Chapter 18

   Cold wind, blew across my face, waking me up, saving me from a bad dream that had me holding on to my covers so tight almost made Chloe freeze into an ice figure. But she never did moved an inch from me. Still lying there next to me, breathing normally. Everything that I'd hope, would stay just fine. I got up, and headed downstairs, tip toeing. The morning was bright enough, didn't even know what was the reason to even have silence footsteps stepping down the carpet. I wanted to head to the door, when a voice stopped me.


"Lea" full stop. I returned and turned my head to catch mum pouring Jeff a glass of warm milk. And three bowls of cereals were already laid out, apart from one being Jeff's. As his was the only bowl that had paw prints of colorful puppy dogs pictures on them. While two yellow porcelain bowls filled with cereal, waiting to be drown in milk, calling out for me. "Yes mother" weird how I suddenly called her "mother" for instance. "I mean, mum."


"Morning" I sat my ass down, sitting further away from Jeff and my mum from across the table. Taking my bowl of cereal and putting it right in front of me, while I scooch over to the edge of the chair, feeling my ass a little bigger now. Wondering what dinner I had last night to make me feel a little over weight the next day.


"Isn't Chloe coming down for breakfast?" she pointed to the other bowl of cereals, waiting to be eaten. She sat down, and took her reading glasses while she started reading the news on the morning paper. Which was frightening to even observe her that way. When those reading papers type of scene was supposed to be Dad's queue. I sat there, waiting for the milk to be passed down to me. If only Jeff was a little much older, I wouldn't have to stand up and get over to the other side of the table to reach for it. She noticed me, not middling with my food, or touching it. Just smelling the dry cornflakes. "Milk?"


"Yes, please" I held out my bowl of cereal, waiting for the warm milk.
"Your Dad told me what happen last night." I quickly swap back the bowl, making some of the milk spilled on the dinning table, dripping slowly down the carpet. "Lea!" she shouted as she scram to get a towel and wipe if all off. "I'm sorry Mum!" apologized, wasn't my intention. But it was hard enough not to show some fuss about Chloe. "What did Daddy said?" curious.


"He just told me that you had someone over. I thought you made mends with May as well, but I guess it was only Chloe" she sounded disappointed, enough to make me ask her what's her urge towards Chloe. Ever since I was friends with May and Chloe. She liked May better. If only she knew, who was the true friend behind those fake poker faces. "You dislike the fact about Chloe being here. Aren't you?" I asked, grabbing a bite of the cereal. "I could never dislike something that has already been done without my permission" she said, flawlessly. No tone. No emotions. Just words out from her mouth like a script written way to have a friction on some cold enemy. "She needed someone, I had to look after her. This isn't the first time I brought someone over mum. You know that" reminding her the times she used to make cookies and lemonades for us three whenever we got home panting and sweating from the fun we had making dogs chase us around the park.


" I know. I never said I didn't like Chloe. But she is just not that good of a friend for you Lea." A comment that made me struck so hard like a lightning rod. "What exactly are you trying to say mum?"
Jeff's spoon fell on the ground, interrupting our conversation. I'm glad it happened, before I even think twice of having an argument in the early morning. She took up the spoon, Jeff started eating the cereals with his small little hands, even his baby bit wasn't helping to cover up the stains on his new alfit I never seen before.
"Chloe's mum called earlier" I stopped, to hear the rest of it. Thinking her mum is furious about leaving her house empty handed, with no news from her daughter. And it has only been a day. "From Europe?" I said.
"Yes, she wants Chloe to give her a ring back. Urgent I suppose." she said, wiping of Jeff's drool.
"Her parents are getting a divorce" I said bluntly, not wanting to keep it inside anymore, she has to know why Chloe was over at my place in the first place. "I know, Mrs Tale told me so"


"Here, take this upstairs to her." she handed a tray with a bottle of warm milk and the bowl of cereals already drown in milk as well. "Thanks Mum"


        


        I pushed the door open with my foot, Chloe standing there puffing a cigarette. "Morning" she said, taking the tray from my bare hands. " My mum made breakfast"


"Ah..the smell. Lovely people" she smiled


The bed was neatly made, and everything was still in place. "I took a quick shower, and borrowed some of your clothes. If you don't mind" she started twirling in my big yellow shirt that my Dad accidentally bought when he taught it was a womans wear. Kinda more to a boyish style. 


"Please, take what you need" finding the right time to tell her that her mum left her a message asking her to call her back a.s.a.p. Words, didn't budge. "So Chloe, what do you wanna do today?" I asked, looking at her puff her cigarette with a last puff, and threw it out the window. "What do you wanna do?" she sat next to me on the bed. "I don't really have a clue, yet"


"Maybe we should go on a double date?" I said excitedly, thinking it would actually be a good thing for her to ease the pain. "Double date? You mean, me and Ty, and you and Jeremy?" she looked away, wasn't interested. "Yeah, it would be fun!" I stretched out my hands up facing the ceiling. "For you it is"


"Oh come on Chloe, It'll be fun. I promise. Besides, Tyler really misses you."


" I don't feel like it" sounded so boring like nothing she does ever felt right anymore. I knew that feeling, I just didn't want it to drag that much of her energy system. "Please?"


A knock on the door. "Lea..."
"Yes Mum?" stood by the door, having my hands to hold on to the door knob. Just pressing my chest towards the wood surface. "Chloe's Mum is on the line. She wants to speak to her, now"


Chloe quickly got up, and headed to the door. Opening to find my mum keeping the phone away from her as it was has an awful stench. Insulted indeed. "Thank you" she took it from her.


