I went with my parents to the dinner party held by Show’s and Alien’s parents. Genie awaited me at the front gate to Alien’s house, were it was going to take place.

Genie and I walked in together, and let my parents park the car before they went in.

“My parents are already here,” Genie said. She pointed at them, and I nodded.

“Miss Wu! Miss Cho! How great to see you here!” A man walked towards us when we stood in the door opening. I recognized him as Alien’s father.

“Good day Mister Huang! It’s a pleasure to be here,” I said, and shook his hands. Genie also did.

“Thank you for inviting us, Mister Huang, it is sure an honour,” she smiled.

After also greeting Mrs. Huang, we went in.

Many tables were placed in a big, abundant room. There could sit from two to six people at each table, and the seats had names on it.

There weren’t many people at my and Genie’s age; actually, we couldn’t spot any when we first stepped in to the Huang family’s dinner room. But I had to compliment them on their furniture – it was very elegant.

Genie and I went around greeting everyone in the room, and getting introduced to those we didn’t know already. Just when Genie started complaining about how boring it was to talk grandly all the time, Alien and Show finally showed up.

Even though many people rushed to say hello to them, I could see Alien looking for us and pointing at us when he finally saw us. Show nodded, and they slowly started walking through the room, which took some time, as everyone wanted to talk to them; they were after all the first-born sons of the two host families.

“Gui Gui! Miss Cho! We were searching for you,” Alien exclaimed when they reached us.

“Please, just call me Genie,” Genie said.

Show also shook our hands with his usual playful smirk on his face. I could feel my jaw muscles go stiff because I had to smile all the time.

“Have you met my parents…?” Alien asked.

“Oh yes, we met them on the way in,” I answered, and then leaned a bit forward to whisper, “but as I see them weekly already, it wasn’t that big of a presentation.”

“I know,” Alien said, “but we must keep the formalities.”

“Have you met my parents yet?” Show asked relaxed. Genie and I shook our heads.

“No, Mr. Lo, we haven’t. Where are they?” I looked around.

“Of course you haven’t. My mother is probably sleeping, and my father is working.”

“What? Working and… sleeping…?”

“They usually come down when we’re in the middle of dinner. It gives that ‘spectacular’ appearance, you know?” Show rolled his eyes. Genie and I giggled.

“Then why aren’t your parents waiting to do a shocking entry?” Genie asked Alien. He shrugged his shoulders.

“If they missed just one minute of their own dinner party, they’d probably commit suicide immediately.”

I looked at Mr. and Mrs. Huang; they were currently the centre of a big, laughing group of people.

“I can see that,” I smiled. Alien smiled back.

“Mr. Lo, do you know where we have to sit?” Genie asked. Show laughed.

“You don’t have to call me ‘Mr. Lo’, just call me Show. And I know, ‘cause we’re sitting at the same table.”

“Shall we show you?” Alien asked, and we followed the two guys to a table next to a window. There were seats enough for six people.

I had to sit closest to the window, next to Alien and opposite Show. Genie was sitting next to Show, but I wondered who the last two seats were meant for. I hadn’t managed to read the place carts before Alien and Show made Genie and I sit down.

When everyone was seated, Alien’s father stood up to talk.

“Hearty welcome, ladies and gentlemen! It is an honour to see you all here in our humble home. For now, I will only say; Bon appetite!”

The applause was succeeded by a bunch of waiters that now entered the room. They started serving the food.

Remembering my mom’s words about how ‘it wasn’t appropriate for a lady to eat that much’, I tried not to eat too much of the delicious food, as I could feel her eyes on me.

I could see that Genie had the same troubles. I was hard enough even without Show and Alien – as the hosts they were – keeping putting more food on our dishes.

“Here, you should try this one too, dear,” Alien said, and put something new on my dish.

“It looks delicious,” I sadly said, and poked to the food with my chopsticks.

I exchanged a regretful glance with Genie, just before Show also put a new piece of meat on my plate.

I tried not to get frustrated, but when I was hungry to the point where I got a headache, I started eating quickly.

Genie followed my example immediately.

Alien didn’t seem to notice our sudden appetite, but Show did, and smirked secretly, nearly as he said ‘well tried’.

Suddenly, it was like a cold blow went through the room. People started whispering. As Show’s parents had already entered earlier, I turned around to see who else was coming to late.

When I saw who it was, I quickly blushed and turned back to my food. What was he doing here?

Aaron Yan walked through the room, followed by a girl. She was beautiful, but cold and condescending. Or seemed to be.

To ease the mood, Alien’s father stood up to greet them.

“Oh, Mr. Yan! Your father couldn’t be here, I see? Who have you brought…?”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Huang,” the girl said with a surprisingly gentle voice.

“May I present you to Rainie Yang, Mr. Huang,” Aaron spoke.

“Oh, hello, Miss Yang. Mr. Yan, I believe your seats are about two or three tables from here. Just look for the place carts of Mr. and Mrs. Yan,” Mr. Huang said.

Aaron bowed lightly and went on through the room with Rainie.

People started talking and chatting normally again. I whispered to Alien:

“Why are they invited?”

“With nearly all the richest families from town, it would’ve been weird not to invite them,” he whispered back. I had suddenly lost all my appetite.

And to my fear, Aaron and the girl called Rainie had to sit at the two empty seats at our table.

Alien and Show smiled at them when they sat down and Genie nodded distantly. I stubbornly kept quiet and looked at my food.

“Good afternoon, Miss Wu,” Aaron suddenly said. I looked up in surprise. It was the first thing he had said since he sat down.

“G-good afternoon,” I stammered.

“May I present you to Rainie Yang,” he pointed at Rainie.

“Hi Miss Yang,” I managed to smile. She distantly smiled back.

She sat next to Alien, who shook her hand after shaking Aaron’s, and Show followed his example.

They started eating. Now that Aaron was here, Alien seemed to want to make an even bigger effort to be a good host, and put tons of food on my plate. But I wasn’t hungry anymore.

***

Note: Alien Huang is also known as Huang Hong Sheng or Xiao Gui :)

I actually didn’t mean to end the chapter here, but I felt like I had to update today, since it’s now officially summer vacation :P

Some people are having a loud party nearby. I want to join them :D but my parents won’t like that idea xD and those partying people all just got their High School Certificate. I won’t be welcome. Lol

Next ‘part’ of this will be uploaded in some days, I think. I use to get more inspiration when vacation starts *no homework*

But what I get the most inspiration from is YOU, my dear readers :D

So please please please leave a comment :3

- Blitz