19 - Where the F*ck is Everybody?

As I look at the lady in front of me, fumble with her fingers and nervously put up one in front of her, asking for a minute, I conclude that my mom hasn't called yet and hasn't told them about me. She looks surprised .... scared ... shook. 

I notice Zu Ho beside me, already becoming impatient. 

I turn around and walk towards my dad's office, not patient enough, too, to wait for her to call me in. 

"Cristina." The lady shouts, stepping out of her desk to come after me. She grabs my arm and I face her. 

"What?"

"He's .... not there."

"Where is he? Is he in a meeting or something?"

"He's in ..... He .... He's out of the country."

Is that so hard to say? I raise an eyebrow at her. She should've just told me earlier. 

"When is he coming back?" I ask her, sighing. I put a finger up at Zu Ho when he tilts his head to the side, tapping his foot and crossing his arms. 

"I'm not s...su...sure."

"Is Uncle Ed around then?" I ask her, getting more and more desperate as I see the guy becoming more and more restless. 

The girl seems surprised at my question. Her eyes get bigger and I think her face become paler. 

"What?" I crease my brows. "Is he?"

She shakes her head, looking like she doesn't know how to answer. 

Shit. How am I gonna pay this guy then? I turn around and walk towards dad's office again, hoping he's had some cash stashed somewhere. 

"Wh...What are you looking for?" The girl's voice is shaking. 

"Don't worry. I just need to pay that guy over there," I nod my head to Zu Ho standing at the door. I go behind my dad's desk and open drawers, looking for even just a single bill. But, I find nothing except ....

The paper I take out from one of the drawers gets snatched away from my hand. "This is confidential." The lady tells me. 

I cross my arms in front of me. "How long have you been working for my dad?" I ask her. She has the nerve. I'm starting to get really irritated. 

"After Trey left. Just a few months."

Trey worked here? "Where is she?"

I think I see her eyes getting teary. What the fuck is happening here?

She almost runs out of the office when the phone on her desk rings. I slowly follow her out and stand beside Zu Ho, watching her as she answers the phone. She looks up at me. Then, with her shaking voice, tells the person on the other line, "Yes, she's here, ma'am."

Shit. It's my mom.

Without thinking, I pull the guy beside me and run out. Quickening my pace when the lady drops the phone and runs after us. 

"YAH!" The guy is shouting. "Ae-seakki!" 

I turn around and notice he's running backwards since I'm holding onto his backpack again. I want to laugh at how silly he looks but decide not to since the lady is already joined by some others and are already just a few steps away from us. "Run!" I tell him as I let go. 

He follows, pushing me from behind as I'm not fast enough. Fortunately, a taxi stops in front and we quickly get in, panting. I give the driver my grandparent's address as quickly and clearly as I can. 

"What was that about?" Zu Ho asks when we're already away from the building. 

"I'm sorry." I tell him, feeling worse for dragging him into this. I put my hand on my chest as it starts to ache. 

"What's the matter?" He looks worried. 

I shake my head. "Nothing."

"Can you tell me again why we had to run?" He asks, diverting my attention to him. 

"I'm really sorry. It's .... personal." I tell him. 

"Not anymore, when you dragged me into it. Ae-seakki!" 

I think I heard him say that word earlier. "What does that mean? Ae-seakki?"

"Brat." He says in English. 

I frown. But, I admit. I really act like one sometimes. Like now .... Shit. 

"My one and only Cristina. My baby. My rascal. My brat."

Fuck. Where are these thoughts coming from? 

Of course he pays for the fare again. What would I have done without him? I immediately walk to the front door and turn the knob. But, it won't budge. There's always somebody in the house. They really don't lock the front door during the day. I walk around the house and try the back door, shouting "Grams!" That door is locked, too, and I don't get any answer. 

When I go back in front, the boy's arms are crossed in front of him and his eyebrow is raised. "What now?"

"My best friend's house." I tell him, starting to walk. It'd be too much if we ride a taxi again. I already owe him a lot. 

He follows silently behind me. The ten minute walk is silent, giving me time to think of other options in case Lara or Uncle Ed aren't home. I'm thinking of going to our house, too. Somebody should be there. 

