What I Expect

Permanent Tenant

The next morning I wake up to Yugi's grandpa at the door, a tray of tea and mini biscuits in his arms. "Good morning, Marik isn't it?" He asks nicely, setting the tray on the table. In a panic I jump up, rubbing my eyes to rod them of sleep, alarms blaring in my head and making me no longer groggy.

"Ra, what time is it?" I demand in a hurry.

"Eleven thirty. You looked tired so I let you sleep,"

"I have to get to the gym to shower and then find... find..." I gasp, out of breath as my body fights itself to move. Yugi's grandpa rests a warm, calming hand on my shoulder.

"Calm down Marik," he tells me in a soft voice. "Just breathe, breathe for me," I do, inhaling and exhaling to the count of seconds. Eventually I calm down.

"Okay. Listen, we need to talk about money and you staying here,"

"I-I can't-"

He lifts up his hand to quieten me. He smiles knowingly. "Marik, you think I don't know an asylum seeker when I see one?" He shakes his head. "I came here from Japan after the war. It was terrible for Asian immigrants here back then, we were without civil rights. And you - I assume you're from the Middle East somewhere-"

"Egypt." I correct, technically Africa.

"Egypt, sorry. You got it worse - and you still do now. Trust me, I understand. I know you can't work on your VISA and I don't want you out on the streets,"

"Why?" I ask suspiciously, drawing my knees up to slink further against the wall, away from him. I spoke about the kindness of foreigners but there's no way he'd be this compassionate entirely without gain.

"Because," he begins with a sigh. "I know what it's like. I'm not saying I understand you - I don't know you. But I know what it is to be alone and afraid in a place you had to flee to to avoid being alone and afraid in your own home,"

I relax, letting the tension slip from my body. Tears appear in his eyes and I trust him. I shouldn't but I do. "Okay," I nod. He smiles a little.

"Now, I can't let you stay for free. I'll pay for your food, utilities, all of that. But in return, I need you to work in my shop downstairs when your studies permit. A couple of hours every night, alternating shifts with Melvin. Is that okay?"

I've yet to meet Melvin. I don't know anything about working retail. But I need to be independent. This deal is amazing, I never expected to find something like this! And all utilities paid - that means a shower, phone charger. Everything I need! And I could do other things, like sell my jewellery or make an online add for odd jobs. This... this genuinely sounds great. I can make this work. Fuck Rishid and his attitude, fuck father and his comments. I'm not worthless. "I'll do it," I state firmly, with determination in my voice. I will: I'll give Ishizu a reason to be proud of me.

"Great!" Yugi's grandpa, Sugaroku, claps. "Then I'd better show you around. Yūgi have you the basics but there's more if you're staying here. I'll wait outside for you to get ready,"

I eat the buttered toast while I dress. I put on the same clothes as yesterday, folding down the creases. I don't know when I'll get to buy new clothes, I can't borrow Yugi's, but at least now I have a place I can wash these ones. When I come or he hands me keys; front door, game shop door and my room key. Also the key to the storage room at the back of the game store. On the floor below is the bathroom, nice with a stand-in shower. We each have our own colour coded towel: his is dark blue, Yugi's light blue, Melvin dark purple and Akefia red with a white stripe. I ask if I can have lilac, and he says he'll buy one. I like colour codes, this system makes me smile.