He wasn't

Chapter 5

He wasn't: Chapter Five

"I'm just a little curious... If you're living with your aunt, then where are your parents?" I asked.

Nate glanced at me, looking surprised. "Why do you ask that all of a sudden?"

"I just want to know, and I've been curious about it in the past few days,"

He cleared his throat, then scratched his head. He looked unsure if he should tell me or not. I just stared at him, waiting for an answer. Despite that I'm already expecting he won't tell me. Who was I to begin with? I asked a very personal question right away. I felt guilty for asking somthing like that. Maybe he had a horrible past with his parents and I brought it up again. Maybe he doesn't want to remember it. Maybe--

"My mom died, when I was one year old," he said. "And my dad, I don't remember what he looks like. After my mom died, he disappeared. Aunt Nora was kind enough to take me in."

After hearing him, my chest tightened because I knew I could feel hus pain. That must be hard for him. But I said nothing in the end. I could never act normally when I'm with him but I feel comfortable and secure whenever he's around. I want to hug him at that moment but that would be wrong.

"I bet you're going to ask next, do you know where your dad is now?" he added. "If that's what you're going to ask, I don't know, and I don't care. I kept thinking maybe he might be one of the strangers that I pass by everyday. Don't he dare show his face to me. If he does, I'll beat the crap out of him."

He then clenched his fist. But he was right, that's what I'm about to ask next. I liked how he can predict everything that I'm about to do.

"I didn't know," I paused. I feel like I'm about to cry. "I didn't know that you've been through a lot. I've always thought life was easy for you. You always seemed to take things smoothly."

"Don't feel sorry for me. I like how things are right now. I like how I could make Nora happy. She and uncle Edward doesn't have children, so they treat me like I'm theirs. Their happiness is all that matters to me. Like, When I see them happy, I could forget about the past." he finally smiled.

"They're so lucky to have you in their life."

"It's your turn. You know all about me, but I don't know anything about you."

"Fine, ask what you will."

"Tell me about your parents." he said.

"Alright," I said, stretching my legs out. He took a sip out of his soda then paid attention to me again.

"My mom and dad had been married for nineteen years. They were happy as clams, and I could really tell they were truly madly inlove with each other. They met at our church. And mom worked as a teacher for a couple of years while dad was finishing his master's degree in Medicine. They got married at the same church they first met. After their wedding, then came me, a honeymoon baby. After I was born, mom just stayed as a housewife and my dad worked for us for a living. My dad used to work for the government as their private doctor at New York but he quit, he moved back here in Lexington after his divorce with my mom--"

"Why did they got divorced?" Nate raised one hand and cut me off.

"During the time where my dad was sent for a medical training in London for four years, mom was very lonely. By the time dad got back, mom already met Anthony, her new husband. They met at a teachers' conference and Anthony was a special guest. He played in various games. He's pretty good with sports. In the end, dad gave way to mom. He thought, If that would make her happy, then he has to leave. That's why I learned, true love is never selfish, you know? You put yourself aside and think of the ones you love." I said. "You do the things that would make them happy, without regretting. To me, that's true love."