Chinatown

“Oh thank you so much darling.” Hua tried so hard not to squirm under the woman’s weight.

“You’re welcome.” Hua said trying not sound like an ungrateful bitch.

“Thank you so much. We wouldn’t know what to do if our little Paio died.” The short thin man said. Hua tried sooo hard not to smirk.

Little Paio’s parents had come to see their son after she contacted them and told them Paio had been in a car accident and had crashed into a bridge and she was the one who got of her arse, swam into the freezing water to save his head….a really nice tale actually.

She had made up the story with Paio making sure his parents never found out what had really happened or they’d skin his arse and Abena’s as well.

“Oh its fine. I’m just happy Paio is well.” Hua said with a smile as they entered Paio’s room. She turned around and hurried to Abena’s room. Abena was sitting up writing something in her writing pad.

“Hey gal what are you writing?” Hua asked pulling a chair next to the bed.

“Here, read it.” Abena passed the pad to Hua and Hua begin reading it

My place

Somewhere to run

Somewhere to hide

Somewhere to be myself

Let my hair down

Sing out loud

Dance around

Twirl round and round

Like a ballerina

Grooving to my music

Climbing trees

Doing somersaults

No pretence

Just the real me.

“I didn’t know you wrote!” Hua exclaimed. “You’re amazing!”

“Everyone can write Hua and thank you.” Abena replied with a roll of her eyes.

“Have you taken your morphine tablet?”

Abena nodded. “Yes mother. I have taken my pain killers.” She turned to Hua. “Stop asking questions or you’ll become a pain in the backside.”

Hua laughed and Abena began laughing but soon stopped.

“Hua?”

“Yes.”

“What happened to Paio? Is he alright.”

Hua sighed. “I’m so sorry Abena. The doctors did all they could but I’m afraid he died as soon as he arrived here.”

Abena’s mouth flew open. She tried to say something but the words wouldn’t form. What came out of her mouth were little gasps.

“Oh Abena.” Hua sat beside her and hugged her. “I’m so sorry. Paio didn’t make it.”

~***~

Paio stood outside the girl’s door. The girl who had saved his life. The girl who taught him that it didn’t matter whether she was black or white; she was like him in every single way. She was still human. He really wanted to walk into her room and hug her and tell her sorry for everything that had happened. He touched the small window and sighed. He could see her through the closed blinds sobbing on the bitch’s shoulder crying. He wanted to tell her not to worry…that he was fine and would always be in her debt.

“Abena.” He whispered softly. The words came out of his mouth like sweets. He felt his heart break. She had changed him; done something no one else could do in the space of less than ten minutes. When he thought she had died, he wanted to die as well. He was now alive and couldn’t tell her about how he felt.

He couldn’t tell her about the pain and fear he felt when he spiraled in the darkness at the thought of not seeing her face anymore. Paio turned away “Goodbye Abena.” He muttered as he went to join his parents. He was tempted to look back but couldn’t from the fear he’d grow mad and run into her room. There was something tugging at his heart strings. He didn’t know what it was. Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was shame. He didn’t know. Or maybe it was love. Maybe Paio was beginning to fall in love with the girl he should never fall in love with.

~***~

Abena couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her face. He was gone. Paio was gone…and it was all her fault. If she hadn’t lost her phone…if she had made it clear to Paio not to follow her downstairs, none of this would have happened…Oh god what had she done.

She couldn’t tell him. It was too late. Oh what was the point? She was beginning to fall in love with him. She wanted to tell him that so badly. Although they had gone off to a shaky start there was something about him Abena adored. She wanted to tell him how she felt when she was in the darkness. How she longed to hear his voice and see him smile. She loved the way his black eyes seemed to widen when he was sorry. But what was the point now? He was gone. He was dead and she’d never get to tell him how she felt.