KENDIE DIONE WEST

I was dumbfounded the whole trip because of what I saw and what happened between me and Uncle Knoxx earlier. It keeps messing with my mind because I can’t figure out why I let those happen to us. I don’t know what went through my mind. All I know is I felt something strange in my body so that happened. Am I tempted? No—I’m not sure. I'm so confused right now.

Everything would have been okay if nothing like that had happened to us. I could have told them what really happened, but something almost happened to the two of us. Fortunately, Xenon suddenly called. Because otherwise, it could have been even worse.

It was a big mess when Xenon and Ginger found out what happened to me and their Daddy. Though nothing really happened to us, it was just a kiss—no, he even licked my boobs. For fvck's sake! Damn!

"Hey, Ken! What happened? What are you thinking?"

I immediately turned my gaze at Xenon who was looking at me seriously.

She arched her brows when I didn't speak and just looked at her with my opened mouth.

"A-Ah, sorry, what is it again?" I stuttered.

Her eyes narrowed. "Your mind is floating again, Ses. I'm asking what you're thinking, shunga!" she uttered.

"N-Nah? Nothing. I'm wondering what I'll get home. I have a curfew, remember?" I asked stupendously.

She pouted. "I'm so sorry, Ses. Why is your curfew so early? You know, I'm already shivering with your dragon mother! Why are you still pushing yourself there? She didn't do anything but gamble and drink wine. I'm scared of the environment you have," she calmly said as she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. I hate to say this, but Xenon is right, I'm worried about you," Ginger, on the other hand, said as he looked at the rear view mirror.

He is the one who is driving the car. And as Xenon said, they will take me home, so here we are, way on my home—the hell.

They are like siblings to me already because I am often at their house. Sometimes I spend the night at their house when my mother loses her sanity. He was drunk, and he always laid his hand on me.

I don’t know why she became like that. I understand the pain she feels because of what happened to Dad before. I also lost a loved one, but I never became like that. Yes, it hurts, and to this day I still haven’t completely moved on. It's hard, because I'm not used to not having him. The difficulty of waking up in the morning without hearing his laughter—the laughter of Mom and me in the kitchen as they cooked my favorite foods.

I want everything to go back to normal but it won't happen again. So whatever pain I feel, I always try to hide it and nurture it because I need to be resilient. My mother and I need to have someone to take care of everything. But it's also tiring. I'm tired of understanding him. I'm tired of seeing him get better. Sometimes, I even think that tomatoes are delicious.

"Oh, take this . . ."

Xenon handed me a roll of tissue.

"Wait, Am I crying again?" I mentally asked as I checked my eyes, and forced a smile when I confirmed it.

I wiped my tears using the tissue. "Sorry, I just can't help," I honestly said.

Xenon nodded, "yeah, I understand, Ses." She immediately gave me a tight hug.

"If you want, you can stay in our place again so that you can rest well. For sure your house is locked already. Remember, this is not the last time that happened, where your dragon mother didn't allow or opened you a door. So I’m pretty sure that she will do the same again,” Xenon said.

I took a deep breath. But suddenly, Uncle Knoxx immediately flowed through my mind—on what happened to us earlier. Gosh! No! I will see him there! That would not be.

"Xenon, I'm so sorry, but I need to watch my mother all night. For sure she is drunk again and going crazy. Anyway, it's still my mother. And don't worry about me, okay?" I bit my lower lip. I would love to stay with them, but I'm afraid of what might happen to us and their Daddy. I may not be able to hold back either.

"I'm really sorry to both of you," I mentally said.

"O-Okay, but don't forget to update me, huh? We're here to fetch you just in case something bad happens, just call me or my brother, Ginger," she worriedly said as she held my hands and caressed it.

I nodded, "Thank you."

She smiled. "Of course, you are not new to us already. You are a part of the family."

"Like siblings?" Ginger replied while smiling broadly.

I forced a smile because I can't think of what happened earlier. I suddenly felt guilty.

"Okay, here we are," said Ginger and slowly the car stopped in front of our rusting gate.

Before, we were not that rich nor that poor. We were in the middle class when my father was still here with us. Because he was a good Teacher before. That's also the reason why I decided to take an Education Course to continue what he had started. But when he was gone, that's when everything started to change. Everything changed slowly, until our lives became like this.

"Take care, Ses!" said Xenon as I dropped off their pick up.

"Take care also, Ses," I also said before I closed the door when I finally got out of their car.

"Kendie!" Ginger called so I immediately turned to him.

"Bye!" he said as he blinked his right eye.

I raised my right brow at him. "Bye!"

He burst into laughter. "See you," he said before he started the car again and left. Until they disappeared from my sight.

I immediately gasped before walking closer to the gate to open. But before I could open it, I heard a car stop in front of me.

I looked curiously at who it was and was just surprised to see Ferry getting off his montero sport car.

"Babe, why are you here?" I asked in confusion.

"I actually wanted to take you home, but the Guard said earlier that you went with Ginger and Xenon, so I just went straight here," he uttered as he walked towards me and kissed me on my lips.
"I love you," he whispered.

I chuckled."I love you, Babe," I said before he opened the gate for me.

I started to walk into the house, until I reached the door and stopped in front of it to face Ferry.

"You are not going home yet?" I asked him. He is just a few inches away from me.

"Not yet, why? Why do you seem to be in a hurry to send me home?" he curiously asked.

"N-No, that's not my point, Babe. It's already night, you might get a curfew there," I forced a smile.

He patted my head as he held the door knob and tried to twist it, but he failed.

"It's already locked," he said disappointedly.

I bowed and did not speak.

I heard him sigh before he took me by the hand and pulled me into his car.

"Stay in my condo instead," he worriedly said as he opened a door for me.

"Thank you, Babe," I said sadly before getting into the car, and closing the door.