       "Yes mom?" she put it against her ear just as she walked away towards the window. Leaving her conversations between she and her mum couldn't be heard at all. Me, standing there with mum staring right at her. "Has anyone been smoking?" she asked as she peek through my room a little more intense now. 


Grabbing my shirt and sniffing it like a lost puppy finding its way back home. "You've been smoking have you?" she asked. I looked over at Chloe, still whispering on the phone with her mum. And look out the window, hoping to find no cigarette's buds on the floor. It was a close call. "No I did not.God mum, you know me better than anyone else right?" I pushed her out of my room. "Let's give Chloe some privacy now shall we?" walked downstairs, keeping everything safe as the secret of me and Chloe smoking as not alarmed by anyone. I accompanied her halfway down the stairs while I got back up giving a reason to grab something from my room.




      " I have to go " she said, putting her things in her bag as if she brought so many clothes to my home in the first place. " Um...what did your mum said?" I sat on the bed, with my legs folded. 


"Nothing much." she answered, and continue packing. Taking out another cigarette before she could even lit it, I snatched it away from her. "Speak,Chloe" I said. She looked me in the eye long enough to make me gave her back the cigarette which I took. But she refuse to take it from my hands and went out the door. Having me chase her right outside of the house. Walking so fast like she was late for something urgent.


"Chloe stop!" panting, sweating.
"Look Lea, just go home okay? Just go home" she pushed me away, repeatedly making me back off from her. I stopped and just let her walk away from me. Not wanting to chase anymore. 
"Thanks for everything" she turned her head back and continued walking. Standing there, wind blowing my hair all over the place. The smell of the atmosphere made me want to take a quick shower. 
    
    I looked down the street, only from the back I could see that Chloe was wiping her tears. As her hands kept on her cheeks as if she was holding back something. I wanted to know the reason she's leaving, I wanted to know the conversation she and her mum had earlier. But I could do anything as I'm the third party of things. 


     "What happened?" mum opened the door for me, as I just went straight upstairs to my room. Already undressing myself to take a cold shower. Wiping all the stains of my body like I was covered in mud before. Scrubbing every edge of my body. If I could I would just sit in my bathroom the whole entire day. Making all my finger tips all wrinkle looking. I thought of calling Jeremy over for company, but just as I held on to a bar of soap. I didn't know what gave me the idea, but I just stood up and took my toothbrush. And crave a heart shape, and wrote "fall for you" flashing back of small clips when Leon was with me, in the car. Our romance that only lasted long enough for me to remember those little details. 


   I wrapped myself in the bathrobe, and just gave a quick dry. Changing into my shorts and singlet before I head downstairs again. 
" Lea..." dad was already home, so early on that afternoon. I just didn't expect him to come home so early. He usually likes spending more time in the office, than with us. Not that I'm complaining, but at least he does something he likes to do for the sake of money. "Dad? You're home?" I sat down on the couch opposite him as he sat on the one an only master chair we called. Mum was sitting next to me, hugging Jeff in her arms. "Yes, there's trouble at work...and" he wanted to say something, but just as his eyes were on my wet hair. He changed the topic. "Where is Chloe?" he asked. 
"She's....with her mum". ( I think ) I said to myself. 
"Oh, Okay.." he said.


"We should just tell her" mum suddenly spoke, but her attention was more on Jeff, holding on to him tighter now, while her other hand was holding on to mine. 


"Tell me..what?" I looked at her, then back to dad's. He leaned forward with both his hands collide, finding a way to actually speak. "Honey..we" he stopped.


It was mum's turn to finish the sentence. "Daddy has been transfered to another place. His job in precise." she explained.
"There's some problems in my company Lea. I didn't have a choice"


 I breathe in heavily, I knew this wasn't the only thing that they had in mind to tell me, I just kept quiet and Jeff keeps smiling at me. If only my little brother understands.


"We're thinking of moving" he said.
"Where?"
"Europe" mum answered.
"When?" 


"Lea, talk to us." dad said. "Enough with the 5 W's" he continued.


"There's nothing to talk about. Everything is just so mess up. And now you're taking away one thing that's ever important to me!" I shouted."I'm not going anywhere. You guys go ahead. Enjoy Europe!" I took my car keys and went straight for a drive. Leaving my home back there, imagining that I won't have a home to get back to. Europe?What do they suppose I'll be doing there? 


I dialed someone's number on my contact list. I didn't even care enough to see who I called. But all I know is someone picked up the phone. And just as I hear his voice. I stopped my car immediately. 


"Lea?" ( Leon )


I gasp for air to breathe. My hands were shivering on the steering wheel. And some drip drops of tears was already falling down my cheeks. I wasn't thinking about anything else. But just listening to his voice on the other line. I felt calm. And I missed him so much I just wish to tell him right then. But I couldn't. I held on to the phone, but putting it down. Listening to him calling my name repeatedly. Thought to himself that we have some connection problem so I couldn't hear him. Somehow, he didn't put the phone down either. And he made a decision, to talk to me....


"Lea...are you okay?Is everything alright?"
"Where are you? Do you want me come over?"
"Lea...have you eaten yet?"


"Lea...you wanna know something?


I put the phone a little closer to my ear now. And finally had the guts to say something.
"Yea?" a small voice from me.
"I missed you" he said.
And I smiled to myself, and tears just fell. But still smiling wide, wishing he was actually in front of me, and I would wanna hug him like how I did before. But I know I couldn't.


"Can I meet you?" 


I looked at the time, as much as I wanted to say yes. I was an unsure answer. I needed someone to be with. But I didn't want to be the one to choose.
" I..." 


(incoming call from Jeremy )