We both arrived at my penthouse , the one my mother bought and gave to me. I came here only occasionally, usually when I had a morning class or an early morning exam, as it was close to the university. Aoey put down her big backpack and looked around excitedly.
"What a beautiful room," she said.
"Then you should spend a night here."
Aoey, with her soft eyes, looked at me in surprise.
"What about you, Gen?" she asked.
"I'll go home," I replied.
"No," she shook her head. She really didn't want that, although she didn't know why. I sighed.
"If you don't want to sleep here, where are you going to sleep tonight then? You called me because you needed my help from the beginning, right?"
I said it openly, which made her feel disconcerted. The shame on her face made me feel guilty.
"I didn't seek your help. But you're the only friend I have in Bangkok, so I..."
"That's what friends are for. Don't worry about that."
No... that wasn't me. What I had just said was a quote I often saw on Twitter or Facebook. I had never liked those kinds of cheesy posts, much less used them with this girl, with her beautiful eyes. Why did I do that?
"I couldn't stay here anyway. At least not for free."
"Can we talk about it then?" I asked.
"Yeah?"
I walked over to a small built-in couch near the door and crossed my legs. I looked at her as she stood there, thinking about what to say. I wanted to know more about Aoey's story. Why had she come to Bangkok without a plan?
"Why are you in Bangkok, Aoey?"
"I'm here to study and get a job," she said without making eye contact. It was obvious that this wasn't the only reason. There had to be more.
"What about your parents? Professor Salee... How did they let you come here?"
"I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself," she said defensively, like a child. Teacher Salee had been our elementary school teacher, strict as a ruler. I was the daughter of a great police officer in the area, and yet she had never cared about that. I remembered it well.
"Are you running away from home?" I asked.
"No." The quick response told me all I needed to know. The beautiful girl, with pretty eyes, looked like a woman but answered the question like a child. I could see some resistance in her. I was asking her why she had run away from home.
"Well, you don't have to tell me if you're not ready," I said.
"I didn't seek your help. I got your number from Yes. She told me she met you in Phuket and exchanged numbers with you. I asked for it just in case... I didn't think about it," she explained.
"You don't have to explain," I said, cutting her off.
"I don't want you to misunderstand me."
I liked her honor, too. I smiled a little and pretended that it wasn't a problem. It really wasn't. I just wanted to help her.
"Stay here tonight then. Stay until you know where to go."
"I won't stay," she insisted.
"It's too comfortable. I don't like it."
I frowned. "What do you mean by 'too comfortable'?"
"It's too good. You haven't seen me in ten years, and now you're offering me help. I gave you lice once, remember?"
Why was she so cute? I finally laughed out loud and begged her to stay.
"Please, I beg you. Stay here tonight. If you leave, I don't think I'll be able to sleep."
"Do you really care about me?" she asked.
Her question made me pause. Did I really care about her—a friend I hadn't seen in ten years?
"Umm..." I hesitated.
The soft-eyed girl seemed stunned and looked away.
"Don't be cute," I said, touching her hair gently in admiration. "Spend the night here, then."
She tugged at my shirt gently, and I looked at her, surprised.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Sleep with me tonight, Gen."
"I don't have lice," she
joked, bursting out laughing.
"Are you afraid of ghosts? Is that why you want me to stay?"
"I'm not afraid of ghosts!" she shot back, looking at me with determination. Even through her glasses, her eyes made me shiver.
"Okay, I believe you. I'll sleep with you tonight. But first, I need to call home."
"Okay. Thanks, Gen," she said, smiling broadly. Her smile made me feel a strange kind of guilt. I had never done anything to truly make someone happy before. It was like the feeling you get when you release a bird or catch a fish and then set it free. I smiled back, excused myself, and stepped out to call my mom. I told her I'd be staying at the condo that night.
"Are you really staying at the condo? Or do you plan to spend the night at some guy's house?" my mom teased from the other end of the line. I rolled my eyes, her sarcasm always getting to me.
"Don't bother me like that. Is Dad there? He'll probably send someone to check on me at the condo."
"No, he's not here. I wouldn't be teasing if he were."
"Where is he?"
"He said he had a work meeting."
"Do you believe him? Do you have a secret lover?" I teased back.
"Maybe," my mom said with a playful tone.
We chatted for a bit longer before I hung up. When I turned around, Aoey was standing not far from me.
"Oh! Aoey, I already told my mom I'll be staying here tonight."
"You're really close to your mom. That's nice," she said softly.
"Yes, with my dad too," I added.
"You're lucky."
I noticed a sad look on her face. I thought about Teacher Salee again. She had been strict and distant. Maybe Aoey had family issues. I decided it was time to change the subject—I wasn't good at comforting people.
"Let's take a shower and go to bed," I suggested.
"You sleep so early?"
"No, I usually watch some Korean series before bed. What about you? What do you normally do?"
"I like listening to music, practicing my music, and writing novels."
"You do so many things! Can you play music?"
"Yes, just a little. A friend from school taught me. But I'm not that good."
"And what about the novel? Do you write a lot?"
"Yes, I'm a writer. I have a few followers," she smiled proudly.
Her smile was infectious, and I found myself smiling too.
"I'd love to read some of your work someday."
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