" I swear to the gods, K, if you say yassss one more time, I'd break your nose. You're abusing your RuPaul privilege right now. Say it one more time, and this will be the last episode you're watching here. Also, don't you have your house, what are you still doing here?" My best friend was beginning to get on my nerves. All I want is some peace, quiet and a rerun of RuPaul's drag race season 3. Apparently, that's too much to ask for.
" First, I'm offended by the fact that you're trying to shut me up and thus shutting down my potential at being a queen. Second, your house is better. No one feeds me at mine and I can smell your mom's amazinggg cooking from up here. Lastly, you don't even believe the gods exist, why are you swearing to them? That's blasphemy" Kel and I have had the gods conversation several times and he knows my stand on the matter already. There's absolutely no way they are real, if they are, there would have been proofs already. I don't believe in things without proofs.
" It's not blasphemy when you don't believe in them. And I'm going to pretend I didn't hear the rest of your words" I clammed my laptop and stood up from my bed, preparing to leave for the kitchen to see if Mom needed help, not that she'd allow me to anyway. Mom hates when anyone messes up her cooking, which I do most often than not.
" Remind me again why you don't believe in them" Kel also stood up.
" We've been through this a billion times, K. They do not exist, so I can't believe in something that doesn't exist! Bring me your proofs and I'll reconsider" Kel is an adamant believer in the gods. Greek gods to be exact. He's always fascinated with them. Takes quizzes to know who is godly parents are, reads up on any available materials relating to them. That kind of fascination. I don't just get it though, the obsession.
" I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, Millie. I'm sure you will be" He said this as he walked out of my bedroom.
I shook my head in amusement. I'm not sure anything can surprise me but never mind. I picked up fluffy, my cat, from the foot of the bed and headed downstairs too.
"Hey, mom. Need any help?" I asked even though I already knew the answer to it
" No, baby. Thanks for offering though. Kel, I didn't know still you were around". Kel and I had arrived before mom came back from work, she knows he always stays after school, but it's wayyy past his time here. We leave school around 3pm, and he's always on his way home by 5pm but it's already almost 6:30pm and he still hasn't made any indication that he would be leaving soon.
" I am, Ms. T. My parents aren't home until later tonight and I don't have anywhere else to go,so I figured I'd hang out here till around 7pm. Is that ok?". So, that's why he hasn't left yet. Not that I'm complaining. I love having my best friend around even though he can sometimes be a pain in the rear.
And like me, he's an only child so he doesn't have any siblings to go home to.
" You know you're always welcome to stay as long as you want. Have you guys finished your homeworks yet?". If there's one thing my mom wouldn't allow , it's undone or incomplete assignments. I don't know why.Maybe she was a teacher in her previous life, that would be logical.
"Of course, Mom. Maths is still a nightmare though. I can't seem to focus long enough to finish a question. And my English is still very poor. I mean, it's my language, why is it sooo hard to read and write it. My brain doesn't seem to want to learn anything when it comes to my normal subjects, except Greek, which for some weird reason you've asked me to take and I'm still taking".
" Millie, breathe" Kel reminded me. Oh, I tend to rant when I'm worked up about something.
I was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD alongside OCD (which, I've gotten to know that most demigods have. Battle reflexes and what nots)
Mom signed "I've told you Millie, it's the dy-"
"The dyslexia, yeah yeah. I know, it still seem kinda weird that I understand Greek." I rolled my eyes.
"Whatever, go sit by the table, I'll be done with dinner in less than 10 minutes. You too Kel".
"Thanks Ms. T"
"Anytime, love" Mom said to our retreating back.
•~~~~~~~~~~~~•
After dinner, I stepped outside to see Kel off. I usually stop five blocks from my house, but because it was late, I stopped after three.
" I'll see you in school tomorrow, yeah?" I asked as I stopped.
" Maybe not. I'm not sure I'll be coming to school tomorrow" Kel looked everywhere but at me.
" Kel" He still isn't looking at me. "Kelvin, what is happening?
" It's my parents. Their fighting has gotten worse" So, that's the actual reason he doesn't want to go home early. I winced, Kel's parents aren't the best when it comes to hiding their arguments from their kid and it happens quite often. It's also one of the reasons why I stopped going over to his place frequently. I hate when people argue where I am.
Kel was still talking " ... looks like they might be getting a divorce soon" Hold up, what? I knew they fought a long, but I didn't know it was divorce-bad.
"Oh my goodness, Kel, I'm sorry. I didn't know" I pulled him into a hug. A divorce will be really messy. They'd have to make him choose between staying with one of his parents and that can go very bad sometimes. I do not want to think about what Kel will go through if the divorce actually happens.
" It's alright, Millie, I just hope it doesn't go through". He said, head on my shoulder.
