10 Days to Forever

Part 14

Day 9 (Monday)

Chimon slowly walked out of their house that morning and carefully took a peek through their gate to check if Pluem would be there waiting for him. Just as he had expected, Pluem was indeed there. But this time, he was unusually quiet..

Chimon quietly got inside Pluem's car without looking at him.

After they both had their seatbelts on, Chimon decided to speak.

"Pluem, I think this should be the last time that I'll ride with you to school. I don't want to cause any more problems with you and your mother."

"What? No!" Pluem objected.

"We're still young Pluem. Whatever feelings you think you have for me right now, it might still change. But she's your mother. She'll be your mother forever."

"Know what? Yesterday, I wanted to say I'm sorry for telling her you were my boyfriend. But now, I don't feel sorry at all. Forget about her, Chi. She had never cared about me for my entire life and now she suddenly wants to control everything I do? No. And I know you're not my boyfriend yet. But I'll do everything I can to make that come true.

"There's no way I'm giving up on you, Chi. You're the only one I have left.

"I called Uncle Lee last night. I told him what happened. He was reluctant to give any advice against my mother but he said I am legally an adult now and I can pretty much do whatever I want. She can no longer dictate what I should and shouldn't do," Pluem said.

"But Pluem, don't you think that's too drastic? You've only known me for a few weeks. Ms. Alonzo is your mother."

"Believe me, Chi. She might be my biological mother but she has never been a mother to me. Sure, you have only known me for a couple of weeks but you have shown me more love than she had ever given me in my entire life. Heck, even Drake, whom I just spent a few hours with, knows me better than her.

"Those words she said yesterday mean nothing to me. And they should mean nothing to you too. You know you're not what she thinks you are, Chi."

"I know that. And I also know I have nothing to prove to her."

"Good."

"But there's also truth to some of the things she said. I agree with her when she said you should find a partner who will be able to help you with your father's estate. That's not me, Pluem. I'm a mass communications student. I'm planning to live a simple life, maybe I'll eventually pursue a career in photojournalism or writing of some sort. But that's it. That's how far as I'll go in life. The money your father left me does not change the fact that I'm still an ordinary person with an ordinary life.

"So she's right. You should find someone of the same background and the same career direction."

"Mackenzie Bezos," Pluem replied.

"What about her?" Chimon asked.

"She's Jeff Bezos' wife."

"I know. But why are we talking about her?"

"Do you know what she does for a living?"

"No. I have no interest in rich people," Chimon answered.

"She's a novelist. An activist. Well she became a philanthropist later on but still."

"So?"

"So you can be my Mackenzie Bezos."

"Are you kidding me? I won't be your wife!"

Pluem smiled. "Of course you won't be my wife. We will be husbands. My point is, she was married to the richest man on earth and yet she was able to pursue her own career and make a name for herself."