perhaps she’s trying to ask herself just as I am asking myself that “what’s going on with Mean?”. Everybody is all looking at Mean with a curious expression.

With all the staring from everybody, Mean seems to notice then she tries to be back to her normality. She stops starring at Aom and me. Instead, she calls our maids to clean the mess up then she apologizes everyone for shocking them.

“What’s happening, Mean?” My mom is the first one to come up of the things to ask Mean.

She tries to make her face happy and relax then answers.

“It’s nothing, Mom. It was just a slip from my hand. How careless I am.” Then she grins to mom to make her comfortable.

“Be careful next time, honey.” Then she smiles and back to her conversation with all those old people.

After mom turns back to her table, Mean’s face is starting to get unhappy, it’s almost sad or something. But then, she tries to restrain herself back then walks closer to Aom and me.

She greets Aom warmly.

“Hello Aom. It’s nice to see you again here.” She smiles gently.

Aom smiles back to Mean as warm as Mean could do a moment ago then she continues.

“It’s nice of having a small party around. Your parents are very nice, they even invited my family to join.” Then she chuckles.

“Yeah, I think so too.”

They both remain silent for now and that gets me boring of not having anything to do at all that’s why I try to suggest something.

“Umm… Well, are you two hungry? The dinner is ready anyway. Shall we?” I try to sound enthusiastic as much as I can.

“Sure. Let’s go.” Aom smiles.

Mean doesn’t say anything but nodding.

I chuckle a bit then look to the table. Our maids are putting my favorite dish at the table, which is “Roasted Chicken”.

I’m getting too excited to wanting to run to the table. I accidently grab Aom’s hand then run to the table.

“Look! My favorite dish! Let’s go!” I’m so happy to see that because our family doesn’t usually make this dish so often because Mom doesn’t like this while I like this a lot.

Aom is running after me without speaking one word. Maybe she is shock? What for?

As Aom and I arrive at the table, there are 3 seats, which are located next to each other. Aom goes to sit next to Air where is at my right hand side. Just a few seconds later, Mean arrives then she sits at my left hand side. It’s like I’m sitting in between these two beautiful ladies. How lucky I am? Haha… Just as Mean gets to sit near me, I can sense it that Mean remains so silent as if she doesn’t want to talk to anyone and that seems so strange again and of course, awkward. I mean she is usually lively when it’s eating time even if we have guests. I feel so odd and I can’t really stand it at all, honestly. I want to talk to her about this thing so much, but I really can’t. Sometimes I really think she’s something on me, but sometimes I think she’s someone else.

During the meal

“Oh, I almost forgot, we all have this little party for Mean’s arrival, right? Let’s all congratulate her coming back.” My dad begins.

“How can you congratulate someone without a gift?” I continued with giggling and everyone has a soft laugh.

“Why not? I have one!” He laughs while he is finding his gift in his shirt-pocket.

I thought what dad answered me was just a joke, but in fact, it’s real that he has something for Mean.

He takes out a key from his pocket and walks slowly to Mean and I can guarantee it to myself that it’s a “car key”.

“Mean, ever since you came back, you don’t really have a proper transportation. Besides, you have to go to school to, right? This fits you, honey” My dad is trying to be nice to her and he actually loves her like his real daughter.

“Thanks dad. You don’t have to buy this thing for me because I can go to school with Tina.” She smiles as she’s taking her gift from dad.

“You have a different course from Tina and in a different university. It might be difficult for her to drive around the town like that.” Then he walks back to his seat.

“How about anybody else?” My dad speaks out as soon as he got himself sit on the chair.

Everybody just takes out their gifts and hands them to Mean and that gets me shocked. By the word “Everybody”, it totally means that even Aom’s parents also have their small gifts for Mean. I’m so going to be dead because I didn’t know that everyone would give her like that.

“Tina? You don’t have a gift, do you?” My mom clears then asks me that question. Everyone pays attention to me at once.

“I uh…” it is totally awkward!

“Just say it if you don’t have one.” My mom is trying to be playful.

“Who says I don’t?” This is totally bad! Really bad!

1…2…3… Okay, I hope this is going to work.

I really don’t have anything with me at all so I decide to kiss her cheek.

Just as I got my nose and mouth on her cheek, I try to turn back immediately and everyone is in a silent mood like mobile phones.

Mean herself is shocked as well (even myself, I couldn’t believe what I did).

Aom… Aom is just as shocked as everyone (or even more) and I just can’t bring myself to explain her this soon.

“Surprise!” Air tries to make the atmosphere loses its awkwardness.  “Tina, you’re so good at making people get shocked, right?” then she elbows me.

I wake up from this stupid thinking then get into reality.

“haha… what’s wrong with everybody? I was just trying to make everyone goes crazy.” I laugh then everyone seems to buy my fake story and they try to forget this and those elders just change the topic to something else.

