❀❀❀

School books and scribbled on papers lay spread across my old Frozen comforter in complete anarchy. Abandoned half-finished homework assignments were tossed aside carelessly, and for the tenth time in the last hour, I'm readjusting my messy bun in frustration.

Adding to my mood was the discomfort of having to sit on the ice-cold cheap linoleum floor since my mother had broken our kitchen table last week by attempting to dance on top of it during a drunken stupor. We hardly had any furniture left in our small shoddy apartment aside from an old queen-sized bed, a couch full of cigarette burns, and an ancient tube TV which sat haphazardly on top of a folding card table next to a pile of VHS tapes.

At one point we had more things, but through the years mother has either completely destroyed our belongings while intoxicated or pawned them for drug money. Not to mention the many times we were robbed by her own "friends". The only thing I could do was to keep things I valued at school, stored away in my locker for safekeeping.

I sighed loudly and leaned against the couch. As usual, it was hard to concentrate here. I shift my gaze to the stove to see that it is 8:42 PM. By now the library was long closed. My eyes squeeze shut in disappointment, and I began going through my options of places I could go to work on my homework at this hour.

The sound of a key pushing into the lock caught my attention and interrupted my deliberating. I sat up, feeling every fiber of my being tense in preparation for who could be on the other side of that door. But instead of the inebriated parent that I had expected it to be, it was my 14-year-old neighbor, Mason – a fair-skinned boy with colorful braces.

Relief flooded me at the sight of that big smile he always wore. 

"Hey, Abs, I brought some food mama made," he announced as he balanced a tray of covered dishes in his left hand. He eased into the apartment, shutting the door behind him with his foot while pocketing his spare key.

The delicious smell of eggs and steamed rice wafted towards me, making my stomach growl. Shit, I am starving. 

"Mason, I thought you told your ma not to make me dinner anymore?" I groaned, eyeing the tray with a pathetic longing that only worsened when he set it down in front of me.

Sometimes I hated how nice the Choi's were. In moments like this, I felt like I was taking advantage of their hospitality. Their situation wasn't any better off than my own. 

"It's just gyeran-jjim and rice," he indicated, rolling his eyes at me. "It's not like she made you a steak."

"Still," I protested, losing my will to fight the longer I sat smelling it.

"Look, she already made it, and I'm not eating two servings. So, nothing you can do now but eat it," he pointed out, and I sighed in defeat.

"Fine, but please don't let her make me food tomorrow."

Mason only shrugged. 

"I did tell her that you didn't want her food anymore, but she said that you're too skinny and that she was going to feed you whether you liked it or not."

Having someone care this much about what I ate was unfamiliar to me.

"I shouldn't be surprised your mother said that," I muttered. Mrs. Choi was such an altruistically determined woman. I looked at the door in thought. "Has she left yet? I'd like to thank her for the food."

"Yeah, she left just as I was coming in."

"Maybe I'll catch her when she returns home from her shift." I picked up my books and tossed them on the couch to make room for Mason. "You know, we should be eating this in your place since you still have a table."

Mason turned to look at the pieces of my kitchen table I had shoved in the corner of the room. He didn't need to say anything. I already knew what he was thinking. His hatred towards my mother wasn't hidden from me.

But gratefully the only thing he said was, "Oh yeah, probably, but I'm already here, and I don't know about you but I'm starving."

"Agreed."

Steam rose out from under the ceramic lid as I lifted it from the dishes and placed it aside. The appetizing smell only got worse, and I was thankful I was going to be able to eat something other than canned corn for dinner.

Without another word, the two of us started eating. Each bite was a delicious swirl of eggs and scallions bursting in flavor on my tongue and making me whimper in delight. The greedy side of me couldn't help but celebrate Mrs. Choi being so persistent in feeding me. I didn't know how many more nights I could handle our near-empty pantry.

I finished quickly, nearly inhaling my food the moment I took that first mouthful. Placing my chopsticks back on the tray with a clatter, I fell sideways onto the floor, content. The urge to sleep then took over, and I was tempted to give in, wanting to end the day with a positive mood and not the one I had been in for the last couple of hours.

Before I could allow myself to sleep right there on the cold floor, I noticed the expression on Mason's face. Something was on his mind. I sat back up.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

By now he wasn't looking at me. His gaze was down the hallway, staring holes in the shut bedroom door. 

"Your mother," he paused, turning to now look at me, gauging my reaction. "Has she been home tonight?"

I should've known it would be about my mother. It's the only time I see him serious. 

"She hasn't. I doubt she will be," I assured him.

That seemed to make him happier. He set down his now-empty bowl.

"Ok, good." 

"Well, since that's settled, I'll wash the dishes before you take them back," I informed him, reaching to collect them only for my hand to be swatted away.

"Nope, I will take care of this," he declined as he picked up the tray full of the stacked dishes and rose to his feet before I could grab at them again.

"Let me help at least."

"Abs, you need to learn to let people do things for you."

"I do," I started to argue but Mason quickly interrupted.

"Not," he finished for me.

"I do," I repeated again but reluctantly surrendered, too exhausted to keep arguing, "and to prove it to you, I'll let you do the dishes."

"Great. I'll take these then," he chirped, flashing me a smile. "Take care, Abs. If you need me, I'm right next door."

"Same to you, Mase," I grinned then watched as Mason disappeared into the hallway.

Once he was gone, I turned off the light and flopped onto the couch, knocking my books onto the floor. I stared at the pile of VHS tapes, debating about putting a movie on while I slept. However, getting back up seemed to be a chore, so I reached for the remote that had been pushed off along with my books, conceding to the idea of watching the local news. One of the only channels we got.

After pressing the on button, the old TV flickered to life, conjuring the image of the weatherman gesturing to the map behind him. His calming presence talking about dropping temperatures and the imminent snow began to lull me to sleep, and without much of a fight, everything went dark.

❀❀❀

A/N Not much changed with this chapter. I feel like the beginning was alright on its own, but let me know if you feel confused going from the last scene to this.

The next chapter will be getting an entire new beginning, so between that reason and school work, it'll take me a bit to finish.