Chapter Six
The next day, I forgot everything that happened. Or at least I tried to. The thing was that as much as I forced myself to forget the interaction between me and Mike, the more it came back to me in full force.
I remembered how Mike saved me from Blake, and our awkward interaction after that and the conversation we had outside. I remembered how he snapped at me but it was a blur among all other things. To me it did not seem like a big thing, however Shirley's warning was still in the back of my mind. Shirley, who always told me to enjoy life and talk to guys, told me that Mike was a warning sign, then it must be worth considering. But then again, it was only one interaction. Maybe she was just overreacting or else she would have told me the reason, about why I should stay away from him.
Not like that we would meet after yesterday anyway.
"Viri, I won't be eating lunch today with you. I'm taking half - day off." Shirley told me when I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom. My hand stopped brushing my teeth and I swirled to face her.
"Wahye?" I asked her, the toothpaste in my mouth enabling me to speak. She leaned on the bathroom door and smiled. "I'm going to meet people in the orphanage." She told me and grinned. The light in her eyes increased.
"Whaw?" I asked her. Shirley and I both rolled our eyes before I spat out the toothpaste from my mouth into the sink. "Sister Nancy, asked permission from the school and it was granted." Shirley told me. "I miss my orphanage Viri. It's been more than two years since I got my scholarship and came here. I don't even return to it even during summer vacation because of my job. But now that I got this opportunity, I wanna go." My heart ached for my friend.
Shirley was born and raised in an orphanage. She studied in a local school until, like me, she gave an exam for a scholarship to study here in this school where all her expenses were covered. Even though by nature, Shirley was a very fun loving person, still she took her responsibilities seriously. Right as she settled down in this school, she picked up a job as a barista in a local coffee shop.
It was her number one priority, to get financially independent. I remember when she told me, "Nobody will take care of me, Viri. So, I need to learn to do it myself. And it starts with this. Here." She told me this on the first day of her work. Her words pained me, but more than that my respect for her grew to another level. Especially because she told me this with a smile on her face. She knew what life she was leading. She was aware of the reality of her situation and yet still she braved through it with a smile on her face. That was admirable. It was something I wanted for myself.
That day I had a realisation. It was the day I was made aware of the fact that it was not just my life that was messed up. It was everybody's life.
Everybody's life was messed up in some ways.
The day she got the job, she asked me to join as a barista with her. Shirley told me that she had asked her boss for another spot for me, and to join with her. We could learn together. I remembered telling her that I would give her an answer after talking to my mom and she had rolled her eyes. When I talked to my mom about taking up a part - time job, she yelled at me. Although, her reaction was valid. My mom told me about the consequences if my father got to know about my job. I would be beaten half to death before they would cancel my studies and bring me back home, to remind me that women don't work outside. A woman's place was inside the house and that's where I should remain.
Working and earning money was a man's job.
"Uh, hello?" I heard Shirley wave her hands in the air, trying to get my attention. Seems like my mind wanders off into the old memories. She shook her head at me like I was a baby.
"Don't go zoning off on me again. I'm only going for half of the day, I'll return later. Tell me that you will take care of yourself." She said, When I did not say anything, she frowned. "Hello, I'm talking to you."
I smiled at her.
"Yeah, I heard you." I replied. Turning off the faucet, I cupped some water in my hand and gargled with it and then spit it out. I did it one more time before I straightened. Grabbing a towel, I dried my hands. "Like you said, it's only half a day. How badly can I mess up." I said and then chuckled at Shirley's expressions. Shirley turned on the faucet, cupped some water and then threw it at me. I ducked but some droplets of water fell on me.
"I'm serious." Shirley said, sounding serious and all. She tends to behave like a big sister to me. "Stop treating me like a kid Shirley. What's there to take care of? And if anything, I should be saying this to you. Because you're the one who is going out for a visit." I told her.
"And not me." I said, pointing both of my hands at me.
She shrugged. "Well, it's not my fault to ask this, is it? After all, it's not me who has to take permission from my mom for everything." This time it was me who threw water on her.
She laughed like a maniac and went back inside the room. Shaking from laughing like a maniac. God, sometimes I do hate her. I made a promise to myself that I won't show her notes for history class.