Oh my god, I can’t believe what I just did. What was I thinking? I could just say that I could buy the gift later. Even if Mean is my sister, but I shouldn’t do this to her. Kissing her like that? So stupid! I have to apologize later.

I turn to my face to Aom and I can notice that Aom is trying to get away from me as if she can’t believe in this either. I don’t know but I just want to talk to Aom. I just wanna say something, anything but I just can’t make the words come out from my mouth. I feel guilty of doing this, really.

I try to forget about Aom for a while and turn to Mean to see her reaction after this stupid gift, which I just gave to her. I don’t know why but I do notice that Mean is sort of “blushing” and she just remains silent and is looking at her plate. It is really awkward in here. I do want to apologize her for doing such a stupid thing a moment ago but Mean seems to be happy with it.

I can’t stand something like this at all and I just need to escape from this table. I have to come up with an excuse of leaving.

“Umm, I think I’m going to get some desserts. Anyone needs some?”  I ask though everyone replies me as a “no” so I just walk away from the table into the house.

I just walk slowly into the house, enjoying my moment of being alone to all myself. The Stupid action at the moment just flies around my head every single second though I just ignore it. Whether it is good or bad, it has happened anyway, what else can I do?

I get into the kitchen grabbing our Thai dessert on a small plate then I half-sit on the counter of the kitchen. I don’t really want to eat, and as I mentioned, I just want to get away from those people. This is just good- too good- that I can be alone planning what I should act at the next step.

Just as I try to take the first bite of the dessert, a picture of a tall lady is standing by the kitchen door and that she is looking at me willingly, staring at me as if she’s happy to do so.

“Hey, want to have some?” I smile to her as I’m chewing the food.

“Sure” Mean smiles to me while she’s walking to me.

“I’ll go grab some then” and then I just try to stand up but she stops me back.

“No need, I’ll eat with you” and then she takes that leftover which is stuck with my fork and eats.

“Mean, there are others which are available” I’m shocked.

“No, just a bite is enough.” She just tries to stand close to me as if she really wants to do something unexpectedly from my thoughts.

It is really awkward now that you have to defend yourself from your adopted sister. What is she trying to do?  Oh wait, I can ask her myself.

“Mean, what are you trying to do?” I murmur which other people almost can’t hear me.

“I just want to return you something. The gift, which you gave me minutes ago.” She smiles and she is still getting closer to me.

I don’t know what to do besides stabbing her a bit from myself and so that I can have my space to talk.

“Mean, I don’t think it’s a good idea. And I’m not asking for your return as well. What I did was an urgent that I honestly don’t have anything to give you for your homecoming.” I release everything out.

She just smiles and then answers me “But this is the perfect gift which you have ever given to me. Those luxurious cars can’t even compare to this.”

I sigh a bit then continue “thank you for valuing this gift of mine to you and I really am happy that you’re happy. But listen Mean, I just want to apologize you about this that what I did was stupid enough that I kissed my own sister. I should have offered you something else later.”

“A sister, you said?” Mean’s face turns down a bit.

“You’ve always been a sister to me and I’m grateful that you’re one of us as well, Mean. Well, isn’t it?” I’m trying my best to explain her.

I think she’s trying to cheer herself up and then smiles again, a crook smile, actually.

“So, I’m a sister of yours, can I at least kiss my sister?” she grins.

Gosh! I give up!

I say nothing but remain silent and I believe she takes that as a yes and that she comes closer and closer to me until I can feel her breath touches my face. She takes a light kiss on my right cheek then she gets away quickly as if she’s shy or something.

Just as Mean gets away from my face, I can finally see what’s around me again. And that I notice someone is at the door again! Who is that again seeing this awkward moment?

Wait a minute! It’s Aom. She’s standing at the door, and she’s staring at us.

“Aom, I…” I try to speak something to make it better.

“Excuse me, I’m just coming in here trying to call you two back to the table since it’s almost time for my family and I to go back. I’m sorry for disturbing you.” Aom’s face is still okay, not in pain, so normal. I assume she’s just a bit shocked seeing me in this condition with my adopted sister.

I just want to speak something to her but then Mean cuts me off.

“Sure, we’ll be there in a minute, Aom.” She smiles again.

Aom nods then walks away quickly. Great, now she’s left. I really am wanting to speak something. And what’s wrong with me today? Making mistakes over and over again.

As Aom walks out back to the garden, Mean and I follow her as well and get to the table and to our seats.

It would seem that Aom’s parents want to say their goodbyes already since it’s pretty late at night and that they’ll have their business opened by tomorrow as well and Aom’s dad needs to do something as project for my dad as well. We all show our farewells and that’s when Aom leaves us. I try to insist them for taking them home sadly, they brought their car along. So, basically, Aom left the house without saying goodbye either and that brings me unhappiness of her doing that.