10.

She ushers me towards the door that's in front of the pool and types on a small screen. I look away and focus on a car I hadn't seen earlier. It's a shining black car. I could almost see my reflection on it.

"Come on in," Mrs Grand says as she walks into the house. I follow her inside and try not to gasp at the interior design. There are white and golden pillars in the centre of the house and I now finally see where the stairs from outside lead to; they join the ones inside the house.

To my left, there is a dining table in the distance. I'm assuming that door at the back leads to the backyard. In the far right there is an open door revealing white sofas that go around the room... or at least as far as I can see.

"This way," she leads me down a passage, "I want you to meet my son." I have met him...sort of. She knocks on a large brown door before letting herself in. I almost jump with excitement. It's a gym! It's just a gym. Hush, fitness is my lifestyle, okay? I hear Mrs Grand's heels against the floor as she walks to the other side of the room.

"Two...One," I hear metals clinging and a well built guy slides down from the flat bench, perspiration running down his forehead, neck and chest. He drinks from his water bottle and slings the towel over his shoulder; slouching towards us. His silicon pants are hanging dangerously low as they care to cover his hips and lower half.

"What exactly did you do?" Mrs Grand asks.

"Uhh," he sounds breathless and looks around the room. "15 minutes on the treadmill, 15 minutes jumping rope, 30 setups, 75 push ups, 10 Russian ab twists and 75 dumbbell flyes," he says as though he's said that a million times before.

"That's all you did in," she checks her wristwatch, "two hours?" He sighs and shrugs.

"I want you to meet someone," she turns to me and pulls me closer to her. He looks at me for a while, as if trying to recognise me. I can't really blame him for not knowing me because he didn't see any of my pictures. He snaps his fingers and offers me a small smile.

"Kira, right?" he creases his eyebrows, "or something like that."

"Why don't you go unpack and rest?" Mrs Grand asks me. "Lunch will be ready by 2 latest." I nod and walk towards the door.

"So she doesn't speak?" I hear him ask softly.

"Not all the time," Mrs Grand says.

"That's sad," his voice sounds detached. I hold all the will I have to turn around.

"Oh, Kira," she calls after me. I turn my neck around, my hand still on the doorknob. "Kian will take you to the mall tomorrow. Get anything you need and want, okay?"

"Yes ma'am," I say.

"Nope," Kian says at the same time.

"Why not?" she asks him.

"I'm grounded, remember?" he says as he starts to walk away from her and comes towards me.

"I'll lift it."

"Drop it." He walks past me as he shakes his head. "I'm not going out tomorrow." He seemed friendlier over text, that's for sure.

"And why's that?" she asks as she follows him. I decide to excuse myself and walk away. Where to? I don't know. I pull out my phone and long press number one. Don't ask me why he's on speed dial. My grandpa's phone starts ringing and he picks up after four rings.

"Hi. I just wanted to keep my promise. Yes, I'm here. She's very friendly. Uhuh. Yeah, okay. Tell grandma I'm sending her loads and loads of kisses. Take care. Love you too," I close my eyes and inhale deeply. I will really miss them. I wonder what grandma is doing right now? I open Megan's chat and text her.

Me - I'm safe and in one piece. Where are you? xoxo

I smile when I see her come online. I smile even more when I see those three dots.

Megan - I'm so so so happy for you. I'm at the café, will visit gran soon. How's that fine piece of meat, huh?

I laugh as I remember her reaction when she saw his pictures. She jumped and screamed. Apparently I am too lucky to be his housemate. He is clearly her type of guy. My type? I don't know. Frankly, I haven't had much experience to choose who my type is.

Me - Kian is... fine, I guess. We didn't talk much. He's kinda busy atm.

Megan - Don't let that be an excuse from getting to know him.

Me - Will try. Send my greetings to Matt.

Megan - :-/ We still aren't talking.

Me - Give it some time. You know he loves you.

Megan - If you say so. I really don't want to lose him. I might just cry. And you know I DO NOT cry. No exceptions whatsoever.

Me - I'll see what I can say to him. Bye for now :-p

Megan - Deuces.

I put my phone in my pocket and close my eyes again. This is exactly why I do not like relationships. All they bring is heart break. Getting hurt in this world is inevitable, but we do get to choose whom we allow to hurt us. I've read that book way too many times, haven't I?