" So, why did you say you are not coming to school tomorrow? Is it because of them?" I held him at arm's length to look at him.
" Partly. I was actually planning on going to the beach to have one day of quiet to myself so I can at least relax before reality sets back in".
" My poor poor baby. I'm sorry you're going through all of these. You'll be alright. Don't worry. It'd all be fine. I'm here for you alright" I coo. It breaks my heart to see him this way.
" I know. I'll come to your house after school tomorrow though. So you can give me all the juicy details about what happened in school. And also, to start preparing for finals. We're starting next week and I haven't even started reading".
" Sure, come over anytime. Mom will be home early from work so you'll meet her even if I'm not back yet. Also, I hope a celebrity (most preferably, BTS) comes to perform in school tomorrow or the very least, a fight breaks out in the school cafeteria" if he isn't going to come to school, I should have some juicy news for him, at least.
"Whatever, just come back early, I'll come over as soon as I have peace and tranquility"
" I didn't know your dumbass knew the word tranquility"
" Ha. Ha. Very funny, Millie. It's darkening, we'll see tomorrow. Bye, queen, slayyyy".
" You know we'll still text till like 1am, but bye,dumbass"
He glared at me before turning to continue his walk home. I shook my head and smiled to myself.
• ~~~~~~~~~~~ •
Mom was curled up on the sofa with her a book and a cup of hot chocolate in front of her when I got back in.
" What took you so long?" She asked without even looking up from her book. She is a book junkie through and through. That trait, unfortunately, wasn't passed down to me, I can't read a book to save my life. Although, we have a bookshelf filled to its capacity with book, because of my mom. I could swear that she has a book from every country in the would on the shelf.
" I was talking with Kelvin. Apparently, his parents are fighting to the point where he thinks they might get a divorce soon" I sat down on the chair adjacent to hers and folded my crossed my legs.
Mom looked up from her book "Oh, the poor boy, he must be going through a lot"
I signed " He is. He's not coming to school tomorrow. Said he needs some peace and quiet. He'll be here later tomorrow though, I told him you'll be home".
" No problem, I'll be sure to make him some food before he comes. They might not be feeding him enough"
" Alright, thanks Mom. I'm heading up now." I stood up to go to my room, it was getting really late and I'd like to rest a while before heading to bed. It's not like I'm going to sleep early anyway, but at least, I'll be a little bit rested which is better than me looking like a zombie tomorrow due to my lack of sleep.
" Sure honey. Oh, I forgot to tell you. We will be travelling for summer vacation, which I believe is in three weeks, right?"
" Yes Mom, exams start next week" I am excited. I love travelling with Mom, her locations always make so much sense and are always fun. Last summer, we went to Dubai, and I'll tell you, seeing the Burg Khalifa in person is an awesome experience. " So where are we going to this time?" So far, we've been to London, Argentina, Spain, The Maldives, and Dubai.
" I'm thinking Greece. I promise you, it'd be as fun as other times. And ask Kel if he wants to go. He deserves a fun vacation too. So, I can start preparing for the three of us".
If one could burst due to so much joy, I'm sure it'd be me right now " omigosh, omigosh, thank you so much Mom. I'm sure Greece will be fun and I'll ask Kel over the phone tonight. I know he will want to go. He has a passport and all of that already. He will be so happy when I tell him. Thank you Mom, you're simply the very best". I hugged my mom and squeezed.
" You're welcome. You can let me breathe now" Mom laughed. " You can go to bed now, and don't stay up too late on your phone"
" Yes Mom. Good night" I said with a peck to her cheek.
" Good night, honey" Mom replied
As soon as I got into my room, I picked up my phone and texted Kel.
_OMG, Kel. I have news_
_What news?_ He texted about three minutes later
_Mom's decided where we're going for the holidays_
_So happy for you. So where?_
_GREECE!!!_
_GIRLLLLL. Stop playing with me_
_I'm not. I swear on my Mathematics finals_
_OMG, you're serious. I'm so happy for you_
_Guess what?_
_You're finally going to take my advice and get a boyfriend?_
_Ewww, no. I don't want a boyfriend. Not yet_
_Err. Ok what?_
_Mom says YOU can go with us_
_Millie, this joke is really expensive, like fr_
_I'm serious. Do you want to go?_
_Is the sky blue? Of course, I want to go. But, I don't have money and stuff_
_Don't worry, Mom will take care of all that. She says she'll talk with your parents too so they'll know about it_
_I'm so lucky to know you. Thank you, Millie. I'll be sure to really appreciate your Mom when I come over tomorrow_
_It's fine. We'll talk later. I really have to sleep early tonight_
_Sure babes, later_
_Good night, dumbass_
_Lol_
I switched off my phone, plugged it in and went to sleep.
All is going on really good. At least, that's what I thought.
