Chapter 13: Chapter 13

I stopped eating as they just stared at me. Do I look like a pig when I eat? Why are they staring at me? “S-Sorry, I haven’t eaten since last night.” I said and bite my lower lips.

“It’s okay, I’ve seen a lot of starving people like you--- ouch! Nanny Daley, I am just telling the truth!” He seemed annoyed when his nanny Daley, pinched him on the side of his stomach.

“By the way, why didn’t you eat last night?”

I bite my lips. “U-Uhm, I just have no appetite last night.”

I can’t even tell the truth. I just don’t want anyone to know about my situation anymore... I mean, except Xenon. He’s my best friend and we don’t hide secrets from each other.

“Tsk, nice answer Alyana.” He said sarcastically and glared at me. I saw his nanny Daley, slapped Stephen’s arm lightly.

“Eat some more, young lady. Just tell me if you’re still hungry because I’ll cook for you again.” she said kindly while still staring at me eating food.

“Are you planning to eat all that food alone? Hello, I haven’t eaten yet but you’ve already eaten half of it.”

“It’s okay Stephen, I’ll just cook again--”

“I’m already full, t-thank you for the food.” I tried to smile, but I was still starving.

I feel because of the thickness of my face, the taste of their dish, I can only see it on TV.

“Are you sure you’re really full? It’s okay if you eat more. There’s still a lot of food in the refrigerator. Stephen, don’t talk like that to Alyana again! You have a lot of money to buy food, you’re getting greedy again!” She pinches Stephen in the cheek.

“Ouch! Nanny Daley!” I bit my lower lip to keep from smiling.

I want to laugh because he’s so cute; he is acting like a child. They’re really close to each other... I wonder where is Stephen’s mother and father. Does he have any siblings? I bet that if he has a sister, then she would so pretty!

Nanny Daley said that since Stephen was acting childish. She has been taking care of Stephen when he was just a child, so she already knows Stephen very well and they have been together for many years. They already look like mother and son because they kinda look like a little.

After eating, I was here at the swimming pool, staring at it. I would have liked to swim but I’m afraid because their pool might get dirty or whatsoever. Lastly, I don’t even know how to swim either and I think the pool is deep. I don’t want to die from drowning myself there.

“Have you just seen that?” I turned to Stephen, who was behind me.

“I’ve seen like this before, but not that close unlike now.” I said and turned my gaze back to the pool.

“Feel free to swim.” my mouth turn into O with he said that. I can’t just believe that he will let me swim in his pool? Really? He’s kinda nice.

“Uhm, I-I don’t k-know how to swim.” I was surprised when he laughed.

“Pfft... at your age you can’t swim yet?”

“What’s wrong with my age?” Should I be old enough to know how to swim? Is it necessary?

“When I was just in middle school, I already know how to swim.” He brags.

“You’re rich, you have your own swimming pool.”

“Yeah, I know even though maybe you are poor, it’s impossible that you haven’t been to the beach yet?” I bite my nail while thinking of my memories of my family when I was just a kid and we’re at the beach that time because it’s my mother’s birthday.

“We went to the beach when I was just a little, but I just didn’t take a swim. I mean, the water was only up to my knees. I don’t want to go far because I am scared.”

He laughed even more.

I shook my head while staring at him.

Did I say something funny to make him laugh like that? Oh, wow, is that already funny to him?

“I haven’t seen you laugh like that in two years, Stephen.” His face immediately became serious when nanny Daley suddenly came.

Manang Daley hasn’t seen him laugh for two years? Seriously? think of Stephen is he’s kind of rude, cold sometimes, moody etc, but I don’t believe that he doesn’t laugh that much... uhm, maybe nanny Daley is just joking, it’s impossible anyway.

Me, even though I have a lot of problems, I still can’t forget to smile and laugh.

I remember what my mom said to me before that, even though you have a serious problem you should still not forget to smile and laugh because you are not the only one who has a problem here in the entire world, we all have our own problems and we don’t know that the others problem is even worse that ours.

“Nanny Daley, you haven’t cleaned Alyana’s room yet, have you?” I feel like he’s changing the topic.

Hmm, I smell something fishy in here.

“Oh, right! Okay, I’ll leave for now.” Nanny Daley left. I looked at Stephen, who suddenly cleared his throat.

“Do... Do you want me to teach you how to swim?”