Kaede has the power to see the good in anybody, that is what her eyes can see.

  “What do you mean by that?” I responded.

  “That obviously means that it wasn’t just because you needed Amanda’s help that you sought it.” Kaede spoke while returning to a nicer demeanor. It gave me the impression that instead of being sad or angry she was disappointed.

  “Okay, but that was also a part of circumstance, unless you are the same.” I responded.

  Both Abby and Jane were confused, but both of them seemed to be making some connections.

  “Does this have to do with the talk you had with Amanda?” Abby asked.

  “Yes.” Kaede immediately responded.

  “Who is Amanda?” Jane asked.

  “She is my friend who is a nurse.” I told her quickly.

  So many things were happening at the same time that it was starting to get confusing.

  “So you are willing to admit that Amanda is your friend.” Kaede said with a cold look on her face.

  I chose to stay silent instead of revealing what was on my mind.

  “Can you not rely on me? Why do you ask everybody but me for help?” Kaede asked, gradually becoming more desperate as she spoke.

  “Like I said before, it was just circumstance.” I spoke with a slight aggression.

  “What circumstances?” She asked.

  “Like I said before, I needed Amanda for her medical skills.” I said while regaining control of my emotions.

  “But, you won’t admit you wanted to help her.” Kaede said.

  “So, what does that have to do with this?” I asked.

  “You chose her.” Kaede said.

  “She was the only one I could choose.” I argued back.

  “But you still chose her.” Kaede responded, to me it was a nonsensical argument, but I felt there was something deeper.

  “Is there something wrong with that?” I asked.

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  “Could I not have helped as well?” Kaede spoke.

  “Do you have medical skills?” I asked back.

  “I may not, but I could have helped.” And she muttered under her breath, “Like Abby.”

  “Are you upset because I didn’t ask you for help?” I asked in disbelief of the question.

  “What if I am? When you were in need the most I did nothing. When you needed help, where was I… You didn’t even think of asking for my help.” Kaede revealed a bit more of what was on her mind.

  Jane nodded like she understood Kaede’s words perfectly. Which didn’t surprise me, because she had said similar words herself recently.

  “I would have asked for your help, you just weren’t suited.” I responded.

  “How am I not suited? I might not have been useful when it came to treating your injuries, but could I have not been helpful in Jane or Abby’s cases?” She asked, ignoring both of those people.

  “You do not know Jane the best, you also do not have the experience that Jane and the other girls do. You could have made things worse.” I spoke, trying to defend myself. My words came as a shock to Kaede, but she still seemed to accept them.

  “Then what about Abby, when you were getting shot down, why did you ask her for help and not me?” Kaede asked. I hesitated on the response which upset Kaede.

  “And after, why did you not ask for my help? Do you never think of me?” She said desperately.

  A series of questions entered my mind.

  Should I tell her?

  Should I leave?

  What would happen if I told her?

  What would she think?

  I got angry with myself, I had sworn to always live my own life, with nobody or anything stopping me.

  “Kaede, you are too eye-catching to be secretly doing anything.” I responded.

  A shocked silence took up a large portion of time.

  Abby and Jane both had a look that asked, ‘Really?’

  Kaede processed what I said for a couple more seconds.

  What I just said could be interpreted in a couple ways, but none of them would make me innocent.

  Abby looked really disappointed, what I had said could also be seen as an insult to her.

  Kaede’s cheeks suddenly turned pink and she looked away from me.

  That was not really the entire truth, because Abby was also eye-catching. I just didn’t want Kaede to see whatever happened to me. Not only would she cause a huge fuss and try to interfere, I had the feeling she would be disappointed in me if she saw what I did.

  However, the biggest reason I did not ask for her help was that I did not want her to pity me.

  The entire atmosphere around us was weird and I couldn’t find a place to fit in any further words, so I just left. I was a little embarrassed myself.

  School continued in peace, nobody talked, touched, approached, or even looked at me. Even Kaede and Abby pretended I didn’t exist.

  I struggled to walk home, but it was possible. I opened the door to the cold house, and closed it behind me.

  I walked further into the house when the smell of alcohol assaulted my nose. More frightening was the fact that there was no alcohol in the house. Which means the smell was coming from a person.

  I dropped my backpack and began to search. Eventually I found a person passed out on the couch. He was wearing a white button down shirt with his black jacket sprawled over his feet. He had messy black hair and an untrimmed beard.

  Unfortunately, he could not be considered an intruder. He was the rightful owner of this depressing space, my father.