CHAPTER 5- NACHOS

I could tell I had slept for a while as I stirred awake and tried to open my eyes which almost refused to adjust to the light illuminating the room. After blinking severally, I opened my eyes and squinted at my desk alarm clock, it was 5:30pm.

"Good heavens, look at the time." I said as I scurried past the mirror and made my way to the kitchen.

I was getting rather hungry and decided to fix dinner.

Something told me mum was going to spend a little more time at the hospital before returning home late. I was so close to calling him but I decided against it. I felt the pangs of loneliness for a bit as I was the only child of my parents. Often times, I wish I had someone to share my life's experiences and day's work with, but that was not the case. I was on my own and my parents were just too busy to do much about it even if they wanted to.

I miss family time, dinner with both parents, weekends I got to play Nintendo video games with dad and those baking sessions with mum afterwards. Now, the whole thing seems like it happened when I was on another planet.

"Urgh, enough about the soliloquy about life before now," I rolled my eyes inwardly.

I really had to make some nachos, I got started as soon as my eyes landed on the ingredients for the meal in the fridge.

"At least mum keeps the fridge stocked with food or the ingredients," I murmur.

I was just about to eat when I heard mum's car pull up in the driveway.

"Baby, you're home," she walked gingerly to give me a kiss on my cheeks.

"Hi mum, you're back early," I answered, almost too stunned to believe she was released from duty quite early.

"I know right. New recruits have been stationed to help out Dr. Gibbs and he personally asked that I go home to rest after the major surgery we conducted today."

"Oh, as at when I called earlier today I suppose. How is the patient faring though?" I asked trying to keep small talk going.

Mum smiled at me because, she knows I almost never want to pry into her work and busy hospital schedule though, she feels guilty about it sometimes. She thinks it is due to how busy she is, we have been drifting apart or trying too hard to establish a lost connection.

"She is stable now dear and is under constant supervision in the ICU, thank you for asking."

"Okay good," I say before digging into my meal.

"I see you made some nachos, can I join you? I'm starving."

"Oh sure, let me grab a fork."

"You don't seem happy dear, anything the matter?" She quizzed.

"Well mum, I'm not sure. We can discuss it after the meal. So much for table manners doc." I teased her jokingly.

"Hahaha, oh dear. Alright."

It was lovely to hear her laugh, she was going through some stress with having to work long hours and focus on people's health problems, coupled with a husband that is miles away working on oil rigs and sealing deals with foreign investors. I know how lonely she felt; I missed having dad around too. He only came home once in six months or once in a year. Even if we communicate once in a while when he's off the rig, his physical presence was needed too.

I ate silently often raising my head to steal glances at my mum who had this puzzled look on her face, trying to decipher what was bothering me.

"I need more nachos, you should eat some more too. Be right back," I took the plate without anymore words and emptied the contents of the pan into the plate and walked back to the dinning area.

"Here we are." I smiled.

"This is delicious dear, thank you."

Soon we were done eating, and I cleared the dishes.

"Thank you mum for having dinner with me today," I hugged her tightly.

"My darling, thank you. I would give anything to be able to do this everyday, but you know work takes me away most times. You are really an amazing little girl and I am glad you understand me." Mum ran her fingers through my hair.

"Haha, mum stop that. It takes me forever to get it fixed. Besides I'm all grown up 🙈," I said.

"You'd always be my little girl. So tell me what is on your mind? How was school today? I'd love to hear all about your first day as a transfer student at Queensland High."

"Haha, one question at a time mum."

"So, school was great today until it wasn't," I paused to allow the gravity of the statement sink in.

"Oh dear, are you okay? What happened?" She was worried.

"I met this really cool guy, Skylar who helped me with registration and he showed me around school. It was really good to talk to someone who didn't see me as a stranger in the school." I stopped talking to see how attentive she was, and she was really listening.

With a nod to gesture that I had her attention, I continued.

"It all went sour after the lunch break, we had a free class and some girls in pom poms approached us in the hallway and I could tell it was some girlfriend episode coming up. I slapped her after she pulled my ponytail sharply, then I walked away."

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry."

"I'm not done though. After a while, I got a text message from him even when I did not give him my number, he asked to meet up and he apologized for her actions. I have to admit I felt a little bit of jealousy but I didn't let it get to me. Then we walked back to History class together and then I blacked out after a few minutes. He came to talk to me after the class and I snapped at him in public, let him walk away and then I came home without attending the last class, to sleep and make the nachos we just savoured." I ended my narration of the day's event with a sigh.

"That indeed was a hard first day at school, I'm sorry you had to go through that...I do have a question, what do you mean by, you blacked out?"

I knew she was not going to miss that tiny detail and I was glad she didn't, " well, I kinda recalled that horrid experience at Manila a few years ago and I hyperventilated, freaked out or whatever it is that happened. Then, I took it out on the guy who has been helping me out all day. I feel like a Monster." I got teary eyed.

"Come here baby, you were probably very stressed and overwhelmed with changing your school environment and it got to you. I shouldn't have listened to your Aunt Samantha, I felt it was a good idea to have you close to the new hospital I was assigned to, so we could spend time together and rid you of loneliness." She felt bad.

"Oh no mum, come to think of it. You did the right thing. And I'm glad we're here together, it means everything to me. I just feel bad for Skye."

"I know you do sweetheart. You do owe him an apology and you have to say it like you mean it. Just be sincerely sorry. Also, you don't have to say it because I asked you to, but because you feel you need to right the wrong you committed against him." She concluded.

"Thanks mum, I'd send him a text message first with the number and see him in person tomorrow at school. I love you mum."

"I love you too baby. Let me change up from my work clothes and freshen up." With that, she walked into the bathroom to attend to herself.

Looking at my phone, no calls or texts from him yet and I knew I hurt him pretty badly.

I set out to type that apology.

"Skye, I know I was way out of line yesterday and I wanted to say I'm sorry. I overreacted to say the least; I shouldn't have said all that I said, not to mention the embarrassment I caused you in front of all those people. I'm sorry."

I clicked the send button and I waited. I kept looking at my phone for approximately thirty minutes yet no response. I expected it and I went to the sink to wash out the dirty dishes.

I heard my phone beep afterwards and I cleaned my wet hands hurriedly and grabbed my phone. With my fingers crossed, I opened the message.

It contained a short reply, "Sorry I was at football practice. I have seen your message. It's fine. See you tomorrow."

It wasn't much to hang on to, but it gave me hope that at least he wasn't so upset anymore. I was going to clear the air tomorrow and I had hope for the best outcome.

I cleaned up the kitchen and went to the sitting room to watch my favourite animation "Ballerina", yes I love cartoons and the girl in the movie just got me loving the dance floor, with the thrills and passion. I can't wait to enrol in the academy to get my dreams of becoming one of the greatest ballerinas to come through.

I grabbed a sundae from the fridge and went la la la into the animation world.