I Don't Deserve Love: Alternate Ending

Chapter 9: Bully Me Thrice?

"Auntie, you really need to go to bed! You don't have to call me before I go to school," I said while checking my watch. It was 7:15 am at Sweet Amoris which meant it was 11:15 pm in Japan.

"You worry about me too much, sweetheart. I'll be fine. I was actually calling because, well, something has come up," Auntie's tone sounded apologetic but I could hear a hint of excitement in it as well. I sat down on the kitchen counter, a habit I had gotten from Auntie in the short time she and I lived together before her business trip.

"Okay, what's up, Auntie?" I asked as I ran my fingertips along the countertop.

"You see, I know I promised you three weeks and I'm going to move heaven and earth to make it back by then, I promise, but..."

"Did they ask you to stay longer?" I asked, reaching for my glass of grapefruit juice. Even though Auntie was in another country, there was a large store in Sweet Amoris that allowed you to shop online and would then deliver your groceries to your home; so every week I got a new delivery of delicious food and ingredients, many of which I had never tried before.

"Apparently the owner was a fan of mine in my designer days and he wants me to stay for an extra week after the business trip and look over their designs." I could hear both embarrassment and excitement in Auntie's voice. Ever since I could work a computer by myself I had followed Auntie's work. She had been a wonderful designer, bringing in bits and pieces of the Japanese culture into her clothes and making it modern. When she had been given an office job as a key employee in her fashion department she had been thrilled but sad that she couldn't design anymore. I knew that this was an opportunity she would love to take.

"Do it, Auntie! You always tell me that you miss designing. This will be good for you!"

"Oh, Opal, you're so sweet, but I can't just leave you alone for a month! What a horrible Auntie I am!" she wailed. I couldn't tell if she was being dramatic or if she really felt like that.

"Auntie, you call me every day, sometimes twice a day, you text me throughout the day, and you are forcing me to spend your money. Honestly, I'm not lonely. I mean, don't get me wrong, I can't wait for you to come back, but don't worry about me. I love you and I want you to be happy." Auntie let out a small laugh and I could picture her shaking her head at me.

"That should be MY line, sweetheart. Oh, Opal, we should have done this years ago! You really are the perfect teenager. I wish you were my real daughter." Emotion formed a lump in my throat and I didn't dare speak, knowing the tears would fall and it would worry Auntie. Luckily, Auntie hadn't quite finished. "Well, sweetheart, I hate to admit it, but I have an early meeting tomorrow so I'd better go to sleep. I love you, Opal. Have a good day at school!" I quickly cleared my throat and forced a happy tone.

"Sure thing, Auntie. Good luck with your meeting! I love you, too."

I pressed the end call button and laid my phone on the counter before looking around at the apartment. The place obviously belonged to Auntie Yuki. All the apartment walls were the same calm beige as my room, but Auntie had decorated each room with its own theme. My room was the purple room, the kitchen was an icy blue, the living room was green, the bathroom was pale yellow, and Auntie's room was red. Auntie loved all things colorful and it had been a little intense at first since mother had decorated our home with a monochromatic theme, but I had grown to love it these past weeks.

"What would it have been like, if I had moved in with Auntie years ago?" I asked my phone. It remained silent and I scooped it up to put it in the pocket of my backpack. I finished breakfast quickly, washed my dishes, and then headed out before securely locking the door.

It was Friday, the last day of my first week at Sweet Amoris High. Iris and I were on our way to becoming good friends, which still seemed foreign to me at times. Kentin joined us for lunch every day and since the cafeteria incident Amber hadn't bothered him or me which made me a little nervous. Gardening club was wonderful, taking care of the plants had become a delight for me, a quiet time to be myself. I had even checked out a couple of books from the library on plant care. Lysander continued to amaze me with his voice. The scenes where he tried to woo Kate in the beginning had actually caused me to blush and it had taken all my concentration to keep in character as a witty and independent Kate without devolving into a stuttering mess. Castiel hardly spoke to me, which wasn't really anything new. It had worried me when he had skipped class once but he came the next day so I didn't ask. And Nathaniel and I had talked occasionally at the end of the day.