“Yes, I’m looking for the Chiu residence.” He stated, smiling.

Kim shook her head. “Actually, you got the wrong house; it’s down the road, 2246 Asa Crescent.”

She started to close the door, but he stopped her. “But the address says Mr William and Mrs. Lillian Chiu: 2234 Asa Crescent. Are you sure?”

“I think I know where I live,” she answered bitterly.

“Gerald!” Kim’s eyes went behind him, and saw her mother. She sighed after getting caught in her demise.

“Apparently not,” he muttered to her. “Tita!” He exclaimed happily and hugged her. “Your daughter was just telling me that I got the wrong house.” He smiled towards Kim.

Lilly gave her a sour look and Kim just shrugged her shoulders. “Oh, you meant the Chiu’s,” she said innocently. “I thought you said Achoo. That accent of yours is kind of hard to understand.”

“Kim, tama na.” Her mother warned her. “Gerald, I’m so happy you’re finally here. How was the train ride? Was it long? You must be exhausted. Go inside now, and you can rest while Kim fixes up your room.” Kim laughed in the background.

Gerald chuckled. “It’s okay, tita, I’m fine. I’m just going to carry my things inside, okay?”

Lilly nodded. He carried his bags inside, and Lilly followed him. Kim walked back into the living room and saw Gerald taking a seat on the couch where Kim was just sitting. “Kim, why don’t you go get Gerald something to drink, he must really thirsty.”

Kim gave her mom a look, but obeyed her mother. She returned with a full glass of ice water, but before she could sit down, her mother was full of demands today.

“Anak, why not show Gerald to his room? He must want to get some sleep.” Lilly suggested.

“Ma, we have maids to do that, diba?”

“Tita, it’s okay. I can find my way around.” Gerald stood up and grabbed his bags.

Lilly shook her head. “Don’t be ridiculous, Kim, go now.” Her mother ordered. “Gerald, dinner is usually at 6, okay?”

“Yes, mother.” Kim sighed. She stared at Gerald, and started walking towards the backyard, towards the pool house.

She opened the door, and light was shining through all the glass windows. “Here it is.” She sighed. “Ma is usually really strict about dinner, so don’t be late.” Kim advised, turning around.

“You haven’t changed.” He said, walking passed her.

Kim looked at him and crossed her arms over her chest. “Excuse me?”

“KC, you haven’t changed.” He repeated, calling her the nickname he made up for her when they were kids.

“It’s Kim. My name’s Kim. I think you can remember that, you are older now,” she said.

Gerald set his bags on the bed, and stared at her smiling. “So you do remember me. I thought you were serious when you tried to turn me away. But then your eyes gave you away. You still have those cute chink eyes when you were younger.”

She leaned her back against the door. “Well, eyes don’t grow. Shouldn’t you know that? You are in college now aren’t you?”

He chuckled, “And you’re a senior, right?” Kim nodded. “Better enjoy while it lasts. The real world is nothing like your high school world. You’re on your own next year.” He warned her.

“You sound like my mother.” She whispered. “Look, I’ll just leave you to get settled.” Kim looked at him up and down. “You won’t last a month here, after what I have planned.” She said quietly, walking out.

It was 6:10, and everyone was eating their dinner, including Gerald. “Tita, this is really delicious.”

“Thank you, sweetie.” Lilly said.

“Babe, it’s not nice taking the credit for the things you didn’t do,” Kim’s father, William mentioned, causing everyone to laugh.

Lilly chuckled, “Well, I’m going to take all the compliments I get, since I don’t get them often, especially from my own family.” She retorted.

“For your information Gerald, Nay never cooks, so the food you’ll be constantly eating isn’t from her anyways,” Kim’s sister Twinkle joked.

“Hoy, I cook.” Her mom countered.

“Right, just not for us,” Kim chimed in.

Gerald laughed along with the rest of the family’s bickering. They were such a close knit family, unlike his family who turned him away, not only for university.

“So Gerald, are you excited for school? I spoke with your mom, and she said that you couldn’t wait to leave.”

He nodded. “Sure, I’m excited as the next freshman would be.”

“Well, Kim’s excited for school.” Twinkle interjected.

“Yeah, because I’m not a freshman, I actually have friends in school, I’m not starting out in a new place, not knowing anyone. Isn’t it scary, Gerald? Starting off at a new place, starting off with nothing? Oh wait, isn’t that how you started off in life? With nothing?” Kim reminded him of the hardships he went through as a child.

“Kim!” Her mother warned her.

Gerald stared at her bitterly, “Well not everyone has the opportunity to end up in a wealthy family. But I think growing up with little teaches you virtues, like humility and patience. And that you have to work hard for a future you want, that it doesn’t just come to you. Something you haven’t learned yet,” he came back at her.

There was silence at the table for a moment. “Ma, after dinner Beauty and Christine invited me to go out with them, okay Ma?”

“Kim, I thought maybe we can all stay in. It is Gerald’s first night here.” Kim’s mom said.

“It’s not like you need me here. You have Ate and the boys.” Kim mentioned. “And they say three’s a party.”

Kim’s brother, John Paul laughed. “So we’ll have a bigger party.”

“Tita, it’s okay. I think I’m just going to stay in my room for the night.” Gerald replied.

“See Ma, you don’t need me here. I’m going to get ready,” she got up from the table and walked upstairs.

Kim walked back down the stairs, and everyone was in the living room. “What’s going on here?”

“The party you didn’t want to attend,” her other sister, Lakam answered.

