Dave, known disaster bisexual, is in love with Marie. But Marie is dating Dean, the handsomest guy in town.
After being gifted a magical bracelet, Dave gains the ability to transform into a totally different person...Jade, a beautiful, alluring al...
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I ended up staying on the call for a few more minutes, if only to reassure Mom that I would definitely come home before school started again. She continued to complain and whine loudly, reminding me of her old age, of the existence of Covid, and everything that Asian moms generally find solace in complaining about. I agreed with everything she said, having learned that it was easier to just say yes sometimes.
"And remember to wear warm clothes," she said.
"Why?" I laughed. "It's still summer."
"Not much longer," she replied mysteriously, then hung up. I was now left to interpret the words of wisdom she had left me.
I yawned and stretched on the couch, just about ready to go to bed. As I did, I turned around and found myself face to face with Leo.
"Don't you have to be up at six tomorrow?" he asked.
"Yeah, yeah," I said, moving over and giving him access to the couch. He immediately took the remote and started flipping through television channels. "What's Valentina doing?"
"She went to bed early," he replied.
"Oh. Good for her," I replied, and we sat in silence for a few minutes, quietly listening to the soothing sounds of the History Channel.
After a while, Leo looked over at me again, as if deeply concerned by my state of being. "Your parents called?"
"Yeah," I replied, shrugging.
"You usually seem kind of stressed whenever they do. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied. "Ended up bullying me into agreeing to come home...but, I guess a return visit is due. It's been about a year now."
"I see," Leo replied, and went back to attentively watching the achaeologists explain to us how Atlantis probably rose up out of the sea like a germinating beansprout. "And are you okay with that?"
"I guess so," I shrugged again. "It was going to happen sooner or later." I thought back on the many adventures I'd had using the jade bracelet. If I were to come home, I'd have to put them on pause. Indefinitely.
"So, you are? Going back?"
"Yup," I replied, reaching for one of the pillows and playing with its frayed tassel. "I told her I need to work for another week first and then I'll come. I made sure to make it very last minute so she can't force me to stay any longer without having to skip school."
"I see, that's good," Leo replied carefully.
Just then, my phone buzzed.
MARIE: just heard from ur mom that ur coming back! :) looking 4ward 2 seeing u 3
I stared at it, just quietly allowing my brain to process it. Leo also noticed it and frowned.
"Is that why you called them?" He asked quietly. "Because she asked you to do it? Marie?"
