Chapter Five

The next morning I woke up with a sore back and feeling more tired than I did yesterday. Sleeping on the couch was a bad idea, and now I know I was correct. I rubbed the back of my neck and sighed.

The living room was dim. Only certain parts of it were fully lit. It must be past morning. I got up off the couch and stretched. Some of my bones popped, but it still didn't help with the hard pain that was coming from my back.

I grabbed the quilt from the couch and put it back in the closet. When I walked back I looked at the pillow and raised my eyebrows. I checked my watch and it was almost noon. He couldn't possibly still be asleep.

I grabbed it and made my way to my room. To my surprise, when I entered it was empty. My bed looked as if it hadn't even been slept in. I walked over to the bedside table to see a note. I picked it up and read it.

Sorry, I had to leave early. Thanks for letting me stay over.

I read it slowly and I was about to throw it away until I noticed some numbers on the back. I turned it over and studied it, and from how many digits there were; it had to be a phone number. Did he leave this here for me to find?

I walked back into the living room and picked up my phone and dialed the number. It rung for a minute before someone picked up.

"Hello."

"It's Ji Nan. I was just seeing if this was your number."

"Oh, you could've just texted me."

"uh, I guess I could've. I'll text you next time."

He ended the call without saying anything. I coded his number into my phone and yawned. I looked around my apartment and sighed. I would have to do chores today. Not only did I barely have any clothes clean, but I also didn't have any food either. I would have to do laundry, clean the kitchen, bathroom, and living room. I would also have to go shopping. By the end of all that I would be exhausted. Although I didn't want to do it, I knew I had to. Otherwise, it wouldn't get done.

I walked into my bedroom and grabbed my dirty clothes basket. It was beyond over full. If my father was here, I would've already been yelled at about it. I usually keep this place very clean, but because of the tutoring sessions, I didn't have any time to clean. I came straight home and took a shower and went to bed.

Speaking of showering, where did Ba Wei put his clothes? I looked down at the basket in my hand and narrowed my eyes. If he put them in here, they would be on top. If he had taken the clothes off I gave him and put back on his; then those clothes would be on top. Did he take them with him? He had to because there was no way that they were in the basket I was holding.

I walked to my utility room and put the clothes in the washer. I set them on the longest cycle and grabbed the broom on my way out. I began cleaning the living room. First sweeping, then mopping, then I straightened the furniture.

Next, I moved to the kitchen. I wiped down all the counters and cleaned out the fridge, even though there was barely anything in it. While I was doing this my mind somehow wandered to the previous night. Ba Wei's face flashed in my memory, and only one word followed it. Cute, that's what he called me. I could feel my cheeks warming up as I thought about it. The feeling that brought this reaction from me was completely new. I stared at the inside of my fridge trying to figure out why I had this reaction.

Even last night when he suggested that I only touched him, I had this same feeling. The same burning of my cheeks. The more I thought about it the more I became confused. He called me cute, and I didn't have a reaction then, so why did I have one now? Many people have complimented me, but I never blushed when they did it. I have been called handsome, breathtaking, cute, and many other things that have never pulled anything but annoyance from me. Why is it different for him?

---

When I got done cleaning, hours had passed. I sat on the couch with my head laid back. Although I was done cleaning, I still had to go shopping. Somehow thinking about moving purely infuriated me.

It was already around three in the afternoon, and most definitely the stores would be packed. Even though I didn't want to I got up. I looked around the now clean room in search of my wallet. I had sat it somewhere while I was cleaning, but I couldn't recall.

I stood there scanning the room for a good minute before I spotted it on the other side of the room. I walked over and grabbed it along with my keys. I walked toward the door and slipped into some shoes and was on my way.

It didn't take long for me to exit my apartment building, and I missed it as soon as I walked onto the lively streets that surrounded it. The further I walked the noisier it became, and after so long my ears began to ring.

If it wasn't obvious, I have rather sensitive ears. Loud noises aren't my friend, and most people could guess that about me. I don't talk much, but people usually know not to speak loudly. Of course, I can't expect a total stranger to know that.

I tried to turn my attention to anything other than the noise but in the end, I failed. The rest of my walk to the market didn't change at all. I kept my eyes towards the ground and tried to cut out all the sounds around me.

When I made it to the market I was surprised to see that it wasn't that busy. There was a crowd but not as big as I thought it would be. I immediately started to go get the things I needed. Since it was an outside market, all I had to do was go up and ask for what I needed. I found the outside market easier to navigate than the inside one.

It didn't take long for me to finish shopping. I held at least seven bags on each arm. They were heavy, but I didn't have any choice but to walk them home. I do know how to drive, but I choose not to. It's not something I like to do, and even I can admit that me not driving is an inconvenience.

Another inconvenience was that the market had become rather busy the time I was there. There were crowds of people now, and as I scanned the crowd I even saw faces of people I knew. It would be troublesome to get out of here, and the streets are probably even more packed. I couldn't see the face I was making, but I knew it showed only annoyance.

I pushed my way through the crowds quite easily. I would bump into someone and they would apologize even though I was the one at fault. When I passed by groups of girls they would stare and start giggling. I was all to use to these reactions from the opposite sex. As of a matter of fact, they had become boring.

When I was younger, I appreciated the stares and compliments. Now, I hated it all. I hated any attention that anyone would give me. Most people who complimented me only did so because they knew of my father. That's why I didn't want my status known at this school. I'd rather stay invisible. I'd rather have people's genuine attitudes instead of the fake ones.

"JI NAN!" a high pitched voice called. I stopped walking and looked back to see Yaling and that guy she's always around. I think his name was something like Cai Long. When me and her made eye contact I could see in her face that her mood brightened. I watched as she made her way over to me and the smile that was already on her face grew bigger when she stopped in front of me. "Ah, you have so many bags. Let me help you."

"I got it," the guy behind her said. Come to think about it, I think that was the only time I had heard him speak.

"It's okay. I don't plan on staying long." I was only being honest. I had no interest in staying any longer than I needed to.

"Okay, so what are you doing later tonight?" I studied her expression, but I couldn't find any clues on what she was up to. Most likely she would invite me out, and I probably would have to make up a good excuse.

"Why?"

"Well, me, Zuo Shi, Lin Cai, and Cai Long are going out and I want you to come."

"Uh, I don't know.."

"Come on, you've been avoiding me all week."

"Shouldn't that give you the hint that he doesn't want to be around you," Cai Long said. Yaling looked back at him with an angry expression on her face. I stood there staring at the two bickering at each other. Cai Long was right, she should've caught the hint that I didn't want to talk to her.

The longer I stood there listening to them argue back and forth the more I got annoyed. For some odd reason, having Cai Long doubt that I wouldn't come made me slightly angry. I'll go just this one time.

"I'll go," I said. It couldn't be that bad to just go out and hang with her and her friends. They would most definitely annoy me but it was better than sitting at home doing nothing.

"Really!?"

"En, where and when?" My face was stern as it usually is. As she explained where and when I nodded.

"You don't have to be on time. I'm sure Cai Long will be late anyway."

"Hey!"

I forced myself to smile, "I'll keep that in mind."