"So?" He looks at me, sighing when I hesitate to get in the gate of Lara's house. 

"Wait." I tell him. The color of the gate has changed, and so is the front of the house. I press the doorbell at the front door and an elderly woman opens it. 

"Yes? Can I help you?" She asks. 

"Uhm....Yes. Is Lara in?"

"Lara who?" 

"Uncle Ed's daughter?" I tell her, already feeling a bit nervous. 

"Oh ...." She smiles, and I do, too. "The previous owner of the house?"

"I.... I'm sorry? Pre..vious owner?" I ask her.

"Yes. They sold the house to us just last year."

So, where are they then? Where's Lara? 

"Where are we going now?" The boy asks, following me behind as I walk at the side walk. Our house is just near here anyway. Might as well try that. Even if my dad's out of the country, he must have left some people to watch the house. 

But, the gate is locked and there's no one in sight. 

"You know what? I'm starting to think you're just taking me in circles." Zu Ho is saying as I seat on the pavement in front of our house. My feet are aching and I can see that he's tired, too. 

Where the heck is everybody? 

Trey! 

"One last." I tell him. "I'm really sorry about this."

He rolls his eyes and sighs. "Fine. Just .... last. I need to be somewhere else."

I nod. If Trey isn't there, then I could just talk to her parents. I'm sure they're gonna let me borrow money from them. 

____

"Cris?" Trey's mom is at the porch, watering her famous flowers. She almost drops the watering can as she looks at me, gaping with her eyes real wide. She fixes her glasses and looks closer. "It is you. What are you doing here?" She asks, hesitating to come closer. I notice that her curiosity turns to something else .... anger?

"Hi, Mrs. Smith. Is Trey around?" I wave at her. I know better than to step closer without being invited in. 

This time, she really drops the can she's holding. The water splatters on the wooden planks and on her feet, but she ignores that as she stomps down the stairs and towards me. 

"How dare you come here and ask me that question." Her finger is pointing at me ... at my face and she's trying hard to control the volume of her voice as some of the neighbors are already looking our direction. 

"I'm sorry..?" I say, really confused. The last thing I remember, Trey's parents adore me. What did I do?

"Sorry?" She grits her teeth. "Can your apology bring her back from the grave?"

.............. Grave?

I furrow my brows and my knees buckle under me. I feel hands supporting me, preventing me to hit the ground. I turn around to see Zu Ho looking worried and confused at the same time. 

"Get out of here, Cristina. And don't ever come back. Don't you even show your face to us." She shouts now. She turns around and walks back up to the house and slams the door closed. 

I quickly run after her, knocking on her door. "Please. Mrs. Smith. What happened to Trey?" I ask, insisting on getting some answers. My eyes are already flowing with tears. 

"GO AWAY!" She yells. 

Hopeless, I sob. "I'm sorry!" I say. "I'm sorry for whatever I did." 

What happened to Trey? Why does her mom look like she's blaming me for her death? But .... Shit .... Trey's dead? Why don't I remember important things like these? Why didn't my mom tell me? She knows how close Trey is to me. Why did they keep this from me?

I sit at the sidewalk, crying. The boy silently goes beside me, putting a hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort me any way he can. I lean my head on him, not able to stop my tears. 

Trey. 

Memories of both our good times together and our bad flood my mind. Most of them are good though - all the laughs, the mess we've been in, the thrill, the adventure and the times we get in trouble because of our curiosity. I sob louder. 

Zu Ho pulls me closer to him, patting my back and rubbing it down. 

How could someone so close to me just be gone like that? 

I remember how the girl in my dad's office looked when I asked her where Trey is. She had teary-eyes. She must know what happened to her, right? 

What the heck is going on here? Where is Lara and her dad? Where are my grandparents? Why would dad go to China? He never goes on vacation without mom. 

"Do you have anywhere to go?" They boy's voice is soft. I just shake my head. 

LA, before, was my home. But, now, I'm not sure. Where are my family?

I hear the boy sigh and stand up. "C'mon." He offers his hand. "I'll let you stay at my place until your dad comes back." He bends down and reaches for my hand since I don't move, pulling me to my feet. 

What am I gonna do now?