Stay (Topp Dogg) {Published on Amazon}

Part 3

Tuesday

I was on my way out the door when someone grabbed my arm and stopped me. My whole body shook from the shock of being touched by a cold hand. I turned around with wide eyes to see Xero standing there.

"Do you need a ride?" He asked me. My eyes fell to the ground. I thought about it for a few moments, then nodded my head, yes. "Would you mind giving me a ride home, Xero?" My eye started to twitch again, at the time, I didn't understand why. "Of course." He let go of my arm and held the door open for me.

When we were settled in the car, I hesitated to speak. "D-do you remember where I live?" Xero quietly nodded his head and started the car. He turned on the heat, due to it being fall and the cold weather outside.

It didn't take too long to reach my house. As I got out of the car, Xero did too. He walked behind me as I made my way to the front door.

Before I opened the door, I turned around and looked at him. I narrowed my eyes. "Why are you following me?" I asked him. He lowered his eyes to meet mine. "I wanted to make sure you made it inside." His words seemed awkward, as if he never dropped a girl off before, even though he did yesterday.

The door suddenly opened behind me, sending a jolt up my body. "Hyein, you're home!" I turned around quickly to see my crying mother. "I shouldn't have let you leave the house. I was so worried." She wrapped her arms around me and held me close to her.

She slowly let go of me when she realized the presence of Xero. "Hyein, who's this?" Xero smiled and bowed slightly. "I'm Xero. I have dance class with Hyein." My mother nodded her head slowly, then wiped her tears. "Come in and have some breakfast." I was a bit alarmed by my mothers sudden request. I turned and looked at Xero. He shrugged his shoulders and followed my mother and I into the house.

My mother closed the door and the three of us awkwardly stood in the front room. I looked at my mother and smiled. "What's for breakfast, Mom?" She smiled widely at me. "Pancakes!" My mom really likes pancakes. When we have the money to buy the ingredients, she becomes really happy.

This week wasn't a good week though. I know we don't have enough money to waste on pancakes. There are other things to buy and pay for this week, like my new set of medication. I probably won't be getting that this week.

I walked into the dining/kitchen area, hoping she didn't go overboard. Once my eyes saw the table and kitchen counters full of pancakes and syrup, I knew she was in one of those moods.

Xero followed me into the room. "Woah, that's a lot of pancakes," he whispered. I nodded my head.

"This is what happened when my mother is upset, or stressed, she makes pancakes," I explained.

Xero raised a brow at me. "Why?"

"Because they're my favorite food," my mother said from behind us.

I turned around to see my mother with sad eyes. The tears were threatening to run down her face. "What happened?" I asked her. Then a tear escaped and slipped down her round face slowly.

"Hyejin and Yano are in the hospital. Yano is fine, but Hyejin, she's not good." I felt like crying. I also felt bad because I let Xero walk into my house when I knew it would be saddening. That didn't stop me from falling down and crying.

"Your father went to visit her and I told him I would wait here for you to come home." I wanted to yell at my mother for saying that, but I couldn't at the same time. It was a contradiction that I didn't care to see an end to.

"Maybe I should leave," said Xero suddenly. I didn't want him to leave though. I wanted him to stay and ask me what was wrong. I wanted a friend. That's when I realized that I didn't have one. The only friend I did have died last night. So I let Xero go.

My mother lead him out of the house.

I didn't stop them.

My older sister, Hyejin, was dying and my nephew, Yano, was going to be an orphan. Hyejin's husband died last night. So didn't my only friend who never questioned my Tourettes.

That's when the uncontrollable episode started. It didn't end until I passed out in a hospital bed by force.

*****

A.N

So what do you guys think will happen to Hyein? Do you think Kidoh or Xero will come and see her?

Please comment and vote!