Emily and Samuel ✔️

FOUR

I can show you the world

I reached for the remote control on the coffee table as the credits start rolling on the screen. Spending the day with an adorable six-year old girl watching Disney movies like we're best friends was something I never would have expected, or at least not after the incident.

Shining, shimmering, splendid

"Come on Sandra – "

"But I'm not tired! I promise I'll be good while you're working! Promise!" She bounced over to me on the couch with her cute little puppy face and wrapped her arms around me with strength not meant for a six-year old.

Tell me, princess now when did you last let your heart decide

I took the controller and switched off the television without letting the duo finish their song in case Sandra joins in and make me sit through another movie with her. Before we started the last movie, I received a message from Zack – my mathematic student in Singapore – saying that he needs a little help for his mathematics test next week. So, I made a deal with Sandra that she would take a nap while I help Zack after the movie. Originally, I joined the tuition centre to be a private tutor for the extra cash to help fund my makeup addiction but as I help more students with their studies it became more of a hobby instead of a job.

"Sandra, that's not what we agreed on just now." I said with my best imitation of my mother when she's reprimanding me.

"Please! I promise! I'll get my colouring book and colour beside you! I just want to spend more time with you! Please on top of a really big chocolate chip cookie!" She tightened her arms and looked up at me with her big green eyes and pouty lips.

Must. Not. Give. In. Must. Not. Give –

"Fine!" I caved. Oh man, I'm so whipped. I met her yesterday and she's already got me wrapped around her tiny little finger.

I helped her get her colouring book and colour pencils before heading back to the dining table. Placing everything on the table, I took out my phone and called Zack on skype while Sandra pushed her chair closer to me just like she did yesterday.

"Hey Em," I turned my head towards my phone when I hear Zack's voice. Zack was my junior at school and first asked me for help when he wanted to impress the girl he was wooing, he told me how the girl wouldn't even look at him because he was known in their lecture group for being the joker in class and was always disrupting lectures. So, he decided to change and buck up his results hoping to impress her and maybe even score a date with her. The things people do for a simple infatuation always amazes me.

"Let's get started then, you got that question wrong because you applied the cosine rule when you should've used the sine rule."

📚

"Why can't we have chocolate chip cookies for dinner!" Sandra whined, tugging on my arm with her signature puppy dog face.

"Because, Sandra, cookies are not considered a proper meal. We can get them for desserts if you bring me to the takeout restaurant your mother told me about."

Before Mr and Mrs Smith left in the morning, they mentioned that there's a takeout restaurant – that is supposedly nearby – that sells different kind of cuisines that will fit our cravings for the days. At first, it surprised me when she said 'days' as in a plural form so she must have seen the shock on my face before she explained that the drive down to the university takes about 10 hours so they won't be able to make it back in a day. Internally smacking my head against the wall for forgetting that not every country is as small as Singapore, I assured them that it would be ok and that I would even stay the night to keep Sandra accompany so they don't have to get someone else to come in to look after her.