831 - I Love You

9. A Family Dinner

Thanks God, like the doctor said the burn on Ghost's back healed in ten days, as much as our relationship. Now, he was more friendly towards me; he even helped me to organise the storage room on the rooftop so that we could continue to study during the lunch break.

Although he was more friendly, we continued not to talk each other in the class, and come to and go from school separately. Also, I still didn't know where he was going after school and on weekends. He was like a two thousand- piece puzzle; impossible to solve in one shot.

When we are already on the topic, I have to mention my step-mom as she shockingly helped me to learn something about Ghost.

Let me start from the beginning so that you can follow.

After my father put me in front of the door, we didn't talk at all. However, my stepmom was calling me each week to ask me to come for dinner, probably because my father was telling her to do so.

It was again the same drama; I was telling her that I wouldn't come while standing on the rooftop area when Ghost appeared behind me. I was sure he didn't want to eavesdrop but he happened to hear.

"I wasn't listening..." he said with a guilty expression.

"I know," I said, "it was my stepmom." I didn't have to tell this to him but I just wanted to share.

He leaned on the rooftop wall like I did, "is she bad?"

I thought for a second before shaking my head in negative, "visibly no, but I am sure she doesn't like me at all."

He arched his eyebrows, "how do you know?"

I shrugged as I didn't have a solid evidence.

"She wouldn't call you if she didn't care about you," he said with a far-off look in his eyes. Was he sad?

"I don't know," I whispered.

He nodded while pursing his mouth, "still, isn't it nice to have a home that you can always return?"

So he was missing his home...

With a sudden urge, I called my stepmom back and said "I will come tonight, but with a friend, is that okay?"

She approved excitedly. Was she that happy that I was coming for a dinner? Hmm...

"Change your clothes, let's leave in fifteen," I said looking at Ghost.

"What?" He frowned. God, he was too slow when it came to the social matters.

"You and I are going to my house for a dinner, so let's first change our uniforms, okay?" I explained it sooooo detailedly.

He looked very panicked, "I... can't..." he stuttered.

I raised my eyebrows challenging him, "and why is that?"

"I... don't know them."

What a good reasoning!

"You will when you meet them," I stared at him, "you are responsible for me saying yes to her, so you have to come with me. Now move!"

He did and as I planned we were ready in fifteen minutes. Still, he kept griping about how inappropriate for him to come, so at the end I had to haul him to my bike.

He silently clenched on my waist for a while but then he patted my back to stop me. I did as he wished. Turning around irritated, I asked the problem.

He pointed the supermarket with his slender fore finger, "I need to buy fruits for your family."

I frowned, "why?"

He rolled his eyes, "because it is rude to show up empty-handed," he said in an educational tone.

"Oh." What else I could say?

He shook his head in a displeased manner before dragging me into the market. Looking around for a short while, he bought some bananas and oranges. I offered to buy but he didn't let me, sometimes he were really stubborn. Then, I placed the bag into my basket and we hit the road again.

When we arrived, Ghost was very nervous but my stepmom opened the door with a huge smile as if we came back after our military service.

"Welcome home dears, come in, come in," she pulled us into the living room where my old guy was sitting with an indifferent expression. I guessed he didn't miss me any.

I introduced Ghost to my parents as normal as it was possible but Ghost gave me a shocked look when I said he was a close friend. He was a very weird species I swear! Luckily, my parents didn't notice it, being too busy with thanking for the fruits.

I dare say the dinner was mostly going okay as the food was very delicious and the conversation was very general. But then my stepmom asked Ghost a question and that pleasant atmosphere got tense in a blink of an eye.

"How is your family by the way?"

The smile on Ghost's face vanished while his hand tightened around the chopsticks. "Mom and dad died four years ago, but my uncle is still around," he said very bitterly making my heart broken into million pieces.

"I understand," my stepmom said apologetically before putting more food to Ghost's plate, "but from now on you can also count us as family, okay?"

Both Ghost and I gaped.

I know I always accused her being fake, but she couldn't fake it that good, right? She looked super sincere which made me extremely happy as I wanted Ghost to have someone he could lean on.

"Thank you," he whispered after the first shock while fighting back his tears.

I nodded towards my stepmom, also saying thank you silently for the first time which made her surprised.

"How is your studies?" my old guy saved the situation as three of us were getting quite emotional in front of chicken meal.

"He is the best in the school," I replied instead of him. I liked that topic, it was non-emotional.

Or I thought that it wasn't.

"You shouldn't hang out with my son then, otherwise your grades will drop," he said while looking straight at me disappointed.

I opened my mouth to argue but Ghost was faster. "I am sorry but I don't agree because actually we are studying together everyday. He even helped me when I missed the class," he stood up for me very firmly.

I gaped again. GHOST WAS DEFENDING ME!

"Really?" old guy asked suspiciously and Ghost nodded. Then suddenly, old guy started to laugh happily, "that's awesome then! Keep hanging out together for a long time!"

Do I need to tell that I gape again? Yes, I also thought so.

The rest of the night passed surprisingly well and around nine, we left with Ghost after promising my stepmom that we would come back again soon.

"You are so lucky to have such a wonderful family," Ghost whispered while I was pedalling.

It was a simple statement but it made me thoughtful about life throughout the way in the cold night.