INAMORATA: Before Our Heaven Turns To Hell

Chapter Two - Those Seven Words

I stared blankly at the seven words written on the paper I was holding. My world felt like it shifted into a whole new different level.

My head was suddenly filled with questions.

What does he mean?

Why does this feel such a bad idea?

Why am I getting nervous?

I fidgeted with the paper in my hand, flipping it to see the back. Maybe I missed something but it turned out I didn't. The words written on the paper were real.

My heart pounded on the walls of my chest. What am I anticipating?

"Good morning, Rosie." I jumped at the sound of my mom's voice. I turned around while secretly hiding the paper in my pants pocket. She doesn't need to know about this.

"Good morning, mom." I greeted back. She smiled as she proceeded to what she was doing, which was tightening her robe around her waist as she went into the kitchen not even glancing up as she did it. I was thankful for that. At least she wouldn't see the clothes I wore yesterday.

"Rosalie, what did I tell you about sleeping on the couch? And you didn't even change your clothes."

I said it too soon. "Sorry mom. I was doing some kind of report for Mrs. Liu. I didn't think I would fall asleep. I guess I was tired." I lied as I rubbed my neck. Mom didn't need to know about the wounded stranger that was here last night. Besides it's like he was never here in the first place. So what's the use of telling mom about him?

I took a sit on the couch as I tried to forget the ungrateful stranger. Where would he even go in that state?

As if to shut down my thoughts, mom shortly went to my side to rub my shoulders and back. I gratefully sighed. This is what I really need right now.

"Don't overdo yourself honey. You've already done enough for us. Why don't you just take a break sometime? You're nineteen and you need to have a life outside work—outside us." She said worriedly for the thousandth time.

"I don't need a life outside the three of you, mom." I turned around to face her. "Samuel, Sophia, and you are enough." I said as I hugged her tightly.

And it's true. I could never ask for more than what I have now. As long as I have my family, I'm happy and contented.

❧❃❧

I arrived early at work today so I headed straight to the locker room to put my stuff away so I can change into our uniform.

"Good morning, half-breed." Someone said behind my back. I jerked to see that it was only Wei Shen. His dark shoulder length hair in its usual ponytail and his black almond eyes boring into mine.

"Hey good morning," I smiled at him then rolled my eyes. "Bruce Lee."

Wei has been my friend since I've started to work here two years ago. Actually he's one of the few people I know here in Kaohsiung. One of the few people who knew about my family history.

My father was born of Italian and Taiwanese parents but after he became an orphan, an American family adopted him and brought him to the United States. That is where he met my American mother. And soon after they got married, dad decided to return to Taiwan and that's how our life started.

"Bruce Lee again? I'm more good-looking than that guy." He nudged me on the shoulder and winked at me then he started doing crazy kung fu poses while shouting, "hi-yah!" in an embarrassingly fake and loud voice. He was indeed more attractive than Bruce Lee but I would never tell him that.