I've had my heart broken by the same guy over and over again. Charles, Edwina Winfield's fiancé, from the novel 'No Greater Love by Danielle Steel', breaks my heart every time I read it. And each time I reread it, I think of a new thing he could have done to avoid dieing. That book is pure torture, but it's the good kind of pain. One I'd rather have than experiencing Megan's.

Kian's POV

I realised I wasn't going to win in an argument against mom, so I just stood there and watched her try to convince me to go with Kira to the mall. What's this with girls liking the mall? It's basically an excuse to waste money, look at other guys and pass some time. I'd rather spend my time playing basketball than going out. And especially if that entailed shopping. And if I'm honest, this idea of having this girl live here isn't the most thrilling one yet.

"Okay, fine," I agree but she doesn't stop talking. "Okay, mom. Mom!" She purses her lips.

"I'll take her shopping tomorrow."

"Awesome. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to meet up with someone." That's the last thing I hear from her before she closes the door behind her. Got rid of one woman, where's the other? I walk in the passage and see her standing against the wall, her eyes closed and her chest rising and falling calmly. I walk closer to her, but she doesn't seem to notice me.

"Are you praying?" I ask. She gasps and opens her eyes. I guess I frightened her.

"No, uhh, no," she steadies herself against the wall with one hand on her hip.

"Aright. What time do you want to go shopping tomorrow?"

"That's up to you," she looks anywhere else but at me. Oh, darling, if it were up to me, we wouldn't be going at all.

"Cool," my phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and look at the notification. It's a text from Mrs Lu, my favourite Asian in the entire school. No offence, Jia-Mei. I open the text and see that it's a broad text.

Mrs Lu - AML one to four Progress Test on Monday.

I sigh and exit the chat. Just great. What could be better than having a test on a Monday? Math on top of that. First period on top of that. I look up and see Kira watching me.

"Can I show you to your room?" I offer. She nods. I lead her up the stairs and open the second room on the right.

"I believe your luggage is already in here," I say and she tilts her head slightly. "The house help already brought your stuff in," I explain.

"If you need anything," I massage my temples, "you probably shouldn't call me." She nods again. I take a step back and walk out.

"Uh, prima," I peep in her room and she turns to me, "there's a math test on Monday. I'd advice you to prepare for it." She nods and I close the door. She is so not the same girl I spoke to online.

The other one was talkative, more open. This one is just reticent, not shy but also unforthcoming. I'd connect her personality with that of being evasive. As much as I don't want to accept it, she has been stimulating, arousing traces of feelings I covered up. I can already tell that living with her wont be as easy as it should be. And certainly not for her. I won't compete with some foreigner in my own home.

I open my shower and step in, allowing the cold water to stroke my back ever so gently. I step out after 10 minutes and dress up. I take out the big guns and lay them on the table. What do I start with? Trigs? Geometry? I'll go with Simultaneous and Quad Equations first.

My phone beeps from under my pillow and I try to ignore it. It's the devil testing you. Do not take that phone. Equations are more important. I'll just complete four equations and then I'll look at my phone. I feel slightly more in control. It beeps again. Damn it. Do not look at your bed. Focus on the equations.

2x + y – 3z = -5 and 3x + y = 1; x + y= 5

That's really simple. I just have to-

Beep.

Are you kidding me? I get up from my books and unlock my phone. Who else did I expect? I sigh as I read.

Miguel - Hottie land yet?

Ryan - Kian!

Ryan - Should we come over?

Miguel - And embarrass you?

They will definitely get that right. I don't need that right now.

Me - Yes, she's here. No, don't come over. Miguel, watch it!

Me - Aren't you guys preparing for the test?

Don't blame me for chatting while I'm supposed to be studying. They started it. I'm just replying.

Ryan - I'm done, Perra.

Me - Stuff you.

Miguel - What test?

Me - I'm done with you, Miguel. Ryan, he's all yours. Adiós.

I exit the chat and mute them. I sit at my desk and look at the equations again. No matter how many I attempt, I can't seem to get any of them right.

"Fuck this shit!" I yell, pushing the papers off my desk. They fly and scatter all across my bedroom. Almost instantly, I cringe and facepalm. "Who am I kidding? I need to pass," I mutter, bending to pick up my papers. Let's try this again, shall we?