2.

"You think she has a date?" Lu asks, taking me by surprise. For a while, I forgot she was still here.

"No. She's probably just seeing some friends." Knowing the lady for almost all my life, I doubt she'll settle anytime soon. Or ever, for that matter.

"Are you sure you wanna clean a boy's room?" Lu asks, starting another conversation. I nod briskly and turn in the direction of the stairs after her. At least one part of my life is ascending.

Lu comes to a halt in front of me and I almost walk into her. Before I can comment on anything, she opens the door, and the incredible sight makes me cringe inwardly. My lungs stopped increasing in capacity, probably because they too, are shielding from the sight.

This room would give nightmares to a person with OCD. Literally. I heard Lu chuckle behind me and I let go of the doorknob as I walk into the room. His room is huge, I'll give him that. There were empty pizza boxes and lots of empty bottles of beer and energy drinks. Energy bars wrappers, shoe boxes, books and stationery all over the place and clothes wherever your eyes landed. Most drawers were pulled open and the closet doors were half open.

And my mom thinks my room is untidy just because my bed isn't made. Shame.

"Well um, I'll be in the kitchen," Lu says once she's calmed her fit of giggles. I wince as I turn to her. Sure, she'd totally leave me to this mess alone.

"Why does this room look like this?"

"When he left, he was in a hurry so he just, you know, that," she makes hand gestures to the room. Of course he was in a rush, go figure. "Ms Miranda just recently found a spare key and wanted to dust it a bit."

Oh, this is gonna need much more than just dusting.

"So he's finally coming back, huh?" I ask rhetorically as I follow Lu down the stairs.

"Yup. I missed him a lot."

Of course you did. I just nod at her and gather equipment I'll need. I collect different kinds of disinfectants, liquid floor polish, a vacuum cleaner and come furniture spray.

This is gonna be one long day.

?

"There we go," I say proudly as I remove the rubber gloves and stand in the clutter-free centre of the room. I couldn't be more proud of my work.

His clothes, blankets, bed sheets and curtains are in the dryer. I changed the bedsheets to grey ones I found in the store room. The new curtains are black master cover and a grey translucent layer that goes behind.

When he draws the back curtains, the white translucent ones will allow a little sunlight to enter and refresh the room, but not allowing too much light to come through though. After returning everything I used to their original places, I plug in the air-freshener. It's a mountain-dewy forest-ferny type of scent, one I'm sure he'll appreciate.

I walk back downstairs and inform Lu that I'm done. She was by the garden feeding the newly born puppies. I don't know what breed they are, but they seem to have abnormally tiny bodies, although Ms Miranda is convinced they should be that small.

Once I drag my feet past the Olympic-sized pool, I look ahead and my shoulders feel heavy. The house I live in seems to be twice as far as the normal distance.

I finally reach home and pull the glass door open. My mom is probably in the main house, but I didn't see her. I honestly didn't even bother to look for her to begin with. I unplug my phone from the charger and go to my room.

The weather outside is cool and breezy. A little cloudy but the sun is also super fierce. What a combination, eh?

I go through my recent playlist and set a timer for the music to stop playing. I cover myself with a quilt despite the temperature and close my eyes.

?Wednesday

Kyle's POV

"So you won't be returning, huh?" Carlos asks again.

"Yeah," I say, swallowing the contents in my glass and letting it burn my throat temporarily.

"Listen dude, you knew that you had to go back eventually. I'm both sad and happy you're leaving." I glare at him as he spoke. "We will still keep in touch, yeah?" His voice is soft and barely reaching my ears as he gently laid his hand on my shoulder.

"Is that even a question?" I ask above the noise around us.

"Hey sexy," a guy comes beside Carlos and caresses his face. Carlos slaps his hand away and stands up, moving over to my side. Again, the guy comes and rubs his bulging front against Carlos' side gets a punch to the face for doing that.

I grab Carlos by the shoulder and lead him away from the spot we were sitting at. Once we reach the bar area, I take a good look at his face and see him slowly clam down. His hands are shaking with rage but he's trying to keep it under control.

It's the seventh time this week that he's being hit in by another guy. And it's only Wednesday. Blame his good looks.

"Well, if that isn't proof that men and women want you," I teased, making him roll his eyes.

"So fucking glad my flight's on Sunday," he says as he takes my glass and angrily gulps the beverage, making a disgusted face in the process.

I never said a combination of whiskey, sprite, coke, fruit juice, cocktail and vodka was nice, now did I?

"Aren't we all?" I tease as I look around.

Carlos is one of the few people that I met here. And lucky for us, we come from the same place. When the university reopened, we were placed as room mates. We soon realised we had more in common than we thought. We were both engineering students and neither of us have had long-term girlfriends. However, there was a time when we both liked the same girl and agreed on a threesome.

I noticed that for the last couple of minutes that we were sat at the bar, he has been eyeing a petite dirty blonde. His type.

"Why don't you go dance with her?" I was getting annoyed at how he was preying on her.

"I won't leave you to sit here all by yourself."

"Just up and go talk to her, will you?" I practically push him off his stool while he shoots daggers at me, knowing well enough that I won't have him sit again until he talks to her.

He gives me one last look before taking his drink from the counter and making his way to the other side of the dance floor.

I look to my left and lock eyes with a pretty brunette. She looks to be round about 21 years old. She gives me a small smile which I effortlessly return. She looks away shyly and inspects her drink.

"So," I causally said as I moved to be within hearing distance, but also kept as much distance as possible. I don't want to be scare her by moving too close to her.

She looks up from her drink and sighs. "So," she repeats.

"I'm Kyle," I say as I stretch my hand towards her.

"That you are," she says as she meets my hand and shakes firmly

"What's your name?" I ask as I feel my lips curl into a smile.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she says sarcastically as she sips on her drink. She's her own kind of specie.

"With whom are you here, if I may know."

"You may, but can you?" She asks as she stares at me.

Why are her answers so complicated? And who taught her to answer a question with another question?

"Are you always like this?" I can't help but ask. She chuckles softly and shakes her head.

"No, not always. And to answer your question, I came here with a friend. You?"

"Also with a friend," I say. "Hopefully I get laid tonight," I say as I wink at her.

Her eyes widen in surprise and she looks away awkwardly.

"Relax," I chuckle. "I'm just messing," I tell her honestly.

"So when are you flying back?" She asks, her composure calmer than before and her eyes darker as she stares at me.