Don't fall for me (Ongoing)

Chapter 2

Leeanne's POV

I woke up, the information from last night still feeling surreal. The sun was shining brightly, enough to hurt my eyes. I hated mornings more than anything. I didn't want to get up, but I knew I had to see Mrs. Nakamura today.

Despite my dislike for mornings, I felt excited about completing my senior year with my best friends at the same school. Money had always been tight since my dad died, but Mom always made ends meet. She never failed, and that's how I got to where I am. What surprised me was her agreeing to Mrs. Nakamura's help. Mom had always refused, not wanting to feel like a charity case. They once had a heated conversation about it, and since then, Mrs. Nakamura waited for Mom to ask for help instead of insisting.

I admired their friendship. Despite their disagreements, they always found common ground. But why did Mom reluctantly agree this time? Maybe it was to save up for university. I wondered if the boys were involved. Speaking of which, they hadn't started making noise in the group chat. While it was still quiet, I decided to get up and get ready.

I cleaned my room, took a bath, and headed downstairs. I found a note from Mom: "Sorry honey, I thought I would have time today, but I need to make sure I'm free for next Saturday." We usually spent Sundays together, but her job sometimes called her in unexpectedly. I made cereal and laughed at the stream of videos and pictures the boys had sent last night. They seemed to have had fun, and I wished I could have been part of it. Maybe next year (which is a week away), I could.

After breakfast, I cleaned up the house. It wasn't difficult since it was just me and Mom. I took another shower, called a cab, and gave the driver the address to the Nakamura mansion. It was a 30-minute drive, so I took in my surroundings and organized my thoughts about what to say to Mrs. Nakamura. As we arrived at their gated community, the cab driver was surprised by how posh it looked. Each house screamed "Wealthy." The guards recognized me and let me in without trouble.

I buzzed at the gate and put my face in front of the security camera. The gate opened, and I saw Mrs. Nakamura waving excitedly. She always did that, making visitors feel at ease. She hugged me as soon as I reached the door.

"I'm so glad you're here. I really wanted to talk to you," she said.

"Honestly, so did I," I replied.

"Come on in. The boys are 'cleaning up' from last night's party," she said, using air quotes.

"I wonder why you'd trust them to do anything constructive when they're together," I teased.

She laughed. "If you were there, it would be the same. The helpers have their day off today, so I'm left with those buffoons."

"How's your mom?" she asked as we walked toward the kitchen.

"She's fine, just busy with work as usual," I replied.

We reached the kitchen, and I sat by the island. She got a bucket of ice cream from the fridge, took out two spoons, and joined me. "Let's dig in!" she said, handing me a spoon.

After a spoonful, she started the conversation. "You must be wondering why your mom agreed, am I right?"

"Yes," I admitted. "You've always been like another mother to me, and you've always tried to help. Mom's been very stubborn about accepting help, though. I understood where she was coming from, but after that, you only helped secretly."

We laughed. There were things Mrs. Nakamura had helped Mom with secretly. "But her saying yes really caught me off guard. I was happy, though."

"Your mom agreed because I begged her," Mrs. Nakamura said, patting my back. "I gave her logical reasons, and she couldn't refuse."