[BOOK 1] More Than This

-5-

HOMELESS AND THE SLEEP OVER

[Ethan's POV]

I can feel my legs like a jelly now. I'm so damn tired for the whole 4 hours of standing at the registry. I can't surely walk fast now with these legs. This is the very reason why I don't take overtime. Geez!

"You going home?" that's Dylan, smiling at me.

I smile when I saw him already out of his uniform. He is folding his apron at his bag. "Yeah, what about you?"

His face lightens up a bit for that question. He knows that it's rare for me to ask him about his whereabouts. "Yes, wanna go home together?" he jump in front of me happily like a child on his birthday and now ready to open his presents.

His slightly curled hair was bouncing when he jumps. He is cute in his 5'7 height and a slim girl-like-body whom he called sexy and a bubbly personality. He can make the sun rise in the midst of storm.

"Uhm," I scratch my nape, "Dy, I'm sorry. You know what my answer to that is already, aren't you?"

He bites his bottom lip before nodding at me, "I'm just trying my luck." He said while shrugging his shoulder to me.

I let out a silent sigh. Dylan is a great man, it's just, I can't open myself to him. I'm afraid he would judge me and then left me when he knows about my story. I want to just see him from afar and smile every time he smiles at me. I don't want to change that for us.

I smile to him before he disappears in my sight. Yeah, I have to distance myself to him, to them. I don't wanna feel that pain I feel many years ago. Having friends means trouble. I should isolate myself and prohibit talking to them.

I strip myself with the uniform. I need to go and beg for my land lady to give me another chance and promise her that I will pay at the end of this month. If I need to bend my knees and beg whole night I'll do it just to for her to give me another chance.

I put my uniform in my bag after I folded it, lock my locker and sling my bag into my shoulder then go out. I saw my co-workers at the break room chatting while laughing, making plans for the weekend.

"Hey, Ethan, you should come with us this weekend." Maris nudges me when she saw me. She is very cheerful, beautiful and nice. She is 5'5 in height much shorter than Dylan with a wavy long hair that sometimes she buns it in messy way. She is the only one aside from Dylan who talks to me as if we are friends.

"Uhm, I have something to do this weekend. I'm sorry." I decline politely.

"Nah, just let him Maris, you know that he can't be with us. He's weird." Allan pulled Maris from clinging unto my shoulder, "You go ahead Ethan, you don't have to pressure yourself with us coz you are not really invited." He said with a straight face.

His friends reprimanded him but he didn't stop and I just nodded to them, "I'll go ahead then." I tell them then go out of the room.

I can still hear them laughing and I just let out a silent sigh. See? That's what I told you. They didn't like someone weird like me especially when they know my story. I just drag my feet away from the store. I walk at the path I know very well, going to my boardinghouse. Walking distance from the school but not when it's from here but I can walk that distance to save any penny.

I smile when I saw my boardinghouse from the distance. I inhale and exhale twice before I step forward. I already rehearsed the words I need to tell Mrs. Yamin, my land lady so she can give me another chance.

I lift my feet at the stairs in the porch when Mrs. Yamin shouted my name, "Ethan!!!!" I swallow hard and frozen at the first step of the stairs.

"How dare you still show your face here!" he yelled.