It was a dark night, the moon rose with fear.

"What just happened?" I mumble under my breath still hysteric.

I frantically stand up, bickering with myself whether to go out or stay in. "I'm going to suffocate." I'm going to suffocate if I stay in this house. I used to say our house is humongous, now it feels as if it has shrank. I can't catch my breath. Did that man really leave? Did I try to stop him? Of course not! Couldn't he at least explained what happened that resulted to taking that major decision? He could have but he chose otherwise. What a pathetic man, maybe he does deserve to die. I cover my mouth after the last thought. What has gotten in me! See what pathetic fathers do to us children, they fuck as up and leave us hanging for the next to take advantage. First it was Gayton now it's Frank, what is happening in this household? Maybe we are doing something wrong, main question is What!

I feel smoke coming out of my ears. I have transformed into the red pepper that makes everyone suffer from indigestion.

I look at my reflection from the glass table.

I stare at the wooden door trying my best to stop my heart from leaping out of my chest. I mentally make my way to the door, my feet supports my mentality.

Where am I even going to? I'll go to Jukskei park.

Our neighbor's dogs always gets in our yard and leave their shit everywhere, I don't feel like cleaning it up. Let me close the gate I don't want my mother to be bitten by those creepy monsters.

I began to jog. Walking doesn't sound that appealing it is only going to engage me with the misty thoughts clouding my mind.

I get there. I take a sit on one of the beaches, put my feet on the bench and collide my knees against my chest and hide in my little universe. Tears start coming out. I feel as if sometimes we just got to let it  all out, so much have been eating me up. I really am a weak bitch just look at me weeping like I'm some baby how pathetic! Despicable me!

After a few minutes of pretending to be a cry baby, a familiar voice comes through.

"Hey." I jolt my head up from my knees to look whose voice it belongs to.

I nearly had a heart attack.

He is here standing in front of me the strange stranger. I'm at my lost of words.

"Hey kid, are you okay?" I nod.

"You look whack." I repeat the action again. I don't believe what I'm seeing. Nav is here with me, talking to me. "Look man at least say something." I want to but I don't know what to say.

"Yea. I'm great, super!" I don't know how those came out.

"Get up man." He says in a cherry voice.

"No!"

"Boy I certainly will not kidnap you." He does air quotes on the last two words.

"Leave me alone. My mother doesn't like it when I talk to strangers." He bites down his bottom lip to prevent laughter from falling when I mentioned my mother.

"You calling me a stranger? Wow. Come on dawg." He lifts his hands in disbelief. "Dale your dad bought that workshop from me."

"Exactly, bought it from you! He wasn't employed by you." I also do air quotes on the word bought.

"Me and your dad came a long way." I choose not to respond.

Something sways the trees from behind. "What was that?"

"Get up man. Let's go." I nod.

When we get to the car I don't cry like I had assumed i would. I just sit and stare outside the window. Nav puts the car on ignition and drives.

We have been driving around for minutes. The drive has really put my mind at ease and the R&B hits compliments the ride alluringly. I try not to overthink the whole 'I'm inside a stranger's car' situation but I have to know where I am going. "So where you taking me?"

"Finally you said something." He let's out a deep breath that sounds like he has been holding for hours.

"Where you taking me?" I repeat my unanswered question.

"I'm taking you out for drinks?"

"Drinks?" Alcohol?

"Yes drinks. You look like you need something cold." I look at him in a horrified manner. Is he going to let me share beers with him? The idea sounds thrilling but I can't do that to my mother. "What?" He ask.

"Uhm it's nothing." He figures out my facial expression. I guess I'm not that hard to read.

"Nah man. I ain't taking you to the bar." He laughs jolly. Quite frankly I'm relieved to hear him say that. "You a kid and I honor and respect that." He crocks his head to the side and offer me a goofy smile showing of his adorable dimples. I feel welcomed. Is this really Nav? The man that straggled my father a few weeks ago.

"Oh." I guess that is how he charmed my father. I can't fall for that. Bryan taught me a lot.

"We are here." We are here the words shake my heart like an earthquake. My mother used those exact words four months ago when we bought the new house. The same words that woke me up when we got to our new home.

I tilt my head to where his pointing at. It's a fast food restaurant. It has bright blue lights & it is a casual place. Nav parks his car.

"Out." I unbuckle the seatbelt. "You had that on the entire way?" I nod. To be honest I also don't remember buckling up.

As soon as we step on the lobby we get introduced by a familiar melody. I search for the artist, Ollie Gabriel Something new. What a nice way to go in a new restaurant you've never been to. I start to humm.

"I also love this song." He tells me when we sit on the couch and wait for the waiter to give us a table.

"Me too."

"Ain't I going be rewarded with a small smile." I look at him waiting on me. I half smile. "You can do better." I smile. I can't help it his smile is precious.

