Show sat in his room on the rug on the floor. He often did that to relax and make yoga exercises, like now, where he sat in full lotus-position with closed eyes. He breathed deeply and felt all the muscles in his body relax. Friday afternoons were the best. Either he walked out with the girls, or just relaxed in peace and quiet while eating cookies and drinking tea. This afternoon was one of the last kinds.
Maybe he should call Selina to ask when they should meet in the weekend so he could teach her to set her hair – or just continue the make-up lessons. Both were needed as soon as possible.
He opened his eyes and stretched his arm to reach his phone, still sitting down. He dialed her number and pushed the green button.
“Hey, it’s Selina Ren. Unfortunately, I can’t get to my phone right now, but you can leave a message or call back later. If you only want to make prank calls, please don’t call back.”
Why didn’t she pick up? Had something happened? He knew how her father could be, or at least had an idea of it. Or maybe she was just busy shopping those food-things or bathing or something. He could just call again later.
He cleared his throat and closed his eyes again. When he had just got into the breathing rhythm again, his phone rang. He quickly picked it up.
“Hey Show, it’s...”
“Selina!”
“...Ella – what?” Ella said.
“Uh, I’m sorry, I thought it was Selina,” Show said, and couldn’t hide the disappointment in his voice.
“I actually just rang to chat. Hebe and Jolin are here too, and the phone is on loud-speaker, so we can talk all together,” she said happily.
“Oh... okay,” he said, set his phone on loud-speaker too and laid it on the floor next to him.
“So... where are you?” he asked the girls.
“At Jolin’s place!” he could hear Hebe say.
“Her place is only five houses away from mine, and you’re still too lazy to walk over if you want to talk to me?” he asked.
“You could also come over here, that would make more sense,” Jolin suggested.
“I’m in the middle of my yoga.”
“Well-well, then it would also be unfortunate for us to disturb you by taking over your house,” Hebe said and laughed.
“So taking over my phone in the middle of my yoga and weekly cookie-eating doesn’t count as disturbing?” he said and smiled.
“Weekly?! You eat cookies like, every day!” Ella exclaimed.
“But Friday is official.”
“Sure. Why were you expecting Selina to call?” she asked.
“I tried to call her to decide on where I should give her more make-up lessons.”
“Wow, I thought we would have to persuade you to do it again!” Hebe said loud.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because you act like you are only hired to do these things – at least until you start on it, because then you get all fanatic,” she answered. Also so straight-forward.
“Really?” He hadn’t bit a mark in that.
“That was only in the start!” Jolin said. “Now he already acts like Selina’s first-in-line protector.”
“What?! I didn’t notice that!” Hebe shouted.
“Now you say it... Are you having a change of uality, Show?” Ella asked teasing.
“You girls are really having fun, huh?” he said ironic. “I see her as a sister, that’s all. Just like I do to you three.”
“Oh, my eyes get teary now, Show – who knew you could say such touching words?” Jolin said with taken-on dramatically voice.
“Yes, and I don’t remember you did anything to protect me from the bad and dangerous Chun,” Ella added.
“That’s because Chun isn’t a bad guy! If it was that Jiro-guy, I would’ve...”
“See! He is jealous!” Hebe cheered.
“It’s not like that!” Now he was getting quite annoyed.
“You know we are just kidding, Show,” Jolin said. He could hear the other two giggle silently in the background.
“Sure.” He was still not totally happy.
“Let’s say we bring a few cakes or ten when we visit you tomorrow, okay?” she asked.
“Consider yourself as forgiven,” he said and smiled.
“Well, we have to go now, see you Saturday afternoon,” Ella said and hung up.
When Show looked at his phone, he could see that there was one missed call – from Selina. How typical.
Maybe he should buy some pizza or some other kind of take-away and walk over to her house. That way, she wouldn’t have to cook dinner tonight.
He decided on it and slowly got on his feet. He felt well and relaxed from the yoga exercises, so he took out some money and walked to the local pizzeria. He told his father that he wouldn’t be back too late.
There were a lot of people at the pizzeria, so it took a long time before he could get a pizza. He didn’t know what she liked, but chose something that the other girls used to choose.
It was about six o’clock when he finally walked down the street where Selina lived. When he walked closer to her house, he suddenly felt that something wasn’t right. He could hear people yell louder the closer he got to the house. He threw his bags at a bench close by and ran towards the front door.
When he was just outside, the door was shut up, and someone was pushed out and ran right into his arms. Selina wasn’t crying, but had tears in her eyes from anger. She turned around towards her father who stood in the door opening.
“You’ve never been a part of the family! You can’t even earn money yourself!” she shouted. Show had never seen her like this before. She seemed in despair, but he could still feel a strong will behind it.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, you crazy lass! This was just why I left your mother back then, you are just as stubborn!” her father shouted back.
“Here! Take your stuff and get out!” He threw two suitcases at her. The first one she caught, the other was caught by Show.
“Is that guy here again?! I thought I told you to tell that punk to stay away!” her father continued shouting.
“Don’t talk about my friends like that!” she shouted back. Show stood confused in the middle of the mess and didn’t know what to do.
“Don’t tell me what to do!” Show wondered if his voice possibly could get any louder.
“Hey, why don’t you try to...” he tried to make some peace, but it seemed hopeless. No one listened to him.
“I don’t want to see you here again before you’ve learned how to behave like a well-mannered girl!” her father shouted.
“And that should come from you, a drunken gambler who only knows how to...” Selina didn’t get to finish before he shut the door.
There was silent for some seconds. When Show just thought that she would start to yell at him, she collapsed and squatted on the ground. It took some time before Show understood that she was crying. He quickly ran to her side and tried to stack her to her feet again.
“My mother told me not to... and I still... and now I don’t have...” she sobbed incoherent.
“Here, let me take your suitcases,” he said carefully. “Sit down here and dry your eyes.”
He led her to the bench where he had thrown the pizza bags, and she sat down.
“Now tell me, how did it end up like this?”

***
I have to go to bed now, but please please PLEASE leave a comment! :D the lasts were SO nice, and made me jump around in happiness :D
Hope you liked the chapter.
- Blitz