Kim mocked laughter. “Ha, ha, ha.” There was car honking outside, and she smiled. “I’m off. I hope you guys have fun.” She opened the door, and saw Jake waiting outside his car. She ran to him, and hugged him.

Gerald was facing the window and saw what was going on outside. He thought she was going out with her girl friends. He didn’t like the look on the guy’s face.

Kim entered the passenger seat and saw Gerald’s face from inside watching her. She turned her attention in front of her, but for some reason, still felt his gaze on her face.

“Who’s that guy looking at you?” Jake asked.

Kim stared at her boyfriend. “Oh, an old family friend. Why? Are you jealous?” She teased.

Jake didn’t answer her, only started the engine and began driving away.

At the party, the whole new senior class was there. Kim greeted her friends, and everyone greeted her back. Jake had his arm around her, guiding through the party.

They spent a couple of hours there, but like all the parties she went to, Jake didn’t stand by her the whole time. He was mingling with his friends and with other girls, leaving Kim on the sidelines. “I can’t believe you actually let him treat you like that,” Beauty told Kim.

“Especially in front of you. I mean don’t you find it degrading?” Christine added.

“Just one more year.” Kim answered, “And then I’ll be free.” She joked.

“Babe, let’s go.” It was more of a command than that of a question.

Erich grabbed her hand. “Oh, Jake, can’t she stay longer? Does she really need to leave with you? I think you can find your way home.”

“She’s my girl, and when I leave, she leaves.” Jake answered.

“It’s okay, girls. I’m actually kind of tired anyways.” She took her stuff and kissed her friends on the cheek.

“Jake, did you notice Kim’s new outfit? She told us she bought just for you.” Christine mentioned.

He stared at his girlfriend up and down. “Yeah, it’s nice.” He grabbed her arm, “Let’s go.”

He opened the door for her. “Get in.”

“Okay,” she answered, entering the car.

Jake entered the passenger seat. “What’s up with the girls? They such es tonight.”

Kim scoffed, “Well maybe they don’t like how you treat them, or their best friend.” Kim answered him. “I mean, you don’t have to treat me like a possession.”

He laughed at her. “I told that we had to go.”

“Did WE have to? You’re the one who wanted to go. You just didn’t want me to have fun, just like all the parties we go to.” Kim snapped back.

“Look, I’m the one who made you who are, so have some respect.”

“Is that how you really think of me? A piece of creation?” Kim asked, her voice full of hatred. Jake didn’t answer and the rest of the ride home was in silence.

When they arrived back at the house, Kim opened the car door, and slammed it shut as hard as she could. She didn’t even bother to watch him drive away.

She opened the door quietly because she was passed curfew. Kim expected the first floor to be deserted, until she heard the TV in the living room play quietly. “You scared me,” she whispered.

“How was your party?” Gerald asked. He was lying on couch channel surfing.

“Better than yours, I bet,” she put on her ‘I could care less about you’ face.

“I think you’re right. Your family and I played card games, and then we ended it off watching a comedy movie. Come to think of it, I had tons of fun tonight. Possibly more than you.” Gerald answered.

Suddenly a surge of envy flushed across her. The last time she’s done that with her family was a year ago. Since then, it’s all been parties and they weren’t much fun since most of the time she didn’t even want to go. Kim just smiled. “I’m glad at least one of us had fun.”

“So that you’re boyfriend? Is something wrong?” Gerald asked, genuinely curious.

“Why would you say that?” Kim questioned him.

“Because you slamming the door on him didn’t seem like a friendly or loving way to say goodbye,” he answered her.

She raised an eyebrow. “Are you spying on me?”

“That slam could’ve been heard a mile away, and anyone could see the smoke coming out of your ears when you entered.” He paused. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

Kim shook her head and scoffed. “Let’s get one thing straight: we may have been really close when we were younger but we’re not anymore. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you. And apparently you’re not getting the hint that I don’t want you here. So you could set aside your friendly attitude and failed attempts to get on my good side, and do us all a favour and just leave.”

“I’m going to assume that’s a no,” Gerald said, not letting her words affect him, even though they shouldn’t.

Kim laughed, “It’s a hell no.” She turned around and walked up the stairs to her room.

The truth was, she wouldn’t mind having someone to talk to about her problems, and Gerald would’ve been the perfect candidate: he’s unbiased, he’s only here for one year, and he seemed like a guy who wouldn’t judge or spill her secrets. But after all the she’s been through, one more person to trust, was one more person who could just stab her in the back again, and that would be the last thing she needed. So maybe she did act like a , but she wasn’t it doing for her sake, she was doing it for everyone’s.

OKAY, SO I REALIZE I’M MAKING KIM ACT LIKE REALLY BIG , BUT IT’S ONLY FOR CHARACTERIZATION, AND THE SAME GOES FOR JAKE. ALSO, I KNOW THAT ALL TD WATCHERS ARE PROBABLY HATING JAKE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS WHY I’M MAKING HIM SEEM LIKE HUGE HERE; ANOTHER REASON TO HATE HIM. I HOPE EVERYONE’S LIKING IT SO FAR, AND THE FANTASY COMES IN LATER (I HOPE). PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR BOTH THIS STORY AND SO CLOSE TO BE UPDATED. THEY WILL BOTH BE UPDATED SOON, MAYBE ONE OF THEM TOMORROW; BUT BOTH BY THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. PLEASE COMMENT, THEY ARE ALWAYS WELCOME, GOOD AND BAD. THANKS AGAIN, AND STAY TUNED.