"This way gentlemen." The waiter returns and tells us. We follow behind her. Once we sit the waiter asks us what we'd like to eat I tell her that I'd like apple juice and Nav orders beer. Nav asked me multiple times if I'm sure I only want a drink I answered with the same answer.

"So are you going to tell me what is eating you up?"

"Nothing."

"Come on man. What better person to tell your problems to than a stranger."

"A stranger?" He particularly isn't a stranger.

"You got that one right."

"I don't know, I don't know. A lot is going on." I don't seem spooked as I thought I'd be about talking to the stranger. I need to open up.

"Shoot. Plus I'm a good listener." He drags the last word. I begin to tell him about the event that occurred tonight. He nods all the time.

"Dale that sounds... uhm... whack!" "whack?" We both say in union.

"How did you know I was going to say that." "I knew you were going to say that." We both say together once more and our laughter fills the room.

"Stop it. I don't like to be imitated." Though I did not imitate him.

"Me too." The waiter returns to give us our order.

"Quit being babies you two!" The kind waiter tells us.

"We not." I tell her.

"See you having a brother time?" Awkward. I take a sip from my juice and hide behind my plastic straw.

"Yea. I guess you could say that." Nav clears the awkwardness.

Not that I blame the waiter after all I am laughing with a stranger but she still needs to get her facts straight.

The rest of the night is spend reminiscing each other's past. Nav doesn't finish his subjects. In a silly way Nav remains me of Julie, they speak, walk, avoid things and address things in a certain. Except Nav comes from Australia and he is twenty eight. I tell him about Bryan. His mother is a nurse and his father works in finance. Him and his younger brother and sister were sent here in America so they could get a better life since things in their household were intense back then. Nav tells me about the things happening around him and his life. He has never briefed directly about him.

I know he lied about having three siblings. I may be slow in solving riddles but I ain't stupid. He only has one sibling which can only be younger than him.

The waiter returns. "What anything?"

"No, thank you."

I want to ask Nav about waving back at Julie as soon as possible.

"Hey Nav?"

"Yea."

"You said I can ask you anything and you'll be honest with me right?"

"Yes I did say that."

"Can you be fully honest with me with what I'm about to ask you?"

"Sure man."

"There was this one time..." I tell him about the time I saw Julie waving back at him.

"I'm guess you like Meghan?"

"Yea I do. I really do." I laugh.

"What is funny?" He changes his mood and tightens his grip on the starring wheel. I can't read his mood.

"You said Meghan!" I indicate left with my left hand so he can turn on my street.

"I did? I meant Julie."

"So...?"

"Huh?"

"Any advice?"

"Do I look like a therapist?" He snaps. I remain silent.

"Look Dale I'm sorry. The only advice I can give to you is to stay far away from this girl, if you know what's good for you."

"If I know what's good for me?"

"From what you told me she sounds shady as fuck."

"For someone as creepy as you. You sure are quick to judge. Plus you don't know her!" I stated a fact, Nav is abundantly judgemental. I don't understand what we are arguing about.

I can't shake the feeling that I might be threatened.

"Look man just stay away from this girl. I'm just another guy reaching down."

"From guy to guy?"

"From guy to guy. I dig you deep."

"This is my house!" I point at my house.

Memories of tonight flood my mind. The gate is open this can only mean two things, one my father has come has to his correct senses or two our neighbor's hideous monsters has returned or you forgot to close the gate! I ignore him.

"I'm sorry that you have to go through this..."

"No it's fine."

"You sure?"

"Yea. Thanks for taking me out." I unbuckle.

"Anytime kid. I'm happy I was able to help."

"You won't mind redoing this day all over again excluding problem?" I give him a weak smile.

"It'd be a pleasure. You got my digits you know what to do when you need me."

"Thank you." I climb out.

"And Naven?"

"Just Nav." He interrupts wincing.

"What's your car?"

"1959 Chevrolet Impala. Pshh."

"I love it."

"It loves you too." He chuckles shaking his head gravely.

"Since when do cars talk?"

"Since you own one." He mocks me. We both laugh.

"Bye Nav." I whine.

I really had a great night. Nav may appear cold to others on the first glance, but he's just slow to warm up to. The stacker, the bad man, the criminal. I must have been to quick to judge. I look back and Nav's truck has gone out of sight.

Now the moment of truth begins I heavy out a sigh and open the front door.

I expected my mother to be sitting in the livingroom waiting on me but she's not here. I go and check up on her in my bedroom. I find her sleeping. She hasn't woke up since I left the house so she has no idea that I had went out. A massive part of me feels relieved. Let me not disturb her. I grab the comforter from my closet, put on my pajamas and close the door behind.

I latch my body on the mustard couch and cover myself with the comforter Elaine gave to me.